The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1870-04-30
Ocean TelegraphY.

The London Times, in an article on Ocean Tele.
graphy, says it is calculated that on an average 4
commercial message consists of 80 words. Sixteen
words per minute is the rate at which a message
can be transmitted and received by skillful opera
tors, so that 80 messages can be sent in an hour.
On account of the differences of time between
distant parts of the earth there can be no division
of the 81 hours into day and night, and ocean ca
bles must be worked continuously by relays of
clerks. Still, in order TO allow for the intervals
between the conclusion of one message and the
commencement of another, the day is considered
10 consist only of 20 hours in which, therefore,
600 messages can be sent or received. At the
present rate charged across the Atlantic, these
600 messages of 80 words each would bring in a
return of E2, 700, and thus, allowing 300 working
days in the year, a single cable to merica might
earn a possible annual revenue of 47l0 900.
The business done already shows that the
cOmmerce between two centres of activity will
pay for kilograms at n rate which will not only
render the wires very remunerative property. bnt
must also speedily lead to the adoption Of sucb
lower charges as will enable the system to be EN-.
ployed far more generally than it is at present.
Indeed, when the returns from the lines have paid
the original cost and left 4 reserve fund for renair
or replacement, there IS no reason why business
snouia not De done at exceedingly low rates and
80 as to draw to the cable ordinary message of do
nestle news now consigned to the mails only. The
entire length of ocean cables laid and in progress,
short lines, is 20,961 miles, and the
stock engaged Is f6 ,925, 900.
England is az present dependent en- Russia for
Geographic communication with India, and it
in this wise. Russia constructed a line
to her army in the Caucasus. This comes largely
for maintenance, and the bright idea occurred
that if the line could only be extended to India,
the expense of its maintenance could be placed
upon the broad shoulders of British commerce..
The line was then constructed by the English
from the termination of the Russian one, by way
Of Teheran and Tabreez, to Bushire, and so through
the Persian Gulf to Kurrachee. 1t was agreed
that this line should pay a royalty of forty per cent.
IN its receipt for the privilege Of working through
he Russian wires, and the result has been, not
the dependence of Anglo-India telegraphy
Ipon a foreign power, but also that British SUBJ
have paid for the maintenance of the Russian
inc to the Caucasus, and the Persian line, thus !
has returned to its British proprietors
he modest dividend of 1.3 per cent. .
Another Russian military line is across Siberia |
nd Tartary, and on to this has been 81 tailed - a |
inc to Posletta on the japanese Sea, wherein a u
ompany, q nominally Danish, is to lay a cable l
0 Japan and to the Chinese ports. So Russia y
b~solutely contrives to have the English business L
China pass over her wires. The London :
Tines does not like this, and SO urges the COM
letion of ocean lines to take the place of these
yerlands.-N. Y. Spectator. A