The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-01-20
ATLANTIC CABLE TELEGRAPnY.
Tariff Between England and tho
United States.
IRON the London Daily News, Jan. OIL

From the London Daily News Jan. 0.
were considered in connecton with the telegra phic
communication betW cen this country ana the united
are soreIy needed There seems to be no valid rca-
son Tor maintaining the present rates !0r messages
the Aanc az % whom the aueson Is one Of SUCH
vital interest that we may expect an agitatlon 0r
BASIS Already tners are portenis Of what is sure
to come. An advertisement has appeared, inviting
cable Ss
followed by sort OF warning doubtless from some
disntel person. to Inc effect that no sucn pro:
when the interests OF the British and American
must receive s he ye Yenrs
me original shareholders in the venture or 1906 have
md it sayors Of anachronism and absurdlty that
our telegraphic communication between The TWO
xords should depend upon three lines OF ca9ie,
,ne Of which Is constantly out OF ORDER and another
of which contains nav.
MI. Cyrus Field. the great advocate for Atlantic |
teegraphy Is now IN Europe. aud Is busily engaged
In laying down the principles upon which the
nations OF the earth should agree to light out their
venture to suggest to him another branch Of the sub
ject ~ which he mas given so much Of his peculiar
ad d Considerably to his lame Tor disnterestedness
and public spirit. Let him advocate the laying OF
oa Inc par h ro our sSngs Xeence
The cost Of sending message to America mas been
reduced within the last lew months. The different
boards interested have doubtless conferred, and
meditated. and discussed, and nave finally, In the
penltude OF their public spirit. determined on adj
mtJing their fellow citizens and cousins 10 closer
participation in those national BENEFITS which tee.
graphic communication between England and
tarlfr has been considerably reduced. Little more
than half what was about three months ago." re-
as In d we
only Two pounds Tor ten words and four snillings
tor every word additional. we Charge every word,
the %s''q recs.ver : So that gives on an aver,
age about six words Of message for the two
Inc lrst SIX and four shiinss word afterwards
It used to be, before this last alteration, three
o5 s ten Tn he
what five years or unDrOken success has brought to
U.S. Is doubtless true OF nrms IN me naDit Oh .ei9
less, may sunlce for each address. But the men or
women who have to telegraph IN an emergency and
who are as anxious to place their identity and ad-
dress Tor reply neyond the possibility Of mistake. as
to convey the message itself how. do they falr
In each address and allows only ten words for forty
shAllngs9 Three parts OF the assigned limit are,
In many cases, absorbed without one word Of mes
sage and 1t sounds ike a mOckery upon the fine
promises held Que to us that the blessings or inter-
scrnoed and curtailed 10 outsiders it does not ap-
pear that the working expenses or submarine
cable ought to De aeav ana snose VINO nave
meetings. Will have remarked That IN nothing have
the chairman and directors Of some OF the largest
submarine lines been more consistently attacked
than for the heavy items returned for expenses and
for what not unn1uential section OF investors con-
menr. Time after time we are told that these directors
above all sOrdid considerations as to fees; ana
time AFTER %e ds the %a9
duce their amount and save our money, BY amalga-
mating under one management lines which. with
caiiy oner' But the truth Is, neither the share.
holders nor The general public n,S know much about
S TSSt 3 IN
few hands. It is within the bounds Of possibility
no doubt, the Atlantic Gable directors maintain
It Is, ialr and reasonable charge II may be
Of many boards, with the same gentlemen or
It requires special 1nc ,S 70 say why a,caDle
which can be worked BY handful Of clerks at each
enc OF it-should absorb as large sum for man.
vide goodly portion OF railway plants just as it re.
quires special knowledge to account for the enOr-
nous sums still charged Tor messages between this
country and America.
WHAT does It really cost to make cablef How
much can 1e ee aa NAVE mo c
and much and varied experience has been
acquired since 1866; and what 1t would be
little little could the public be put In possession Of
as many cables as would make low prices thing
OF courseY Let existing rights be respected by all
that higher right which the two nations share and
winch IS being sacrnced every day that the present
prohibitive tariff is permitted to continue unas.
sailed. We have no doubt that excellent reasons
may be advanced for maintaining things as they
strate the mpossibiity OF laying an Atlantic cable
at ALL 1.-The present tariff lr Is y not Iouna irk.
and few complaints are heard. There IS proba.
biity Of the government stepping In, and as all
come as we'll as cost It would be IN the highest
degree nexpedient to risk experiments IN tarln
now. II ever the cables are handed over to the
crown, some comprehensive scneme OF the penny
postage character may he devised and carried out,
made Two pounds for ten words IS little eaous IN
In all conscience and 1t was against the advice OF
many men OF sound Judgment that the tariff has
been made SO l0w.o We seem 10 hear these things
advanced py shareholders and directors with minds
turned dividendwards. ana admit, without heslta-
ton, that much may be urged IN support Of their
view. But this only proves the necessity for full
and unbiased inquiry before any bargain Is struck
between the government and the owners OF the
existing cables. The subject Is eminently one
Tor committee before which the evidence OF
various authorities should be taken, and by which
| turing and laying more Atlantic cables might be
made. 1t would be interesting to have Mr.. Cyrus
estlmable benefits certain to follow upon the estab.
cUaa Rk1 ERs ssgab between o
low taTiif being in the end far more remunerative
than high one. The hitch which arose between
the American authorities Hs and the concessonares Of
sd %As Ken $ss sss sa ps 0 ssaS
procty; and lew things would more gladden. the
great body OF merchants and others who telegraph
| news that o healthy competition was impending,
| or that the crown had determined, after paying
reasonable compensation, upon laying cables Of its
own.
This Is certain, the past I'VE years have not
brought England and America into the close and
constant communication which the people OF the
two countries had right 10 expect; and we trust TO
hear OF the whole subject being referred
suggested soon after the meeting
the existing ones. There may be cheaper
methods of making submarine cables. There may
he advantages OF transmission which have not
been tried. In the face OF the 'two pounds for
ten words" the telegraphlng and the reading
child or a friend, separated from them BY the
Atlantic, VIII look eagerly Tor mprovemsnti
moment to ,em from What quarter Il cemes
But the, subject is Of imperial Importance,
ana ought to be lifted ont OF the region Of
These have had their turn, and those with faith
nave not done badly. But England and America
nnlleu q rio aakf ann fnn and