The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-06-12
IMPORTANT CABLE PROJECT.
Proposed Revolution In Deep Sea
Cable Laying.
Great Reduction in Rates Between Eng
land and America.

Ian0 ana AMERICA.
One OF the most important projects OF the day h
that OF revolutionizlng the present expensive and
laoorious system OF laying ocean cables by the sub
stituton OF lighter cable, but one OF equal dura-
bliity with those now IN use. Before proceeding
to submit some brief remarks in regard to the
actua condition OF the light cable business at this
time. we should state that the impression prevail
ing here that company has already been formed
IN England to carry out the project Is mistake.
1t is true that preliminary steps were taken in
London in the early part OF the present year to
organize the Light Cable Telegraph Company"
pursuant to the companies acts, 1862 and
1857, with a capital OF Gssoooo, in $4,000
shares OF FLO each; but the undertake
ing met with such persistent and potential
opposition from the present enormous cable mon
opoes that it finally fell through, and the rasing
OF subscriptions, 80 far as Great Britain was
cerned. was for the time abandoned 1t Is now
proposed to give the capitalists and people OF the
United States, particularly those OF New York
city, an opportunity to organize cable company
on the popular cheap postage principle that Will
prove not only profitable investment ont a solid
benefit to the public on both sides OF the Atlantic.
THE LEADING sHIpowNERs AND MERCHANTS
connected with the American trade In London,
Glasgow, Liverpool and Manchester we learn
have promised their cordial support to this under
taking and 1t is confidently anticipated that when
once set fairly in motion in the United States they
viii cordially cooperate with Others In obtaining
cheap teegraphy between the United Kingdom
and America. The capital Of
THE AHALGAMATED COMPANIES
for transatlantic telegraph cables amounts
to the enormous sum or f7,O00,0 900
or nearly $35,ooo,ooo. The eject Is that
%t,r,
shillings or 81 per word to enable them to pay
reasonable dividend on their capital. The
LIGHT CABLE
proposed to De constructed will be less costly,
and can be laid by any ships OF ordinary size without
the employment OF either government vessels or
those OF such huge capacity and expensive man
agement as the Great Eastern. Moreover the
machinery TO be used Is very simple and compara-
lively inexpensive. The present Atlantic cables
are covered with ten homogeneous iron wires,
each wire being covered with five Manila hemp
strength OF the cable, both IN iron and hemp, be.
comes gradually reduced until the whole strength
of the outer covering Is destroyed by corrosion.
The cattle now proposed to be laid will be covered
solely with tarred MANILA hemp, which by itself Is
sustain twenty miles q its length in waser whereas
the present cables, when new, are able to bear
only eleven miles OF their length. The bottom Of
such cable and IL Is only at the landing places
and in snoal water thar shore ends and inter-
PROSPECTS OF PROFITS
The receipts OF the Anglo-American Company
or about Sll5oo per day, which represent the cost
or the transmission OIL IL, 500 words daily at the
word. The new company proposes to adopt tarin
ONLY ONE ENGLISH SHILLING PER WORD,
and, should the Anglo American company adopt
the same tariff all experience tends to show that,
with such considerable reduction In the charge,
the number OF messages Will be so far increased at
the reduced rate as to produce at least the same
income as that derived from the present tariff.
Hence those who fear pecuniary loss by compe-
titon need have no serious approximations on that
score, and even II they have the tremendous pub
lie benefit that WIN ensue from the estabshment
OF the new cable ought TO surmount any objections
Of this kind. On the above calculation 1t Is esti-
mated that $1,000 words, at one smiling per
and II only one-sixth OF this tratc is received BY
the new company, It will transmit about 1000
words day, which. at shilling word, Tor 800
working days In the year, represents, after de.
quoting ordinary expenses and interest on deben-
cent on the capital OF the company and requires
the transmission OF only five to six words per
cable by the ordinary instruments now in use.
The company, however, has acquired the exclusive
BRUSH Isles and North America, Heishtcns p sne
ents for improving and increasing the sensitive
ness of Geographic instruments, by which the
rapdity OF transmission may be considerably aug
mented say. TO fifteen words per minute. Con-
tracts have been MADE with parties in relation to
acquiring certain patents: also with cable manu-
facturers for the construction and laying OF the
cable this year. via the Azores to Halifax the route
however. may be changed from Ireland TO New
foundland, heAtwcnty years. charter, with exclu-
sive privileRes,o the present companies expiring
in about one year. or IN time for the new cable TO
be laid and In working order. Three hundred
miles OF the new cable Is now ready to be laid and
Will be- II not otherwise disposed OF, as soon the
new organization Is perfected and the necessary
funds subscribed or raised in this country else
where.
REPORTS ON THE PRACrToABILIrY OF THE LIGHT
CABLE.
number OF electricians and scientific experts
In cable telegraphy have given their views In re-
gard to the practlcabllity Of making and lay
Among these are W. II. Preece, Engf-
neer Of the English Post Office teleRraphs;
J. Bordeau, Chief Engineer and Electrician OF the
submarine Telegraph Company; R. 8. CuIey, En-
Captain v.tF. Johnson Royal Navy, Surveyor Of
the French Atlantic Gable OF 1859! Cromwell F.
Marley, Electrician and Engineer OF the same COM
pauy. Favorable testimony from such well in.
formed sources is SUFFICIENT guarantee that the
laying or the new cable Is entirely feasible.
Whether IL will prove paying investment de-
ponds In q great measure upon the manner In
which It's affalps are conducted. But that a reduc-
tion OF seventy-fve cents per word-that Is from
one dollar to twenty-five cents-will greatly pro-
and new world, and thus enhance the aggregate
receipts, has been demonstrated by previous expe-
rience In similar matters Mr.. William W. Morice,
OF LONDON, Is now in this city at the Clarendon
our people the advantages OF this new and impor-
tant enterprise, and we understand he has al
ready received favorable assurances from some OF
our merchants and capitalists In regard to the sue
cess of his mission.
THE TRANSIT OF VENUS.
n r.ss.u ana nnrr,.u D->u.s~ -