The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1874-08-22
THE TRANs-PACIFIc TELEGRAPH

The action OF the Hawaiian Legislature a few
dave before it's final adjournment, in passing the
Bill . For the encouragement and aid of any com
uany now Incorporated or that may be hereafter
Incorporated, for the transmission Of intelligence
By electricity - (see our issue Of the let Inst.,)
while it evinced a spirit of intelligence and lib
eraIity, will prove in the end to have been very
timely. IL is impossible to estimate the benefits
which will accrue to these Islands by the laying
Of a Telegraph Cable from San Francisco to ia
pan, with an intermediate station at Honolulu,
thus completing the Telegraph circle Of the globe
and placing us as a link in the electric chain. 1t
is believed that no one undertaking since the dis
coYery By Columbus has contributed more extern
sively towards the material advancement and
prosperity of both Europe and America, than the
LAYING of the Atlantic Cables. Their success as
PAVING enterprises has been signal and trium-
plant, while the cause of humanity and interna-
,tional amity has been vastly strengthened.
VT Cyrus w. Field, more than any other man, is
L-%IS - IL --tisI~d a. tLo
honor Of having achieved the great undertaking
Of connecting Europe and America, and he is
now at work in forwarding the Pacific Ocean
line, with the same persistent determination that
overcame all obstacles on the Atlantic. The
Government Of the United States, seeing in the
projected enterprise a sure means of promoting
the best interests Of the American people, has for
a long time past employed a national ship-the
Tuse0rorG, Commander Belknap,-in making the
necessary soundings and surveys over two routes,
which have been selected as offering the most
favorable chances for a successful laying Of the
Trans Pacific Telegraph Cable and the reports,
so far as they have been received and made pub
lie, chow that no obstacles of moment exist,
especially on the Southern route by way of these
Islands.
The Northern route, from San Francisco to
Cape Flattery, and from thence to Atcha in the
Aleutian Islands, and thence to Japan, is open to
many objections, and will, it is thought, be
rejected. The climate is cold, rigorous and
stormy, the line includes no inhabited countries
in its course, and the cable would be subject to
many risks, with few facilities for repairing in
case of accident. Fogs ard stormy weather,
which would prevent observations and delay
graphing for the cable for several days when
/ repairs7were necessary, would be most serious
obstacles to It's usefulness and greatly affect its
pecuniary value.
The southern route by these Islands, which
would include Honolulu, presents many advant-
ages, ana Is on many ACCOUNTS 10 DC pTCIerIeu.
Already there is a large and lucrative trade be-
tween us and San Francisco, from which we are
2,OSO miles distant, and a station here would be
more than a third of the way to Yokohama.
And it would not be difficult to stretch a branch
cable hence to Australia, with stations at New
Caledonia and the FIJI and Navigator Islands.
The difference in distance between the northern
and southern routes,-sometbing less than 1000
miles in favor Of the former-will necessarily
impose a greater expense should the southern
route be chosen, but this fact will be far more
than counterbalanced by the very many adsapt-
ages it would possess by reason Of more extensive
and constant use Of the cable. Mr.. Field is re-
ported to have said that a cable by the way of
Honolulu would cost at least $4,000, 900 more
than by the way of Atcha but storms are rare,
and it might be taken up at any season of the year.
The TuseGrOrd, on sounding duty, left San
Diego on the 9th of January last, and arrived
here, it will be remembered, onihe ID of Febru-
airy, having met with generally pleasant weather
on the passage. We subjOin herewith, a diagram
of the ocean bed between Honolulu and San
Diego, as indicated by the soundings.