The Hawaiian gazette., 1874-04-15
Ocenn TeIegrnphy.


A most valuable discovery has been made in
the telegraph art, by which messages are trans
mitted at a vastly-increased rapidity, and cOnse,
quently at a greatly reduced cost. The first sue.
cessful public trial of this invention was made
Dec IL, 1873, at Washington in the presence Of
Postmaster-General Cresswell.
On that occasion the Presidents last annual
Message Of II 500 words was transmitted from
Washington to New YORK, a distance Of 300
miles, over a single wire, in 22ls minutes. the
speed obtained being over $500 letters per
minute. At New York the Message was de-
liyered from the automatic instrument printed in
bold type, in presence Of the Postmaster Of New
York. This achievement in telegnphy is the
more remarkable as the principle involved is not
new, but was well known in ls4s. The expert
ments made at that date were practically without
result. BY the new American combination Of
chemistry and mechanism the speed is apparent
ly almost unlimited. messages at the rate of 200
words, or 5000 letters minute, being afterwards
transmitted with equally satisfactory results.
Hitherto the speed attanable over circuits Of
similar length in England by the Wheatstone au.
tomato system at present in use for the high
speed" service by the Postal Telegraph Depart
ment does not exceed 200 letters per minute.
In addition to this increased speed Of trans
mission, we have the announcement that cables
are to be made ut largely.reduced cost, under
patent issued to Mr. Highton OF England, to
whom the Society Of Arts has awarded medal
for the discovery. The cable in question will
weigh only u cwt. per nautical mile in water,
will sustain twenty miles Of its own length, and
will be covered only with prepared MANILA. 1t
will be laid by ordinary ships, without machinery,
and only one-tenth part Of the electric force now
in use will be required to give distinct signals.
1t is promised that by this cable messages shall
be sent between England and America for one
shilling.
New York papers state that a contract was
closed on the 9th of March between the inventors
OF the rapid telegrapby to which we have referred
above and an English company for the exclusive
use of this patent across the Pacific, for which it
pays the inventors S75OOOO IN stock BY the
use of these inventions the company expect to be
able to transmit messages across the Pacific at
one half the rates at which business could be
done under the present system OF operating.
The AAa informs Us that Captain Moreno,
whose projected cable enterprise to connect China
aud japan with America only failed OF passage
by the lack of single vote, at the last session Of
Congress, arrived on the steamer Arizona to en-
list the influential citizens OF San Francisco in
forming new cable company to carry out his
project. With the endorsement Of the business
men Of San Francisco Captuiu Moreno will re-
turn TO Congress, and there will then be no diff
fcuIy in obtaining charter the Chinese are
ready and willing to supply the most Of the cap
ital. The plan is to 60 from San Francisco, by
way of the Sandwich Islands to Japan or by
way Of the Aleuran Islands if the Russian Gov
eminent will give the required assistance.
The cruise of the U. ;. Steamer Tuscarora, Of /
which we gave u description March 4 from san D-
ego 10 this port, will, when completed to Japan,
demonstrate that tue route via Honolulu is the
proper one to take, as 1t viii be so much gained /
il completing the cables on to the Australian
Colonies, and connecting with the numerous
groups intervening. With Mr.. Hightou's cheap
cable laid by an ordinary steamer, and the new
printing apparatus above described, there Is no /
reason to doubt the praciieablIity Of laying
cable at once, aud Of It's being profitable invest
neut from the start.