The Portland daily press., 1875-01-07
The New Direct United States Cable.

The laying of ocean cable has become so
frequent, and is now accomplished with such
apparent ease and safety that the advent of an
additional one, of itself attracts no extended
notice, and the importance of what is still
great undertaking is but comparatively little
appreciated. This is possibly due largely to
the fact that nearly all the Atlantic cables
laid have been simply the extension of the IA
cilities of one company, serving one interest,
and also somewhat more to the fact that the
company itself causes as little notice as posi-
BILE to be given, and as little information as
possible to be obtained regarding any a1diton-
al cable that is put down, doubtless regarding
it strictly as matter ofpolicy to make as little
stir as possible whereby demand might
arise on the part of the public fer systematic
reduction of cable tolls with each added facil-
iiy created.
With the exception of few months while
the French cable was run as an independent
concern the whole business of transatlantic
telegraphing has been controlled by one great
consolidated interest-and cheap ocean tolls
have been kept beyond the reach ofany infu-
ence which the public could bring TO bear up
Oh the subject.
Few realize how near we are to the ad-
vent of new cable controlled by parties not
in the interest of the present cables. The
New Direct United States Cable Company
have been engaged during the last two
months in laying cable from the coast Of
Ireland to Rye Beach, New Hampshire, and
their work is completed within few hun
dred mies-the stormy weather of the lass
month having temporarily hindered them,
but the Faraday and two other ships are
still busily engaged in this duty, and we may
look for the announcement of the completion
of the enterprise almost any day.
This cable is said to be the best ever laid,
having larger conducting power than any of
the other, and capable Of greater speed in
the transmission of messages. 1t was made,
and is being submerged by the Messrs.
| Siemens Bros. of London and Berlin, the
largest manufacturers of telegraphic machin-
cry in the world.
There is no doubt that the opening of this
| cable to the public will inaugurate very con-
siderable reduction in the price of ocean tel
egraphing, and it is further rumored that the
old company is prepared to reduce rates to
| very low figure as soon as the new cable
| is successfully landed
The new cable has already made its ar
| rangements for land line connections, having
| entered into contract with the Franklin and
Atlantic and Pacific Telegraph Companies
| whose lines now reach nearly every import
ant city in the United States and Canada.
| These companies have recently built for the
| exclusive accommodation of the new cable
company two distinct routes of lines from
Boston to Rye Beach, N. II. These lines are
constructed in the very best manner and Of
the latest and most approved material in all
respects-the wire being the new compound
wire No. conductivity, and the insulators Of
the Brooks pattern, said to be the best in the
world. Our we'll known townsman, Mr.. A,
| D. Brown, is the contractor under whose di
rection the work has been done.
The proposed reduction in rates upon the
| opening of the new line will render necessary
improved machinery for the more rapid trans,
mission of messages by the cables. Other.
wise the contest will be of short duration
and the public will reap no lasting benefit in
the shape of cheap rates. We are glad tc
| note in this connection that two former towns.
men of ours, Mr.. William E. Sawyer (now Of
| Washington) and Mr.. j. G. Smith (now Of
New York;, have invented rapid system
applicable to ocean cables, and which will
| we trust, be the means of rendering perma
nent the promised low rates.