The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1879-12-31

fore the House OF Representatives, Wed.
nesday, February the 18th, 1875.
Mr.. CHAIRMAS AND GENTLEMEN OF THE CoMMIrTEE {:
The Government and people of the United States
fully appreciate the need and high Importance of a
quick and direct Communication between the Pacific
coasts of America and those Of ASIA and the inhab
ants of the Pacific States, who are the most inter-
esed and therefore warmly desire and favor the idea
Of sub-Pacifc Cable, which will be the forerunner
of many other enterprises and all combined will con-
tribute to make San Francisco the clearing house
and the intermediary point between Eastern Asia,
the United States, and Western Europe.
According to the good order Of things, the time
and distance at regulates the market land SO
anything starting from Western reaches
the land where it is rising far sooner than from
any other part of Europe All this induces the ct-
Eens of California, Nevada, and Oregon to firmly
believe that China and Japan could be made for the
Americans the vast field of commerce, enter
PRISE and wealth, that the East Indies have been to
the English. They not to be conquered by arms
but by the peaceful inventions of the age-stea
railways, and telegraphs-these are the great civil
izers of modern times.
At present the Americans are dependent upon
English enterprise for conveying their subma arine
messages from the United States to China and Japan
and rice rersd.
Now, the gentlemen at the head of the American
and Asiatc Telegraph Company, whose names, with
miue printed in the bill, whose respectability
and responsibility proverbia the Pacific slope
aad all over the Union, and whose collective wealth
is far superior to the amount of money required to
complete this enterprise, have intrusted to me the
high honor to come and speak before you and assure
you that design to put end to this humiliatiug
state of things and prepare new way, by laying a
cable FROM Pacific across the Pacific Ocean,
via the Sandwich or Aleutian Islands, to BONN Is
lands, Japan, Cores. and China; shortes ing the
distances greatly reducing prices, and place it under
the control Of Americans giving at all times to our
own Government the priority all other nations,
corporations, or individuals. 1t asks from Congress
subsidy or privileges, it is stated in the bll
provided that the Secretary of the Navy be directed
10 DETAIL fDr the surveys and soundngs On and along
that portion Of the Pacific coasts in America and
Asia, where 1t may be determined to establish said
submarine CABLE one or more steam vessels to afford
such assistance may be calculated to prom ote the
success Of the enterprise.
Now, this proposition, instead of being burden
to the Government, will prove beneficial, as all YES
sells last longer at than lying idle at the navy
yards, while the work assigned will contribute in
extending the knowledge of officers in the science
and practice Of hydrography To that effect, The
United States steamer " Tuscarora 4" has already
completed the sounding from our Pacific coasts San
Diego, California, to Honolulu, thence to Yokohama
(Japan)
! was allowed, while on board of the "a Tuscarora /"
to examine the clever apparatus invented by Com
mander Belknap, as well the profile charts Of said
bed proper is reached near San Diego the bed
descends in comparatively gentle curves and undula
tons like regular plateau, to the vicinity of the
Hawaiian Islands, where depth of 054 fathoms is
found From San Diego to Honolulu sixty.two casts
were taken. or one in average of thirty eight
miles. The general character of the bottom mate
rial was ayellowish-brown mud or ooze. The serial
temperature of the water was taken ut all depths ,
and 1t was deduced from many thermometricai OBJ
Notwithstanding also those on the northern
route-that the bottom temperature of the Pacific is
constant at depths ranging from 1900 to 1864
fathoms. The great depth within less than hun
dred miles of Honolulu (3.023 fathoms) would indi-
cate the correctness of the geological theory prev
ously entertained that these islands are only the tons
of submerged mountains.
From Honolulu to Yokohama, by the way of the
BONN Islands, seventy two casts were taken and il
found that the bed slowly drops westward
till the lead reaches down to 232 aud 3.2S7 fathoms
about three and three quarter statute miles, in the
neighborhood of the BONN group. Contrary to the
opinions Of the scientists this line Of soundngs ade
through the heart of the North Pacific proves that
the deepest waters found much nearer the shores
Of Asia than the coasts Of the United States.
range of submarine mountains was found with
soil of varied character the valleys sending up light
yelow-brown ooze or mud in the specimen cups and
the sides and tops of the taius coral limestone
and sand, with fragments of lava.
Now. Mr.. CharmaL, the Pacific Cable will be the
pivot upon which will turn, in the near future our
supremacy in Japan and China. 1t would at once
put US III lumeuihte cOUnu0lcRtiOn with the far
East; give wonderful impetus to our commerce
there place us in the most favorable position for
controlling the trade add prestige and influence to
our name-already prominent in those Eastern re-
gions-awake sympathy everywhere, and inspire
confidence and security to governments and people,
the idea that they connected by cable with
powerful and friendly nation. Look at the bright
future before this company
Japan, the most enlightened OF the nations of Asia
has begun the construction of railroads. steamers and
tnlnoranha. and Amariaa will haln
and 60 ahead with this work. China, with a popu.
lation of 400 900, and 900 of square miles
Of territory does not possess mile of railways or
telegraph. There Is every probability that as soon
as this cable shall reach the shores of Japan and
China, concessions will be obtained from the Chi.
nese and Japanese governments to enable the com.
pany to reach all the principal cities Of those vast
Empires.
Whoever builds the telegraph will build the rail-
roads. Thus you what an immense field opens
for American enterprise. industry and energy Tbi,
is the only way to successfully compete with the
English, who now have paramount infsenee and
supremacy that part of the world. We should try
to have on land the advantage they have at sea to
have them tributary to us for the sending of mes
sages, Importing and exporting in and ont Of the
interior Of the country, 10 them 10 regard
to the sea; watching every opportunity to suppant
them 10 the end.
The foreign trade of Japanese and Chinese sea.
ports opened to forei traffic amounts nearly to one
w. UL.
great il is. it is Insignificant when compared to
the internal commerce Of the whole Eu pires that
could be made tributary to the ramifcatious and
conuections Of our cables or lines of televranh
steamers, and railroads. The numerous foreign uer
chants doing business there would at once make free
use of telegraphic facilities, and the Chinese and
Japanese, although they are not inventors, are
certainly skiilfu and patient imtators and keenly
alive TO mercantile enterprises They will not fail
to initiate.
have been many years in China and all over the
East. and have had ample opportunity of knowing
that among the Chinese aud other Asatics there does
exist any friendship for the English; thew onlv
fear them The compulsory opium and the inter
national gunboat law practiced by the English has
produced unfavoiable impression in China and
the rest of Asia. 1t is the FIRST impression that an
individual, as well nation produces in the minds
Of those people that lasts forever The English have
utterly failed, and the Americans have wonderfully
succeeded. The Chinese and Japanese feel warm
friendship for America and the Americans Thew
are willing to accord more privileges and facilities to
Us than any other nation. Look at the success Of
General +. Ward, Of Salem. Massachusetts,. and the
Honorable A. BurlingAme, whom met in Pekip. the
honored representative Of our country Are thew NOT
good proofs of this friendships Inducements enough
to make US turn our thoughts toward China, Japan.
Corea. and Siam, and look at the Pacific ocesu as
the only left to us for the revival Of our
navigation and commercef The Pacific cable and the
Pacific line of steamers destined to be the foupds
tion stone Of this commercial edfee. Let us retaiu
all the advantages possible of the friendship of these
Orentas, and Of the magic power Of this wonderful
ItaloAmerican invention the electric telegraph and
what Is equally important, let avail ourselves Of
the present opportunity to reap of the fruits of
cur early pioneering In the Orient SO successfuIlv
started BY Commodore Perry.