The Portland daily press., 1884-05-28
TELEGRAPHIC RIVALRY.
proposed Reduction of Rates by the Pool
Companies i'm View of the Rival Line.

LONDON, May 27.-The present pool Of Atlantic
cable companies is organizing for bitter competi-
ton against tie Bennett ackey enterprise. There
are four companies in the pool, the French, the
anglo and the American. Mr.. Won Chauvia, the
London manager of the two latter, commonly
known as the Western Union or Gould cables rid-
cules the idea that the pool has anything to fear
from the new cable. The pool has four lines, and
the Atlantic wires can by duplexing increase its
present capacity to at least ten wires Under favor
able circumstances Mr.. Won Chauvia says the
capacity of each wire will average at least 1900
words per hour, or about 10000 words per day. 1t
ls alleged that the entire cable business at present
done between Europe and the United States would
pc lnsuicient to constantly occupy any one OF the
favorable circumstances. The pool management
therefore argue that the new cable is unnecessary.
Mr. von Chauvia has repeatedly declared that the
Tour lines in the pool will never allow themselves
TO be spared out" by the one now being laid in
tne matter of rates. All attempts, however, to
secure any concession from the present high tariff
have thus far been unavaiiing. There are three
tariffs in force-the general charge of 80 cents per
word for commercial and cipher messages includ-
ing addresses and signatures and the press rates.
There are two press rates. of 20 cents per word
Tor expedited messages, and twelve and half
cent rate The latter toll Is collected on all de-
!erreu press messages, that is, dispatches filed to
pc sent at the convenience of the companies. AS
dispatches filed for the press are generally marked
rush" and fled for immediate delivery. the de-
ferred rate is practically ignored All the press
associations have lab0red in vain for year past to
secure uniform press rate of IL cents per word
and uniform commercial rate half that of the
present. 1t has been repeatedly demonstrated that
II the present tolls were cut down one-hali, the
cable business would be trebled and the lines be
buster at increaeed expense but largely increased
returns. The pool has always sneered at these de-
monstrations. Within the past two months the
principal company in the pool attempted to secure
an abolition of the deferred rate.
Now that the new cable enterprise is assured, the
pool has become alarmed. 1t was announced to-
day that the Direct, the French the Anglo and the
American companies have agreed to open the COM
petition with the Bennett-Mackey. cable by
establishing uniform rate of threepence or six
cents per word on all business fled on the pool
lines. No reduction in the present high charges il
is SAID, will be made until the line is in actual
operation, which it is commended cannot be for
several months yet The pool managers assert that
the Bennett cable will not attempt to do business at
a lower rate than three pence per word, and say
they will meet it in any reductions it may make be-
low that point; but they decline to explain how
they can possibly make money by voluntarily
adopting rates which they confess will be unproft-
for the present business to adopt