Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1890-11-08
A RIUIHIG TABLE.
Long Delay in Joining Australia
and Canada by Wire.
The Subject Again Receiving
Attention.

The Plan Opposed by the Companies Now
Having cineh on All the TeIegrapr,ic
Communication between Europe and
Australasia would Be 5000 Miles
Long and Cost $1,000 600.
OTTAwx Ont, Nov. 8.-The prospect
OF connecting Australia with Canada by
cable across the Pacific ocean has now
been before the public for ten years.
having been first suggested by Mr..
Sanford Fleming iii the report submit
ted to the Dominion parliament in 1880.
AS q practical question, however, the
history Of The scheme may be said to
date from 1887, when a conference Of
delegates from various parts 81 TIE Brit
ish empire WIS held in London At this
meeting the plan was fully explained by
The delegates from Canada--Mr. Sand
ford Fleming and Sir Alexander Camp
bell-and aroused great, and for the
most part, friendly INTEREST.
AT the same meeting there was also
revealed the fact that the project had a
strong opponent in the Eastern and
Eastern Extension which now control
the Geographic communication between
Australia ana Great Britain and enjoy
monopoly which would be destroyed if
kilograms could be sent across the At
lantic, then through Canada, and then
across the Pacific ocean TO Australasia.
The conference adopted a resolution de-
claring that the connection Of Canada
with Australia by direct submarine
telegraph across the Pacific is a project
OF high Importance to the empire, and
every doabs as to is3 practicability
should, without delay, be set at rest by
q thorough and exhaustive survey.
The favor with which the idea was re-
ceived appears to have alarmed the ex-
listing companies, for last summer they
endeayored to make an arrangement
which would have given their monopoly
new lease Of life. They offered to re-
duce their cable rates one-half on condi-
ton that the governments interested
would give a guarantee equivalent to
about &220 600 a year. The Australian
colonies were willing to enter into this
arrangement. but Great Britain and New
Zealand declined to share in the guaran-
tee, and there the matter stands to-day.
In the meantime ar. Sandford Fleming
took the opportunity to explain the Pa
cific plan.
1t was commended by Mr. Fleming that
the guarantee asked for in consideration
Of the reduction of the rates Of the old
company, namely, 100000 year,
would be equal to the annual charge
upon the capital required for the con-
stTuction Of cable from Canada to AUS
tralia. The length OF the cable neces-
sary 20 stretch across the Pacific from
Canada to n Nv Zealand and Australia is
estimated b competent authorities at
$500 miles, nd Mr.. Fleming says that
the outside cost Of cable of the very
best sort would be $50 COO, 600 Three
per cent, upon this sum would amount to
$220, 900.
IT is further pointed out that the
building of the Canadian line would re-
.duce the cost OF messages from England
to Australia TO one-fourth Of what they
now are, while the proposal of the exist
ing companies is to reduce them by only
one-half The length of the line is not
SO formidable an obstacle to the success
Of the project as may ut first sight APP
pear, for owing to the presence of a
number of stations in the Pacific, the
longest stretch would be about 2,700
miles, the others ranging from 1900
miles upward