The Hawaiian gazette., 1891-08-11
THE PACIFIC CABLE.

We have received a copy Of The
report of tue Committee Of Foreign
Affairs of the last House of Repre-
sentatives, on the bill proposing tC
aid in the laying of a submarine
cable between San Francisco and
Hawaii. The report favored the
proposal of government aid to the
enterprise, by guaranteeing the
payment of interest on the bonds
to the amount of $4,000 per an
mum for fifteen years. 1t will be
remembered that the bill failed to
receive the sanction of the lower
house though the Senate approved
of it.
The measure will probably be
brought up again before Congress,
at its session in December. In the
meantime, the survey of the route,
which was ordered by Congress,
will be made and its Feasibility de-
monstrated so clearly that no
doubts can remain regarding the
success of the enterprise, whenever
the government shall decide to as
sist. The Boston Advertiser states
the case and main points of this
great undertaking so clearly that
we reprint its article, to show how
it is considered by the press of
Boston and New England:
"There seems to be no reasonable
doubt that there is need of cable COM
munication to the Hawaiian islands.
The importance of such an undertaking
and the prospect of its advantage to the
United States have been frankly recog-
nized by President Cleveland, President
Harrison, and Dy Secretaries Blaine,
Tracy and Bayard. Its adoption has
been urged by all the commercial asso-
Citations of the Pacific coast and is favor
ably considered by those of the larger
Eastern cities. 1t is certain that cable
will be constructed across the Pacific
and will touch at Hawaii 1t is for the
U. S. government to decide whether
that cable shall touch America at Van
couver or San Francisco. A recent con-
ference regarding the building of trans
Pacific line was held at London and |
another at Sydney in Australia. The
has been made that Canada |
and other British colonies should pay to |
the projectors of the cable an annual |
subsidy which would exceed the entire |
subsidy to be paid to the projectors of |
the Hawaiian cable. If the cable to |
Hawaii be not built by the American
projectors it seems inevitable that it will |
be built from Vancouver with British |
capital and will be controlled by the |
British government. Whether this
would be an event in which the United |
States can take satisfaction may well be
Certainly the leading Ameri-
ans Of the present day are unanimously
II the opinion that if such cable is to
)e built, it should be built by the capital
II U. S. corporation.
'The capitalists who hold the fran
hise of the Hawaiian cable ask from
he government an amount which will
)e considerably less than the annual ex-
,ense of operating the cable. This sum
5 to be paid annually for term of fif-
cen years. They propose to furnish
heir own capital and to give the govern
nent priority of service and to furnish
he government free telegraph service
light or day. In case of war the govern
nent may take and operate the line,
making compensation therefor. If the
in awarding the contract for
he construction and maintenance of the
able, meets with any other corporation
Filling to undertake that work on more
lvorable terms to the government, the
projectors Of the cable profess to be will
ing to surrender the Hawaiian franchise
D that corporation. The U. S. govern
lent then, is to pay a small annual sub
idy to whatever company will furnish
be capital and construct the cable at the
east expense. In return for that pay.
lent it is to receive free service to the
lost important strategical point in the
'acific, and is in no way responsible for
he financial success of the enterprise.
he United States has always striven to
close and friendly relations
nth the Hawaiian government and the
opposition for the cable seems merely a
sgitimate outcome of its long maintained
olicy.
Gin recent letter to Senator Sher-
IAN, Secretary Blaine calls attention to
ne fact that the governments of Great
'ritain and Germany have already con-
idered the matter of trans-P Pacific
able and have even made authoritative
to the United States looking
,ward concurrent action in building
1ch cable to Samoa by way of Homo
llu, but he adds that in his opinion the
rcposed American cable should rather
e built from San Francisco to Hawaii
1y American effort and with the sane
on OF our government Such an in
of the Hawaiian cable propo-
tion from the present secretary of state
significant. 1t is hardly more en-