Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1892-08-19
OCEAN CABLES.
SUBMARINE TELEGRAPH LINES
OF THE WORLD.
The Atlantic Well Supplied, but
the Pacific without a Cable
What it Costs to
Build n Line.

Old World. Two of the cables start
from Brest, France, six from in and
about Dingle Bay on the west coast OF
Ireland, and two from Lands End,
England. On this side of the water
four of the cables come to land at Trim
ity Bay, Newfoundland; two at st.
Pierre. Island of Miquelon, aud four in
Nova Scotia. From these main termin-
ais short lengths of submarine cables
stretch out SO as to reach two or three
ports in the United States.
The names of the corporations opera
ting these transatlantic lines are the
Anglo-American Telegraph Company,
the original organization which, under
the skillful and determined leadership
of Cyrus w. Field, laid, after many
misbaps, the pioneer cable connecting
the two worlds; the Direct United States
Cable Company, the Compagnie Fran
caise du Telegraphe de Paris a New
York, the Western Union Company and
the Commercial Cable Company.
From Europe great English company
carries on the string of wires through
the Mediterranean Sea, across the Suez
Isthmus, down the Red Sea, and across
the Indian Ocean to Bombay. This
long line, with many bifurcations en-
route, is under the control Of the East
ern Telegraph Company OF England.
Some of the branch lines OF this system
run down the east coast OF Africa and
then back to the starting place in Eng
land. Another line makes a cord bind
ing into one circuit all the coast places
of the vast Indian Empire. Then, un-
der the name Of the Eastern Extension
Company, the cables cross over from
Calcutta to the Malay peninsula aud
come to land in Australia, where the
shore wires carry messages all over that
vast continent. Finally, the same com
papy has double line # cable stretched
between Sydney aud New Zealand.
There are still other submarine cables
belonging to the Eastern Company
scarcely less important to the CONNER
cial world than those to Australia and
India. They are the lines extending
along the bottom of the China and Japan
Seas and serve to bring into electrical
connection all the places of the Orient.
This system runs from Singapore and
does not stop until the Chinese and ia
nanese cities are touched. Thence Vladi-
vostock is reached over cables belonging
70 the Great Northern Company. This
remote Russian post is also brought into
touch with the West by means of long
overland wire that crosses Siberia and
terminates at St. Petersburg.
The nain directions of the principal
cable lines of the world have only been
briefly indicated. 1t is observable, too,
that the only body of water that is not
crossed by cable is the Pacific Ocean.
There can be no doubt as to the need Of
a line bringing Japan and the Sandwich
Islands into quick communication with
the United States, aud such cable would
be sure to succeed, for the business that
now has to go over the eastern lines by
the route above indicated-that IS, via
India and the Mcditerraneau-would find
Quicker aud more accurate dispatch could
il come direct to tho U1ited States and
then cross over to Great Britain.
The laying of cables is expensive. The
probable cost cannot be far from SlOoO
a mile; this includes the making and
LAYING of the cable. Present experience
gives from thirty to forty years as the
probable length Of life of a modern sub
marine cable, but much depends on the
mode a preparing the outer strands OF
wire protection, especially the galvan-
;zinr. Then, too, the nature OF the bot
tom Of the sea, the rocks, etc, come into
the question. There are instances where
n cable has lasted only ten years.
It is found that there is in round num-
bors 1876, 900 miles Of cables, all told. OF
this length Great Britain owns nearly
o1 900 miles, of which the English Gov
ernment owns only 1900 miles. In the
list Of ownership of cable lines Fpnce
comes second with 10000 miles, OF
which 5000 belong to the Government.
The United States stands third, our three
companies controlling something over
10. 900 miles of submerged telegraph
wires. Gcrmany's only cables are Gov
crrmcnt owned, and are less than 5000
miles long. 1t is the same with Italy,
but her length OF lines is about half that
OF Germany. The only other country
operating lines is Denmark, where
single private company works over $500
miles Of wire.
To lay cables requires a specially
equipped steamer, aud, as submerged
wires are constantly suffering damage
from some unavoidable cause, it is neces.
ssry to have always ready for service
one OF these cable ships. The tele-
graphic feet is composed of no less than
thirty eight steamers, aggregating more