The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1894-10-09
A CABLE TO HONOLULU
THAT Is WHAT FLEMING AND MER.
GER DESIRE.
Both Men Represent Great Interests-
Interview with Minister Hatch,
Monday.

Sanford Flemming, gentleman in.
terested in the promotion of the Canad.
Australian cable. and w. II. Mercer,
a prominent barrister of England, also
concerned in the cable project, arrived
IN the Islands by the Australia Satur-
day morning and are staying at the
Hawaiian Hotel.
Mr., Fleming comes to the Islands
as special commissioner from
the Ottawa convention for the purpose
OF settling the question of landing the
/ Pacific cable on the Hawaiian Islands.
During the past several weeks, H. b.
NJ. >. Champion has been surveying
North and South of Neckar Island for
this purpose, and is thought to be three
or four hundred miles North West of
this port at the present time. She will
doubtless put in here in the course of
ten days and make a report to Mr..
Fleming when his course will be deter
mined
Messrs. Fleming and Mercer are the
special guests of British Commissioner
Halves.
He met Mr.. Fleming soon after his
arrival and arranged for his comfort at
the Hotel Since then the two gentle
men have been together constantly.
MIR. Halves has received HIM at home,
shown him around the city and extend
ed him many pronounced courtesies,
emphasizing the consideration that Mr..
Fleming comes to the Islands in dis
tinguished capacity.
At noon Monday British Commits
sioner A. G. 5. Halves called at the |
Executive building accompanied by
Messrs. Sanford Fleming and W. II.
Mercer. The President was away, but
the gentlemen were presented to Francis
VI. Hatch, Minister OF Foreign Affairs
Mr.. Hatch declined to say much about
the matter, but the facts of the inter.
view have crept out.
1t developed that Mr., Fleming is here
as the official representative OF Canadian
interests in the Pacific cable. Mr.. Mer
Ger, on the other hand, is an attorney OF |
London and represents the Colonies. |
The purpose OF their mission to the Ha. |
waiian Islands and the visit to Minister
Hatch was and is to interest this Gov
eminent in the matter of the cable.
They desire to place the city of Hon
olulu on the line of the cable. Their
plan of executing this purpose was not
made known, but the inference is drawn
that their first preference is to land the
cable ON this island. Failing to accom-
plish this, their next move will be to
land the cable on Neckar Island and lay
a branch line from there to this city.
1t is one of these two schemes the |
gentlemen wish to establish with this |
Government.
Whether the Commissioners desire this |
Government to grant financial aid to the
project was not made known in the in
terview; but the opinion is that such Is
in the step.
However, nothing definite can be ac-
untl the return of President
Dole from Hawaii and the probabilities
are that the full proposition OF the Com.
missioners will not be presented to the
until that time. The limi-
tations upon the authority OF the Cabi-
net expressed by the Constitution pre-
cludes negotiations on a question of
such great Importance without the cogni.
zance and detailed approval of the Chief
Executive.
The question "Why should they wish
to land the cable at Honolulu" has
brought forth several answers. One of
these is that it is impossible to land "a
cable successfully on Neckar Island.
The commissioners will likely confer
with the Cabinet tomorrow.
Mr.. Flening was asked to speak of
the subject to-day. To the STAR man
he said: Personally, | should be
pleased to tell you about the objects
which have brought me to Honolulu.
but the matters are now in diplomatic
and l am not therefore at
liberty to discuss them with you As
| am in communication with the Ha-
waian Government it seems to me
only due to them, in respect and
courtesy, that | should refer you to
them"