The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1895-07-10
flaming Island Chosen for North
Pacific Ocean Cable Station.
OVER SIX THOUSAND MILES LoNG.
Hawaiian Islands VIII Not be Touched
Estimated Cost Over Seven and n
Half Millions-Hugh Craig Receives
News from England and Hawaii

The Pacific cable, which has been
talked about for years on this side of
the United States and discussed ad
interim in Congress, is TO be built by
British capitalists. This is the latest
information which Hugh Craig has on
the subject. He has been interested
in the problem for years, and has
made the gathering of information on
this subject special study, with the
result that he is in constant commu-
nicatiOn with those interested in the
project in Australia, in England,
France and Hawaii. To the statement
that Englishmen and Australians
with Canadians have decided to uD-
dertake the work he adds the further
fact that the difficulty of obtaining
midocean station has been overcome.
1t will be remembered that the United
States government decided last win
ter not to sanction the establishment
of such a station on any of the Ha-
Waiian Islands TO be controlled solely
by Britishers.
To avoid international complica-
tiOns station has been decided upon
in latitude north, on Tanning island.
This statement is confirmed by the
London Financial News, in which the
following paragraph occurs:
flaming island has been definitely
selected as the Pacific cable station,
because the United States declines to
acquiesce in the acquisition by Great
Britain of any of the Hawaiian
Islands. The cable will be entirely
British, and the Hawaiian Islan dis
will not be touched
The Association of Chambers of
Commerce of the United Kingdom
have unanimously indorsed the propO-
sition to lay the cable, and recon-
mended the British government to
subsi6ize the undertaking. flaming
island is a little to the southwest of
the Hawaiian group, and is in round
figures 100 miles distant from Homo
lulu. The station on the Hawaiian
Islands was desired for the reason that
the distance from Vancouver to Fan
ming island is 3232 miles, longer dis
tance than it is thought desirable to
lay the cable without an intermediate
station, if it were possible to shorten
the distance by the difference of 100
miles.
The cable is to be laid from Auck-
land, New Zealand, to Norfolk Island,
in the South Pacific, a distance of AIS
miles. The second section of the ca
BILE will be from Norfolk Island TO
Fiji, a distance of 1922 miles; the third
to Tanning Island, 1715 miles; and
the fourth, and largest section, from
Tanning Island to Vancouver, a dis
tince of 3232 miles. The total length
of this cable would thus be 6484 miles,
or almost three times as long as the
shortest transatlantic cable The
latter is 2164 miles long, but has, like
all the trans s-Atlantic, no immediate
stations.
The estimated cost of this cable
from Auckland to Vancouver is GI,5I7,-
600, or in round figures, $7,5S5, 900.
This cable, it is proposed, shall be
Meeting with it in the Southern Hem
isphere. The principal connection
will be between Auckland and Syd-
ney, New South Wales.
In connection with this project Mr.
Craig received yesterday two letters
from Honolulu showing what has re-
Gently been attempted by AudIey
Coote, an Australian of some means
and promoter of the cable project.
In the first of these two letters Mr..
Craig's correspondent says, under date
of June Goth:
"Audley Coote wanted this Govern
ment to give him an exclusive fran
chise for four years to lay a cable be-
tween Hawaii and the Pacific Coast
and subsidy guarantee of $25, 600 per
annum for twenty years. The Gov
ernment declined to give it to him,
but told him that when they had
formulated any definite plan they
would be pleased to consider it. He
stated that various French and other
cable companies, which he named,
have agreed to take the matter up il
the Governments interested will grant
proper subsidies or guarantees, and
that the French Government has
agreed to give certain sum for such
purpose, provided the United States
Government will assist. He proposes
to return here and go on to Washing
ton, d. c., in October, with a view to
obtaining Congressional support for
his scheme. The President has made
the subject of a cable leading point
in his message to the special session
of the Legislature now sitting, and an
enabling act will be introduced by
the Government
Mr.. Craig's second letter is merely
an Endorsement of Audley CoOte as a
man of honor and honest purpose, but
questions whether he represents the
Australian Governments in any capa-
N-AA Il.