The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1895-06-25

ClHS CaDIe ITOu
Victoria, B. G. to Australia. To this
end series of carefully-planneds steps
have been taken by England recently.
Last winter she tried her best
to acquire control of Necker
Island, which she wanted for a mid
ocean cable station. This bit of land
is nothing but a barren rock, incapa-
BILE of supporting life, situated to the
northwest of the Hawaiian group, to
which it belongs, though it IS not
properly member of that little ar
chipelago. But the Hawaiian repub-
lie would not give it up, owing to
treaty with the United States by
which it has guaranteed not to cede
any part of it's possessions to a foreign
power. Accordingly, Tanning Island,
1900 miles south of Honolulu, has
been selected instead. Thither the
cable is to go direct from Victoria.
During the last half dozen years
England has been quietly taking pos
session of group after group of islands
in the South Pacific, with the inten-
ton of utilizing the most suitable bits
of land for telegraph stations on the
great trans oceanic route. The COB
bling process has been carried on un-
obtrusively, but Systematically. Pro
tectorates were established wherever
it was not practicable 80 assume own
ership. In 1888 the British flag was
raised on Kingman, Palmyra, Wash
ington, FanDing, Christmas, Dudosa,
Rierson and Penrhyn Islands. In the
same year her majesty, the queen,
took under her protection EIllce ISL
and the Phoenix, Union and Gilbert
groups. She already had a protector
ate over the FIJI Islands. In 1889 she
took Suwarof' Island, and in 1891
Johnston Island, which is about 500
miles west of the south end of the Ha-
| waiian archipelago. In 1892 Gardiner
and Danger Islands were appropriate
ed. All Of these islands and groups
| have been examined with view to
| determine their availability for the
! purpose mentioned.
The distances to be traversed by the
proposed cable are enormous. AS the
| crow flies it is 1850 miles from VictO-
ria to Tanning Island. From Fan
| ming Island to Fiji it is 1867 miles,
| and from the latter point to Auckland
| is l34S miles. From Auckland to Sgd
new, in New South Wales, cable Is
| already laid. This is the route con-
| templated, the total distance to be
| covered being about 700 statute miles.
| Careful estimates recently made by
| the photographic office in this city
| show that the cost of laying trans
Pacific cable would be just about $1,000
per mile, including everything. This
| would bring the total expense of put
| ting down the line from Victoria to
Auckland, exclusive of preliminary
| SURVEYS, up to S7,200,0 900. The cost is
| somewhat increased by the fact that
the cable itself has to be carried all
| the way from England. No sub-ma-
| riDe cables are manufactured on this
continent. Most OF those now en-
| ployed were made in England, where
| the business was originally Initiated.
! Four firms in that country devote
their attention exclusively to that in
dustry; there are two similar concerns
in France and one in Italy.
To GirdIe the Earth.
Victoria, which is at the south end
| of Vancouver Island, IS already con-
nected bv cable with Vancouver town
| across the straits on the mainland.
| Vancouver town is the terminus OF
the proposed line will convey mes
sages direct from Europe to Australia
and the London merchant will be able
TO send kilograms beneath two oceans
to Sydney. From Sydney the same
kilograms could be forwarded back to
London by way of India aud the con
tinent of Europe. Thus 1t will be
practicable actually, when this pro-
Eect is accomplished, to transmit an
electric spark entirely around the
world. BY throwing open all circuits
along the wires the spark could be
made to eirdle the earth completely
in fraction of a second
When the earliest cables we've laid
regard was had only for the contour
Of the bottom over which the tele-
graphic rope was 10 pass. But nova
DAYS many other things are consid
| cred in deciding upon a route. First
and foremost is the nature of the bot