The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1895-03-09
Congress Started the Island
Cable Ball to Rolling
THE COUNTRIES INTERESTED
Proposition to Stretch q Wire to All
Pacific Stations
Japan and the French Settlements in the
South Pacific viii Be Reached:-Russia
Interested in the Project

Washington, March S.-When Congress
failed to provide for building the Ha-
waiian cable it by no means ended the
question. On the contrary it has brought
forward project of international import
and by which Russia, France, Japan and
Hawaii will join in an American enter
prise for laying a cable from the United
States to Hawaii and thence to Japan
with branch cables to the French islands
and extensive naval stations in the South
Pacific. The negotiations with these gov
ernments have proceeded quietly but
with such satisfactory results that they
are we'll along toward completion. A
number of conferences have been held
with officials of the Japanese legation here
and several phases of the subject are now
under negotiation between Toxic and
Washington. Minister Kurino is much
interested in the project. 1t is probable
five or six of the most influential and
wealthy Japanese merchants will be
named among the incorporators.
France has also been interested and in
the course OF the negotiations she has
made suggestion to Hawaii to the effect
that French interests will be better sub
served by having the cable from the United
States instead of Vancouver, which would
be controlled by Great Britain. The chief
interest of France is in securing cable con-
nections with Tahiti and her other Pacific
possessions and with her naval rendezvous
which is now cut off from communica-
ton.
Russia's interests in the project are re-
garded as even more important than those
of Japan or France. Russia's cable COM
munication with the Western Hemisphere
is now eastward through London or Paris
and this tiltering of all her news and
official messages through London in par
ticular mas long been source of irritation.
The Russian Imperial Government al
ready has a cable from Vladivostock, the
easterly point of Siberia, to Japan, so the
new line would give Russia through
cable communication eastward instead of
through London or Paris. The military
and strategic Importance of this is very
great, for should Russia be arrayed against
the Triple Alliance she could not COM
municate eastward to the outer world but
could always maintain communication east
ward to the United States and to Frence.
Hawaii is also interested in the enter
prise, as she regards it as practical
realization of her efforts to communicate
with the outer world.
The United States Congress failed to
act and it also declined to vacate the
treaty iii order 10 let Great Britain btiiio
the cable. Under these circumstances
the new enterprise with Russia, France
and Japan joining, has commended tself
to Minister Thur ston, the Hawaiian Min
lister, and to other leading men of
Hawaii.
The principal work of organization is
being consummated here in Washington.
The only question at present is, whether
the incorporation shall be under the state
laws of New York, New Jersey, Mary
land, Virginia or California. Their ad-
vantages are being compared and the cor
poration will be under the state laws most
favorable.
An effort was made few days ago, be-
fore Congress expired, to secure national
incorporation but it was denied as it
threatened at the time to be harmful to
the Governments cable project then IN
conference committee. 1t was not known
at that time that France, Russia, Japan
and Hawaii were interested in the pro-
ject. But the failure to secure a national
charter has in no way checked the enter
prise. The organization will be under
one of the state laws as heretofore stated
and the arrangemns are so far along that
the filing of the articles OF incorporation
will be made during the present month.