Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-01-20
Mr.. HALE'S SPEECH
On The Proposed Hawaiian CabIa-One Of the
Most important OF Session.

Senator Hales speech made in the Sen
ate, Thursday, was one of the most i'm
portant set delivered in that body. this
session. He spoke upon the bill introduced
by him on Jan. 8 which gives to the post
master general authority 10 contract with
the Pacific Cable Co. for transmission of
messages on government business between
san Francisco and Honolulu for 20 years
the United States to pay each year the
actual cost Of maintaining and operating
the cable; and also Il sum sufficient to pay
interest at per cent. on he sum EXPENDED
by the company in laying the cattle From
this sum is 10 be deducted $40, coo per
annum the amount OF the subsidy granted
by the Hawaiian government
Mr.. Hale stated that in round numbers
the bill commits the government to the
subvention Of about $3.50 600 per annum.
This cmbodies "a plain business enterprise
which brings the Hawaiian islands close
10 Our doors, enabling us to act wisely Cd
the happening Of any significant event.
Bright, keen. strong and accomplished
men have gone out from US and come to
he leading figures in these islands. Dur
ing 20 years the leading sentiment there
has looked to this country for interest and
friendship. and we have been regarded by
them as the mother country. Trade has
increased and been mutually profitable
These islands have been set like precious
gems in the middle of the seq and have
been looked upon with greedy eyes by other
nations. who have from time to time
sought to establish an influence with the
Hawaiian government which if successful
would invole nothing hut detriment to Us.
senator Hale then rehearsed the history
OF the laying of submarine cables and
said: so marked and beneficial have
been the results of these cables that aside
frcm what has been done by private enter.
prise, many of the nations of the world
have undertaken the laying of them either
by assuming the whole cost or by liberal
subsidies 10 companies which, but for
such aid, could not afford the expense"
Here the senator submitted list OF
ocean cables owned and operated by
different governments; also list of sub
sidies granted by the British government
alone for submarine cables, which aggre-
gate about $40, 900 per annum and cover
lines to an extent in all of nearly 10000
miles.
With one exception these lines have been
laid in the great waters of the globe be-
tween all its continents That exception
Is the great space of ocean lying between
the two great hemispheres and forming
that immense mighty and majestic sea
known as the Northern Pacific ocean.
Therefore it has happened that the coun-
tries whose shores this great ocean washes
have cast their eyes over these waters and
have sought favorable line where sub
marine cable could be laid between the
continents OF North America, Asia and
Australasia. the great requisite for such
line being some midway stopping place
where the circuit could be broken and
where the danger Of so long an unbroken
stretch would not be so great as to render
thc enterprise of laying the inter-oueanic
cable impossible.
The Hawaiian islands above all other
spots furnish this resting place.
MIR. Hale hero narrated what had been
done or attempted by the United States
and Ivy Great Britain. Under a provision
in the naval appropriation bill late in the
5lst Congress, which Senator Hale con
Quoted through the Senate, an appropria-
ton was made for a survey to determine
the practicability of the laying, of a cable
between California and Honolulu
In the 52d Congress an appropriation for
u SUBSIDY OF S20o, 600 year for such a
cable was passed by the Senate but de-
feated by the. House, and the project then
slept until growing out of the exciting
events of the past three years, in an appro
pratlon bill in February. 1895, there ap-
peared provision offered by Senator Hale
authorizing the President to contract for
the entire work Of laying cable between
the United States and the Hawaiian is
lands and appropriatlng $500, coo as a part
Of the cost
The Senate adopted the amendment and
the whole matter went into conference
Again the project for Hawaiian cable
tailed and so far as ARE concerned there
1t has remained until today
In the meantime Great Britain has not
been idle and the history of her efforts to
secure a landing place for British cable
which should traverse the bed OF the