The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1896-11-16

Very Respectfully,
Your obedient servant,
(Sig.) ALFRED S. HARTWELL
SUGGESTIONS CONCERNING PRAC-
TICABLE METHODS OF SECUR-
ING CABLE COMMUNICATION BE-
TWEEN CALIFORNIA AND HA-
WAIT:
l. Two methods are open for con-
sideration; one is, Hawaii may seek
to obtain an international arrange
ment between the different countries
concerned in a system of Pacific Coast
Cables, or may seek to induce the
! United States alone to promote a
cable from California.
The other method, which thus far
has been tried unsuccessfully, is for
Hawaii to enter into a contract with
some person, whereby the contractor
undertakes to obtain cable communi-
cation by the aid of an Hawaiian sub
sidy, and exclusive cabling rights and
such additional subsidies as he may
obtain from the United States or other
countries concerned.
Either course required careful plan
ming, obtaining estimates of cost, seek
ing cooperation between construction
companies and other submarine cable
interests, or avoiding conflicting in
terests of that nature, or obtaining the
aid of some powerful cable construc-
tion company.
Such an enterprise demands careful
investigation and active assistance and
cooperation of first class experienced
and responsible cable experts. Such
taid is never rendered gratuitously,
and probably is not obtainable, unless
those who render it shall he financial
! ly interested in the success of the en-
terprise.
1t has been ntimated that Japan
contemplates making a cable to Ha-
wai on its own account, but it is un-
likely that an expenditure of some
eight million dollars win be made by
Japan for a non-paying cable, which
would certainly he the case if cable
lines were not made also to California
and Auckland. At present it is not
easy 10 believe that the United States
California as a national enterprise,
and Japan would therefore encounter
/ great obstacles in attempting to Sc
cure connecting lines. 1t is also to be
observed that no exclusive franchises
granted by Hawaii would interfere
with national cable enterprise either
by Japan or by any other country.
while there is reason to apprehend
that waiting for either Japan or the
United States to make a cable o. their
own accord and on their own account
would be lost time.
The most that can be said against
the method by contract is, that the
contractor might neither utilize N
exclusive right himself in such way
as to obtain a cable, while his holding
it would prevent Hawaii from con
tracing with any other person more
likely to obtain success. This, how
ever, resolves itself into the question
of the selection of the contractors who
is most likely to succeed.
IL. A cable from Honolulu to the
cables to the Asiatic Coast and Auck.
land, not counting interest on cost oI
cable or repair ships, and not col1t-
ing expense of equipping, manning
and repairing the repair ships and al.
: lowing nothing for expense of repair
ing breaks in the cable would not pay
operating expenses. Anyone can cas-
lily learn that the cost of repair shiE
equipped with appliances for detrcr
ing and repairing breaks and oliicerad
and manned by highly trained eX-
perts would be heavy.
III. Any one of the five or siN
great English and European submar.
inc cable construction compai -
would in six months from making tie
contract furnish, lay and have in op
Grafton a cable from California To Ho-
nolulu; would have ii repair ship on
hand at one or the other terminus
giving guarantee for the successful
maintenance and operation of the
cable for period of twenty years
The terms of such contract are easi. {,
ascertained by any responsible par
ties. If the funds were raised by issll,
of bonds, either by the construction
company or by an operating company
, such bonds would have to be guaran,
teed, not by capitalists for that would
be out of the question, but by Govern
. ment guarantees.
: If the money were raised by Govern
: ment subsidies combined with est