Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-12-11
NEUTRAL USE OF CABLES
Interesting Problems as to Submarine Tsle-
graph Lines in War Times
The Sovereign Power of the State Re-
cOgniEed In Periods of Stress Re-
gardless of Ownership.

lantic between 60 and 40 degrees north
latitude. Eleven of these connect the Ca
madam provinces and the United States
with the territory of Great Britain; two
| Zone American, the other Anglo-American)
connect France. OF these seven are largely
| owned. operated or controlled by American
capital, while all the others under Eng
fish control and management. There is but
one direct submarine cable connecting the
territory of the United States with the con-
| tinent of Europe, and that is the cable
| owned and operated by the Compagnie
| Francois Cables Telegraphiques, whose ter
mini are Brest. France, and Cape Cod, on
the coast of Massachusetts,. All these
| cables between GU and 40 degrees north
latitude, which unite the United States with
Europe, except the French cable, are UNI
der American or English control, and have
their termini in the territory of Great
| Britain or the United States. In the event
of war between these countries unless re-
strained by conventional act, all these
cables might be cut, or subjected to excu-
sive censorship on the part of each of the
| belligerent states Across the South At
lantic there are three cables, one American
and two English, whose termni are Per-
| nambuco Brazil, and st. Louis, Africa, and
near Lisbon, Portugal, with connecting
English lines to England, one directly
traversing the high seas between Lisbon
and English territory, and one touching at
Nigo. Spain, at which point German cable
company has recently made a connection.
The multiplication under English control of
submarine cables has been the consistent
policy of Great Britain; and today her cable
communications connect the home govern
ment with all her colonies and with every
strategic point, thus giving her exceptional
advantages for commercial as well as for
political purposes. The schedule blanks of
rates Of the English companies contain the
following provisions: 1.-THE dispatches of
the imperial government shall have priority
when demanded. The cable must not, at
any station, employ foreigners; and the
| lines must not pass through any office. or
be subject to the control of any foreign
govern ment. In the event of war, the gov
eminent (of Great Brittany may occupy all
the stations on English territory or under
| the protection of Great Britain, and it may
| use the cable by means of its own en-
ployes."
1t is not a pleasing reflection that in the
actual situation the United States is at
great and embarrassing disadvantage.
Meanwhile it would seem to be the policy
| of the United States to overcome this dis
advantage by the multiplication of SUBJ
marine cables under American other
than English competing foreign ownership
and control.
Although somewhat indeterminate the
policy of the United States in respect to the
landing of foreign submarine cables, so far,
at least. as the executive branch Of the
government is concerned, appears to be
| based chiefly upon considerations that shall
guard against consolidation amalgama-
ton with other cable lines, while insisting
upon reciprocal accormOda lions for Ameri-
can corporate lions and companies in foreign
| territory. The authority of the executive
branch OF the government to grant permits
sion is exercised only in the absence of
| legislation by Congress regulating the sub
1ect and concessions of the privileges here
| tofore have been subject to such further
| action by Congress in the matter as it may
| at any time take. Several bills are now
pending in Congress relating to the landing
| of foreign submarine telegraph cables with
| in the United States. and regulating the
establishment of submarine Ielegraphic
cable lines or systems in the United States
AS this article is going to press 1t Is re-
ported that the President has refused per-
| mission to a foreign cable company to re-
new cable terminus within the territory
| of the United States, and that the question
| raised as to the power of the federal gov
eminent to deny admission to the cable will
| be referred to the Attorney General for an
| opinion. Meanwhile the executive branch
| of the government holds to the doctrine
| that. in the absence of legislation by Con-
greSS, control of the landing and operation
| of foreign cables rests with the President
The question of the landing of foreign
cables received some consideration from the
late Attorney General. in connection with
! an injunction suit brought by the United
States against certain corporations en-
| gagged in placing on the coast of New York
cable having foreign connection. And he
| gress whether it would not be wise to give
| authority to some executive officer to grant
| or to withhold consent to the entry of such
| foreign enterprises into this country on
| such terms and conditions as may be fixed
by law.
| The principal and most important sub
| marine cables traversing or connecting the
| great oceans are owned and operated by
private corporations or companies. They
| are in number 80, and their length in nau-
| teal miles is 139 754 The length of cables
| owned or operated by state governments is
| in nautical miles. IS, 132.
| The policies of states, the movements of
| fleets and armies, and the regulation of the
| markets of the commercial world, depend
| upon advices. communications and orders
| that are habitually transmitted through the
| agency of submarine cables. In this view
| the first aim is to safeguard from wanton
| destruction the delicate and expensive
| mechanism of these cables the second is TO
| restrain within the narrowess limits prac-
| t1cable Interruptions in the operation of
| cables, even in the midst of hostilities; and
| tne thlrd Is to encourage the establishment
| and extension of submarine cables owned
and operated by American capital All these
| ENDS may be advanced by the agreement
| OF the powers to neutralize absolutely the
| submarine cable systems of the world To
| 90 TINS Will be a step in the direction of
| extending international Jurisdiction which
| Is 10 be controlling feature of the new
| periodical about to be established at Berlin
| ana to be printed in German French and
/ ha Of ssI/,