The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1897-03-06
NEED 0F A PACIFIC CABLE
GREAT ANXIETY AT AUCKLAND
ON ACCOUNT OF ZEALANDIA.
The Vessel Was Six Days Overdue and
No 1idings of Her-Steamer Sent in
Search of Oceanic Liner.

The Iealandia arrived at Auckland
several days late. and as previously
announced in The Star fears were en-
tertqined for her safety. 4 steamer
was sent in search of the overdue YES
sci In speaking of the incident, the
Auckland Herald dwells on the inn
portance sof having a Trans-Pacifc
cable. 1t says:
''The safe arrival of the Iealandia
has happily removed the general anN-
iety which was felt as to some serious
mishap having befallen her, but the
whole incident suggests the necessity
that exists for the early construction
of the trans-Pacific cable, and some of
the advantages that are likely to arise
when that work is completed. Had
such a means of communication been
in operation we should have known
that, besides starting from San Fran
cisco two days after timetable date,
the steamer had been gradually in
touched at Samoa and Honolulu, Civ
ing the promise from the slowness of
her steaming that in the absence of
accidents she might be expected to
reach Auckland somewhere about the
time she has made her appearance
six days after due date. Though some
on board were surprised and even ap-
parently somewhat indignant at such
solicitude for their safety as was
shown in the sending out of a coasting
steamer to the rescue of the Royal
Mail, the anxiety felt was entirely jus
| tifiable. and the authorities are to be
commended for what they have done.
"Those having friends or valuable
interests on board had not the COM
| Portable assurance that the Zealandia
was doing her best, which those on
! t.ord were enjoying; and we trust
that the time is far away when human
ity in the colonies will be callous to
peril on the sea. But the trade across
the Pacific has now become too great
and too important to be much longer
without the security that is uniform
ly afforded on all the great highways
of the world in having telegraphic
communication between the points of
departure and arrival of ocean-trading
steamers. And though we sometimes
think of the projected trans-Pacfic
cable, as being a great stride in adj
vance, it is really but taking us up to
a position that our trading interests
have been long ago entitled to, when
we consider the advantages people
have on all the other great ocean high
WAYS of the world. Indeed the delay
} this enterprise is justified neither by
its magnitude nor by its possible risks
as a commercial venture. The tota
amount involved--between a million
and a million and a half sterling
seems bagatelle by the side of tn,
lavish expenditures on other public
works in which every one of the col
onies has been indulginS And whel
we consider the smallness of the quot
which any of the colonies may b.
called to contribute, it seems surpris
ing that there should have been sucl
an amount of negotiation, and compli
cation, and hesitancy in launching
scheme that seems calculated to Civ
such an impulse to progress, and t.
l the globe, such inestimable conven
7. fences and trading advantages.
However, we are happily now with
in sight of the realization of this grea
boon, the joint commission of the I'm
l perial, Candadian and Australian go,
ernments having apparently arrange
y all the general details of the under
taking, and the communication nov
: said to be passing between the sewers
headquarters being apparently onl
: for the general ratification of what ha
: been done. With a cable spanning tn
S distance between the American coas
and the colonies, and touching at tn
: various centers of trade en- route, sue
: an incident as that of the widespread
r anxiety over the Zealandia will be III
! known: and eXen steamer coming I
grief in mid ocean, in that vast stretc
of waters, will not be long beyond TIL
reach of friendly help"
II BEST FOR WHEELMEN.
e Careful wheelmen are never on th
II road without Readings Russia Salv