The Portland daily press., 1898-05-13
CABLE CUTTING IN WAR TIME.
(The Pail Mall Gazette.

Unquestionably peoples minds are
directed very much just now to the du es-
tion of the ability of this country to main
tain telegraphie communication with the
outer world. moro particularly, of course,
with her colonies, in times of war, Of
course such speculations owe their origin
to the war which, up to the moment is
being waged between America and
Spain. Somewhat alarming pictures
have been painted of England's isolation
in times of a European upheaval, cut off
from her kinsmen beyond the seas. Are
they justified, and what is their applica-
tion to the present war.
TO settle questions of this character a
representative of the Pail Mall Gazette
made the journey today to West Crom-
well Road to see Mr.. Charles Bright, E.
R. S. E., than whom no one knows more
of cable questions. Mr.. Bright's father,
Sir G. Bright as a matter of fact, laid
all the cables connecting the United
States and the West Indian Islands-some
1000 miles-about the year 1870. And
Mr.. Bright has himself been engaged in
the subseq uent repair of one of these
lines These are, of course, immensely
important cables just now.
Mr.. Bright, when his visitor had
opened the conversation. said he had little
left in time of war, and this notwith-
standing the idea which some seem to
cherish that cables would be as safe in
time of war as in tim g of peace. Of
course it was not SO. That was shown by
8 particular clause in the international
convention, which did not attempt to
bind the hand of either belligerant in the
matter of cutting cables during war.
''Why," said Mr.. Bright, sit is known
for certain that some years ago. when
there was prospect of war, the Russians
had q ship fitted up with special appara-
tus for picking up cables.
But it is not necessary to have a cable
ship in order to do damage to cable. It
is the easiest thing in the world-an in
nocent looking bonfire on shore will do it
before, perhaps, there is any suggestion
of war. The reason is that the cables are
ended in lonely ous-of-the-way places
The cable hut, which is built for testing
direct from the cable, and from which
land line proceeds to the town where the
signaling is done, is visited at the outside
once week as rule. How easy for a
fisherman, say, properly bribed, to light
a fire on the beach where the cables are
and break the circuit.
1.-The argument of some people that
because our cables, say in the Mediter-
ranean, are laid in cur principal trade
routes, where men -of-war are to protect
them, they could not be got at by the
enemy is not entirely convincing.
Mr. Rri erhf, pfOcepda6 from this fo
argue with great cogency the need that
exists for an all-British cable. He point
ed out, by means of a map which he has
drawn up, that the route suggested from
Vancouver Island, through the Fiji, to
Norfolk Island, and thence to New Zeal
vantages, notably because it lies in the
deep Pacific, because its ends could be
easily defended, and because it was COM
paratively inaccessible to those who would
be likely to try to I'M ure it in time of
war. Russia, for instance, we were re-
minded, would find great difficulty in
cutting up cable in the Pacific.
The American route across the North
Pacific starting from San Francisco,
through the Sandwich Islands to Japan,
also commended itself to Mr.. Bright as
being highly useful scheme, provided
an extension were made to Australia.
Mr.. Bright pointed cut that an alliance
with America and Japan would give us
almost the security we desired for con.
tiuuous cable communication in time of
war.
With every desire to be absolutely i'm
partial, Mr.. Bright commented on the
usefulness of the Eastern Telegraph Com
pany's scheme of a cable via Gibraltar
and the Cape to Australia, but pointed
out that the great defect was that Canada,
who had ever been foremost in desiring
cable communication with Australia and
the rest of the British Empire, was com
pletely shirt off. Moreover, though unit
ing certain important naval stations, it
might not meet the want. from strategic
point of view, SO effectually.
With regard to the all-British Pacific
route oTlr EXPERT mentioned that wbila n