The Independent. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1895-1905, 1898-05-12

II
French cable connecting Australia,
via New Caledonia, Tahiti and the
Sandwich Islands, with San Fran
cisco will Immediately be laid. II
this Information is correct, such
Pacific cable would, OF course, be
under the immediate control Of
France and the United States.
The cost Of an all-British cable
connecting Canada with Australasia
would be about f1,500,000. The
construction has been rendered for
by competent contractors at that
| figure. 1t has been estimated that
a diversion OF less than half the s1-
listing telegraphic business of Aus
tralasia with the northern hemi-
sphere to its line would reader it
fully self-supporting, and as the
telegraphic business of Australasia,
which is rapidly increasing, would
of necessity be stimulated by in
creased facilities for communication
with growing markets, the presump-
tion is that a great deal more than
the required quantity would in the
course of few years pass over the
Pacific cable, The trunk line of
cable once established, branch lines
can easily be constructed to connect
it with important points. One
terminus under British protection in
Australasia and another in Canada,
one branch If necessary to join the
San Francisco connection with Ha-
wall and another to Japan and
the China ports, would create Bri-
fish network OF cable communica-
ton which would for long time to
come meet the principal commercial
needs of the Pacific. Interest at 3
percent on the whole initial cost OF
the Canadian and Australian line
would be covered by $4,000 year.
To guarantee working expenses and
the necessary loan would in no cir
cumstances entail more than a
triaing expense upon the uarantee-
ing Governments, and If the appar-
emily reasonable anticipation of
commercial success prove to be we'll
founded there will be substantial
profit. The benefit to British COM
mercial interests cannot be ques-
ton Of doubt. The most practical
proposal which has been formulated
for consideration is that the Eve
Governments Of Canada, Now Zea-
land, New South Wales, Victoria
aRd Queensland, or any four of
them, shall enter into a joint ar
rangement for establishing an
electric cable across the Pacific,
sharing equally in costs and profits,
aud that the Imperial Government
shall be invited to guarantee or lend
one-third of the capital, or assist in
such manner as the home authori-
ties may determine. The original
suggestion in connection with this
scheme was that, if it were accepted,
the official representative OF the
colonies in London should be
charged with the duty OF ascertain
ing how best to carry out the pro-
posal. The present proposal would
appear to be that, in the event of
the acceptance of this or soma alter
native scheme, trust should be
formed for the purpose Of carrying
it into effect
1t has been the fashion to treat
the Pacific cable scheme as ono OF
impressive magnitude. AS a matter
Of fact, it is a scheme Of wide utility
but of financial dimensions SC
modest that one rich man could
proceed to the construction OF the
cable out of the resources of q
private fortune. The matter might
indeed, be safely left to the opera,
ton of private interest but for the
fact that in the present somewhat
) exceptional condition of affairs, when
all eyes are turned to the Far East
time may become question of i'm
portance. The first Pacific cable
has not only the best chance of be
ing successful in itself; it must also