The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-12-13
WOULD GIRDLE THE EARTH.
Gigantic Plan Devised by Sir SAM
ford Fleming.

Special Dispatch to the Posl-Inteliigencer.
OTTAWA, Dec 12-Sir Sanford Fleming.
of Ottawa, recently addressed letter.
which has just been made public, to the
Hon. Joseph Chamberlain on the subject
of a state-owned system OF electric cables
for the British empire to circle the earth.
The Pacific cable he says. would serve
the purpose of trade between Australasia
and Canada, but these countries are debar-
red from establishing Geographic connec-
ton with Hongkong by an agreement with
the Eastern Extension Telegraph Com
pany excluding Canada and the Southern
colonies from that port. Sir Sanford ad-
mts that the proposal for the establish
ment Of Pacific cable would undoubtedly
interfere with the rich monopoly OF the
Eastern Extension Company, but he holds
that no private company should be allowed
to stand in the way when great imperial
interests are at stake.
He lays II down as essential to the i'm
perial cable service that none OF the lines
should touch foreign soil. and that they
shall be placed so TO avoid shallow seas,
more especially those seas in proximity to
any country likely at any time to prove I'M
friendly. He thus describes the imperial
telegraphic circuit OF the globe: Commenc-
ing AT Vancouver, the cable would cross
the Pacific ocean TO New Zealand and
Australia. from Australia the main line
would cross the Indian ocean to South Az
RIGA. from South Africa 1t would traverse
the Atlantic TO Canada, where Ii would
connect with the transatlantic lines. Such
a system would constitute a base for con-
Meeting every one of her majesty's possess
sions ard naval coaling stations (Gibraltar
ard Malta excepted by the most perfect
means OF conveying intelligence at disposal.
The cable from Vancouver would first
find a mM-ocean station AT Tanning island
second at Fiji islands. a third at Norfolk
island; at Norfolk island 1t would bifur-
cate one branch extending TO New Zealand
the other 10 the eastern coast of Australia.
From King Georges sound or other pcint
in Western AUSTRALIA the cable would ex-
tend to Cocos island. thence 10 Mauri;ius
and thence TO Natal and Cape Town, as
may be found expedient Cocos would be-
come an important Geographic center and
II would ne a convenient point for connect
ing Singapore by a branch cable SinCa-
pore is already In connection with Hong
kong by an ali-British cable via Labuan.
ard her aiesty's government can take
possession by giving a twelvemonth's no.
tice 10 the Eastern Extension Company.
India could he reached by branch from
Cocos 20 Colombo or Trinesmalee in Cey-
Ion. At Mauritius, connection would be
Termed with the existing cable 20 Sey-
/ che,ies Alden and Bombay.
! IN order to avoid tire shallow seas along
/ the west coasts OF Africa. Spain. Portugal
! and France. Il is proposed that a cable
+ should extend from Cape Town TO Bermu-
/ da. touching at ST Helena Ascension aud
Barbados as naid~ocean stations. AT Ber-
/ rnuda a connection woui6 hs formed with
the existing cable 10 Halifax. and AZ that
/ point with the Canadian and transatlantic
lines
Sir Sanford Fleming spproximates the dts
/ tances which each group Of cables would
require 20 cover "a follows: Pacific ocean
/ 1.iSa knots; Indian OCEAN. alto knots; At
lautic ocean. $50 knots: total - Ss.s knots
He estimates tire cost AZ between ssess 81
and & ese"o sterling he further saws: 80
have long advocated the first division q.
TIRE propossi-.he establishment; o. "A cable
{ from Canada 10 AuStraiasia-ax state
! work. | have fe't that IL would he the fore
runner Of an anRritish telegraph sysfer,
embracing the whole empire As state
undertaking am satisfied that the Pacific
! cable would BE A complete commercial
+ success. ard thar SO soon as Il so proved
the cable sxtsssssca 70 South Africa ar. In.
dia woGl3 follow That state-ownsgs Pa.
c3fic casse IS the key 70 the situation / ar
firmly convinced. Exhaustive exaratra.
,io,,s have proved its entire p-ae,icahls.ty'