The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1899-12-02
CABLES
Continued from Yesterday

It j. also 10 be apprehended tina. the
construction OF direct line between
North America and northern Asia viii
take the larger part Of ali commercial
business; for who would cable from
Nanvouve- to Japan or China, via New
Zealand, if ne could reach these points
n one-~hird the distance and time?
The All-BrItISh cable certainly does
no. follow established trade routes,
and Jhls objection was made . it by
MIR. Lucas before the Br.1isa commits
sion. 1t Is not a route that can secure
e greatest amount Of paying business.
This IS not, however, the only nor the
most serious objection The first
stretch Of 1861 miles. from Nanc0u-
yer 10 Tanning Island rs 40 miles
longer than any cable yet laid and this
extreme length makes this line very
costly - build. The difficulties Of lay
ing The cable will be greater than hith-
ertO experienced. because ii Is longer
and heavier and because the sea is
deeper, even to 5000 fathoms for hum
dreds Of miles AT a stretch, with pos
sible holes of greater depth. 4 known
hole o. 5,515 fa:loms (not on the
TOutep was brought to the attention Of
Ohe - ltish commission, as a warning
of a contingency ID be met almost any
where IN the south Pacific.
It IS on account Of this depth and
length that the cost Of maintenance is
put at G70,00 per an1um at Toe. or
IS. l. word (three times the Atlantic
rate) = estimated IN order 20 earn
gross 2I78,0O0, and sven this sum is
less than 412 per cert per cent. net on
TIE first cost.
Wires Of $50 los. Of copper per mile
or 96 lbs. more than proposed for a
distance Of 1861 II. m, have Il maxi
mum theotetical speed Of so 10 nine
" words 4 minute, and the various
experts reduce this to practical speed
or paying business of from four to for
y words per minute. This wide yari-
alton in estimate emphasizes the I'M
certainty Of this experiment. This
long n0r.h-and-sOuth cable would,
however. be free from the magnetic
disturbances that are liable to cause
.rOu6le on northern land Or sea lines.
So unprOmisiug is this cable from a
commercial point Of view that it is ad-
vOcatel solely on sentimental grounds.
It is called the "AIl-British" cable be
cause ID touches only British possess
siOns. lis promoters deplOre that Bird
Island. $50 miles west, northwest of
Kauai. and only $500 miles from Van
nOuveT. Is not q British possession
That it is not is because the vessel
despatched 10 annex it as an unclaimed
island arrived too late. the Hawaiian
flag having been raised the proceed
ing day. Now. notwithstanding an
offer, q landing on Hawaii is distinct
" rejected, because. in sDfte Of the ad-
ditional business from Hawaii, a sta
ION on foreign soil would at once de-
Drive this cable project of the only
argument with which it can be defend
cd, namely that it is All-British.
Because it can never be made to pay
commercially. the not)her-1and and all
me colonies which this line touches are
asked TO contribute the capital requir-
I'd TO build it. and it's promoters re-
fuse to consider an annual subsidy Of
100000 a sufficient guarantee to in
luce private capital to subscribe % the
undertaking.