The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1899-12-01
PROPOSED CABLES
A Thorough Review of
Recent Projects.
Engineering Magez ne on Subject
Which Is Vi-aI TO HawaI's
Grow h and Welfare.

y Ocean cables are commercial enter
prises % facilitate communication be-
tween friendly countries. Every one
of the sixteen North Atlantic cables
was laid to tbs end. 1t is folly to
make an improbable war the govern
ing condition for a new cable, but, as
there is disposition on both sides of
I the Atlantic 70 subordinate the pro-
sale anC immense interests of peace to
martial pOmp, however, remote, it may
be ! Orjh while TO pCin's out that cables
TO neutral countries are much safer
lines Of communication in time of war
than national lines. Notwithstanding
strenuous efforts, the United States
were not able to interrupt cable COM
munication with Cuba, because there
were several cables TO neutral shores,
but .-ewey found no diticulty in sever
ing e Manila cable. If Grea. Britain
should become involved in a European
war and all her several lines TO India
be cut, * il suppOSable that island
specks in the Pacific could be defended
i against marauding cable cutters? In
Il time of war national cable becomes
at once, an its whole length, so much
more frontier exceedingly Vulnerable
and Impossible 10 defend agains- the
most insignificant enemy.
| The real prize in sight for a Trans
Pacific cable is not the transmission
of war dispatches, but the Asiatic
business which shall be briefly Consid-
cred in comparison to European trade,
in its actual volume and in its pros
pective grOw,h.
Tle foreign trade OF the United
States with Europe, facilitated by thin
teen cables and several more building
IS about 81 200,000,000 annually. The
total foreign commerce of Asia
amounts to $4,000 600 900 and it is
helped by three cables from Bombay
via Aden, one Persian Gulf line via
Asia Minor, and one Russian overland
| route.
The foreign trade of the United
| States with Europe, facilitated by uhir-
teen cables and several more building,
is about 81 200, 100000 annually. The
-otal foreign commerce of Asia
amounts TO s., 900 and il is help
eu by Ehgea cables from Bombay via
| Alden, one Persian Gulf line via Asia
| Minor, and one Russian overland route.
The northeastern Asiatic trade
amoun,s to $656,00U,000. of which the
United States in 1897 had secured $112.-
100000, or about One-sIXth. This bust
| ness, with the densest pOpulati ton in
| the world back of il. is as naturally
tributary to the United States and
Canada as the trade Of the Hawaiian
Islands is tributary to San Francisco
which has secured 1919 per cent. of the
exports from, and 1921 per cent. of the
imports into, the islands. The pos
session of the Philippines by the
United States, the development of
Japan, the awakening or partition of
China. the completion of she Siberian
hailTOad (Which will be finished in two
years., VIII enlarge the trade OF Asia
10 volume commensurate with popu-
alton and North America should Sc
cure most OF it. Mr.. Herbert II. D.
PIERCE, first secretary of the United
safes embassy to Russia calls this lat
ter country, as opened by the new rail-
road, an immense field far beyond any
thing realized by Americans for the
introduction of machinery and for an
unlimited market of manufactured
goods. Mr.. John Barrett. formerly
United States Minister to Siam, who
has made a special study of Asiatic
trade gives the single island of Java,
which is but little larger than the state
~ New York. an annual foreign trade
OF S250,000 900: yet Java has only half
the extent of fertile areas credited 10
| the Philippines. He gives to Hong
Kong in 1897 a total also of 500, 000,-
600, and to Singapore S1S0.000.000 and
for the Asiatic coast from Singapore
TO Nladivostok the mighty sum of one
| billion dollars and yet, he adds. the
| foreign trade OF this wonderful Pacific
| ASiatic coast line is only il the earliest
stages OF It's development.
/ Ia, nf ~
| Pacific cable. he says tina. the t.emen-
dous monopoly of the present telegra-
| phic connection between the far east
| and America Is great handicap TO
| the development of trade with the
| United States, and that he has fire.
| quently heard merchants OF all nations
| IN ASiatic ports say that the cost, time,
| and difficulties of cable connection
with the United States works
against the extension Of American
| commerce.
| With cable connection, Mr. Barrett
| estimates the probable increase oil
| Philippine trade alone in the next fif-
teen years at 300 per cent. 1t is there
| fore within reason TO estimate the
growth of all the Asiatic trade at so
| per cent. in the next ten years. and if |
| the proportion obtained by North Am
erica becomes % per cent. of the whole |
( there wou--. be an increase in American
| business 10 $500, 0UU 900. This is a |
| prize in the telegraph field that is |
worth securing by being first in the
field. oU,aining as many privileges and |
connections IS possible, and reaping |
for years all the benefits OF non-con-l
petttiye business.
An unbiased review OF the different
proposed telegraph routes from North
America to Asia excludes cOnsidera-
ton of private promoting and con-
Structiye Interests. 4 cable might be
laid on a line that is commercially i'm
possible. fact which would not neces-
Sarily deter those who expect to fur
niSh the material for. or 10 profit by
the laying Of the line from advocating
II especially if governments can be in
Guced 10 grant subsidies which would
o !