The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1899-12-21
A. S, HARTWELL
Philadelphia Speech in
November.
AS Delivered Before the Interna-
Pacific Ocean TeIegraphy.

| Before Mr.. A. S. Hartweil was sent
to Washington the Government lad
received an invitation from the Inter
national Commercial Congress, with
headquarters at Philadelphia, TO send
a representative there. Mr.. Hartwell
was asked to act as such representa-
tive. Before leaving Hawaii Mr. Hart
we'll severed his connection with Sen
eral Scrymser's Cable Company. After
his arrival at Cambridge, Mass, he re-
director of the International CONNER
cial Congress, to address the congress
upon Pacific Ocean Telegraphy. Tie
address was delivered in Philadelphia
early in November, as follows:
The volume of commerce in the
| Orient with Australasia, which is al
ready large, and is soon to become
enormous, permits no unnecessary de-
| lay in the establishment of complete
system of Pacific Ocean submarine ca
| bles.
The military necessity to the United
States of such cable communication
follows as matter of course from the
annexation OF Hawaii, and the Philip
pine events. Slight inquiry will show
that the Governments concerned in
these commercial and military objects
will have to establish such cable lines
at their own expense, or else aid in
their construction and operation by
companies or corporations which will
be subject to governmental control. The
seven powers which are concerned in
this subject are the United States,
England, Germany, France, Russia,
China and Japan. Soundings have
been taken both by the United States
and British men-of-war for cable lines
between Hawaii and the coast of Cali
fornia, as we'll as between Hawaii and
British Columbia A complete sys-
tenn of cables would require lines from
the Pacific coast to Hawaii; thence to
Yokohama via Manila; from Yokohama
to Vladivostok; there connecting with
the Trans-Siberian-R Russian telegraph;
and, for the South Pacific ocean, from
Hawaii to Sydney via Samoa and Fiji,
as we'll as for the French interests via
Tahiti and the French Island of Nou-
mea to Sydney. There is already ca
bic communication between Yokohama
and HOngkOng. It is understood that.
the French Government desires to
connect it's South Pacific islands with
the Pacific coast via Hawaii affiliating
at that point with the American cable;
and also that the British colonies, aid
ed by the Home Government, desire to
establish their lines from Sydney to
Hawaii, also connecting at that point
with an American division of the ca
BILE.
There can be no doubt, | infer, that
both China and Japan would unite with
the United States in establishing or
aiding cable communication between
their respective countries and the
United States via Hawaii. The diff
culties in the way of laying these ca
bes. from the unprecedented ocean
depths off the coast of British Column |
bia as we'll as Off Japan, will, it is be- |
lieved, be overcome: but they cannot
be ignored.
For over thirty years the subject OF
these cables has received considerable
attention from submarine cable eX-
perts and cable construction companies
and from San Francisco and Honolulu
Boards of Trade; and, on repeated oc-
casions. from the United States Con-
gresS. Exclusive franchises and subsi- |
dies, ranging from $4,000 to $4,000 a
year, have been offered by the Hawaii
an Government, dating from the year
1876: but, thus far, Congress has de-
chned to appropriate money to enable
the holders of those franchises to
make practical use of them. Last year
the Government of Hawaii entered in
to a contract with the Pacific Cable
Company Of New York for the landing
in Hawaii of cables connecting with
the coast of California and with ia
pan, giving that company an exclusive
cabling right between Hawaii and ia
pan and no subsidy. The contract pro-
vided that it should be invalid if dis
within six months from its
date by the United States Department
of State. At the suggestion of a ma
jOrity of the Hawaiian Commission,
composed of Senators Morgan and Gull
lom and Representative Hit, on the
part of the United States, and Presi- |
dent Dole and Justice Frear. on the
part of Hawaii, the Secretary of State. |
upon the last day of the six months |
the disapproval of that con- |
tract by the Department. Measures |
were introduced at the last Congress, |
|
pany and of another company, which |
will undoubtedly come before the next !!
Congress.
Undoubtedly the first question for de- |
cision will be whether appropriation |
shall be made for a cable to be laid |
owned and operated by the United |
States Government, or by some cor
peration subject to the control of the |
United States Government. The for |
mer method has commended itself TO |
some of the Senators and members Of
Congress, and it is possible, but, [ |
think, hardly likely that it may be
adopted. Private ownership and Oper-
alton of the cable, securing TO the
United States Government precedence,
suitable rates and the right 10 take
possession in time of war or any other
emergency, and also TO buy the cable