Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1900-03-24
Cable Through the Arctic Regions

| In response to the present urgent de-
mands fur a cable across the Pacific
ocean, it is more than probable that one
will be laid i'll the near future, and it
seems be mere matter of detail just at
present, the subject Of the cable itself be-
| ing foregone conclusion. Increased IA
cilities for communication are required
in view of the changed aspect of our ma
tional relations in the Fast, and the con-
summation of such project would be of
very great strategic as well as OF very
great commercial value, A line by way
of Hawaii, Wake and Guam to the Phil
ippines would be very expensive pro-
! ject, but would have the advantage OF be.
ing an all-American route, and would
give this country entire and absolute con-
troll of the line. A shorter route has
been proposed by prominent engineer
through the Arctic regions, which does
away with many Of the physical difficult
ties OF the long deep sea stretches of the
Southern sea route, and. as it offers a
shorter cable and telegraphic line to Flu
rope than that by way of India, II is very
probable that snch cable would divert a
: great deal Of the business now com
: manded by the Atlantic and Indian ca
bles.
The proposed southern route Enn;
: from San Francisco to Honolulu, dis
" tance of 24o3 nautical miles; thence tt
: Midway island and Guam, another stretcl
Il OF 1850 nautical miles, or else via Wax
{ island, and from Guam to Manila, dis
+ tancc of 1884 miles. The propose'
II branch 10 Yokohama Of 1905 miles adde'
= to this will make grand total of 994
II nautical miles. These figures refer
~ length of cable and not to distance:
20 This route runs principally along the 2ot
degree of latitude. The greatest dept
" of sea i'll the world is TO be found in tn
/" latitude, between Midway island an
y Guam, where the sounding depth OF 49e
VI fathoms is found, equivalent to 29,4C
H. feet, and requiring single cable lin
W 2659 miles long
." terry, the extreme northwestern point
'e the state of Washington, and runs
Sitka, requiring a cable So3 nautic
w. miles long. From Sitka to Kadiak islai
ed is 6S2 miles; thence TO Dutch Harbor
nor ITO miles, and from there to Attu, I
-, most western of the Aleutian islan'
,se also United States possession, the d
he tauce is $40 miles From Attu the cal
would run to the Russian Japanese b'
80 w. der, at Cape Lepatka in Russia, and
ar Koorile islands, belonging to Japan,
cry distance of SsS nautical miles, In or
SEQ to have positive connections throu
W, Russia and Japan both, short line
for miles could be run to the Russian port
aid Vladivostock, and from the border to
old Japanese wires, $40 miles, the last II
~ ~ being from Formosa to the Phillipir
ned This insures a route either through K
the sia or Japan, the only foreign countt
oin- which the cable touches, SO that sho
not :.,, ,,;,,,,, ,,f ,t,e,,, ~,
eaf- VIZ pe at "a' "'N''
ood would still be line of communicatl
This series of links aggregates S
iere miles, compared with 9942 miles of
other route.
ling The character ot the material ,fI ueii,'
>, i, ed for the construction of these cable
The entirely different, prlucipAily Wy lea
rted OF the fact that the water Is ho' SO .'
in and 1t IS SAID that lie COST tAe Id
n of would $40 per mile, as compared
IL fnt he fafh