Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-04-07
The "An American" Route.


The Pacific cable route, sometimes called
the "all American is projected from San
Francisco to Honolulu, 2,403 miles; then to
Midway Island 1911 miles; thence to
Guam. 1883 miles. and thence to the Phil
ippines, LISA miles, total of 1903 miles,
including slack of 10 per cent. the amount
of slack as calculated being greater than
for the northern route, because of the
greater depth at which the cable would lie
The chief mover in the "all American"
Pacific cable project is James J. Scrymser
president of the company, who Is also
prominently identified with the system of
cables and telegraphs along the western
coast of South America. Links connecting
the lines Of this system with the Pecifc ca
BILE will undoubtedly be made, providing the
latter Is laid.
The cost of the two Pacific lines has
been variously estimated, Of course. In
truth, however there is no way of making
accurate statements as to this matter.
though there is a general agreement that a
cable along the southern route would be
more costly than the other. One set of es-
Inmates places the expense Of laying the
northern cable at 100000 and the south
ern one at 100000. Undoubtedly the lat
ter figure can be reduced to $1O,OOO,OOO by
laying comparatively light cable. AS the
average depth Of the southern route is
put at 5000 fathoms, however. a very light
cable could not be used; if it were there
would be danger of its breaking Of it's own
weight in the laying. The great distance
of light cable impracticablc. while the
comparative shortness of the links in the
northern cable would in large measure OPP
crate exactly the other way. Mr.. Emerson
claims. also, that because of the shorter
links of the northern cable, messages could
be transmitted over 1t much more rapidly
than over a cable laid to the south.
Pro and Con.
1t is argued in favor of the southern
route that it is all American and that it
touches Hawaii. especially impor-
tant point to the United States government
For this reason 1t is sought to have the
government either build the cable outright
or subsidize it. Various plans looking to
both these courses have been suggested. it
being held that, owing to the heavy initial
expense and the high operating cost no
private corporation could lay and work such
a cable profitably without government help
1t is hardly expected that any of these
plans will be acted upon finally before the
adjournment of the present session of Con-
greSs.
The friends of the northern cable do not
ask government help, asserting that by rea-
son of their cable touching at various
points, such as Sitka and Dutch Harbor
they would have plenty of business to make
their enterprise pay from the start. They
would hesitate about laying cable to Asia
at all If the government were to back the
proposed southern cable, because then the
Asiatic business would be divided, and so
be too small to yield a profit They might
lay their cable to Dutch Harbor, however,
in any event, since Dutch Harbor, being
near the new Cape Nome gold fields would
| furnish plenty of business. They agree that
a cable connecting San Francisco and Homo
| lulu should be laid, but they suggest that
| it be an Independent line, and not be ex-
tended across the Pacific With regard to
| the contention of the Pacific Cable Com
pany that a cable following the northern
route would be liable to arrangements By