The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-10-07
MESSAGES UNDER THE SEA
Initial Performances of Wires Laid
Under Deep Water.
Submarine TeIeGrnphy First sug-
Rested by Spanish SavRnt Over
Century AEo-Advent of the Idea
in This Countrywide Great Allan
tie Ocean Wire Stretch.

One Of the most powerful factors in the
advancement of modern civilization is the
submarine cable Ii enables the families
of tire world to assemble in council and
talk matters over across the vast dis
tances between their various homes.
Distance has been entirely annihilated by
the cable 1t enables the cabinets of MON
archical Europe to directly communicate
with their diplomatic representatives at
the courts of the American republics. 1t
enables our statesmen to direct negotla-
tons with the Empress of China. and
through it our brave soldier boys in for
eign lands receive tidings from their home
country. 1t puts our merchants and capI-
talisis in touch with foreign markets. and
last. but not least. gathers and again dis
tributes the news of the world The news
papers of the world are practical recorders
of the activity of the telegraph and the
cable.
The idea of this powerful factor and wen
de-ful invention that Of submarine telee-
raphy was first suggested in 1898 by Safva.
a Spaniard. before the Barcelona Academy
OF Sciences. Two years later. Saliva pro-
posed submarine communication between
Barcelona and the Island of Maiorca. In
this country submarine telegraphy was
suggested by Prof Morse, in 1s43. WHO
suggested submarine electric communica
tion between the United States and Europe.
In the same year, Samuel Colt, of tho
Unitsd States, operated a submarine tele-
graph between New York city, Coney ISL
ard. and Fire Island. 1t was in 1857 that
the first attempt was made TO lay a SUBJ
marine telegraphic cable across the Allan
tic Ocean, the enterprise being headed by
Cyrus w. Field, of New York, and Charles
Bright, J. W. Brett, and others. Of Eng
land.
The cable was to extend from valentia
ireland. to Newfoundland the length of
cable necessary being estimated at $500
miles. The construction of this cable was
similar to that across the English Chan
mel. After 255 miles had been laid from
Valeptia westward, the cable broke and
the work was aba ndoned. m 1856 a re-
newal WAS made by Mr.. Field and his as
sociates OF the attempt to lay a sub
marine telegraphic cable across the At
lantic The United States naval vessel
Niagara, and the British naval vessel
Agamemnon, carrying each one-half OF
the cable. proceeded to mid-ocean, and
after joining the ends of their respective
sections. en- July g, proceeded westward
and eastward, paying out the cable and
reaching their respective destinations,
Newfoundland and Valentia. on The same
day. August 5, 1858, when electrical con-
necti9n between the Continents was at
once established over the 1850 nautical
miles of cable which they had thus laid.
Congratulatory messages were exchanged
between the President of the United States
and the Queen of England, and there were
public rejoicings over what was pronounc-
ed the great event of the century. After
less than one month of operation, how
ever, the cable ceased working, and 1t was
never operated further, nor was any part
of il ever recovered. During the time of
its operation, $50 messages Of about 10000
words were passed over it. Its total cost
was 81 ,256, $50. Such is the short history
of the short existence of the first trans
Atlantic cable.
1t is question whether in tie absence
of the cable Admiral Dewey would have
won his splendid victory at Manila, or
whether the presence in American waters
of the feet Of Admiral Cervera could have
been brought to the notice of our naval
commanders. The success of our Navy
end Army in Cuba and the Philippines is
due to the cable.
Cables to the Far East.
A short sketch of our cable connections
in the Far East, as suggested by Manager
George W. Ribble. of the Postal Tele-
graph office, in this city, is probably of
more interest by reason of our new inter
ests in the Far East-the Philippines and
China. In speaking of the matter Mr..
Ribble said:
There are two routes to China and the
Philippines, one of which is known as the
Northern and the other as the Eastern
route. The Northern is the landIine
route across the European and Agiatic
Continents. Owing TO the vast expanses
of virgin forests and unpopulated terri
tory through which these lines pass,
they are subjected to great deal oil IN
terruption from elim2ticaI and other IN
restrained influences They have been of
comparatively little service in the inter-
change of business between the rep es-.1-
tatives in China of the allied powers and
ti.sir home governments. Messages from
Washington TO be transmitted over
the Northern route are relayed-that is,
received and retransmitted-at the follow
ing points: New York, Wateryille Island,
London. Newcastle-on-Tyne, Copenha-
gen. Moscow. omsk, Kiachta, vlajivostok,
Nagasaki and Shanghai making in all
eleven relays, the message thus being
handled by twenty-five operators. BY the
Eastern route. which is almost entirely
submarine cable and upon which the Gov
eminent has had to rely mostly for its
communications in the present affairs in
the East. message takes the following
course:
From New York to the Acres Island,
over the cable just completed by the Com
mercial Cable Company. and which opened
up new and most direct route; from tho
Azores to Lisbon. Portugal; Malta, Alex
andria. Egypt; suez. Alden, Bombay, Ma
dras, Penang, Singapore, Saigon, Hong
kong. and Shanghai, making fourteen re-
lays the message being handed by TWEEN :
ty-eight operators. The tine in transit
for the kilograms between Shanghai and
Washington varies from two to twenty
four hours over either route, depending on
the condition and congestion of the Far
Eastern lines which are constructed with
a view to handling the normal amount of
business, but which at present are bur-
dened with an enormous amount of bust
ness. The delay which the Government mas
suffered mostly in the transmission OF lus-
mess. has been beyond Shanghai where
the only connection with Chefoo and Takc
was over the Chinese Government line
o. these Ines Mr.. Ribble continued
The messages we're suppressed or delayed
Just 70 suit the whims and purposes of the
Chinese officials to the serious inconVen-
fence OF all allied powers. The Cable Com
pany has, however. recently laid d sub
marine cable between Taku and Chefoo,
and between ChefoO and Shanghai, thus
giving direct communication, under the
control of the allied powers direct 10
Taku. This cable was laid without having
first secured the consent of the Chinese
Government. 1t has relieved the situation
OF many Of its perplexities. and assured
the Government that its messages would
90 through without delay and being tam d.
pered with. There is no difficulty about
the prompt handling of the business OF the
cable lines of the American company"