The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-10-25


leeihs that The government would pay
NOT 20 exceed 100000 annually for twen-
~ years lt was urged against this
o'u lhat the payments as proposed ag-
stesdtlns S5OOO,O00, would be equal TO
more than halt the expense of construc-
t'ohi but the latest proposition. by a
private corporation, IL, IL Is understood.
- instruct the cable WITHOUT any con-
essioh from the government except au-
tnoIi'y Tor landing stations on the
shores oi The United States and our
eastern possessions. The system Is to
pe maintained without cost 20 the gov
eIhihent, which is 10 have the right OF
way III tine OF war and the privilege OF
sending messages at a reduction of
rom ~ TO 90 per cent from present
rates. The line 10 Honolulu, IL is
agreed shall be open and in running
order within nine or ten months after
the commencement OF the work.
IL as estimated that the United States
government has expended all OF 5000, 900
annually since the Philippines came
INTO our possession an expenditure
which viii probably be continued In the
future for some time 10 come. The cost
of cable message 10 and from Manila,
regular rate, is S2.35 per word. includ-
ing address; To the government from
Sl.lO 10 Sl.S5 per word To Yokohama
the regular rate Il Si.76 per word, either
BY lht--tfnrthern route through Siberia
or by the southern via the Indian
ocean and the Mediterranean. The
business rate TO Hongkong is Sl60 per
word
The line TO Honolulu, 1t is claimed,
can be constructed for about 81, 500, 900
and maintained at an annual cost Of
$4,000, not including repairs and reck-
oning the life OF a cable al twenty
years. The average cost of a subma-
rine cable such as would be required in
the Pacific is estimated at from 81 900
to $1,000 per mile. The estimate on the
cost OF the proposed British cable from
Australia to British Columbia was
about Ss500,0o0. The average depth
was given as about 1000 fathoms,
which exceeded il was stated. the depth
OF any cable then laid The average
depth along the central route is from
TWO and one-half TO three miles.
There were $50 submarine cables.
with a total length OF about $4,000
miles. al the beginning of this year or
nearly enough 10 seven times glrdle the
one transpacific cable I'm existence. OF
the total cable mileage the various gov
crnments OF the world owned about
one-eighth, France leading with 5000
miles: Germany being second with
2,225 Great Britain. 1000: Spain, 800,
asd Japan 1900 miles. Indirectly
Great Britain controls and practically
owns vastly more mileage than is given
in the statistics.
The United states is the only great
power which at the opening of this cen
e%Hea ne submarine cables; but.
having come into possession of Spain's
telegraph land lines in Porto Rico and
the Philippines, this government is for
wardinG the construction of cables in
the latter islands, General Greedy being
at present engaged in laying them on
the finely equipped cable ship Burnside
Having through force of circumstances
become a cable owning nation IL re-
mains to be seen whether the United
states will embark more extensively in
the venture. The question viii proba-
bly, be settled by the forthcoming con-
gress ELBERT -, WOODSON.