The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1901-02-11
GABLES.

Who will get the Pacific Gable first?
The question is before the United
States Legislative branch of govern
ment, just as the Canal question is,
and neither seems to be nearer solution
than it was half dozen, or a decade
or two decades of years ago. 1t looks
as if the British line would be in work.
ing order before Uncle Sam gets to
work. Some four months ago the
postmaster-gener Of Victoria an
nounced that the tender of the Tele-
graph Construction and Maintenance
Company. of London had been accepted
for the laying of the Pacific cable, at
a cost of G1,795,GGO as, 735, 46), the in
stallation and surveying to cost e204,000
1892, 1869, making a total cost of the
cable when completed of E1,999,0OO
$50, 72S,133). The cable is to be com
pleted and in working order by the 91st
Of July 1902 provided the company is
allowed to start laying the Australian
section first The Australian section
comprises cables from the New South
Wales and New Zealand coasts to
Norfolk Island and thence to Fiji. The
other section will be from Fiji to Fan
ming Island and thence to Vancouver,
British Columbia. When completed, it
is anticipated this cable will materially
reduce the existing charges to the
United States.
The route decided upon is from Van
couver via Tanning or Palmyra Island,
Fiji, and Norfolk Island, with branches
from the last-named station to Auck-
land, New Zealand, and Queensland.
The length of the cable over this route
would be, allowing 10 per cent for
"slack" actually used, 1886 nautical
miles, viz, Vancouver to Tanning ISL
and, 1861 miles; Tanning Island to
Fiji, 2,O93 miles; Fiji to Norfolk Island,
961 miles, Norfolk Island to New Zea-
land, 537 miles; and Norfolk Island to
Queensland, S34 miles Some 1900
soundings over 500 fathoms in depth
have been made, which relate directly
to the route along the bed of the ocean,
the greatest depth being 5000 fathoms,
but the general average much less.
Il is estimated that with the use of
$50 pounds of copper and 400 pounds
of gutta-percha, $40. 600 words might
be transmitted in a year. Great Britain
and Canada have agreed to defray
fXe-ninths Of the total cost; New Zea-
Wales, Queensland, and Victoria have
pledged themselves to contribute the
remainder between them.
AS far as we are concerned this cable
will not be of any advantage to u.s.
but it will make us feel very cheap, if,
next year, we know that telegraphic
messages are running along the floor
of the Pacific almost past the primeval
foundations of our Islands and we are
unable to profit by them.
When a cable comes. the question of
expense will be the main factor, as far
as news is concerned. There has been
Geographic communication between
Japan and the rest of the world for
years, but one only has to look through
the Japanese papers to see how meagre
their Geographic dispatches are. The
question which will come up here.
whenever We get a cable line is can
We do any better, For the news Of
file world the Yokohama papers prac-
tically depend upon their exchanges.
Here, we will be in somewhat of
similar position. However we are
really better off than Japan is. We
have a large and increasing number of
people who read English, and who want
to learn the news. No single paper con-
sidering the reading public al present in
sight, could afford to have an exclusive
telegraph service, but it would be pos
sible to have a syndicate set of tele-
grams, those up TO certain hour going
to morning papers. and those up to an
other hour going TO the evening papers. |
The use of the Ocean telegraph will |
make considerable change in Hawai- |
ian journalism, but not so much as
many people think. Where the change |
will come will be in the manner of con-
Quoting business and in the additional |
calling of ships and steamers in our
harbor. If the trans-Isthmian canal is |
TO bring us unheared of trade, and The
Star thoroughly believes in this, the
cable will bring to our shores unheared
of and undreamed of callers. The in
creased trade will bring increased read
ers, and the newspapers will profit so
much by the advanced circulation that
IN time the syndicate system mentioned
above will disappear, and the system
of special dispatches to individual pa
pers takes it's place. This is looking
far ahead, but ii Is sound prophecy.
nevertheless.