New-York tribune., 1902-10-14
PACIFIC CABLE DEAL.
ALARMING NEWS TO ARMY AND NAVY
OFFICERS
AGREEMENT OK A LINE BETWEEN FAN
MING ISLAND AND HONOLULU RE
GARDED AS MENACING AMER
ICAN INTERESTS
ICAN INTERESTS
Inv rrIFGRArH no Tur TRIurNE ]

attach deep significance 10 the special dlslal1h
from Honolulu In The Tribune to-day an
nouncing an agreement between the British
Colonial Gable Association and The Pacihc Com
mercial Gable Company 20 establish line he
tween Tanning Island and Honolulu. They re-
gard such an agreement as discourteous 10 The
United States Government and as menaclng
American interests, not only IN Hawaii The
Philippines and China, but wherever IL Is es-
sential that this country should enjoy tele-
graphic communication In the commercial and
military theatre OF the Pacific II strengthens the
opinion they have expressed for the last four
years. that government line across the Pacific
would De the only means Of insuring constant
communication with Manila or other American
ports, except through the devious, expensive
and easily interrupted European channels no"
IN operation The announcement they think,
fully confirms the conviction they have 50 often
expressed that the Gable Trust has never seri-
ously entertained the proposition 20 build
Pacific cable ON which the United States could
rely I'm an international emerEency, and thar
Its recent representations TO the contrary be-
fore committees of Congress We're designed solely
10 deter the government from buudUC its own
line. The generous terms offered 10y President
Roosevelt 10 the Pacific Commercial CAME
Company through Attorney General Knox
nearly two months ago have been stutlous.N
and insoleutly ignored. army and navy oihctrs
say hN the controlling nIIClalS OF AiloN N''it
pany. Nevertheless. reports are Of frequent
occurrence in the public press that the COM
pany Is going rapidly ahead TO lay its line from
San Francisco to Honolulu without seeking per
mission TO land on American territory or pay ing
any attention 10 the guarantees demanded 10y
the executive as prerequisite 10 any and an
operations Without any legal status in Hawaii
and in defiance Of the President Of the United
States. the company now arranges with the
~ HHa D..
there. undertaking which is declared boy Off
GERS to he the height of impertnence, especial
~ in view Of the following hitherto unwritten
historical incident:
A PROPOSITION REJECTED
In 1893 when Great Britain was doing an in
her power To encourage the construction II the
Canadian Australian cable. connecting all her
important Pacific Ocean possessions and strate-
gic bases. and when the attitude Of the Ameri-
can administration toward Hawaii was peculiar
enough TO be misunderstood, the State Depart
ment sounded by the British minister 10
whether the United States would object 10 the
acquisition by Great Britain Of one Of the minor
islands Of the Hawaiian group, purely for use
as a cable relay station and not for naval pur-
poses. II was represented that the facility Of
operating a submarine cable was as the square
OF its length and that the distance from Van
couver 20 the nearest British point Fanning
Island 1900 knots a much longer span
than any cable In existence or proposed, and
that the 600 miles saved by way Of Hawaii
would remove the greatest obstacle TO the con-
summation Of tho project. The Secretary Of
State replied emphatically In terms which left
no opening for argument that the proposition
could not be entertained for an instant Several
years ago the subject again cautiously
broached and was met with a more emphatic
rebuff
Now under the close operating agreement
which binds all the cable companies there
would be little or nothing 10 prevent the British
colonial military cable receiving an the ad-
Nantages Of a practical concession hitherto re-
fused II II We're permitted 10 reach Hawaii
Through the colluson Of a so-called American
company which admitted before Congress that
II is party 10 agreements with the great Brit
ish cable monopoly the Eastern Extension.
which prevent ii from accepting the Presidents
stipulation that the cable TO Manila shall la e1-
tended 20 the Chinese coast
DANGERS IN THE AGREEMENT
The strategic question involved by The land
Ing Of the British imperial and colonial cable in
Hawaii. the military key 10 the Pacific is unin,-
portani however, i'm the opinion Of army Off
GERS, compared with the grave menace Ia the
completion % the great cable across The rsci6c
10 Guam and Luzon in the immediate future
The line from san Francisco 10 Honolulu ..sre-
cialy with a connection To Fiji Ne,-Zealand
and Australia, would quickly prove coDlr,arci
ally remunerative, and there is ever,, likelihood
that IT'S promoters, unbound by any such guar
antees as President Roosevelt has sou.,bt =, ON,
act from them. would decline 90 lay aad orarate
the long stretch across the Pacific which ,,ouls
admittedly have TO create and handle ..,,,y,,,,,,s
business, besides government messages 10 nav
dividends. The agreement aunoupcs5 Il, I,la
Tribune would leave Luzon and t,,s,,, t,s.s
nitey az the mercy OF the Eastern Extension
Company not only as 90 rates and 8.la,-s a,
ordinary times, but as occurred l.f.r-' ~,
peace protocol of lS.lS was signed ,,l,,,ls -
vent the United States from commune, ~.
All ny wire with its own possessions if ms
country should even happen 10 be In = st..e =,
neihsefency with countries other than tirest
hritain Officers of both military services ,,.,,ile
not disposed 20 regard England on any m bar
colonies as even remotely likely 10 ousrrsI -,
ously with the United States nevertbai.ss -
care thaf every nation l. a uossill. ..,,,r-'.
be, and that the United States vim I'M 4, -
cent experience IN the use and disuse Of cables
an war une, IN message espionage and csbl.s
conveniently out of order al critical lFo,,,sr,,.
should be the last nation 10 cOut.r1r,l.,. -,
oehberale creation OF conditions which are re
pugnant 20 every American officer Who ~
given Thought 10 the subject mus
ihe President I'm announcing the conditions
on which the Pacific Commercial Companv
should be permitted 10 build the cable from -
United states 10 the Philippines bv wsv .
haWal, Midway and Guam. acted on tbs "A
Vice OF Admiral Bradford. who has de,-ores
many years 10 ms matter, and II is likely thar
ne VIII he asked for information before an,
csnie lawns Is permitted between san Frsnciero
% 81 80. 1s. 1eherai Greey. who had charge
OF the West Indian cables IN the war with Srsir
ano who has Huilt up network ~ i,.-
throughout the Philippine Archipelago ana con-
hec.ea the posts OF Alaska with the optsisa
world Is also prepared 90 give The PresiSe.,,