New-York tribune., 1902-08-10
OBJECT TO CABLE TERMS.
MACKAY COMPANY MAY MAKE
NEW SOUNDINGS.
ADVICE IS LIKELY TO GUIDE MR..
MACKAY AND Mr.. BENNETT.


Information that the conditions to be imposed
upon the Commercial Pacific Cable Company, II
it is allowed to use the government soundings in
laying a cable between San Francisco and Ma
niIa are regarded as Objectionable by represen-
tatives of the company was obtained yesterday
by The Tribune While no positive statement
on the subject could be obtained, there was an
intimation that the company might refuse TO
assent TO some of the conditions which Presi-
dent Roosevelt and Attorney General Knox
agreed on Friday should be inserted in con-
tract between the company and the government.
The decision of the company to accept OF reJec'
the terms proposed may not be known for sew
eral days George q. Ward, the manager OF the
company is in London, and 1t is beIleVed tnaI
his advice will be taken by Clarence H. Mackay
and James Gordon Bennett. who own the con-
trolling stock of the company.
The late John W. Mackay, who was at the
head of the company. decided many months ago
that the comnanv should lay a cable from San
Francisco to Manila, with or without the use OF
the governments charts He hoped that the
soundings obtained by the government would be
placed at the disposal OF the company. In the
company's application. made year ago, there
was a stipulation that the government shoulo
be allowed to send messages over the cable at
the rate of 80 cents word. At the time the
application was made the government was pay
ing 81 81 a word for messages between this
country and Manila by way of China. The rate
was reduced little later TO 81 56 word The
last message Mr.. Mackay sent previous to MS
death was one to Mr. Cook. his attorney in this
citv stating that the company's bid guarantee
ing Pacific cable would expire on July II and
adding:
Our desire has been to complete the cable early
as possible We supposed the work could be car
Contractors ale able 20 handle the shipment Of
the cable quicker than we expected 1t IS p9Ssinie p
TO complete 1t by next June 1t Is lneXpncaoe 70
us why these soundings are withheld When i tne
government and the Th9ie county, @ br are the A
batross by act of Congress TO determine te
practica bility of laying cable between Calif2rnia
and Honolulu were freely distributed by the Navy
Department. They were given out to any one VINO
slight assistance from the government after
personally explained our plans to the e th ebe
manufacture OF the cable. but can get no euaran-
tion unless the Nero's soundings forthcoming,
as it will be absolutely necessary to send snip 10
fore it can be laid and 1t certainly must be Of i'm
portance TO the government to have commuAlcau9n az n
the Commercial Pacific Company.
1t was announced that Mr.. Mackay's death
would not interfere with the companys plans
TO lay the cable. Several days ago the cable
steamship Silvertown, carrying the section OF
ca hle that is to be laid between san frftn-
cisco and Honolulu, left its English port, ana II
is exr ected that the cable will be laid and be in
operation by December |. The section to be
laid between San Francisco and Honolulu has
a length Of about 2.G00 miles. The entire
length of cable between San Francisco and
Manila will be about 5000 miles. Intermediate
stations between Honolulu and Manila VIII De
the Midway Island and Guam.
one condition TO be imposed. which may
cause the company to decline the use Of the
government soundngs and send ship to make
new soundings, is that the company shall be
compelled 10 lay another cable from Manila
20 some port in China to be agreed upon. The
company already has stipulation with the
company controlling the present cable between
Manila and China as to the use of that cable
in connection with business between San Fran
cisco and Manila. Having made such an ar
rangeuent for the use Of the present cable, the
company does not want 20 lay another cable
between Manila and China
Some OF the other conditions are said to
be nearly Objectionable Among them are
the provision for the purchase OF the cable by
the government whenever the government may
decide to buy It, and the stipulation that all
operators in the cable service shall be American
citizens.