New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-11-06
GOVERNMENT IGNORED.
PACIFIC CABLE BEING LAID UNDER
BRITISH PATRONAGE
COMMERCIAL COMPANY PAYS NO ATTEN-
TION To PRESIDENTS TERMS
GREELY TELLS NEED
OF CONTROL.
IBT TELEGRAPH TO THE rRInrXE.


OF CONTROL.
IBT TELEGRAPH To THE rRInrxEl
Washington. Nov. 5.-The Attorney General
has so far had intimation from the Pacific
Commercial Cable Company as to it's dispo-
sition TO accept the terms offered by the Presi-
dent on August as a prerequisite to permit
ting that corporation to lay a transpacifc ca
BILE and land 1t at Hawaii Guam. the Philip
pines and on the California coast. The Presi-
dents stipulations related solely TO such guar
antees the part of the company as would
insure preference to the United States in time
of war and as would prevent the control of the
line passing 10 any foreign concern or associa-
tion. The administration has become aware
that the officers of the company have wholly
ignored the Presidents conditions and are GO
ing ahead under the patronage Of the British
Gable Trust. in the belief that the
United States will never undertake a govern
ment cable make terms with some strictly
American company.
The Navy Department. which In 1899 COM
pleted elaborate surveys for the Pacific cable.
has just learned that the British cable steamer
Coonia. after finishing its work on the Van
couver-Australia line. left Hawaii ten days ago
TO survey a line via Midway and Guam to the
coast of Luzon. The British cable steamer Sill
vertown. which left London early last August
Win oIU miles or Cdple IN neT nOiQ, intenQeQ
span from San Francisco to Honolulu. has not
been heard from for two months She is long
overdue at San Francisco. and the failure 10
hear from her gives rise TO the fear that she
may be carrying out her mission of cable laying
without entering American port, where she
would be liable to attachment by the federal
authorities
This remarkable condition of affairs gives
peculiar significance to the following recon-
made public to-day:
MILITARY NEED OF CABLE.
The chief signal officer of the army has
previously expressed his official opinion that the
military command by the United States of the
Pacific in the future will depend very largely on
cable communications under it's complete con-
troll The Importance of an alternate route be
tween the Philippine Islands and the Asiatic
coast has been strongly emphasized by the inter
ruption to the Manila Hong Kong cable in June.
1901. which. fortunately, lasted only ten days.
1t is a matter of grave Importance that a second
/ route should be obtained. either by an all Amer
lean Pacific cable or by connection with Borneo
or Japan AS regards the experimenting of the
single cable between the Philippines and the rest
of the world by an alternate route to Borneo. by
a cable of one hundred miles from Siasi. such
action is possible only by partnership with the
Eastern Extension Telegraph Company which
possesses exclusive landing rights in North
Borneo for many years to come.
An alternate route from Cape Aparri 10 For
mosa which would undoubtedly benefit Japan
and the United States. is possible only through
favorable action Of the government of Japan.
combined with the consent of the Great North
ern Telegraph Company. a Danish corporation
holding certain exclusive telegraph rights In
Japan The growing military Importance of ca
bic communication with Asia is strongly evil
denCed by the extension to the China coast of
cable systems entirely within the control of Ger
tain governments. England and Russia
now the only nations having direct cOmmunica-
tfon over wires under their control France has
taken such action insures her cOmmunica-
tions with Tonkin through cooperation with
Russia
GERMANY's SYSTEM
Undoubtedly the most extended system will
be that initiated by Germany. which will give
practically an all German route. This system.
partly constructed and partly in progress will
cross Asiatic Turkey TO the head of the Persian
Gulf. thence by cable to Sumatra. over the lines
i'm the Dutch East Indies by cable through South
Borneo Celebes 10 the LadrOne Islands. and
finally a branch cable at Palau, connecting with
the existing German system on the Chinese
coast Scarcely second in Importance is the
Pacific cable installed by Great Britain and its
colonies which, by the time this report is in
print should be in operation between Aus
traasia and British Columbia, via the Fiji group
and Tanning Island.
THE United states Wltnln the last 1OOr years
has demonstrated in manner never before seen
by the world the Importance of electrical com
munication in war, and it alone of all nations
refrains from installing. operating and main
tanning a submarine cable between this country
and our Asiatic possessions. Such a cable I'm
war times while not costing half much.
would be worth half dozen warships stated
by competent naval authorities. Such cable.
operating at greatly reduced tariff rates. would
not only pay good interest on the invested capi-
tai but would greatly facilitate the evolution
of American trade in the East by affording
speedy and economical facilities 10 citizens of
the United States
The official experiences of the chief signal
officer of the army show unquestionably that
telegraph operators and managers give their
first allegiance 10 corporations. and. lastly. to
their country; this whether they American.
English French. Spanish. Cf other national-
". Should there be failure I'm the present nego-
tiations looking to commercial tranSpactf1c
cable under such restrictions will place that
cable thoroughly under American control
whether in peace in war, the chief signal
officer believes that action should be taken for
the construction and installation of an all
American cable. which, in the words of the
Presidents Message on that subject, should
remain in the power of the American Govern
ment whether in peace or in war.