The Washington times., 1902-08-25

cifc
II shows that the submarine tele-
graphs of the world number 1.750. Their
aggregate length is nearly 200, 600 miles:
their total cost is estimated at S275,-
100000, and the number of messages
annually transmitted over them is more
than 100000. All the grand divisions
of the earth are now connected by their
wires, and from country TO country and
island to island the thoughts and words
of mankind are instantaneously trans
mitted.
All Countries Are Reached.
Beneath all oceans save the Pacific
the universal language which this sys-
TEN has created flows uninterruptedly,
and man talks as face TO face with his
fellow-man at the antipodes. Darkest
Africa now converses daily with en-
lightened Europe or America, and the
great events Of the morning are known
in the evening throughout the inhabited
world
Adding to the submarine lines the land
connected and through which they bring
interior points of the various continents
into instantaneous communication, the
total length of telegraph lines of the
wcrld il / 1S0 600 miles: the length of
their single wires or conductors, $500 600
miles. and the total number of messages
annually sent over them about 400
600 eco. or an average of more than
1o00,O60 each day.
In the short half century since the
practicability of submarine telegraphy
was demonstrated, the electric wires
have invaded every ocean except the
Pacific Nearly a score of wires have
been laid across the Atlantic. of which
no less than thirteen now successfully
operate between the United States and
Europe while three others span the
comparatively short distance between
South America aGd the African and
South European coast lines. Through
cut the Indian Ocean lines connect the
Far East with Europe and America via
the Red Sea, the Mediterranean, the
western coast of Europe, and the great
transatlantic lines.
Network of Telegraph Lines.
The Mediterranean is crossed and re
crossed in its entire length and breadth
iterranean of America" the Gulf OF
Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, is ira
versed in all directions by lines which
bring its Islands and colonies into
speaking relations with each other and
with South America, Central America,
the United States, and thence with Eu
rope, Africa, Asia-ihe whole wrold.
Along the eastern coast of Asia cable
lines loop from port TO port and island
20 island. receiving messages overland
from Eastern Europe via the Russia-Si-
berian land lines and forwarding them
to Japan, China, Australia, New Zea-
land, the Straits Settlements, Hong
kong and the Philippines, and receiv
ing others in return.
South America is skirted with cable
lines along its entire border save the
extreme south. where they are brought
into intercommunicalion by land lines
Along the entire coast of Africa cables
loop from place to place and from col
ony to colony, stretching along the en-
tire circumference and penetrating the
interior by LAND lines at various points.
Pacific Submarine Lines.
Every body of water lying between
the inhabited portions of earth. with the
single exception of the Pacific Ocean.
has been crossed and recrossed by sub
marine telegraph lines. Even that vast
expanse of water has been invaded along
its margin. submarine wires stretching
along its western border from Siberia
to Australia, while its eastern borders
are skirted with lines which stretch
along The western coasts of the two
Americas. Several adventurous pioneers
in Pacific telegraphy have yentured to
considerable distances and depths in
that great ocean, one cable line running
from Australia to New Zealand. 4 dis
tance OF over 600 miles, and another
extending from Australia to the French
colony in >,ew Caledonia 500 miles sea-
ward
A cable which is 10 connect Canada
with Australia across the Pacific Is now
being laid at the joint expense of the
United Kingdom, Canada. and the Aus
tralian commonwealth, and has already
been completed from Vancouver. b. c..
to Tanning Island, just south O. the
Hawaiian Islands, and it IS expected
that the entire lire will be completed
by the end of the present year.
The chief obstacle IN the past 20 the
construction Of q grand trans Pacific
ca bic was found in the fact that mid
ocean resting places could not be salts
factorily obtained or arranged for no
single government controlling a sufficient
number of suitable landing places 10
make this seem practicable, in view. Of
the belief that the distance through
which messages could be sent and ca
bies controlled was limited.
Landing Places Secured.
with landing places Z; Hawaii, Wake |
Island. Guam. and the Philippines. how.
ever. no section cf u cable stretching /
from the United States to Asia ana
at these points would have =
length equal TO that row ~ daily op, /
Grafton be'ween France ara the En.ten /
State.
The length of the French cable from I
Brest. France, to Cape Cod. Mass. IS I
9 $50 miles while the greatest distance |
from land TO land On the proposed Pa /
c!nc route would lie that from san /