Evening star., 1902-01-11
Hearing Before the House Commit
tee on Commerce.
EFFECT OF WIRELESS fELEGRAPHY
Vice President Ward Resumes His
Statement.
THE QUESTION OF CONTROL

The effect of wireless telegraphy on the
future of the submarine cable was devel-
oped to some extent today by the House
committee on commerce in connection
with the hearing on the proposed Pacific
cable The hearing was largely attended.
Vice President Ward of the Pacific Cable
Company, continuing his statement of yes
terday, said he believed the company he
represented would be able to make exclu-
sive traffic arrangements from points De-
yond the Philippines and connecting with
China and Japan. He maintained that
while there was purpose to set up
monopoly. yet 1t was likely his company
would have exclusive traffic arrangements
with the far east He also stated that
there would be questions as to the right
of the United States to land cable on
foreign shores.
Representative Stewart Of New Jersey
interposed the statement that Germanys
present course against Venezuela showed
that the German government made little
distinction between public and private
rights, so that a government cable station
would have about the same status as a
private station.
Wireless TeIegrnphy and the Cable.
Chairman Hepburn asked series or
questions as to the effect of wireless teleg-
raphy on the submarine cable.
Mr.. Ward replied that the new system
presented a serious question. He was not
certain that the Pacific cable project would
have been undertaken if the long distance
experiments had occurred earlier. AS to
the claims that wireless signals had been
conveyed 1000 miles across the Atlantic,
Mr.. Ward said that IL the claims were
made good they would deter people from
having any more cables.
When asked as to the effect thus far on
the cable business Mr.. Ward said that 1t
had depressed cable interests.
Mr.. Stewart wanted to know If the
cable companies had not chased Marconi
out of Canada to which Mr.. Ward an
swered that he believed the cable COM
panies had insisted upon certain exclusive
rights they held.
James Foord stated that the American
Asiatic association doing business in the
Orient favored a cable under private con-
troll. 1t was opposed to the government
entering the field of private enterprise.
Cites Instance of Spanish War.
President Scrymser of the South and
Central American Cable system made an
extended argument favorable to govern
ment control of the Pacific cable, citing in
cidents of the Spanish-American war show
ing the Importance of governmental control
of the cable. In one case cited, the Spanish
minister of marine cabled Admiral Cerve-a
to leave Santiago. If this dispatch had not
been intercepted. Mr.. Scrymser said, the
battle of Santiago bay would not have been
fought and the conduct of the war might
have been changed
Thomas E. Hughes, representing an
American company which produces cable,
stated that as good cables could be made
in the United States In any other part of
the world, and he asked that American
labor and capital have the advantage of do
ing this work.
Chairman Hepburn asked If this Amer-
can company was prepared to make a def
mite business proposition to the United
States government.
Proposition Regarding Cable.
Mr.. Hughes replied that such PROPOSE
tIon would ne submitted in due form within
the next two days
Mr.. Hepburn asked that the formal prop
osition be in alternative form, first for de-
livering a cable of American make at San
Francisco; second. for making and laying
the cable 20 Hawaii. Guam and Manila.
Mr.. Hughes thought the government better
able to do its OWE cable laying. using the
army transports. AS indicating the general
character of the forthcoming proposition
Mr.. Hughes said the cost would be within
IL per cent of that stated as the cost of
the Commercial Pacific Company's caole.
The additional 10 per cent, he stated. was
for the protection of American industry.
Francis b. Thurber president of the
United States Export Association. favored
private construction as most likely to give
the earliest cable advantages to the busl-
ness world
Would Sell to the Government.
In the course OF stat ement by VIM. w.
Cook of New York. director OF the Pacific
Commercial Company. he said that the
company after laying the cable across the
Pacific stood ready to sell it at any time
to the United States government at an ap-
praised valuation.
]. W. Henry. civil engineer for Amer
lean company making cable. said the COM
pany will furnish the government cable
at $1,000 a mile. which to Hawaii would be
about s. 22O0.OO. or considerably below the
cost of a foreign-made cable
The hearings will be continued next FRI
day. when government officials will be
heard on the government project.