The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-03-22
ONE DANGER IN AUSTRALIA.
Il Has Been Minimized by the New Cable
Line Across the Pacife.

Line Across the Pacine.
One of the advantages which Australia
derives from her new cable connection
across the Pacific has scarcely been mem
toned. This is that 1t will be hardly pos
sible now to cut that continent Oh entirely
from teegra phic communications with
other lands. II is not likely that the three
cable lines which connect the continent
with the rest Of the world should stimuli
taneously cease TO operate.
Before the cable between Canada and
Australia was completed this possibility
menaced the business interests OF that
continent. Australia has not forgotten.
though few people In other countries re-
member it, that for time in 1888 the two
cables connecting the continent with other
lands suddenly ceased to operate. In con-
sequence of the Simultaneous suspended
animation Of both cables the Australians
felt as though they were banished to another
planet The widest rumors were ahoat
in all the settled parts Of the country.
Some Of the newspapers thought 1t almost
impossible that two separate cables should
cease to act at about the same instant I'M
less there was some human agency In the
matter. II happened at that time that
Europe was politically in an unsettled con-
dition and some theorists suggested the
idea that war had been made upon Great
Britain and her enemies had cut the two
cables. 1t Is a remarkable fact that every
colonial government on the continent as
sumed the worst. and acted as theoretically
In putting its defences in good fighting
order as though hostile feet we're already
ofi the Australian coast. The newspapers
forces were ready to start at a moments
notice, and with the complete railroad and
telegraphic communications between all
the colonies a very large force Of Austria
lans could be massed upon any part Of the
inhabited coasts within two or three days.
Other theorists took a more sober view
of the accident. They thought 1t was
catast rophe due to some great CONFUSION
of nature. This proved to be the case. II
was soon ascertained that the fractures in
the two cables had occurred within some
forty miles OF each other a little to the
south Of Bangoewangie, not far from the
southern end Of Java. In the course OF a
few weeks the breakages were located and
repaired and the Australians laughed at
their scare.
quakes in the region Of Java, where earth
quakes are not merely chronic, but are
also extensively destructive. Mr.. Alfred
r. Wallace in his Malay Archipelago
says OF this region:
In the whole region occupied by this
vast line Of volcanoes. and for a consider
able breadth on each side Of 1t. earthquakes
are of continual recurrence, slight shocks
being felt at intervals Of every few weeks,
while more severe ones, shaking down
whole villages and doing more or less in
jury to life and property, are sure TO happen
in one part or another Of this district almost
every year. In many Of the islands the
years OF the great earthquakes form the
epochs Of the native inhabi-
tants by which the ages Of their children
are remembered and the dates OF many
important events are determined.
Australia has never ceased till now to
be in danger OF a recurrence OF a similar
accident that might again cut her OF from
the rest OF the world. The same cause OF
has been the means Of severing
cable communications in other parts OF the
world; but no large country has been re-
garded as 20 liable to incur great incon-
venience as Australia. We may imagine
how much embarrassment such an acci-
dent would inevitably bring to a country
with widespread business interests.
Happily for Australia, the new cable
rests on no part Of the ocean floor that
il often disturbed by submarine shocks,
and thus the country has at last escaped the
liability to the sudden interruption OF her
business relations TO which she had long
been peculiarly exposed.