The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1905-11-18


IN hoth countries the general practi1
IS Tor private companies to own an
operate the cable, but under govern
nent subsidies. England reaches ever
6 corner OF the globe with her cable,
r che mas been at home the grea, call
, Laliaer OF the world manufacturer
EGst OF those that other nations ha,
lald, although this monopoly she j
rapidly losing. Our own trans Facifi
, cable was built and put down by Eng
lIsh manufacturers, but the next on
viii not be.
It IS still a somewhat open ques
ton now valuable the cable would b,
in great naval war 1t is really tn,
eyes and ears of the navy. In th.
Eusso-Jcpanese struggle it has not fig
Gred greatly, but in mere comprehen
SlVe operations over the sea. between
any tTo powers Of Europe, it would
probably play large part. The hes,
demonstration OF what the powcrs:
think cables are worth in war Is
SHOWN by the new line which the
French government is Substituting Ia
connect the Orient by a series of in
dependent cables, extending from
France down the west coast Of Africa
around to Madagascar and then 10 Co.
chin China. There is TO commercial
business that would warrant an in
Vestment OF such magnitude, covering
these tremendous stretches OF sea. The
! Iirst section Of the cable. which is al
ready under way, extends from Drest
70 pakar. a French naval stronghold
cn the west coast of Africa. but with
out intermediate connection. Its pro.
loctors were not looking for COM
mercial business, or they would have
selected some other point
The intermediate stations below Da-
kar are all on French soil: in fact
tie cable viii round the Cape of Good
Hope without touching the land. The
next main station will be on the Frencn
island OF Madagascar. This cable will
cost at the rate OF a thousand dollars
mile. From Paris TO the Cape or
Good Hope represents about Is degrees
Of longitude, besiues latitude, and from
eOn, il the Northern Hemi5phe-e
again, will make tremendous journal
all as part Of the price which the
world in peace pays to maintain its
readiness for war.
Aside from this huge French under
taking Germany is now manufacturing
her own cables, and is probably the
most energetic cable layer in the
"cild today. She is laying cables in
the East, connecting the German
stronghold at Kiauchau Bay, on tho
CEina coast, with her insular posses
s1ons france is also manufacturing
her own cables. The great eXpendi-
tGres IN maintaining them have been
due in the past to defective manufact-
lre. but the frequent need of repairs
resulting, but this has been correct
ed. The submarine cable industry
has been started in the United States
also, and those used in connecting the
telegraph system of Alaska with the
United States, from Sitka to Puget
Sound, are altogether of American
manufacture, turned cut at Bayonne,
n. J. This company is now under con-
tract with the Mexican government to
manufacture cable to be laid in the
Gulf OF Mexico from Vera Cruz to Pro-
preso. an important point on the
coast OF Yucatan. So the industry has |
fortunately found a foothold here!
Gables are becoming steadily a more
lmnnrflnf ;c
sion of intelligence, with the growth
OF commerce and Of press reports. 1T
IS only within short time the the
Pacific has been crossed at all, and
contrary to general belief, that was
not done first by our line, but by the
British cable from Vancouver to Fan
ming Island, and then to the Fiji ISL
ands and on to Australia. This line
vas open for work few months be-
ore the American cable. The two
ross physically, northwest of Honolu-
u, but as yet no link has been con-
by which messages can he
transferred, as 1t was supposed would
'e done. The Hawaiian merchant who
iesires to communicate with Fiji ISL
lnds must do SO by way of the Amer
can mainland. Honolulu has become
more important centre by the COM
'letion Of the cable, as well as bet
er place of residence. 1t will be still
urther improved by the cable connec-
ions with the terminus Of the 18TH
main canal when that is finished.
The canal will come into existence
veil equipped with cable communica-
ion. On the Panama side the Central
nd South American cable companies
onnect with the western coast of
CENTRAL America by a line which
rosses the Isthmus at Tehuantepec, at
aching to cables from New Orleans.
which touch at Vera Cruz. This line
lso connects with the terminus on
he Gulf of Mexico of the new Tehuan-
epec railroad, which follows the route
roposed for the old Eads ship railroad
cheme. The Pacific terminus of the
and the cable is Salina Cruz:
rom there it proceeds along the west
oast to Panama, touching at import
mt points. This line was laid thirty
ears ago. 1t is assumed that the COM