The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1920-08-06
Government Desires To Know
Effect Upon South Ameri-
can Monopoly.
is AGAINST AMERICAN LAW
Four DcstrOyers Are Acting Under
Direct Orders OF President Wilson
and Guard HarbOr Entrance
Would Connect British Line Bar
badOes to South America.

WASHINGTON. Aug. 5.-Four de-
stroyers are patrolling the entrance
to the Miami, Florida, harbor under
orders from President Wilson, to pre-
vent. by force IL necessary. the land
ing of cable the Western Union Teie
graph company is having laid from
Barbados. a British possession in
the West Indies.
A British cable ship, the Colonia,
has been chartered by the Western
Union company to land the American
end of the cable which would con-
meet with a British cable line from
the Barbados to South America. At
the state department ii was stated
today that the British embassy had
been asked to inform the master OF
the ship that such a landing would be
in violation of American law. Oni-
cials explained that there was NO sig
was British; that she probably was,
the only cable craft available to the
American company when she, was
chartered.
Work on the cable from Barbadoes
was begun last summer. Some time
ago the Western Union company ap-
piled to the state deparmsuts tor as,
executive permit TO land the wire, at
Miami. but officials said action ON SC
has been delayed pending the hold
ing Of therinternational communfca-
tion congress, called to meet in
Washington September Is.
A British cable company, it was
explained, now has a monopoly OF
cable rights in Brazilian waters, Am
American concern desires TO con-
struct direct cable line from the
United States to Brazil ard 1t was
stated that tha American government
desired to know before issuing the
permit to the Western Union compa-
ny whether the arrangement entered
into by that company with the Brit
ish concern. the Western Cable COM
pany. controlling the line from Bar
BADGES TO Brazil, would add to this
monopoly
In this connection. 1t was asserted
that al the forthcoming international
communications congress. the whole
theory OF international communica-
tions was TO be examined lin a very
different temperament. from that ex-
listing in the past.
There no ~
ter the Western Union company filed
its Application for a permit the state
department requested that a copy OF
the contract with the British cable
concern also be filed and that the
company had refused to comply. No
information as to this was obtafnabIe
at the department.
While there 10 direct cable line
between the United States and the
Pacific coast OF South America. ca
BILE communication between this
country and Brasil is possible now
only by way OF London unless the
messages are sent to the west coast
and relayed overland. A direct cable
line to Brazil. officials said, Is much
to be preferred as It would AFFORD q
means Of faster and probably cheap
er communication.
Some officials expressed doubt to-
day whether there was q law requir-
ing permits for the landing Of cables
In the United States. but when ques-
toned as to this, state department Of
fcials declared emphaticalfy that
there was such law.
The orders from the President
which resulted in the destroyers be-
ing assigned to patrol the three mile
limit on Miami were issued. It was
said. after reports had reached the
government that the company planp-
ed to complete construction Of the