The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1922-01-25
GERMAN CABLES
RESTORED SOON
Announcement Made by Clarence III.
Mackay. Eight Years. Lapse.


Mackay. Eight Years. Lapse.
New Yorw, Jan. 21.--Clarence Ill.
Mackay, president Of Commercial Ca
bles Postal Telegraph system has an
nounced that his company has just
completed contract with the German
Atlantic Gable company, German
corporation, under the terms of
which direct cable communication
with Germany will be restored after
lapse Of eight years.
This contract, which has just been
signed, calls for laying new cable
between New York and Emden, Ger
many, with the cable touching at the
Azores, to be completed and in op-
Grafton by October 1928. The arrange
ment provides for the Commercial Ca
Die company to lay a cable from New
YORK to the Azores, (2,3O2 miles) and
1or the German company to make the
connection between the Azores and
Emden Q,SSS miles,. The two sections
Will be Joined at the Azores station
and all messages will be transferred
automatically from one to the other.
giving what virtually will be inston-
taneous service between the two com.
tries.
lhe contract further provides that
the Commercial Cables Postal Tele-
graph system shall handle ITO the Ger
man company all messages collected nv
the United States destined for Ger
many and that the German company
snail reciprocate by sending all it's
American traffic via the Commercial
Gables Postal Telegraph system.
The laying Of this new cable ia the
1lrst attempt at resumption Of direct
communication between the United
States and Germany. During the war
there was no cable communication be-
tween Germany and the United States,
Since the signing Of the armistice all
cable messages sent between the two
countries have had to pass either
through England or France. This plan
has not proven satisfactory to Ameri-
can business interests and the new ca
Bile is being put down in response to a
widespread demand on the part Of
commercial houses, banking institu-
tions and others interested in the trade
relations Of the United States and
Germany for better communication ia
cilfties. Prior to the outbreak of the
World War Hhere were two cables be-
tween the United States and Germany
and both were, operated by the Com
mercial company although owned by
the German-Atlantic Cable company.
The first Of these was laid in 1900 and
the second in 1904. They extended
from New York to the Azores, and
thence to Emden, Germany.
The sections between Emden and
the Azores were cut in the English
channel by the British admiralty
within an hour after Great Britain de-
clared war upon Germany. August s.,
1914, and from then until March, 1917,
lay dormant. In March, 1917, they
again were cut by the British govern
from New York, and one Of the cables,
under agreement between Great Brit
ain and France, was diverted into Hal
flax, Nova Scotia, and PenZance, Eng
land, and since July 1, 1916 has been
used by the British government as part
OF it's Imperial Telegraph and Gable
system. The French government did
not remove the other erstwhile German
cable from American shores, but
November, 1917, the French cable shh
Jermanac, arrived at New York and
cut both cables some five miles from
their landing place at the Commercial
Gable company's station at Fer Rocka-
way, and diverted one Of them into
the French Cable company's station at
Coney Island, Thelend diverted to the
French Cable company station was put
into operation by that company, under
control OF French government, between
New York and Brest, France, via the
Azores.
"The disposition OF these two ex-
German cables" said Mr.. Mackay in
his statement yesterday, Is now in the
hands OF the five allied powers to
whom the cables were ceded by many
under the treaty Of peace and the Com
mercial Cable company has filed a
very substantial claim against them
on account OF It's former contract for