The Washington times., 1923-02-24
F OR
ROME CABLE
SIGNED
Line Eventually Will Connect
With Asia Minor and South
American Ports.

With Asia minor and S0uth
American Ports.
By HARRY L. ROGERS,
International News Service.
A contract providing for direct
cable communication between New
York and Rome has just been
signed by the Italian government
with the Western Union Telegraph
Company, it was learned officially
today.
New Cable To Be Laid.
Under the terms of the contract,
the Western Union is to construct q
cable from New York to the Azores,
tinue the line from the Azores up
the Mediterranean to Rome.
Authorization for the construction
of the Mediterranean cable already
has been granted by the Italian gov
eminent to the Carosio-Pirelli group,
and the necessary capital, estimated
at $25, 000, 900, is now being raised
by private subscription. To date be-
tween 100000 and $4,000, 900 is
assured, 100000 being subscribed
by the Western Union, which, under
the terms of it's contract, is to be
permitted to hold one-fourth of the
stock. The balance of between So, O0O,-
600 and 100000 has been sub.
scribed by Italian capitalists.
No difficulty is anticipated in rails
ing the remaining $15, zoo, 000, as the
Pirelli interests are expected to as
sumo much of the financial obliga-
ton. An appeal also is being made
Dy Premier Mussolini to Italians in
the United States to subscribe to the
project.
Manufactures Equipment.
Inasmuch as the Pirelli concern
includes the manufacture Of cleo
trical equipment among it's varied
interests. 1t is expected that the
company will undertake to supply
the Mediterranean cable.
By the terms of the contract,
the Italian government has the
privilege to purchase one-fourth of
the stock of the special company
to be formed by the Western Union
for the construction Of the cable
from the Azores to New York. 1t
.
that the government will avail it.
self of this opportunity.
Under the plan proposed to the
Allied and Associated Powers by
the United States fcS the alloca-
ton of the former German cables
in the Atlantic. Italy was to re-
ceive the Transatlantic cable run
ming from Moravia. Liberia, TO
Pernambuco in Brazil. If this plan
eventually is accepted by the other
interested powers, it is the inten-
ton of the Italian government to
connect the South American cable
with the .Rome-New York line at
the Azores.
Pending final ALLEGATION of the
former German lines, they are now
being operated under a modus
vivendi agreed upon at the interna-
tional cable conference here which
adjourned early in the Harding aid
ministration. This agreement pro-
vided that the former German cables
in the North Atlantic should con-
tinue to be operated. by Great Brit
ain and France respectively, and
that the proceeds should be credited
to the joint account of all the in
terested powers for final disposition
after the cables were definitely
allotted.
Line to Be Repaired.
Italy expects to use her share Of
the accrued earnings of the cables
in connecting the South American
line with the Azores and in putting
the cable in repair, since it has not
been in operation, since it was cut
by the allies shortly after the out
break Of the war.
When the Mediterranean cable has
been completed, it is planned to ex-
tend it to various points in the Medi-
terranean and to Asia Minor, SO that
competition will be given British
companies which now enjoy a mo-
nopoly of that business. American
business interests have been eager
for the establishment of such cable
routes. as charges have been made
from time to time that British COM
mercial interests were able to exer-
else sort of censorship ON Ameri-
can business enterprise in that
region by reason of the cable
monopoly.
Direct communication between
Rome and New York is the goal to-
ward which Italian statesmen have
been working for many years. Dur
ing the Washington Arms Confer
ence the Italian delegation made it
clear Italy would agree to no plan
of ALLEGATION which failed to provide
such direct communication. Mem
bers Of the delegation frankly ex-
pressed the opinion that Italo-Ameri-
can relations had suffered in the
past from the fact that all COM
munications from Italy to the United
States passed through Paris and
London.