Year: 1869

The Ocean Telegraph Imbroxil0.


The Franco American Telegraph Com pany
has, as is already known, an ocean cable
nearly ready, and the steamship Great Eastern
has been chartered to commence laying II on
or about the LIST Of June, starting from Havre
or Brest and landing at some point on the
coast Of the United States-probably Sandy
Hook. II does not seem to have occurred to
the company managers that any one would in
terpose the least objection TO their landing
one end Of the cable on our shores; but, on the
contrary, they evidently expected hearty well
come. They probably suppose they have the
same right to land their cable as they have to
land their steamer. The American end of
the cable would, Of course, be wholly subject
to our State and national laws, and no one
has dreamed of questioning their right to land
wherever the company could lease or buy a
piece Of land large enough for an Office and
landing place.


It is alleged, however, by friends Of the
Franco American Company. that the Western
Union and Atlantic Telegraph Companies are
now intriguing and lobbying to prevent the
landing of the new cable on our coast Sena-
tor Norton has introduced resolution de-
claring that no foreign telegraph company
has the right to land cable on the coast Of
the United States without the consent Of Con-
gress. The passage Of this resolution, it Is
thought, win kill the new enterprise. The
Great Eastern is preparing to start during the
month of April or May next 1t is claimed
that if the monopolists can muster strength
enough to pass the Norton resolution they can
delay the passage Of law granting the Franco
American Company the required privilege
during the remainder Of the present Congress
and through the two or three weeks session Of
the Forty-frst Congress in March, or until
adjournment which would carry it over until
the December session, too late to move
again in the matter before the spring Of
1870. Ten weeks delay now postpones the
enterprise whole year and doubtless breaks
up the company. It is not likely now that the
managers Of the company will lay one end of
their cable on our shores, their right to do so
u0tAHS OCCu QuCotAOhCu, WitHVus CAPAC Coo PCk-
mission of Congress. Can the monopolists
stave off the matter twelve weeks or sol?
That is question for the press and business
men of the United States and Europe to con-
slider. The most foolish objections are raised
by lobby jobbers against the new enterprise.
They say that certain members Of the new
company sympathized with rebellion that
was subdued some years since in several Of
our Southern States.


Senator Nye introduced bill few days
since subsidizing telegraph company with
some eight million dollars of bonds from our
national Treasury. The Franco-American
Telegraph Company offers to lay cable and
put one end wholly under our control without
subsidy or expense to our people. Shall the
lobby jobbers prevent it? That is question
for the press and business men Of the United
States and Europe to answer.


Senator Conkling made move in the right
direction on the 9th inst. by introducing bill
granting Newfoundland company the privi-
lege of landing one end of its cable on the
coast OF the United States. Now Lot him add
another provision, giving any company that
chooses to exercise it the same privilege, with
out further legislation, and pass it without
delay. Senator Conkling has here an oppor-
tunity Of rendering the business community
not only of the United States, but the whole
civilized world, valuable service, which we
are inclined to believe he will not let pass un-
improved.