Year: 1859

The Atlantic Telegraph Enterprise-Is a Go


vernment Guarantee ON Capital Whole


from the London Times Dec. l5]


Electric communication with the New World is an OBJ
jec not likely to be abandoned. year or two since
joined with aerial travelling and self supporting
possibility message has been sent 70 the New World
and an answer received within tive hours and half Al
though for the moment disappointment has produced
kind Of stupor, yet be doubted that shall
have attempt TO the enterprise. II il said that
further subsidy and 10 endeavor TO sink another cable
in the course Of next year. The advantages Of this
route, If we may call it 30, are obvious. joins
Ireland with Newfoundland, the wires from Trinity
Bay are carried directly TO the United states terri
tory and in half hour from the despatch or news
from yaenta might be known not only in New York,
but in New Orleans Chicago or even further west in the
new cities OF MnneeOta The direct line between the TWO
great civilized continents, Europe ana North america
must always have the preference, the only question
being the possibility Of laying and preserving the cable
in one long length and through such vast depths


lust been laid before the public We had long since heard
scheme for crossing the Atlantic by wire stretching
from Cathness 10 Orkney and Shetland thence TO Iceland
and Greenland and southwards along the frozen coasts
Of Labrador. But the company of which we speak have
adopted not the northern hut the southern route They
propose TO reach the United States by line sunk be-
tween the African coast and Pernambuco, in Brazil.
Were this line intended only for communication
with the United States and Canada, the projectors
would certainly have much difficulty in bringing
sensible 10 adopt their crcutous course, which in
wolves great many thousand miles Of wire and multi
ude Of repeating stations But their notion Is to mako
communication with Brazil and the West Indies and the
African coast their principal object the transmission of
intelligence to the States being incidental supplemental
ry However that may be- here is their proposal -"The


line would start from Falmouth and, touching at Cape
Flnisterre Lisbon, Cape st. Vincent with branch to
dera) the Cape de Verde Islands, the islands Of st.
Paul and Noronha, will arrive at Pernanbuco,
in the BraZls. land telegraph will continue this line
through the Brazilian territory far as Para, whence
submarine line will be carried to the British settlement of
Demerara in Guiana From here combination of land and
ha I'D thA
West Indian Islands to New Orleans in the United States,
where II will join the network Of existing teegraphs be-
longing to the American companies" The line would
run up the Brazil and Guiana coasts, to Trinidad,
pass along the semcrcle Of islands to Porto Rico thence
to Hayt Cuba, and the Gulf to New Orleans. The
character OF the project may be understood from this
sketch, which requires amphcation Of We
not agree with the prospectus that ii offers probably
the most ecacious practical method of opening tee
graphic correspondence with the United States Of Amer
ca for elegraphic line Of nine thousand miles to New
York would certainly be most unwiedy instrument Of
communication Telegraphic communication with the
African coast, Brazil, and the West Indies not to
speak Of the Pacific provinces Of South America,
prise as the one we are discussing and, should
the traffic with these countries be Of sufficient importance
to warrant the investment of the required capital the
scheme would have solid basis. This, Of course, is
question for the future shareholders. -.--~sH -


The scientific details unable 10 discuss or course
the great recommendation is that nowhere there any
space to be traversed equal to the distance between Va
lena and Trinity Bay. The longest cable, that between
the Cape de Verde Islands and St. Paul, would be,



remembered that these islands rise up IN hh Atlantic
precipously from vast Depths and that the danger of
break in the cable s not TO be measured solely by its
length 1t s also urged in favor Of the new scheme
that the decreased length Of the cable will ALLOW
stronger and more frequent currents TO be sent through
il. The risk also will be less inasfnuch as break
at any point need not cause the abandonment Of
50 great portion of the cable This then is one of tho
telegraph between the two worlds We notice it because
there reason to suppose that in year two there will
be plans aoat for electric with pretty nearly
every region Of the EARTH The Red Sea cab is in pro-
cess of manufacturer and within twevemonth shall
probably be in daily communication with India. The At
lantic Company will be in the field again. while
panies for teegaphs TO China and Australia already in
being


Is for the government to decide how far it will assist
these schemes. Our own opinion is soon stated. We
wish tcegraphc communication all success and shall be
glad 10 the earth encrced by wires and the furhest
lands united by universal scheme Of instantaneous cor
respondence But the Inauguration of this would
leave entirely TO the action of private enterprise based
the principles Of free trade. IL cable liz wanted
strait let any compny-Englsh, French Ameri
canhave full liberty to lay it, and to receive the profits
that arise No national msrust should impede the action
of capital invested in such schemes of cosmopolitan
funess But to great system Of guarantees and subsi
dies we decidedly object There is indeed one exception
The telegraph TO India is matter Of imperial policy That
vast and distant province inhabited by millions of
pcious and suspected Asiacs and at any polt
cal dsur Dances demand the attention of the home
government. Not far from 100 900 European troops
employed within its limits host OF civil servants
are continually requiring advice or orders, there
continually Governors and Generals in doubt danger
In such a case, and on grounds merely of pub
lie policy, the government may, without passing
beyond its proper functions guarantee system OF
munication. But telegraphs to and from everywhere
Ough not to be made Mt the responsibility of
If sub. oceanic communication be feasible companies for
the construction Of lines will find shareholders without
assistance Of the State. the communities interested
not confident enough in the Of scheme to take
up the shares had better be abandoned. Government
interference will only create monopolies and hinder the
development Of the science. Once give company
eusirs ig 70 telegraph the me,os bamsen oo coantyts
ue 10 progress rapidly, accuracy and cedpness We
trust that neither of the two schemes for communicating
with the New World will receive further help from
government. The Atlantic Company has already had
State assistance in the of several ships of war;
value Of perhaps fl00 II has also large guaranteed
income from the governments both sides of the Allan
tic so long as its line is in working order This may be
defended on the ground of the originality and Of the
pdny should be granted The best kind OF cable the best
paying out machinery and the proper method of using it,
will soon be determined and then the construction Of
line Will be merely matter of ordinary calculation
There will be no more for the State guarantee
its capital than when Lancashire cotton spinner builds
new mill By the policy Of subsidies and guarantees we
shall only raise the public expenditure while change
the growth of telegraphc enterprise from health and vgor
into a state Of hothouse feebeness


Telegraph Extension to the East and Aus


tralla.


The last advices from Athens state that Mr. Side had
left Consannople for Syra and Athens observe the
working Of the newly laid telegraphic line and then to
lay down the cable from syra to Athens account of the
Greek government.


Calcutta (Nov 9 correspondence of the London Times


The telegraph from Gale TO Madras, through the sub
marine cable across the Straits OF Manaar open to
the public. bit Of the coast line between Madras and
Calcutta Is still imperfect the bamboo posts put up ex
treme haste and for special purpose having rotted
away The overland mail of the 9th of October was how
ever, signaed from Gale 10 Calcutta via Bombay in
twenyfour hours. The line from Kurrachee to Bombay
also complete, and there is an important CITY
in India from which intelligence cannot be flashed Cal
cutta in twelve hours II you remember that India
Is as large as Europe, Russia included that the
entire country is within the range of the tor
nadoes; that our lines all above ground
that we have just rcganed the northwest; and
that the first idea of mutinecr to cut the wire which
conveys the "lghtnng mail - you will appreciate the
energy and services of the department All ready
Tor the Red Sea telegraph, which is watched with ex
IRENE interest, Notwithstanding ,ery general though
vague notion that 1t will prove Gan informal nuisance
lndon merchants are too speculative altogether appre
ciate certainty, while Indian statesmen abomnate the
idea OF being puppets pulled by wire.


The Australian and New Zealand Gazette says:a-


In Few days the screw steamer Omco will leave with
he telegraph cable which to Victoria with 1as
mania The cable Is single con niuctor of 2aO miles in
cngtn, which be laid Cane O.wav vicor;a 20