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No. 5.
Appendix No. 5.
BERMUDA TELEGRAPH.
Sir,
Colonial Office to Royal Commission on the Defence of British Possessions and Commerce Abroad.
Downing Street, July 6, 1882. WITH reference to your letter of the 15th October, 1880,* I am directed by the Earl of Kimberley to transmit to you, for the information of the Royal Commission on the Defence of British Possessions and Commerce Abroad, a copy of a letter from the Treasury, stating that their Lordships are prepared to agree to make some contribution from Imperial funds towards the cost of a cable from Halifax to Bermuda. Since the date of the letter from the Treasury a Conference has been held at Barbadoes, on Lord Kimberley's suggestion, representing all the British West Indian Colonies, with the exception of Jamaica, Bermuda, and Bahamas, to consider the question of telegraphic communication, and I am to inclose a copy of the Resolutions passed by the Conference.
The Royal Commissioners will observe that it is now proposed that the Imperial Government should undertake the construction of a telegraphic line from Halifax, through Bermuda, to one of the Virgin Islands or St. Kitt's, and thence to the other Colonies.
Lord Kimberley is sensible of the importance of establishing telegraphic connection with the Colonies mentioned by means of a line which would not pass through the territory of any foreign Power, if the scheme should be financially and in other respects feasible; but Lord Kimberley would be glad to be favoured with the Royal Commissioners' opinion upon it before bringing this scheme under the consideration of the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury.
I am, &c.
(Signed)
R. H. MEADE.
Sir,
Inclosure 1 in No. 5.
Treasury to Colonial Office.
Treasury Chambers, April 17, 1882. WITH reference to your letter of the 9th February last, and previous correspondence, respecting the establishment of a cable between Halifax, Nova Scotia, and Bermuda, I am directed by the Lords Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury to acquaint you, for the information of the Earl of Kimberley, that my Lords, having given this question their most attentive consideration, cannot resist the con- clusion that a line of telegraph to Bermuda viâ Vigo Bay would not possess the strategic advantages which would be involved in a direct cable from Halifax, and on which those best qualified to judge lay so much stress.
They are, therefore, prepared to agree to make some contribution from Imperial funds towards the cost of a cable from Halifax to Bermuda; but the amount and conditions of this contribution will remain for subsequent consideration.
In the meantime, my Lords would request to be informed what contribution may be expected from the revenue of Bermuda towards the cost of the telegraph.
This decision will, my Lords presume, necessitate the refusal of Mr. de Braam's offer to lay a cable from Vigo to Bermuda.
I have, &c. (Signed)
F. CAVENDISH.
Inclosure 2 in No. 5.
Minutes of the Proceedings of the Telegraph Conference at Barbadoes.
[Not printed.]
No. 6.
Sir,
Royal Commission on the Defence of British Possessions and Commerce Abroad to Colonial Office.
13, Delahay Street, July 22, 1882.
I AM directed by the Royal Commission on the Defence of British Possessions and Commerce Abroad to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 6th July, 1882,† with reference to the proposed establishment of telegraphic communication between Halifax, Bermuda, and the West Indies.
The proposal has been before the Commission on several previous occasions, and they have ex- pressed their opinion upon it in their letters to you of the 13th February and 15th October, 1880.*
They think that the proposed line of telegraph should be laid, believing that such a line, connecting Halifax with Bermuda and the British West Indies, without passing through foreign territory, be of great military importance.
would
* No. 41 in Appendix No. 4.
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‡ No. 2.
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