17
FIRST DAY.
THURSDAY, 12TH NOVEMBER 1896.
29-3
The Chairman stated that certain memoranda had been received, which would be printed and communicated to members of the Committee.
Sir M. Bowell offered to send in the tenders received by the Canadian Govern ment, and the offer was accepted by the Chairman with thanks.
Sir D. Smith proposed an adjournment, and after discussion it was unanimously decided to adjourn till the 26th of October, with the understanding that any alteration in the date should be settled by correspondence.
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• Since received by the Secretary. Not printed.
PRESENT:
THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE EARL OF SELBORNE, CHAIRMAN, Presiding.
The Hon. Sir DONALD SMITH, G.C.M.G. The Hon. Sir SAUL SAMUEL, K.C.M.G., C. B. The Hon. D. GILLIES
The Hon. A. G. JONES, P.C. Mr. G. H. MURRAY, C.B.
Mr. W. H. MERCER, Secretary.
Mr. SANDFORD FLEMING, C.M.G., C.E., called in: and Examined.
Chairman.
1. MR. Sandford Fleming, I think that you are here as the expert adviser of the two Canadian representatives on this Committee?—Yes.
2. You have given this subject many years of study? I have.
3. I think I am correct in saying that you have been closely connected in your professional capacity with railway enterprise in Canada? I have.
4. That you have been engineer-in-chief first to the Intercolonial Railway and afterwards to the Canadian Pacific Railway ?--I have.
5. And have thus been responsible for the whole trans-continental line from Halifax to Vancouver, and also for the telegraph line accom- panying it? I have.
6. I understand that you have prepared a state- ment of the history of this question, the part that you have taken in it and a statement of the views which you at present hold in the matter; is that so?--I have, and I now hand it in."
7. Were you the first gentleman to suggest a Pacific cable to Australia as the natural sequence of the work of carrying the railways and tele- graphe across the country?-As far as I know.
8. I think that the Canadian Government sent a commission to Honolulu to enter into negotia- tions with the Hawaiian Government for the pos- ression of a neutral landing ground for the cable should it be deemed expedient or desirable to touch at Fanning Island or some other island on the way en route?—Yes.
9. What was the outcome of that commission? -The outcome is briefly described in the memo- randum.
10. Then on the 6th August 1894 the Domi- nion Government issued an advertisement which appeared in the London newspapers asking for tenders?—Yes.
11. Was there a form of specification in the advertisement for tenders?-The conditions of tender are attached to this memorandum.
12. Am I to take it that there were no condi- tions attached whatever beyond those contained in this appendix ?—None, beyond those contained in this appendix and in the advertisement. There is a copy of the advertisement in my statement.
13. There was no specification as to the exact
* See page 205.
Chairman-continued. composition of the cable or its weight?-- There is nothing beyond what is contained in these con- ditions.
14. In fact, the consideration of the particular sort of cable and sorts of cable that were neces- sary for this work was left to the judgment of those who were willing to tender?-Quite so; they were asked to furnish a cable of a certain capacity for work and keep it in working order for three years.
15. As regards the tenders, can you tell me why no particulars were laid down as to the exact composition of the cable?—It was done with the view of enabling anyone tendering to be perfectly free as to the character of the cable they intended to lay. On page 215 you will find a reference to that, near the foot, under sub- heading, “Character of Cables :" "Proposals will "describe the type of cables intended to be used "on each section, and state the weight of con- ductors and insulators per knot in each case." “Shore Ends :"The best description of landing cables must be employed at terminal points " and all mid-stations. The proposals will "describe the character, weight, and length of "shore-end cables to be used in each case.'
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16. Are those points that are usually left to the contractor?-They were in this case; I know of no other similar case to this.
17. I see that the speed demanded was that it should in no case be less than 12 words per minute: how does that speed compare with the speed of must of the other important cables? - Well, it is a smaller rate of speed than a number of the cables across the Atlantic, but it was a speed referred to in some documents, I do not at this moment remember which, and it was thought desirable to specify the same speed.
18. What would be the speed of the Atlantic lines?-Oh, they vary very much. I am afraid I cannot at this moment give the information, but I could easily at a later stage.
19. But may I take it that it is more than 12? -Oh, yes; some of them much higher than 12.
20. It was a condition of Form A. that the cable should be kept in repair by the contractor for three years?—It was.
21. Is three years long enough to test the
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