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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :--
LTIC.O. 885
7 December 1896.]
Chairman-continued.
202-201
Mr. DOXAT.
think it would depend upon the increase of busi- nesa generally.
3224. Then, can you tell me whether there was a large increase of business in 1895 over 1894-I should say not materially.
3225. I ask you the question, because we have received from the Eastern Telegraph Company some very remarkable figures as regards the telegraphic business with Australasia, putting West Australia out of account altogether as ab- normal?—That is as to mining affairs, of course; that we have nothing to do with.
3226. Putting that out of sight altogether, and only reckoning the other Australasian colonies, would you be surprised to learn that there was 'an increase in telegraphic business in 1895 over 1894 of just over 20 per cent.?--Our business has not shown it; I can only judge by our own telegrams; I should think they would be much There is no doubt that these about the same. mining telegrams have done a great deal, and mining telegrams come not only from West Australia, but from other parts as well.
3227. But there has been no boon of the nature of the West Australian boom elsewhere, has there ?-No.
3228. Can you give the Committee any opinion as to whether there is likely to be an important development of trade between Australia and the Western coasts of the American continent ?—I should say that a cable would facilitate that to a Of late commend- certain extent, no doubt.
able business has been done in wool from Australia for the States, and a portion of that trade may possibly be worked through San Francisco and Vancouver. There is also a certain amount of wool shipped from Canada and the States to the Australian colonies, and in this respect cable communication might prove of certain some use, and there is always a amount of business doing with the South coast, but that would not affect this cable-1 mean Chili and Peru, and that part.
3229. If Chili and Peru wanted to telegraph to Australia, and if there was a cable fron Vancouver, I suppose that would be as short as by Europe, would it not?-Is there a line running from Vancouver to Chili?
Mr. Murray.
3230. There is.-Then it would be shorter I should imagine.
Chairman.
3231. Where does this wool from Australia go to; San Francisco ?-To San Francisco, almost entirely so far.
Chairman continued.
[Continued.
3232. And does a certain portion of wool go by San Francisco?-A certain portion by steam, not very much.
Rail-
3233. Do you think that is likely to be in- creased?—I should not think materially. way carriage is always expensive. The manu facturing districts in the States are all in the East, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Massachusetts, are all about there.
3234. So that the manufactured woollen goods which are used in the West are manu- factured in the East ?-I should think almost entirely; I do not say there are no mills in the West, but I know it is very small.
3235. It is cheaper to send the raw wool við London, say to New York, than to send it to San Francisco and across to the Eastern states? -I should think it would be cheaper. Of course, if you want particular despatch you might send it by Vancouver and San Francisco, but I should think it would be decidedly more costly.
3236. Are there no manufacturing businesses going up on the western sea board of the United States? I do not think to any extent.
3237. And where are the Canadian manu- factories situated --On the eastern side; chielly at Montreal.
3238. On the eastern side also?—Yes, on the eastern side, at Montreal.
Mr. Murray.
3239. You are
satisfied with the existing with the existing service?-I ain satisfied service except in case of a breakdown; that is our great point.
3240. But as long as there are no interruptions it is fairly satisfactory?-As long as there are no interruptions it is fairly satisfactory; but, of course, if there are interruptions through volcanic eruptions in Java or delay in the Australian land line-of course the thing is most important in case of a war--an alternative cable would be very valuable.
Sir Donald Smith.
3241. Is there not a considerable Australian trade direct with New York-a good many ships trading between New York and Australia direct? --Yes; there is a certain business done; they ship what they call "notions" and a large quantity of paraffio.
3242. And get back wool?-And get back wool; but up to the present time there are not above three or four cargoes as a rule go in the course of the year; the bulk goes by London, because it is so much quicker by steam.
The Witness withdrew.
Adjourned.
PAPERS.
Papers, &c. put in.
No. 1.
Statement by Mr. Sandford Fleming.
205
The following Statement was prepared by request, with the view of submitting it to the Pacific Cable Conference when it met in London on July 8th, 1896, As the Committee adjourned until October 26th, 1896, the Canadian representatives transmitted the statement to the Chairman, the Right Honourable the Earl of Selborne, Under Secretary of State for the
Colonies.
Before expressing my views generally on the Pacific cable. I am asked to relate to the Committee the circumstances which led to the proposal to span the Pacific Ocean by telegraph. I comply with the request with some hesitation as I am obliged to allude to my personal connexion with the matter. In referring to this part of the subject I shall confine my remarks to a very few brief sentences.
The projected submarine electric cable across the Pacific from the western seaboard of Canada has been before the public for many years. The proposal to extend a telegraph to Asia and Australia naturally followed the establishment of a trans-continental telegraph through the Dominion. So far back as 1863 the overland telegraph was projected in conjunction with the trans- continental railway. In that year the explorations for the eastern section of the railway, between Halifax and Quebec, were undertaken by the Imperial and Provincial Governments, and in 1871 the surveys westerly to the Pacific Ocean were commenced by the Government of the New Dominion. A few years after these dates the construction of the telegraph was proceeded with on each respective section. The Hon. Alexander Mackenzie, Premier and Minister of Public Works, was one of the first to take an active interest in the matter. Under his administration the policy was adopted of extending the telegraph from the waters of the St. Lawrence to the Pacific coast; and in 1874 the Government entered into contracts for constructing the telegraph in advance of the railway over nearly 2,000 miles of territory.
Occupying the position of engineer in chief of the whole line of railway from Halifax on the Atlantic to Vancouver on the Pacific, the establishment of the overland telegraph came under my official charge, and in connexion with my duties my attention was directed to the extension of the electric wire across the Pacific. It became plain to me that the national line of communication on which Canada was then expending so much would be incomplete without a connexion with the telegraph systems of the countries beyond the Pacific Ocean, and it became equally clear that the spanning of the Pacific by an electric cable would prove of the highest importance to the whole Empire.
In the year 1879 I was called upon to visit London on public business with the then Premier. Sir John Macdonald. I had prepared a telegraph map of the world with the projected line across the Pacific, and its various eastern and western connexions, laid down thereon." I pointed out that by spanning the Pacific it would be possible to open up a new means of communication to be employed for purposes of general commerce at much lower rates than by existing channels; that it would at once complete the electric girdle of the globe, and bring Great Britain, Canada, India, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa into unbroken telegraphic touch of each ether, entirely independent of the lines which pass through foreign European countries. Sir John Macdonald submitted the map and explained the proposal to Lord Beaconsfield, and I was led to understand that both Premiers were very favourably impressed with the project, and regarded it to be of great Imperial importance. I am fully warranted in saying that the Canadian Premier so regarded it until his death in 1892. Public attention was for the first time directed to a British Pacific Cable in my report as engineer in chief of the Canadian Pacific Railway, which was laid before Parliament in 1880. In this report the map referred to is reproduced on a reduced scale.
Much correspondence followed, to which it is not now necessary to allude. I will only remark that the route first projected was a northern one; this was owing to the absence of information respecting the Southern Pacific Ocean, and the impression which prevailed that physical difficulties existed which offered insuperable obstacles to the laying of a cable on a direct route between Canada to Australasia. In consequence of this impression it was designed to lay the cable from Vancouver to Japan, touching at islands in the Aleutian and Kurile groups as mid-ocean stations. From Japan the connexion with Australasia would be obtained by means of the telegraph to Singapore and the Eastern Extension Company's lines of telegraph.
Through the intervention of the Home Government, negotiations were opened with the view of securing one of the Kurile islands. Japan was asked to transfer to the British Crown one of these islands in order that the telegraph station should be under British protection. The cession of an island was not obtained, but permission to land at any suitable point in Yesso was granted, the landing to remain in charge of and under the protection of Japan. (See letter December 14th, 1880, from Sir Harry Parkes and December 23rd from Sir A. T. Galt.)
An agent was sent to Washington who, after some difficulty, obtained conditional landing privileges on one of the Aleutian islands.
•
On March 1st, 1881, the Government of Canada introduced certain resolutions in Parliament with the view of promoting the establishment of the cable. After discussion the resolutions were
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