PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
CEICO. 885
PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH--NOT TO
p. 594 of C.-7558.
p. 335 of C.-7553.
p. 33% of C.-7553.
p. 347 of
p. 359 of
C.-7553.
C.-7553.
p. 360 o"
C.-7553.
p. $63 of
C.-7553.
p. 374 of
C.-7553/
See p. 11 of C.-7553.
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At the same time the Colonial Office asked for and obtained from the Admiralty a statement respecting the result of the work of H.M.S." Egeria." From this statement it appeared that the survey had been interrupted, but that soundings had been taken between New Zealand and the Phoenix Islands (see below).
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In March 1893 a Postal Conference was held at Brisbane, at which the following resolution was passed (South Australia and Western Australia not voting): "That in the opinion of this Con- ference the time has arrived when a second cable route should be established vid the Pacific to "Vancouver, touching at such places en route as may be hereafter agreed upon.' At this meeting the action of the Governments of New South Wales and Queensland, in entering into a guarantee with a company for the laying of a cable between New Caledonia and Queensland was discussed, and in noticing the debates the Marquess of Ripon stated that "Her Majesty's Government cannot but view with regret the action taken by the Governments of Queensland and New South Wales, as it implies a departure from principles with regard to colonial cohesion and the consideration of Imperial interests to which prominence was given in the Colonial Conference of 1887, and, as it appears. diminishes the chance of their assistance in laying any future Pacific cable passing through British possessions or protected territory, and avoiding the possessions of European Powers. Her Majesty's Government share the views expressed by the Victorian Government that inconvenience, loss, and, indeed, danger, to both Colonial and Imperial interests might arise in time of war if the Pacific cable passed through New Caledonia, and they cannot, from an Imperial point of view, regard with approval an arrangement under which such cable would touch foreign territory."
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In the autumn of 1893 Mr. Mackenzie Bowell and Mr. Sandford Fleming visited Australia on a mission for the furtherance of commercial relations with Canarla. In a memorandum written at Sydney and dated 11th October 1893, Mr. Sandford Fleming described the alternative routes and gave estimates of expenditure and revenue.
Sir J. Pender sent in a memorandum in reply on the 3rd of January 1894. was sent to the Colonial Office on the 4th of April.
A further letter
On the 8th of May 1894 the India Office requested that the Secretary of State for India in Council might be afforded full opportunity of discussing the question if it were at any time brought forward in a practical shape, pointing out that the Government of India was interested in the matter, being (on behalf of the Indo-European Government telegraph line) a partner with the Eastern and the Indo-European Telegraph Companies.
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In reply the Colonial Office observed that Lord Ripon "would view with satisfaction the establishment of the proposed cable if it should appear, after the meeting in Ottawa next month of the representatives of the Colonial Governments concerned, that the project is feasible. "Whilst not desiring to be regarded as adopting the views of Sir John Pender in their entirety, his Lordship recognises that there are great difficulties to be surmounted before the gheme can "be shown to be practicable. It is also not unnatural that Sir J. Pender and others financially "interested in the existing Cable Company should view with disfavour a project of a competitive "character; but that fact would not, in Lord Ripon's opinion, justify Her Majesty's Government "in withholding such support as may be prudent and possible from a line affording an alternative telegraphic route, and one binding together that large portion of the Empire which is interested "in the scheme."
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In June a despatch was received at the Colonial Office from the Earl of Glasgow, forwarding copy of a resolution passed at the Wellington Postal and Telegraph Conference, in which the delegates recommended their Governments to consider the desirability of entering into a guarantee with the other countries interested for a period not exceeding 14 years, and to guarantee interest at 4 per cent. on a capital of not more than 1,800,000l. to any company undertaking the laying of a Pacific cable; the tariff not to exceed 3s. per word for ordinary telegrams, 2s. per word for Government telegrams, and 18. 6d. per word for press telegrams to and from Great Britain and the Colonies; and that the United Kingdom be asked to join in the guarantee. The resolution also suggested two alternative routes.
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The Canadian Minute proposing the Ottawa Conference referred to the question of "securing the construction of a direct telegraph cable" between Australasia and Fiji; and at the Conference (July 1894) five resolutions on the subject were passed, in which (inter alia) the opinion of the Conference was expressed that "immediate steps should be taken to provide telegraphic communi- cation by cable, free from foreign control, between the Dominion of Canada and Australasia," and the Canadian Government were requested" to make all necessary inquiries, and generally to "take such steps as may be expedient in order to ascertain the cost of the proposed Pacific cable. "and promote the establishment of the undertaking in accordance with the views expressed in this
Conference."
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The Earl of Jersey, the Imperial delegate, in his report to the Secretary of State, spoke to favour "The new route," of the scheme, and advocated the co-operation of Her Majesty's Government.
he observed," is not proposed from mere motives of competition, in which case Her Majesty's Government would probably decline to take part, but from the conviction that commercial and Imperial interests demand its construction."
Under the authority given by the above-quoted resolution, the Canadian Government invited contractors to state the terms on which they would be "prepared to lay, and maintain in efficient. condition, a submarine electric cable across the Pacific from Canada to the Australasian colonies."†
• NOTE. This despatch was written on the advice of the Colonial Defence Committee.
† Sec Canadian Parliamentary Report, No. 5 b. 1894, p. 372. Also printed in Australia (e.g., Queensland C.A. 96–1895.)
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Three forms of schemes were suggested, viz.-A.: The cable to be owned and controlled by Govern- ment; to be worked under Government authority, and to be kept in repair by the contractor for three years.
Form B. The cable to be owned, maintained, and worked by a subsidised company. Form C. The cable to be owned, maintained, and worked by a company, under a Government guarantee.
Eight alternative routes were indicated, the first being Vancouver Island, Fanning Island, Fiji. Norfolk Island, and thence to New Zealand, and to Tweed Mouth, near the boundary of New South Wales and Queensland.*
It was stated that the minimum speed for each section should be twelve words a minute, and that the contractors should specify the particulars of the cables intended to be used.
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Tenders from certain important firms were received by the Canadian Government in reply to this invitation, and Mr. S. Fleming drew up a report upon them. The lowest tender, it may be Printed report mentioned, was that of the India-rubber, Gutta-percha, and Telegraph Works Company, which of 20 Nov. named the sum of 1,517,000l. for Route No. I., this figure including maintenance for three years.
It was subsequently ascertained from this company that their figures for a 15 and an 18-word per minute cable would be 1,672,000l., and 1,880,000.†
1894.
In January 1896 a postal and telegraph conference was held at Sydney, of the proceedings of Report priated which the following is a summary:—
"The following resolutions were adopted, viz. :—
1. That in the opinion of this Conference the Pacific cable should be constructed and owned
jointly by the various Governments interested.
2. That in the opinion of this Conference the landing-places of such cable should be only upon
territory belonging to, or under the control of, the British Empire.
3. That in the opinion of this Conference the cost of its construction, working, and maintenance be borne in the following proportions, namely: Great Britain, one-third; the Dominion of Canada, one third; and the contributing Australasian Colonies, one-third.
4. That in the opinion of this Conference the route from Fiji to Australia be vid Norfolk Island, thence bifurcating to the nearest convenient landing places in the north of New Zealand and Moreton Bay respectively.
5. That in the opinion of this Conference it is highly desirable that South Australia join the other Colonies in the Pacific cable project, and, having regard to their vested interests in the trans-continental line, Dr. Cockburn be invited to make a proposition embodying the terms on which the South Australian Government would be prepared to join the other Colonies in the said project.
*The Honourable Dr. Cockburn intimated the following as the proposal of the South Australian Government, viz.: South Australia is willing to join in the project provided that a guarantee, either from the contributing Colonies alone, or jointly with the Imperial Government, be given, that the financial position of South Australia as regards the Port Darwin line be maintained on the basis of the average of the last five years.
"The Honourable Mr. Reeves stated that he had received a cable from the Honourable Mr. Ward with regard to the terms on which New Zealand would come in as a contri- buring Colony, to the effect that, of course, it would be very disadvantageous to New Zealand to come in on an equally responsible footing with the other three Colonies; at the same time, Mr. Ward would be prepared to give way and do so, annexing, however, the stipulation that Victoria and New South Wales should join with New Zealand in facing any possible loss on the present cable.
"6. That in the opinion of this Conference the Colonies joining contribute equally to the undertaking. (The Honourable Dr. Cockburn and the Honourable Mr. Reeves refrained from voting on the above.)
7. That in the opinion of this Conference in consideration of South Australia joiuing with the other contributing Colonies in the Pacific cable project, they would be willing, jointly with Great Britain, to guarantee that Colony against further loss in connexion with their trans-continental line in consequence of the construction of the new cable.
8. That in the opinion of this Conference Sir Saul Samuel, K.C.M.G., C.B., and the Honourable Duncan Gillies, be nominated as representatives of the Australasian Colonies on the Commission in connexion with the Pacific cable, and that they be requested to consult on all important points the Agents-General for the Australasian Colonies."
In addition to the Blue Booka referred to above, attention may be invited to C.-7632, contain- ing a copy of a further correspondence between Sir C. Tupper and Sir J. Pender respecting the practicability of the cable. There is also a letter from Sir J. Pender to Mr. Mackenzie Bowell, dated 19th October 1894, which has not been published in this country and a copy of which is attached.
NOTE. This route is quoted as it is the only one passing entirely through British possessions and was anbstantially adopted at the subsequent Sydney Conference.
See speech of the Queensland Postmaster-General, p. 92 of Parlia
+ Mr. S. Fleming's printed letter of 11th December 1894. mentary Debates, No. 3 of 1895.
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in Australia
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