CO882-(4-5) — Page 264

Eastern,

No. 54.

Governor. 4.216.

845

2

The question was first mooted in March 1870, when the Cape Town Chamber of Commerce desired to enlist the support of the Mauritius Chamber on behalf of a scheme for establishing cable communication; but the Mauritians considered the scheme to be too vague.

In June 1870 a definite plan was laid before the Mauritius Chamber by the Telegraph Construction and Maintenance Company; but the financial position of the Colony prevented them from entertaining it.

In 1871 and 1872 various schemes for connecting Mauritius with the South African Colonies were put forward.

In 1873 the Chamber of Commerce proposed to the Colonial Government to subsidize to the extent of 10,000l. for 10 years any company that would connect Mauritius with the Cape and Aden. The Council of Government adopted a resolution in favour of subsidizing to the extent of 6,000%, for 10 years any company that would connect Mauritius and Aden, if possible, touching at Seychelles. Lord Kimberley (9.1.74) approved, and directed the Crown Agents to draft a contract with Hooper's Telegraph Company.

The company failed to raise the capital, the contract fell through, and the Colonial Government obtained 2,5001, for breach of contract.

In 1876 Sir P. Julyan prepared a scheme whereby the Imperial, Mauritius, and Cape Govern- ments were to jointly establish a line between Aden, Mauritius, and the Cape; the liability of Mauritius being 14,4781. per annum. The Treasury refusing an Imperial contribution, the scheme fell through.

In 1878 Her Majesty's Government were prepared to co-operate with Mauritius, and before formally approaching the Treasury invited the Colonial Government to consider two schemes: 1, Mr. Pen- der's Aden to Zanzibar, Mozambique, and Natal, with a branch from Zanzibar to Mauritius. 2. Sir D. Currie's-A route to Cape Town by the Weat Coast of Africa.

The Colony was willing to bear a fair share in whatever scheme was approved by Her Majesty's Government.

October 1878. Mr. Pender proposed to the Mauritius Government to lay a cable from Zanzibar to Mauritius and Réunion, in connexion with a cable between Aden and the Cape, for a subsidy of 10,000l. for 20 years. The Colonial Government approved the scheme, substituting Rs. 100,000 for 10,0001.

In 1879 Mauritius was informed that Her Majesty's Government had adopted measures for connecting England with the South African Colonies by a route from Aden to Natal, touching at Zanzibar, Mozambique, and Delagoa Bay, at a subsidy of 35,000, but that the branch from Zanzibar to Mauritius had been abandoned, as the company had asked for a subsidy of 25,000l. for that section.

In 1880 the Governor, Bir G. Bowen, submitted two schemes to the Colonial Defence Commission: (1.) A line from Zanzibar to Mauritius to be con- structed by the Mauritius Government at a cost of

10,000 per annum. (2.) A line to be laid and worked by the South African Colonies for a subsidy of 25,000% per annum. Lord Kimberley (10.12.80) replied that as the Colony could not bear the whole cost, the project must remain in abeyance.

In 1883 Sir J. Anderson (for the Eastern Tele- graph Company) proposed to the Colonial Govern- ment to connect Zanzibar and Mauritius for a subsidy of 20,0001. plus the revenue for 20 years. The Government offered 10,0001 if the Imperial Government would supply the other half, but the Secretary of State shelved the question by not replying, as he could give no favourable answer.

In 1885 the subsidy paid for a short time to the Donald Currie mail line having been withdrawn, the Colonial Office pressed on the Treasury the advisability of subsidising both a mail service and

21,606.

85.

a cable to Mauritius. The Treasury (15.6.85) Tremmary. replied that to do both being out of the question, the departments concerned had better decide which to recommend. The Colonial Defence Committee decided, on strategic grounds, for a mail service, but the Treasury were not convinced by their arguments, and declined a subsidy (18.12.85).

In November (?) 1886, the Havas Agency wrote to the Colonial Government to say that they were about to obtain a concession from the French Government for a line from Zanzibar or Mozambique to Madagascar via Mayotte, Nossi Bé, Majunga, Diego Suarez, and Tamatave, and that they would extend it to Mauritius via Réunion for an annual subsidy of 250,000 francs. They afterwards reduced this to Rs. 100,000.

In December 1886, the French Government made an arrangement, subject to ratification by the Legis. lature, with the Comptoir d'Escomte, to construct a line from Mozambique to Majunga (west coast of Madagascar) round the north coast touching at Nossi Bé, Mayotte (branch line), Diego Suarez, St. Mary, and Tamatave; thence to Bourbon (Réunion), with power to go on to Mauritius. Tho subsidy was to be 475,000 francs for 33 years, plus a sinking fund of 50,000 francs, to redeem the capital of 10,000,000 francs. At the end of the period the cable and sinking fund were to be the property of the Government.

In January 1887, the French Ambassador in- formed us that an arrangement had been made, and asked what sum Mauritius would contribute if the line were extended to Port Louis.

Mr. l'ender, hearing of the French scheme, wrote

to protest against our conceding landing rights at Mauritius without considering he offers. He re- called his former proposal for a line-Zanzibar- Madagascar Mauritius Réunion, for 20,000% for 20 years, and pointed out that if Mauritius would still give 8,000, as they once offered, and France the 3,5001. they offered for the Mauritius-Réunion section at the time when the Cape line was laid- the amount to be paid by the Imperial Government would be reduced to 8,5002

He also put forward two further suggestions :- (1.) That France and England should jointly lay a cable from Zanzibar to Diego Suarez (900 miles),

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Governor.

6,843.

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Reference :-

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