May 14, 1898.j
Gibraltar, in substitution for the proposed Pacific cable. It is of course generally ad- mitted that the telegraphic connection with South Africa is very defective, and the pro- posal of the Eastern Extension Company is undoubtedly of the utmost importance to the South African colonies and to the Em- pire generally. It is to be feared, however, that the Company were even more anxious to get rid of a rival in the shape of the pro- posed Pacific line than they were to improve the telegraphic facilities to the Cape. We have no wish to accuse them of illiberality, or of attempting to force on the Govern- ment a line which could readily be dis- pensed with in preference to a great alter- native route. But self-preservation is the law of Telegraph Companies as well as of nature, and it is not to be supposed that the Eastern Extension Company will lightly surrender a profitable monopoly if it can Le kept by a compromise. Moreover, they have a good case to make out in favour of a new route to the Cape. Interruptions are frequent on the present routes, where the line touches at no less than eight points under foreign flags. Both lines are Tiable to be broken, and during the Traus- vaal difficulty intense anxiety was felt when an interruption of ten days took place.
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Sir SANDFORD FLEMING approaches the question in no spirit of hostility to the Eastern Extension Company, though he does accuse them of never having taken a friendly view of the Pacific Cable, and broadly hints his belief that in submitting to the confer- ence of Colonial Premiers their new proposal they were trailing a red herring over the scent. It is urged by the advocates of the new proposal that the Pacific Cable scheme is impracticable owing to the depth of water in that ocean, which in one case has been stated at 12,000 fathoms, or fourteen miles. This is, however, quite au imaginary estimate, and the figure has been reduced, by com- petent judges; to a depth of five miles. Even this latter figure represents some little difficulty, but cables are now lying in West Indian waters in a depression more than 4 miles in depth, one of which has been working for over a quarter of a century without giving any exceptional trouble. The Electrical Review says that the greatest depth in which the Pacific cable would have to be laid would probably not exceed 3,200 fathoms. The Pacific cannot, therefore," it goes on to remark, be looked upon as "an ocean of impossible depths, nor one "where a cable cannot be picked up if necessary; indeed, experience teaches us "that a cable has been picked up at the depth mentioned. The route sketched out via the Cape to Australia has, as yet, been very imperfectly sur- "reyed; it seems, however, to have an average depth similar to that through the "Pacific Ocean, and in one place at least, along the Cape line, there is a depth of nearly 3,200 fathoms. Thus it will "be seen that, as regards depth of "water
the supplementary route lias absolutely no advantage over the Pacific 'line." Sir SANDFORD FLEMING also com- bats the idea that the proposed Pacific cable is either impracticable on occount of its cost, which he says has been exaggerated, or that it could not be maintained without burdensome subsidies. It is very clear that the opposition to the new cable comes mainly from the Eastern Extension Telegraph Con- pany and its friends in Australia, who are sufficiently influential to prevent, for the present, unity of action in the Australian Colonies on the subject.
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381
AN AMERICAN JOURNAL ON BRITISH POLICY IN CHINA.
American interests and British interests
are identical in China, and this is generally
in the San Francisco Chronicle, usually recognised by the American press. A sing- ular exception, however, is to be found a well informed and clear sighted paper, which makes its distorted vision in the pre- sent instance the more extraordinary. Our contemporary anticipates a largo increase of
trade with
CHINA OVERLAND TRADE REPORT. connect Canada with Australia may at first sight seem not to directly interest us in the Far East. The fact is, however, that it is really of almost immediate interest, being only part of a great scheme to unite all countries of the British Empire by telegraph cables touching at only British points. "the Colonial Conference of 1894," says At
Sir SANDFORD FLEMING, "the outline of a telegraph system for the Empire was sub- mitted. It was not confined to one side of "the globe; the system projected, embraced "and encircled its whole extent. The "scheme was illustrated by a map of the world, with the chief cable lines laid down upon it. If the proceedings of the con- "ference be referred to it will be seen that a "trunk line of telegraph was projected from "London through Canada to Australasia, "with extensions to South Africa, India, "and China. It was shown that by the "Canadian route all the chief British pos-
66 sessions on the four continents would be brought into electric touch with cach other, and with the Imperial Centre in London. It was demonstrated, moreover, that this result could be accomplished without touching a single acre of foreign soil, and without traversing shallow seas, "where cables are most liable to injury
from ships' anchors and other
(¢
EC
56
"(
"
" and
where they can be so
causes
easily value of such a system to the Empire would 'fished up and destroyed." The political be enormous, and its commercial utility, in giving additional facilities for telegraphic communication and by cheapening the at present most onerous rates would simply be incalculable. It is most undesirable, in the interests of commerce, that the monopoly now enjoyed by the Joint Telegraph Com- panies should be maintained, and we sin- cerely trust that the projectors of the Pacific Cable between Canada and Australia will succeed in carrying out their scheme with- out much further loss of time. As Sir SANDFORD FLEMING points out, there are unmistakable signs that a Pacific Cable may ere long be carried by France and the United States. France has already com- pleted a section 800 miles in length at the southern end, and the United States has recently expended a sum of $25,000 in making an elaborate survey of about one- third of the distance, to the Hawaiian Islands. If, therefore, Canada beforestalled in her laudable desire to lay the cable to Eastern Extension Company, the latter will Australia through the opposition of the certainly gain nothing, for they will have more or less friendly British competitor, a foreign rival to compete with instead of a
whose aim would not be to cut rates down
Manchuria under Russian administration, an anticipation which will probably be justified by the event, for under Russian influence the province will be opened up and trade will be carried on under conditions of peace and security that have hitherto been unknown in that region. But our contemporary goes on to
remark -- This is
what the civilized world, exclusive of England, most desires, "and if the partition of China will help it "then the sooner partition comes the better. The English policy has never been to "make the Chinese trade general, and if
#1
Great Britain were to remain dominant "in the Mongol market, the result for her "would be the creation of a trade preserve like India. Everybody may trade with India at will, but everybody finds on ve- "casion that English merchants have the
right of way there and are able to keep it. "From Russia the world and especially the "United States may look for better things. "America does a good business with Russia "in Siberia now; it is bound to do more "with Russia in China, as the wants of "the progressive civilization there, which "Russia may be unable to supply, can "be attended to by America better than
by any European state, providing there
be difficult to conceive.
is a fair field and no favour." Anything more wrong-headed than this it would licy has always been to make the Chinese The English po- of that policy that Great Britain was on the point of going to war with Russia the other trade general, and it was in pursuance
day to prevent the closing of Man- churia to trade on equal terms for all nations.
If our contemporary looks to
British rule in India it can only be supposed Russia for better opportunities of trade
that our contemporary knows nothing about in Manchuria than are enjoyed under
and taken Hongkong as an example of the writer night have come a little nearer home the subject and is writing at random. The
effect of British rule on foreign trade. tions with this colony, but our contempor- San Francisco is in close commercial rela- to the losing point but rather to encourage American shipowners or American mer- ary would be unable to obtain from the use of the cable and facilitate trade.chants a statement that the "right of way Sir SANDFORD FLEMING urges the Canadian is blocked to them in Hongkong in any Government to make a proposal on the single point or that they do not in every subject to the mother country and give respect eujoy equal opportunities with another proof to the worl' at Canada and British merchants and shipowners. her Government are determined in all ways to promote Imperial unity. We hope Sir WILFRID LAURIER will find it practicable to re-pond, and that the Imperial Govern-tinental writers. ment will meet any proposal from Canada end that the scheme, truly imperial in its on this point with large liberality, to the couception, may be triumphantly carried into effect.
The Woosung forts us forts have practically ceased to exist. The noble army of braves have been packed off up river and to other scenes of the drill instructors have got their walking action by sections during the past week or two, | tickets," and godowns, etc., are to fill the space now occupied by guns. The times change even The question of a Pacific cable to in China.-China Gazette.、
we see a
33
When
Chronicle going so far wrong we can hardly be surprised at the ravings of some con- paper like the San Francisco
fire broke out on board the American ship May The Hyogo News of the 5th May says:-A Flint at about ten o'clock last night, The vessel arrived here on the 2nd with a large Trading Company, Help was speedily forth- cargo of oil from Philadelphia for the Standard coming when the alarm was given, but the flames had already made considerable headway. produced with the means available the May As for some time little or no affect could be Flint was taken in tow and beached in the mud at Ono. The amount of damage done is less con- siderable, we are informed, than was expected,
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