EMPIRE CABLES.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 954, 22 October 1910, Page 5

EMPIRE CABLES.

ATLANTIC LINE" WANTED. By I'oUera.pli—Prosa Associilion—Copyright. (Rec. October 21, 11.45 p.m.) London, Ootobor 20. Sir George Reid, High Commissioner for Australia, had an. interview .with Lord Crewe, Secretary of State for the Colonies. Ho urged, tho desirability of an Atlantic cable in connection , with the Paoific cablo,and stated .that good judges tosthnated' that it would pay handsomely at a third of the prosont rates. A profit was possiblo, oven, if a Second cnblo was necessary as a precaution against a .breakdown. Sir George Reid has arranged with tho Pacific Board to prepare a detailed expert report, which .Earl Crewe will consider. Incidentally, Sir George Raid mentioned to Lord Crewe, as a possible alternative, a route whioh could avoid the dangers from trawling, via Shetland, Iceland, Greenland, and Labrador, .and yet be no longer than straight across the Atlantic. . The greatest length between the-land points would be only 850' miles, and experts, calculate that such a "line could be worked at four times the speed of an ordinary Atlantic cable. •■ There would be a drawback in touohing Danish territory, but it would be only wanton mischief- to cut.tie cable} in- oase. of war., ,'. '. Sir G. Reid ascertained that .there wore only two British-owned cables, those of the Anglo-American and the Pirect United. States Company. They were on the verge of absorption byHhe American Telephone and. Telegraph Company. Representations 'have been initiated, but deferred; in connection with tho proposed deferred Pacific cable rate. A meeting of the cable companies and tho British Post Office will bs called shortly, to consider the matter.