CABLE COMMUNICATION.

Southland Times, Issue 1716, 18 March 1873, Page 3

CABLE COMMUNICATION.

«. (TO THE EDITOE OP THE TIJCRB.) Stb, — Having noticed in jour issue of llth current that there is a " rumor of Mr Vogel's having entered into a united guarantee with New ! South Wales and Queensland for a cable connecting Queensland with Singapore, and New Zealand with New South Wales," I think it worth while to ask you to direct public attention very prominently to this fact, an it is just possible Mr Yogel may have exceeded bis legitiaiate powers as given him by the New Zealand Constitution, and may thereby add another very expensive leaf to the political laurels (?) he has won at such a needless cost to this Colony. It strikes me that the true route to follow with any telegraphic line to this Colony is that which would be cheapest, best, and most generally commercially beneficial to all the Australasian or Austral-Anglian trade. Some time ago, having in view the state of affairs in Europe, and the mess that was then looming in the' future ii some of the neighboring Polynesian Islands, I addressed a letter on the subject of telegraphic communication with New Zealand to my old friend, John Ponder, Esq., then Managing Director of the Indo- | British Telegraph Company, whom I knew to be then engaged in the formation of the JavaChinese and India line, and as I have an idea that the mode of our joining on our communication with our neighbors in Australia and London which I then recommeude I is still the best, I transcribe for you that letter in full, and I sfa'>uM like the New Zsaland public (if there be such a thing in this unhappily governed country) to take nrnvp in hand and judge for themselves which 19 the best for t.h> ¥ m in every point of view ere they suffer Mr Yogel or any one else to commit them to any niora expensive line. (Copy of letter to John Pender, Esq.) " Timaru, Province of Canterbury, llth January, IS7I. ■'My dear Pender, — Referring you to my letter of 7th June last, written from the neighboring post town of Oumaru, and naming to you that it might be worth your while to think of extending a branch of your Indian telegraph line to this Colony, via Melbourne and Tasmania, I now venture to give you mora in extenso my reasons for recommending this route. " First. It will form the connecting link between Great Britain, htr Indo-Britieh, and Austrnl Anciian (to coin a word for the occasion) ' olonies, and thus help to keep the gran') old country in the position she has so long occupied as mistress of the seas — a position which current events in Europe and elsewhere su'ely indicate it were well for suffering humanity she should not yet abandon." '■Second. Buch a line would tend greatly to cement the bonds 01" friendship snd reciprocally beneficial trade between the various ports of the Auitnilasian Colonies. " Third. I believe it would be the best commercial line, embracing as it would all tho great commercial centres of this hemisphere. " Fourth. I think Mereator's mip would show it to be, if run from Melbourne over Tasmania, and via Bluff Harbor, the shortest line ; and for the foregoing reasons I believe it would be r * " Fifth. A paying line. "Of coarse in your position you will have many other lines to answer apparently the same end brought to your notice, but having long given this matter a careful study, and having no purpose to serve, believe me, but that of having the best and cheapest route taken by such an enterprise, 1 recommend this one to your notice. " The onlj other feeling I have in the matter is that I should like to show you I am not ungrateful for favors you have done me ; nor yet able to look back without a very tender feeling (quite unmixed with envy, I know you will believe me) to the days when we were bojs tog. ther. I have had many strange experiences in this Colony ; and Bhould we ever have the good fortune to meet in Old England again, I think I will be able to show you I have not failed to investigate, and carefully estimate, the very great commercial capabilities of this counorj. — Believe me," &c. I have made this communication a little longer than 1 intended, but the importance of the subject leads me to trust you may not grudge spact for it in ita eatirety. — I am, &c , Thomas Edmond. Inverca-gill, March 12. l-*73.