CABLE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN AUSTRALIA AND EUROPE.

Thames Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2888, 18 May 1878, Page 3

CABLE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN AUSTRALIA AND EUROPE.

The frequent interruption in cable communication between Australia and Europe, says the Colonies, ia a subject which equally concerns those important colonial possessions as well as the mother country. The history of the matter is as follows : —Several years ago, when cable companies was the rage, and sharp competition between enterprising directors and managers was the rule, many cables between England and America, and England and India, were projected, and many of these projects were carried out. After their completion the plant of the cable ■ companies was idle, or promised to be, and it behoved those who had sunk capital in machinery, &c., for the firstnamed lines to look out for freshfields. The distant colonial possessions in Australia came prominently, under notice. Confidential agents were despatched, and one of tbese, on behalf of the Eastern Telegraph Company and Eastern -Extension and Construction Company, made a favourable arrangement with the South -_ Australian Government to the Gffect that the latter should extend the land line several thousand miles across the Australian continent to Port Darwin, and the formeiv-lay a cable from Java to Port Darwin, connecting with this line. Already a line had been opened from England to India, China,.and Java, and the construction of this Australian section would therefore complete the connection with England. To the joy of the people in Australia, the section was "completed in October, 1872, and almost daily communication with the mother-country secured for a short period. The opening up of cable communication with Europe soauspiciously commenced, was, however, soon marred by constant interruptions. For months, and latterly weeks, this line has worked very badly, or has been broken at various sectious. This is most aggravating, particularly at a period when war is raging in Europe, as our rich Australian colonies were, and are, anxiously watching the course of events. The tariff of charges is inordinately high, viz., 10a lOd for every word . (name and address being counted), and no word allowed to exceed ten letters, or will be charged double rates. An instance of the hardship of this was retfentJ-y experienced, when a telegraphic correspondent in Australia desired to send particulars of the New South Wales new' Ministry. The name of the Colonial Secretary, " Fitzpatrick," was charged £1 Is Bd, because it contained eleven letters. There is very little inducement for enterprising newspaper proprietors to go to enormoua expense in cable news from Australia while such crushing, and we might also say prohibitory, charges are levied. And on special occasions, w"hen it is of the utmost importance that rapid intelligence is desired by the merchant, the importer, and the politician, the solitary line of cable is interrupted. Under the circumstances we cannot wonder that complaints, loud and deep, are made, and that deputations are continually waiting on the members of the Colonial Governments in power urging measures to remedy the evil. - The Australian demand is about being answered. There are offers from three or four competent men for the construction of a second cable or duplicate line.' Sir James Carmichael and Mr Grisborne offer \ to construct a cable from Melbourne, Victoria, via Western Australia and the Keeling Islands to Ceylon for £50,000 a year for 30 years. Mr Audley Coote offers to { construct a cable from the North-west Cape (Western Australia) via Keeling Island to Ceylon for £55,0 C 3 a year for 20 years, we believe ; and there is another excellent offer to lay a duplicate cable from the North-West Cape, Western Australia, to Singapore. All these projects are under consideration, but at the request of the Eastern Extension Telegraph. Company the Government have deferred dealing with them until the arrival of a representative who is expected in Australia, and, in fact, is there at the present time. v Whatever route is decided upon we can only hope that the project of duplicating the present line via Banjoewangie and Port Darwin will not be listened to, however favourably may be the terms offered by the companies interested. There i 3 an important proposal made by Sir Julius Vogel and Mr Michie for the purchase by the Australian Governments of the present cable and the construction of a second line. For causes it is. unnecessary to particularise, this excellent scheme has for the present been placed aside. It is to be hoped that, whatever line is*decided upon, a stipulation will be made for a reduction in the charges, the present tariff, as x we have pointed out, being altogether too high.