IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I 1.25 ,50 I"™ It 1^ 1.4 111— IIIIM II 2.0 1= 1.6 V] <^ /a /a >/ > y /A Vy:"^ '^Jf CIHM/ICMH Microfiche Series. CIHM/ICMH Collection de microfiches. Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions Institut Canadian de microreproductions historiques 1980 Technical and Bibliographic Notes/Notes techniques et bibliographiques The Institute has attempted to obtain the best original copy available for filming. Features of this copy which may be bibliographically unique, which may alter any of the images in the reproduction, or which may significantly change the usual method of filming, are checked below. 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Les exemplaires originaux dont la couverture en papier est imprimde sont filmds en commenpant par le premier plat et en terminant soit par la dernidre page qui comporte une empreinte d'impression ou d'illustration, soit par le second plat, selon le cas. Tous les autres exemplaires originaux sont film6a en commenpant par la premidre page qui comporte une empreinte d'impression ou d'illustr&'Jon et en terminant par la dernidre page qui comporte une telle empreinte. Un des symboles suivants apparaitra sur la dernidre image de cheque microfiche, selon le cas: le symbole — ^ signifie "A SUIVRE", le symbole V signifie "FIN". Maps, plates, charts, etc., may be filmed at different reduction ratios. Those too large to be entirely included in one exposure are filmed beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, as many frames as required. The following diagrams illustrate the method: Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent dtre filmds d des taux de reduction diff^rents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour dtre reproduit en un seul cliche, il est filmd d partir de Tangle supdrieur gauche, de gauche d droite, et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'images ndcessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mdthode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 t CONFIDENTIAL. TELEGRAPHIC CO.MMUXICATIOX TO IXDIA AND AUSTRALASIA BY THE (JAXADIAN ROUl ' v Suhmitted at the Meetings of the CohnUd Conference, London, h>/ ^h\ Saxdford Flemixg. Foiirteeuth Day — April 27t7i, 1887. In the remarks which I was permitted to submit to the Conference on the 20th instant, I confined myself to showing how important to Anstrah'isia and to the Empire is the establish- ment of an alternative telegraph line between the Mother Country and her great Southern Colonies. I attempted to demonstrate the facility with which such a line could be secured by taking advantage of the works which Canada has carried out. I touched upon the enormous advantages which such a route possessed, owing to its geographical position. I alluded to the imx)ortant fact that the cables would be laid in deep water, and "would therefore be free from natural enemies, and nuich more secure from the attacks of hostile vessels. I referred to the commercial and political advantages which it offered in binding together the most im[>ortant of the Colonies, and Ininging into circuit nearly all the remote and outlying possessions of the Crown. if these points be satisfactorily estiiblished, it will become a matter of importance to consider how such a work can best be carried out. Such undertakings as the one in ijuestion have hitherto been ; 8 b^ V C3) accomplished by inivate companies subsidised by (roveviimevit ; and there cannot be iniicli doubt that the Pacific cable might be manufactured, laid, maintained, and woiked by a pvivale com- pany, aided by a reasonable subsidy, so as lo give u fair velum to the owners, while securing to the i>ublic greatly reduced charges. It may, however, • iisked. Is there no belter means of securhig even more fully than through the medium of a private company all the benefits which the new line would confer? The one other way is for the interested (Tovernments them- selves to undertake the work, and I think if can be clearly shown that the desired results can hi this manner be more satisfactorily and jnore cheaply obtained. In this oi>ini(m I am greatly strengthened by a. memorandum siibmitied by the representatives of New Zealand, and yesterday placcMl in the hands of members of the Conferi^nce. The memorandum to which T refer has been prepared by the Post mast cr-deneral of New Zealand, and bears date F(>bruary .), 1887. In mucli that it contains 1 cordially concur. I think r am correct in stating that some thirteen years ago all the telegraphs in India were handed over to the (iovernment, and have since then been managed by a department under the central authoritv. I believe if is found that the system works well, and that the pulilic are better served than they W(M-e before by private companies, for the reason that the public interests only are h)oked to undei- the new management, while private companies verv naturally regai'd their own interests as paramount. It seems to me most desirable that all cables communicating witli Australasia, and all telegrajths within the Australasian Colonies themselves, should be under one management. How this may be '/V/.?J accomplished is a, problem which I venture to suggest is well worthy the nltentiou of the Australasian (ioveriiments. At the same time, 1 submit that it cannot be regarded with indifference by the Imix'rial (xovernment or by Canada. I do not know what are the functions of the Australasian Federal Council, but possibly these functions could be extended so as to embrace the general control of telegraphs. It would not be at all necessary for the Australasian Colonies to control the cables all the way to England. It would be quite sufficient thai they should control the cables proposed to be laid to Vancouver on one side, and on the other side that portion of the existing system which extends from Australasia as far as India, embracing tlie line> of what is known as the Eastern Extension Company. It would be convenient to stop at India, as India separates the lines of the two companies — the Eastern Extension and the Eastern Telegraph Company. The Colonial (Tovernments could not, of course, expropriate that which is private property ; but possibly some arrangements mutually fair, both to the public and to vested cable interests, could be reached by whicli the desired result would be obtained. It is obvious that a comprehensive scheme such as that suggested could not be carried out without much consideration and negotiation, especially with regard to the manner in which the capital required should be raised and the proportions in which it should be borne by each separate Grovernment. But I am unable to see that the general scheme is at all impracticable. It would only be carrying out in a wider field the system adopted with so much success in India and in England with respect to telegraph service. In endeavouring to effect such a rsTT joint arrangeinent there are certain leading principles wliich might be considered. 1. It would be necessary for each of the Colonies to agree to hand over to the central authority their respective telegraph systems, retaining a pecuniary interest in revenue in proportion to the value of the works handed over. 2. The establishment of the new cable across the Pacific would require new capital, which might be raised, possibly, on the joint guarantee of the Colonies and the Imperial (lovernment, as in the case of the Intercolonial Railway of Canadii. P)y such means tiK money could be obtained al the very lowest rate of interest; and, for several reasons, it would not be necessaiy in tlie first instance to lay more than a **ingle Pacific cable ; the scheme embraces the control of the Eastern Extension lines, and hence the line from Australasia to A'ancouver would really give a triplicate service between Australiii and England ; moreover, deep-water laid cables are not liable to the same interruptions as shidlow-water cables; in proof of which f mny mention that the telegraph from Lisbon across the Atlantic to South America for the first ten years of its existence depended with great success on only a single line of cable throughout its entire distance, l^iese cables were (juite recently duplicated to meet the demands of business. The ciipital reciuired to lay a single cable to Vancouver from the Australasian system, reckoned at the low rate of interest at which money could be obtained, would, 1 estimate, involve M charge of less than £50,000 a year. 3. New capital would likewise be refjuired to purchase the lines of the Eastern Extension Company, whenever that n>iMi»sinv \vinil«l 1m' willing to sell ;il u fair value This ciipital would also U' obtained at a low rale of interest; and llius tlir whole conmMt ion lietween India, Austmlasia, Canada, and Givat Britain «^ould be most poononiically established, and it would become |»raeticable to red uee charges on messages to (he lowci^t possible tariff rates. As the cables of the Kasiern Kxtension Company would be uwpiired largely in Imperial interests, so as to give an alternate Hue, independently of the Suez route, to India, China, and Africa, it is reasonable to a>sume that the lin|)erial (lovernment would render every assistance in securing them. I have siud that it would not be necessary for the proposed Central Telegraph Department to control cables or wires east of Vancouver. I osely avoidesed as to the practicability of connecting ('aua(hi with Au>trala>ia by a direct telcgrajih. 1 do not iiroitosc to refer to the statement made bv Mr. Patev as to thedeitth of the ocean. lu>von«l saving that that gentleman lias intimated to me tliat he was in error. I have asked Captain Hall — who was attending the Conference a few days back — to be good enough to furnish all the information i)i the possession of the Admiralty on this point; and I have no doubt he will contirni th(^ statements submitte«l by me, as the officers of the Admiralty can, 1 believe, only lot»k to the same sources as I did for the information which I laid before you, viz., to the sounding- made by the "Tuscarora" and the "Challenger" expeditions. It must l)e admitted, however, that the known facts regarding the Pacific are somewhat meagre, and it is really a matter of very great imi)ortauce that every doul>t should be set at rest by having a proper nautical .-urvey made with the least possible delay. Another point was raised liy Sir John Downer, viz., that the Colony of South Australia had, with great enterprise, spanned the continent from south to north with telegraph wire; that this line is a benefit to all the Australasian Colonies; that it was established at the sole expense of South Australia; that it is maintained by that Colony at a loss; that the inevitable result of a new telegraph across the Pacific would be to increase the loss; and, in con- s«'(jiienri', wliilf !1m* m(Ii«m" CV>ionli*s would jTaiii hy llic new liii(», South Au>tralia in a jH* leioria 4,020 miles New South Wales 9,7.16 »» .South Australia .1,292 «» Queensland 6,970 ,* New Zealand ... 4,264 •» Tasmania 1,18a ?' Western Austialia 1,905 ,1 Total aa,349 aud that, tiie total revenue in that year was £'.127,734. According to the same authority, the average cost aj.pears to be £108 per mile ; so that the whole cost of the 33,349 miles may be stated at about £3,600,000. The l^:astern Kxtension Company's lines embrace in all 12,03;! nautical miles of cable, and it will be remembered that Mr. Pendei- stated before the Conference that the average cost per mih' wa> £184. Th(> whole 12,03.1 miles, reckoned at that rate, amounts to £2,214,440; but if that be the first cost, the present value, owing to depreciation of the cables, must be considerably less, for 1 Hnd that about 6,600 miles, or more than half the whole length of eable owned by the company, has been laid from eleven to seventeen years. The actual dates wlien the cables were laid, and the periods they have been submerged, are as follows :— Laid in 1869 180 miles; now submerged 18 years. 1870 ... 2,409 „ „ ,/ ,7 1871 ... 2,724 1876 ... 1,283 5> ?> 5» » >J » 16 11 ?> >» >♦ 10 liiiid ill 1877 864 187{) .. 2,444 1880 r)20 1 88;'. 020 1884 o02 188.") 180 864 miles ; now suhiiierged 10 years. 8 ?' Totjil leiiirlh 12,03,") i> "I? ii I* ?i 11 7 4 3 2 11 11 Tlu^ length of cable lo (tomicct Canada with the existmg telegm])h system of Australasia is placed at 7,600 miles, which, comi)uted at £'184 per mih^ (the iiist cost of the Kasteni Kxtoiisioii cables, as stated by j\lr. INMider), amounts \o t'l,398,40(). From these data we juay estimate the hrst cost of all tlu^ cables aad land lines between Vancouver and India as follows: — New Pacilic cable say ,€1,400,000 Austi'alasian land lines ... ... ., 3,()00,()0(/ Kastevn Extension ,. 2,220,000 Total i7,220,000 Lookinii" at the laiu'e revt'nue from the Australasian land lines, it may bo assumed that, taken as a whole, they pay workino- expenses and maintenance. It may not be necessary, therefore, to consider these lines in dealing with the (juestion of new cajtital. If we <'liminate the Australian land lines, theie remains ;t';),620.000 as the united cost of the new Pacitic cable and the Eastern Extension, system. To this amount should be added the value of re])airing ships, stations, and other minor matters; and there ought to be deducted an allowance for depreciation of the existing cables. There may be various opinions on both points, ^ 11 i '•'»< ub'nit that the subject is one which claims <\arnest considerr^ ion. The scheme outlined, if carried into effect , would bring Caujida within electric touch of Australia and New Zealand; it would establish an alterna- tive line IVom India and Australasia to Enuland, removed as far as ])0ssible from the theatre of every European complication and struggle that may arise; it would bring down charges on the transmission of messages to such moderate rates as would greatly facilitate intercourse and enormously develop business between Australasia, Canada, and the Mother Gmntry ; it wcmld meet the case of South Australia, and enable that Colony to participate in the genera: advantages to be conferred on all the Colonies; and it would remove all reasonable objections on the part of the Eastern Extension Company. In the event of that company being disinclined to reduce its present high charges and unwilling to enter into competition with the new line, it vrould have the option of handing over all its property and receiving for it a fair and full value. If, however, the Eastern Extension (Vmipany deteimine to reject such reasonable proposals, the amoimt of capital to be provided will be so much the less, and it will become a very easy matter for the Gfoveraments con- cerned to carry out the essentially important work of connecting Canada and Australasia telegraphically. sa