A paper presented at the 1?Sth %Mveeting ofthe A merican Institute of Electrical En-gineers, New York, December 27th. 1899.President Kenneily in the Chair:

AN AMERICAN PACIFIC CABLE.

BY GEORGE OWEN SQUIER.

It is interesting to niote that the idea of a trans-Pacific sub-marine cable was first discussed and considered by the late Cyrus-W. Field, nearly thirty years ago The scheme of Mr. Field and hisassociates iiivolved a route from California via Alaska anid theAleutiani Islands to Japan. Since that date, tlle subject in someform has beent almost constantly befo(re this couintry and GreatBritain. This question has been discussed in the fifty-second,fifty-fourth and tifty-fifth Congresses, in each of which effort wasmade looking towards layinig a cabole at least as far as the HlawaiianIslanids.

In a special message to C(ongress, dated February 1.0, 1899, thePresident says:

" As a consequence of the ratifieation of the treaty of peacebetween the United States and Spain, and its expected ratifica-tioni by the Spanish Government, the Uniited States will comeinto possession of the Philippine Islands, on the farther shoreof the Pacific. The Hawaiian Islands and Guam becomingUnited States territory, and fornmirng convenient stoppingplaces on the way across the sea, the necessity for speedy cablecommunication between the United States and all these Pacificislands has become imperative. Such comtnunication sholuld beestablished in such a way as to be wholly under the conltrol ofthe Uniited States, wlhetlher in time of peace or of war. Atpresent the Philippines can be reached only by cables whichpass through many foreign countries, and the llawaiiani Islandsand Guarn can onily be communicated with by steamers, involvingdelays in each instanlce of at least a week. The present conditionshould not be allowed to continue for a imlomnent longer than isabsolutely necessary."

653

654 SQUIER ON AMERICAN PACIFIC CABLE. [Dec. 27,

The idea of a British Pacific cable, connecting the Dominionof Canada with the Australasian colonies, almost from the firsthas been discussed frorn a natioinal standpoint. ter Majesty'sGovernment and the colonial governments most concerned, havebeen urged from time to time to consider the matter in itsstrategic and comrmercial aspects. Two colonial conferences, in1887 and 1894, were largely occupied with this subject, asevidenced by the exhaustive blLe books which record their pro-ceedings. The Dominaion Government took the matter up in1893-4, and invited the most reputable firns in the world tosubmit estimates for constructioin and laying.

In 1896, Mr. Clhamiberlain, Secretary of State for the Colonies,appointed a Pacific Cable Commission, whichinceluded among itsmemnbers the Under Seeretary of State for the Colonies, the HighCommissioner of Canada and the Agents-General for New SouthWales and Victoria. This cormmittee went into the whole subjectof the practicalbility, cost, probable revenue, and management ofthe proposed ernterprise and elicited a fund of technical, commner-cial, and professional information uponi cable manufacture andcable laying in general, and upoIn this important project inparticular, which is invaluable, anid whichl probably could nothave been obtained in any other maanner. At this moment aPacific cable touchinig only soil belonging to Great Britain isassured, both Canada and Australasia recently having beenreported as joining with England in pledging themselves to theenterprise as a government undertaking.The proposed route with surface distances involved, is shown

oni the accompanying map, arid is from Vancouver to FanningIsland, thence t:o the Fiji Islands, tlhence to Norfolk Island, andfrom there bifurcating to New Zealand and Queenisland.

Since a Pacific cable will at last complete the telegraphiccircuit of the globe, it will give the peculiar advanitage of placingeach point thereon in cable conniection withi every othler point bytwo distinct routes either east or west.The cardinal idea in the British system has been that all state

cables shall touch only British soil, and this principle has placedBritishi cable traffic in the Pacific forever at a disadvantage overthe American cable for the reason that the only available routeinvolves a single span of cable froml Vancouver to FanningIsland, over 3,1500 miles in length; whereas, by the annexationof the hiawaiian Islands, the United States, while following a

1899.1 SQ UIER 0N AMERICAN PACIFIC CABLE. 655

;similar principle, will have no span longer than the present Atlanticcables, or about 2,500 miles it) lengtlh.

Since the speed of cabling decreases in general with the squareof the length of the cable, and the speed of the whole system isliinited by the speed of the slowest span, that system requiringthe longest single span is ultimately at a distadvantage, provided;the systems are in direct comnpetitioni. In the projected Pacific,cable enterprises, however, although, as will be pointed outlater, they will operate in close relations with each other, yeteach hias a sufficient prospective traffic to guarantee the enter-prise as a sound fiinancial success fronm the beginniing.

AMERICAN CABLE ROUTES.

In the considerationi which, from time to time, 'has beent giventhe project of spanninig the Pacific ocean oy a submarine cable,the Nortliern route, via Alaska, the Aleutian Islands, Siberia,and Japani has been frequently proposed.

In recent years the British Governmient, in its proposed linefrom Canada to Australasia, first projected this inorthern routeowing to the absence, at that time, of infornmation respectingthe southerni Pacific ocean, an(d the impression whichi pre-vailed that physical difficulties existed which offered insuperableobstacles to the layinig of a cable on a direct route between Canadaand AnLstralasia. In conisequence of this imnpression it was designedto lay the cable from Vancouver to Japan, touching at islands inthe Aleutian and Kurile groups as mid-ocean stations. FromJapan the connection with Australasia would have been obtainedvia Singapore and the Eastern Extension Comnpany's lines of tele-graph. Through the intervention of the governnment, nego-tiations were opened with the view of securing oine of theKurile Islands. Japan was asked to transfer to the Britishl crownone of these islands in order that the telegraph stationi should beunder British protection, and an agent was sent to Waslhingtonwho, after some difficulty, obtained conditional landing privileges,on one of the Aleutian islands

Recently there has been a revival of interest in this route,especially n1ow that tlhe growing commercial interests of Alaskaare becoming important. The plan proposes starting from CapeFlattery, thence to Sitka, distances (approximate) 803 miles;-thence to Kadiak Island, 682 miles; thence to Dutch I-arbor,

656 SQUIELK ON AMIERICAN PACIFJU CABLE'. [Dec. 27,

770 rniles; thence to Attu1, 810 m-liles; thence to the Japan-Russian border, 858 muiles, thence to the Japanese land lines, 810mniles; from the Siberian border to the Siberian lines, 617 miles;and from Formosa to Luzon, 200 iniles; in all 5550nautical miles, exclusive of the J-apaniese system.

It will be noticed that this series of cables aggregating 5550miles makes no provision for Amierican commlisunication with thePhilippines, except over the Japanese land lines from the northpoint of Japan to the south point of Formnosa, a distance througlha foreign territory of about 1200 miles. Owing to the uncer-tainty of the Japanese land lines, which are frequently interrupt-ed during the typlhoon season, particularly in Formosa, it wouldlenecessarin order to ensure communication, to extend theJapanese cable s)ystein. Again, the Great Northern TelegraphCompany, a Danish corporation, has exclusive rights, not onlyon the Siberian coast but also between Japan and the Asiaticcoast.

Apart froml establishin-g telegrap)hic commnin unication ftve.efromforeign control between the United States, the Hawaiian Islands,the Philipp)ine Islalnds and the islanid of Guarmi, the mnission ofan Amiierican Pacific ca.ble shlould be to bring about a generalreduction. of ceal-)le rates.On the Alaskani rou-ite, a large nuniber of initeirmiiediate stations

must be established and milainitained ; anid there must be a divi-sion of receipts_ witlh Japani. A imiessage via Honolulu, an inter-mediate island station an(d Gtuai, wouild reaclh Luzon by fourcable transmiiissions. 'T'lhe Alaskani route as p)roposed wouldnecessitate about fifteeni separate stations, of whiclh nearly one-half would be under Japanese control.Undoubtedly ani Alaskan cable will soon be re(-luired, and

apparenitly also the extension of suclh a cable systemn as a mneansof attainiing a tlhrotuglh line to the l'hilippilne Islands is an attrac-tive plani. This plan, however, leaves the UTnited Statesin practically the satmie iusatisfactory position she is in atpresent in respect to communIication with her l'acific possessions,and until definiite anid pelpetual concessions are fortlhcoming, canfurniish evein no guaranty of substantial reduction froml the pre-sent highl rates.

It is believed that n1o one studying the true present and futureinterests of thie Unrited states canl come to any other conclusionrelative to an AmTierican Pacific cable, than the one so admnirably

1899.] SQ UIER ON AMERICAN PACIFIC CABLE. 657

expressed by the President in his speeial message to Congress, viz.thatthis cable shiallbe "wholly under control of the United States."

This cardinial idea-the principle also adopted by Great Britain,after years of exhaustive consideration-at once excluides thenorthern route for the present, and limits tlhe route to Americanterritory .

PRACTICABILITY.

There is no longer any doubt as to the practicability of thePacific cable project fromn a technical and engineering pointof view. A preliminary survey betweeni the coast of Californiaand the Hawaiian Islanids was completed by the Navy departmentirn 1892,1 showing the entire practicability of this part of theroute. Between California and the IHIawaiian Islands several ap-proximately parallel routes are practicable, but the onie whichseems to be favored by the survey of 1892, as shown in the re-port of the Hydrographic offlice of the Bureau of Navigation, isa rhumb-line between Monterey Bay and Hlonolulu on OahuIsland. The U. S. S. Nero, ui:der commnand of CommiianderCharles Belknap, U. S. N., has been engaged since April last ina survey of the bed of the Pacific along the proposed route ofthe cable froml tlhe Hawaiian Islands westward to the PhlilippineIslands and to Japan. A prelimiTnary report of this surveyrecently received, adds greatly to the knowledge of this part ofthe Pacific and to the data necessary before determining theexact route of the cable. This siurvey develops two unusualphysical features along the route via Midway Island, one ofthese is a submarine miountain, situated a short distance west-ward of the Midway Islands and rising from the floor of theocean, having a depth of 2,200 fathoms to within 82 fathoms ofthe surface. The second feature is one of the deepest submarineabysses yet found in the world, situated about 500 miles east-ward of Guam and more than 4900 fathoms in depth. Theseand other obstacles which may be found, however, can be avoid-ed in laying the cable by making suitable detours around them aais ordinarily done.

A MID-OCEAN ISLAND CABLE STATION.The great decrease in speed and increase of cost consequent upon

increase of length of a single span of the cable, necessitates alanding station, if possible, between the Hawaiian Islands and

1. See Senate Document 163.

658 SQ iUIER ON AMFRWCAN PACIFIC CABLE. [Dec. 27,

Guam. The longest cable yet laid and in operation is the Frenclhcable from Brest, France, to Cape Cod, Mass., which is about3,250 nauitical miles in lenth, and there is no question that acable directly connectinig Honoluilu and G(uam could be success-fully laid, if no practicable landing place between these pointscould be obtained. This single span, however, about 3,650nautical miles includinig " slack," would for all titne so reducethe through speed of the cable, and so increase the original cost,as to warrant unustual expense, if necessary, in preparing andmaintaining an interrnediate stationi. In this connection thelarge amount of technical evidence given before the BritishPacific Cable Committee relative to the Vancouver-FanningIslanid span, which is practically the same extreine length of3,600 nautical iniles, and of the utilization of Fanning Island asa station, are valuable as showinig entire practicability. Althoughboth Wake and Mtidway islands, wlhich hiave been proposed asstations, are low atolls, rising but a few feet above high waterand with little to sustain lhuman life, yet either of these placesis equal, if not superior, to Fanining Island. Further carefulsurveys will be necessary before the exact route west fromn theHawaiiani Islands to Guiamn can be finally determined. For-tunately for this enterprise, the annexation of the Hawaiiangroup brought under the sovereignty of the United States elevenor twelve small, rocky or sandy islands extending to the north-westward about 1,800 miles from llonoluilu. These inust besurveyed and considered frorn the cable standpoinit before afinal selection of route can be made.The distances in nautical miles along two provisional routes,

including ten per cent. for " slack" in layinig, are as follows:San Francisco to Honolulu..... 2,286 ilmiles.Honolulu to Midway Island ............... ............ 1,254Midway Island to Guam . 2,523Guam to Dingala Bay, P. I. 1,496

Total via Midway Island ......................... 7,559 "

San Francisco to Honolulu ... ....2,286 miles.Honolulu to Wake Island .. .2,205 "Wake Island to Guam . . ................1,435 "Guam to Dingala Bay, P. I. .. .. 1,495

Total via Wake Island .7,422 "

In Appendix I. are shown the great circle and rhumb linedistances involved, and the geographical positions used.

1899.] SQ UIER ON AMERICAN PACIFIC CABLE'. 659

CosT, MAINTENANCE ANT) OPERATION.The cost of laying cable depends mnainly upon the imaterials

used in its construction, and therefore fluctuates withprices cur-rent. The outer coverings are rnuch the same in all specifica-tions, according to the conditions of the case, but the copperconductor and the gutta-percha insulation vary with the speedrequired over the ca,ble. Since the length of the longest sectionof the proposed Pacific cable is approximately equal to each ofseveral of the Atlantic cables, the type of the cable to be used forthis section, and the speed obtainable are subject to a close,estimation.Of the eleven cables spanning the north Atlantic, the

Anglo-American Company's cable laid in 1894, and the Com-mercial Cable Company's cable :No. 3 laid also in 1894, have thegreatest speeds. The former contains 650 lbs. of copper and 400lbs. of gutta percha, and the latter 500 .lbs copper and 320 lbs.gutta percha per nautical mile. Either of these types of cablewould give good results and no cables of less equivalent speedshould be considered.The following conservative estimate is made from the evidence

obtainable relative to the establishment of this enterprise by thegovernment on a sounid financial basis:

MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR PEPR ANNUM.Annual expenses of two cable repair ships ..................$200,000.Annual expense for new cable, assuining entire cable to be

replaced in 40 years, or 200 miles per year,. 200,000.Working expenses......................... .............. 125,000.Reserve fund, and interest oIn captal.400,000.Total net earnings of cable required ........................ $925,000,

This provision for laying 200 miles of new cable per yearshould perpetually maintain the value of the cable as an asset,and the reserve fund further provides that the entire capitalshall be replaced at the end of fifty years, or what is equIivalent,that a sinking fund shall be established, which, at the end offifty years will be sufficienit to lay an entire new cable in additionto the permanent maintenance of the original one, so that at theen:d of fifty years, two working cables will be provided for.

Taking average conditions for long cables ten years ago, theannual expenses for maintenance and repair, e. g., for new cablerequired, etc., and not includilng the fixed expenses such asthe repair ships, was about $30 per nautical mile. The great

660 SQ UIER ON AMERICAN PACIFIC CA LLE. LL)ec. 27,

advancement in cable manufacture since has reduced the averagerepair rate materially, but assuming this rate as it then averaged,the total charge to this itetn is practically the samne as that givenbY the independent supposition above.At present there is no first-class cable ship in the world flying

the American flag and wlhich would therefore be unoder thecontrol of the UJnited States in time of war. lIt slhouild be the policyof the United States,wlhether the Pacific cable is laid by the govern-ment or by a subsidized company, to require that two completecal)le repair slhips, one, at least, also capable of laying longcables, equal to any yet constructed for tllese puirposes, and fly-ing the American flag, be stationed in the Pacific ocea,n.

SPEED.

The " speed " of a cable is a somewhat loose expression anddepends upon the voltage used, the particular apparatus em-ployed in working the cable, as well as the design and construc-tion of the cable itself, and the skill of the operators. Besides,there is a considerable margin between a speed wlichl will do forpress miatter in ordinary plain language, and the speed permittedfor code and cipher messages.

"Speed" expressed in words per minuite is misleading, sincefive letter words are frequently taken as the basis, whereas inactual practice a telegraphic word averages about eight letters,the inierease beinig due to code words, and the omiission of manyconjunctions and prepositions when messages are sent in clear.A better method of expressing speed in cabling is in standardletters of a certain number of sign:als each, transmitted perminute, so that experienced operators can certainly and easilyread tlleml. The practical speed is the proportion of the muaxi-mum speed which retmains after deductions are mrsade for thewords transmitted for wlich no revenue is received, on accountof service prefixes, etc., repetitions, errors, corrections. necessaryinterval between messages, ad mninistrative inessages coinnectedwitlh traffic, etc. In determining the deductions froim the maxi-mum speed to obtain the practical speed in paying words perminute there is little evidence at hand. In the perfected mian-agetnent of the Atlantic cables where keen cormpetion exists,this " dead" traffic has been reduced to sixteen or seventeen percent. of the whole. For a Pacific cable an amnount of " dead"traffic as great as 30% at first is estimated, and this could probably

1899.] SQ UIKR ON AlMER1CWAN PA CIFIC CABLE. 631

be redLuced in successive years as it has been in the Atlantictraffic. Assuming 30% for "dead" traffic, and an increase of 90%of speed for duplex working it is estimated that the maximuimcapacity of the cable in total paying code words, of eight letterseach, would be about 11,800,000 per annum. The cost ofmaintenance and operation, etc., as above being $925,000 peraninum, the average cost of transmission per telegraphic word isabout .08 cents.

In connection with speed of cabling it may be said that theopinions of the best cable experts in the world as to the theoreti.cal speed obtainable frorn a given cable over a given distancediffers so widely as to inspire caution in mnaking all estimates.The present commercial rate frorn Washington to Manila is

$2.38 per word, Governinent rate $2.255 per word, and the ratefor " righit-of-way" messages three times the niormal rate.

It is seen that at the present commercial rate to Manila, afterallowing for present land rates to Sani Francisco, the proposedcable is required to operate less than fifty mninutes per day inorder to earn the income of $925,000.00 per year. Allowinigthe present rate to be reduced oine-half, the cable would haveto work less than two hours daily. If the rate per code word,of ant average of eight letters, is placed at fifty cents from SanFrancisco to Manila, then, upon the above supposition, the cableneed operate daily less than four hours to mneet expenses.

Asstuing the cable to l)e interrupted as muchi as one-quarterof the entire time, the figures above still appear striking.The desirability of the cable from ail economic standpoiint

seem-yis unquestioned. The Secretary of War says in his annualreport:"The cable tolls of tlhe War Departmnent rnessages alone to

and fromn the Philippines for the last five months have averagedmonthly a rate of over $825,000.00 a year."This alone equals the irnterest at tlhree per cent on the surn of$10,845,000. It is reasonable to assume that the despatches ofthe other departments of the Government would at least inereasethis amount by one-quarter, which would make the presentGoverlnent cable tolls to and from the Philippiines equal to theinterest at three per cent. on approximately $13,500,000. Fully90% of this sum goes to foreign corporations while all Pacificcable expenditures would remain in the United States.

662 SQ UIEJ? ON AMERICAN PA CIPWC CABLE. [I)ec. 27>

In an ocean cable enterprise the largest item of annualexpense is invariably the interest on the capital invested. Noone can borrow money at a less rate than the United StatesGovernment, and furthermore as a Government eniterprise, thecable is at once relieved from earning any sums for dividends,.and is only required to mnaintain itself in a prudent and soundfinancial condition.

PROPOSED MANAGEMENT OF THE CABLEE AS A GOVERNMENTENTERPRISE.

Assuning that the proposed Pacific cable will be establishedby the Government, opportunity will be presented in this newand unoccupied field of the Pacific, unfettered by precedent andobligations, to introduce such radical clhanges in the policy andbusiness management of the enterprise as will operate advan-tageously to the whole people who are directly concerned, and for'whoin the cable is prirnarily built. Private corporate managementnaturally aims at large dividends for its stocklholders. It is a mat-ter of statistics that in cabling throuighout the long distancesinvolved in the East, out of every oine hundred messages sent,ninety-nine are purely commercial in character, and one ofprivate nature. Cabling throughout the world is so expensivethat it is only resorted to for urgent commercial purposes. Thepresent tariff rates strictly limit the kind of traffic offered, andprohibit all other than that of the most urgent nature, an(d aresufficiently high to keep the long cables actually idle for a con-siderable portion of each twenty-four hours. The enormnousvolume of the present nails indicate that the world's cableplant could be duplicated many tinmes and all kept full to over-flowing if the cable rates were sufficiently reduced.

ELECTRICITY THE IDEAL MEDIUM FOR TRANSMITTING INTELLIGENCE.The triumphs of science in the last half century have been

nowhere more exemplified than in the enormous strides made inthb facility of transmitting intelligence. The mails, the tele-graph and the telephone are civilizing, the world. Perfect as isthe inail system of to-day, a monument to organization, yet, itsswiftest messenger-steam-is so far outstripped either on land orsea by the practically instantaneous electric current, that the tend-ency year by year is to put inore of the world's business " uponthe wire." The time is fast approaching, let us hope, when a

1899., SQUIER ON AMERICAS PACLFIC CABLE. 663

telegraphl and cable letter service at rates comparable witlh pre-sent postage rates will be realized througlhoLut the world, witlits consequenit revolutions in business and social methods. TiInehas an international money value. The fastest mail express, orthe swiftest ocean mail ship, are as naught compared with thevelocity of the electrical impulse wlich practically anniihilatesany terrestrial dimenision. As the distance increases, electricitysurpasses steam-l in a continuously inereasihig ratio. In the caseof a message to be senit across the street, probably there is noinore efficient and satisfactory method thani by a mail deliverymessenger, but if this message is to be seint half way around theearth, the mninutes required by the telegraph run into weeks andmontlhs by the slow process of the i-ails. Steam tirne is directlya function of the distance to be traversed, and frorn tlle natureof things mnust require twice as long to go two mililes as one. Ifthen the cable saves six days between Europe and Ainerica, itwill save mrore than twice this time l)etween America and theEast, and is from this point of view correspondinigly imnportantand necessary. Since electricity so far outstrips any otherknown vehicle for transmitting intelligence it miust eventuallycarry all the imiportant iniformation and practically take fromthe present mtiails more and more of the most urgent letters.

CONTINUOUS U'SE OF TIIE CABLE PROPOSED.With a Pacific cable in operation, and possessing suchi

immneasurable advantages over the mail, how can any manaage-menit be entertained which does not aim at the use of the cablecontinuously to its fullest capacity ? Cable property is peculiarin that it does not, like mechanicalrmachinery possessing movingparts deteriorate with uise, and its life is not therefore depenldentupon the amlount of traffic transmitted. The ordinary manu-facturing plant is usually not operated contitnuously because thecoal conisurmption, the wear and tear of machinery, and the extraexpense of ermployees-combined with the state of orders re-ceived, do not present a sufficiently attractive economical prop-osition. But a large cable property presents unique conditionsfrom a purely business standpoint. The bulk of the capital in-vested is buried under the sea, and much the largest item to beearned is the interest on the capital. A 2000-mile line requiresbut two operating stations, and the annual expense of a fewclerks who actually operate the plant, forms a comparatively irn-significant part of thie total annual expense.

664 SQUIEL ON AMERICAN PACIFIC CABLE. [Dec. 27,

In the estimate of Mr. Alexander Siemens upo-n the BritishPacific cable in a paper at Ottawa in 1894, but 12% of the total an-nual expense was for operating staff proper, and this also providedfor more than double the usual wages, in consideration of the iso-lated positions of the mid-ocean statioins. Add to this the fact thatwhat ordinarily corresponds to coal consumption, here consistsof a few electric batteries, and is therefore practically nil, anidalso the fact that using the plant causes 11o deterioration, and thelogical business conclusion is reached that ocean cables should'ie kept busy continuLously. Every hour thev remain idle is somutch service absolutely lost. Present cable tariffs are so highas to foree to idleness for a considerable portion of each twenty-four hours all of the long cables of the world. In addition theAtlantic cables are practically silent one day in seven.

In defense of the present managemenit, too often unjustlycriticized, it is submitted that cable property on the wlhole hasbeeni particuilarly hazardou-s and uncertain; repairs often mostexpensive, and a piudent managemnent nas required large sinkingfunds and reserves. Furtliormore, the neeessary traffic arrange-ments required with co-operating or conmpeting companies estab-lish precedents and forrm oblig,ations not easy to suddenlychange. The whole of cable history does not yet cover fiftyyears, but the skill and experience of the large cable manufac-turers in England have brougght this industry to suchi a state ofperfection that the laying of a 2000-nile ocean cable, or itsrepair, in 3000 fathoms, is no longer conisidered a particularlyhazardous undertaking. In fact, in the beginning, cable rateslhad to be high, and although there has been a steady decreasein rates to the present, as the technical side of the business hasbecome more stable and certain, yet it is believed that the timehas now arrived when a imore extenisive classification and reduc-tion can be inaugurated with advantage both to patrons and torevenues earned.As a practical miieanls for operating the cable continiuously, it

is a natural suggestion to classify the traffic offered and estab-lish differenitial rates therefor as is niow universally donie on landlines. The samie causes whiclh have established night rates onlanid are much rnore potent in case of ocean telegraphy where-the titne gained and the capital invested per mile is enormouslygreater. It is simply a matter of paying for time. The stockexehange message where minutes are valuable should be charged

1899.] SQUIER ON AMERICAN PACIFIC CABLE. 665

the highest rate, wlhile the press and less urgent business mes-sages should be classified and paid for according to the timelinlit called for in delivery. Since the only other competitor illthe Pacific is the mail steamships where the mninimumn time isover two weeks, it should be easy both to create new businessand to draw from the mails as desired. Irn handlingeertaii classes-of messages it can be distictlety agreed to deliver only within a certain-numnber of hours or a week or even establish a low Sunday ratefor certain classes of rmatter, and still arrive muceh ahead of letterssent by mail. If we lhave no less than fouir classes of matter inthe presenrt mail systemi by steam train, why not a classifiedservice for an ocean cable postal system where the reasons for itare mnore potent ?

For the fiscal year ending June 30, 1898, the arnount of rnailmatter, letters proper, excluding all other forms of iymailablemiaterial, carried in inail steamers from the United States acrossthe Pacific Ocean for Japan, Ilolg Kong, Shanghai, Manila,Singapore, Cochin China, Java, and Siarmi was about 10,948,651grams, represeinting about 1,156,176 letters. From the UnitedStates for Hawaii, 3,495,442 grams, representing abont 369,072 let-ters. This reveals the appreciable proportion of the Pacific trafficwhich stops at the Hawaiian Islands, being from the above figuresabout 25% of the entire traffic which in. 1898 left the United Statesforthesecountries. These figures are instructive asindicatingtthatin cconsidering the through trans-Pacific cable, the Hfawaiian trafficis not enltirely to be ignored, and that of the enitire length of thecable, the spani between California and Ilawaii will continuouslybe required to carryT a materially greater portion, and will, there-fore be the first span requiring duplication.

Assurmiing as above that the carrying capacity of the proposedcable be equial to that of the best Atlantic cables for corres-ponding lengths, it is of interest to obtain in a general way theamount of traffic which can be handled across the P'acific undera inanagemnent whicil ensures the cable being used continnuously.The proposed cable should possess a carrying capacity each

way per annum of about 5,900,000 code words of eight lettersand this allows 30% of the entire amounit as waste or non-payingtraffic. This means, of tlle 1,156,176 letters wlich in 1898 weretransmitted to Japan, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Manila, Singapore,Cochin China, Java and Siarm, this entire number could havebeen transmitted by cable, allowing for each communication

666 SQ UlERl ON AMERICAN PACIFIC CABLE. [Dec. 27,

about five words of eiglht letters each. Since the use of codebooks for cable inessages has so much increased that practicallyall cabling is nowv transinitted in this manner, we can reasoinablytake one word equivalent to five by their use, so that each com-munication above referred to is equivalent to twenty-five wordsof average length.

MIIEANS FOR DUPLICATION.All important sub-marine cables shiould be duplicated as soon

as possible. Cables are always liable to interruption from a,variety of causes, and the interruptioni of a single line necessarilysuspends all communlication. The protection of the patronage.requires duplicate lines if for no other reason.An adequate plan for a Pacific cable should consider mneans

for tlle duplication of the line. In this connection an examnina-tion of the Pacific ocean, and the route of the proposed BritishPacific cable from Vancouver to Australia, suggests a span ofcable of international value. Reference is made to the desir-ability of connecting Hawaii and Fanning Island with an Anglo-American cable, operated by the governments concernied, underrules mutually acceptable. A cornrnon interest should lead tothe linking together of these two great ocean telegraphic routesin the mid-Pacific.With this single span of cable laid, which is but about 950 nau-

tical miles in length, or but 13% of the leng,th of either of themaini lines, it results that eaclh couniitry has practically ensured itsline against a total initerruption until such other duplicate linescanbe laid as the growtlh of the business will undoubtedly warrant.Thus in case the British cable betweern Canada anid the mid-

Pacific should be interrulpted, it would only be necessary to routethe British business for Australia, arriving at VancouvTer, overthe United States iand linies to California to be transmiitted overthe United States cable to Hawaii, thenee over the internationalspan to Fanining Island, and onr to Australia via the Britishline; or in case the Ameriean span to Ehawaii is interrupted, theUnited States can likewise reachi these islands and the East byrouting traffic to Vaincouver for transmnission to Fanining Island,and thence to our trans-Hawaiian cable also via the internationalcable span.

In a similar way, in case anly section of either througlh cableis interrupted beyonid the H3awaii-Fanning span, the urgent

1899.] SQ ULEB ON AMERICAN PACIYC CABLE. 667

United States traffic can be routed from Hlawaii westward viaAustralia and thence to the East, or the urgent British businesscan reach Australia via Manila.

It is believed that such a living and equitable arrangemiientcan be effected in the working of these Pacific cable systems aswould afford security to eachl and result in mutual traffic advan-tages to both enterprises. Thus there is no reason why thepresent Atlantic cable systeml and the United States land systemsshould niot eventually serve as material feeders to and fromAustralasia, and likewise the British and Canadian systemssupply ain appreciable traffic to the Philippines and the East.

CABLE CONNECTION WITH THE SAMOAN ISLANDS.The interests of the United States in Sarnoa will be miore

clearly defined by the acquisition of sovereignty over the islandof Tutuili now reported probable. 1Tn this connection anotherbranch of cable is suggested, which the United States couldproperly assist. As shown upon the accompaniying map, a spanof cable but 650 miles in length connecting Fiji with Apia,would thus join the Samoan group to the main British Pacificcable route anid furnish cable connections for the three govern-ments interested, viz. England, Germany, and the UnitedStates.

CONCLuSION.After several years of comparatively little advance, the tech-

nical and scientific side of telegraphy has received iiiich attentionduring the past two or three years, until at this imroment thereis no other special branch of electrical engineering which ismore in evidence or promises more for the future.By whatever method the first Pacific cable is ultimately laid,

and provided that it shall appear that all of the projected cablecannot be manufactured and laid in the United States withini areasonable time, it seems plain that the enicouragement of Ameri-can manufacturers in the building up in the United States of adeep sea cable industry of the first-class is a wise policy for thisGovernment.The successful completion of the submarine cable across the

Pacific will inark an epoch in the telegraph history of the world.After thirty years of consideration--technical, commercial andpolitical-the end of this century sees this great enterprise atlast seriously undertaken. The full influience which it will exert

668 SQ UIER ON AMERICAN PACIFIC CABLE. [Dec. 27,

upon the Western Hemisplhere and the world in general is noteasily appreciated. Strategically, the imnportance of this inter-colonial communication and its preservation are very great.However, the Philippine question should not overshadow thelarger question-the Eastern question-ini the consideration ofthis project. Important as the cable will be as a ineans of join-ing the Philippine archipelago to the United States, its largerimportance will ultimately be in the future of the commercialdevelopmnenrt between the United States and the East. In thebroad extension of the Pacific trade conisequent upon the cona-pletion of the Isthmian canal and the development of steamshiplines plying the Pacific, the telegraph cable will naturally be-comne an important factor. The trans-Pacific steamship lines areheavily handicapped by the absence of a direct means of tele-graphy betweeni the ports emnbraced in their routes. Situatedon the main trade routes leading from the Isthirnian canal toAsiatic ports, the Pacific cable will serve as a. powerful adjunctand support to this enterprise. The two go hand-in-hand andare mutually closely related. It can be stated that there isscarcely any point in the world where there is greater need fora central cable station than in the :Hawaiian Islands. Geographi-cally situated at the military and commercial strategic positionof the North Pacific ocean, it will ultimately serve as the dis-tributiing center of oceain communication between the two hemi-spheres, as well as to various island groups of the Pacific.As to the probable traffic to be immediately expected there is

little direct evidence at band, since the waters spanned have neverbefore been crossed by a submarine cable. Taking $150.00 asthe average earning power per nautical mile of the long cablesof the world as a basis, this project should prove a payinginvestment frorn the very first, but it is believed that thisestimnate, based upon the average of cables will prove underrather than above experience, particularly as this route willimmediately enter as a competitor for Europeani traffic via theAtlantic cables and U-nited States land lines. The immnediateeffect of the trans-Pacific cables will be to lower the rates to theEast, since European traffic will be open to competition, east andwest, and the new Western route, due to the long spans andcomparatively few repetitions wlll have an advantage.A short span of cable of about 200 miles between Luzon and

Formosa connecting with the Great Northern Telegraph Com-

1899.] SQUIER ON AA[R[CAN PACIFIC CABLE. 669

pany's route through Siberia and also between Luzon and aChiniese port will bring Japan and China into direct connectionnbt only witlh the North American Continent, but also by twocompetitive routes east and west with Europe. In fact, the lay-ing of the Pacific cable should operate to readjust the piresentcable through-tariff rates throughout the world upon a lower basis.

APPENDIX :NO. 1.

PROJECTED PACIFIC CABLE.DISTANCES IN NAUTICAL MILES.

(UNITED STATES COAST AND GEODETIC SURVEY.)

Great Circle Great CirclePROVISIONAL ROUTES. Great Rbumb Distances+ Distances+Circle. Line. 10oper cent. 15 per cent.

slack. slack.

San Francisco to Honolulu ....... ..... 2078.43 2086.86 2286.27 2390.19

Honolulu to Midway Island ................ 1139-98 0I40.95 1253-97 1310.97Midway Island to Guam ....... ........ 2293.64 2299.25 2523.00 2637.68

Guam to Dingala Bay, P. 1......1.... ..... 1359-95 I360.50 1495-94 1563-94

Totals ... ...... ................ 6872.0o 6887.56 7559. I8 7902.80

San Francisco to Honolulu ......... .... 2078.43 2086.86 2286.27 2390.19Honolulu to Wake Island , ,2004.27 2008.23 2204.69 2304.91

Wake to Guamn............ 1304.43 1305-o8 1434.87 I500.09Guanm to Dingala Bay, P.I . 1359,95 136o.5o 1495-94 i563-99

Totals.... .. .... 6747-o8 6760.67 742I.77 7759-14

Guam to Yokohama .......................1I348.05 '1348.12 1482.85 1550.25

1 mile=1853.25 metres or 6080.2 feet.

GEOGRAPHtCAT, POSITIONS ADOPTED.San Francisco, California, Fort Point, Golden Gate.Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands, Harbor Light.Midway Island, or Brooks Island, Welles Harbor.Wake Island, center.Guam, Fort Sta. Cruz, Sani Luis de Apra.Dingala Bay. Luzon Island.Yokohama, Japan, English Naval Storehouse.

The nearest point of the main land from Honolulu is Point Arena, nextPoint Reyes, next Point Sur, Californiia. Taking the positions of the light-houses the distances to Honolulu are as follows:

From Point Arena .. .................... 2045.7 Nautical Miles.Point Reyes. .2057.5 "Point Sur..................... ... 2078.4 "

370 SQUIER ON AMERICAN PACIFIC CABLE. [Dec. 27,

As evidence of the importance of particular secret manipulation duringmanufacture, independent of the weights of materials employed, and themeasured K. R. Of the finished cable, Messrs. Siemens Brothers & Companyhave lately issued a table of Trans-Atlantic cable speeds from which the fol-lowing data is taken:

TRANSATLANTIC CABLES.TABULAR STATEMENT OF ACTUAL AND CALCULATED SPEEDS.

Type of K. R. Speeds Calculat'dVate . . Leingth Dee of K.r. actually Calcula- speed

Date in ~~~~~~~~~~ee ea obtained ted speed if lengthswA,hen laid. Designation of Cable. nauical cable, farnd in regular iflengths 1,85o naut,

miles. Lbs. per faae working. liS86onaut. miles andnautical fr '8' letter miles. coremile. Io words. 650/400.

Cop. G.P.873 Anglo-.American. 1876 400/400 3.919 ....

I874 Anglo-American. 1837 400/400 3.512 20.2 (a) 19.9 28.2

I875 Dir't United States. 2423 400/360 7.558 22.6 (b) 38,6 70.2

l879 Pouyer-Quertier. 2242 350/300 6.600 22 (c) 32.2 59.8

Y866/8o Anglo-American. i852 ....... 4.632 ....

i88z Jay Gould. 2518 350/300 7.834 2I.5 (d) 39.8 69.4

|1882 Jay Gould. 2563 350/300 8.o30 2r.5 (d) 4t.2 71.2

iI884 Mackay-Bennett (S). 2353 350/3co 6.740 26 42.0 72-3

1884 Mackay.Bennett (N). 2346 350/300 6.630 26 41.8 71.2

1894 Mackay-Bennett(3rd'. 2i61 500/320 4.671 40 (g) 54.6 77.2

|894 Anglo-American. I850 650/400 2.420 47-4 (e) 47.4 47.4

(a) Report of Engineers, Messrs. Clark, Forde & Co., to the Manager of theAnglo-American Telegraph Co., dated June 25, 1877.

(b) Report of Engineers, Messrs. Clark, Forde & Co., to the Manager of theDirect United States Cable Co., dated June.25, 1877.

c) Report of the Engineer-in Chief, Mr. von Chauvin, to the Pouyer-QuertierCable Co., dated June 15, 1880.

d) Report of Dr. Muirhead to Mr. von Chauvin, Represenitative in London ofthe Western Union Telegraph Co., dated July 10, 1883.

( (i) Special trial of code words, 18 words per minute mean(ii) Press messages, usual rate, 25 " it "t 21.5(iii) As many as 135 letters per minute have been observed to

pass at times without requiring repetition.(e) "Electrician" dated October 12, 1894.(g) From a letter from Mr G. G. Ward, Vice-President and General Manager

of the Commercial Cable Co., dated May 10, 1895.

1899. SQ UIER OW AME RICANPACIFIC CABL E. 671

APPENDIX No. 2.TRANS-PACIFIC TELEGRAPH CABLE SURVEY.

From Annual Report of Chief of the Bareau of Equipment, Navy Department,-November, '99.

A practicable route for a submarine-telegraph cable wasestablished between San Francisco and Honolulu some yearsago.

In order to continue the survey of the route from lIonoluluto the Philippines, the U. S. S. Nero, unrder commnand of Com-mander Charles B3elknap, U.S.N., was very thoroughly fitted outand equipped for deep sea exploration at the navy-yard, MareIsland, during the early part of the present year. The Nero isa large steam collier purchased for use during the late war, andon account of great steaming radius was admirably adapted tomake the survey. After a careful consideration of the subject,it was decided that the best route westward from Honolulu tothe Philippine Islands was by way of the Midway Islands andGuam, landinig the cable at a convenient point on the east coastof Luzon as near as possible to the latitude of Manila. It wasalso decided as desirable to survey a route from Guam to Yoko-hama. Elaborate instructions for the survey were prepared.The plan of the survey, which is represented on the accompany-ing chart, consists in carrying direct lines of soundings, taken atalternate intervals of 10 and 2 knots, frorn IHonolulu to theMidway Islainds, thence to Guam, and thence to Luzon, andalso from Guam to J_apan. The return course to be pursued isa zigzag linie passing back and forth to equal distances oin eachside of the route followed in going to the westward, with sound-ings at initervals of 20 knots at the turning points.The Nero sailed from San Francisco for Honolulu on the 22d

of April. She sailed from Honolulu to commence her work onthe 6th of May. On the 22d of May she had completed asingle line of soundings to the Midwav Islands, by July 4 toGuam, and by August 1 to Luzon.Along this route, which is 4,812 knots in length, 853 sound-

ings were taken. The characteristics of the bottomn soil and thetemperature of the surface water were observed at each soundingstation, and these, together with the meteorological record andthe frequent observations of specific gravity, bottom tempera-ture, and the currents of the ocean, besides their value in layinga submarine cable, will form an important contribution to thephysics of the Pacific ocean.Two offsets from the projected great circle route between the

Midway Islands and Guam were found to be necessary in orderto avoid obstacles to a successful laying and operationi of a tele-

672 SQ UIEl? ONAER ICAWA PACIFIC CABLE. [Dec. 27,

graphi cable. The first of these obstacles encoiuntered is a sub-marine mountain situiated a short distance westward of theMidway Islands and rising from the floor of the ocean, whichhere sinks to a deptlh of 2,200 fathomiis, to witlhin 82 fatlhoms ofthe surface. The second obstacle is one of tlhe deepest sub-marine abysses yet found in the world, situated about 500 mnileseastward of Guam, and sinking to a depth of more than 4,900fathoms.

Reports have been received of the prelimirnary linie of sound-ings from Honolulu to Luzon, and they indicate that the routewhich is being surveyed will prove entirely practicable.No reports of the souindings taken on the return trip or of any

soundings from Guam to Yokohama have been received,Owing to illniess. Comtmander Chlarles Belknap, U.S.N., was

relieved froin the command of the Nero at Manila by Lieut.Comnmander 1H. M. Ilodges, U.S.N.The expenses of this survey, so far as this Bureau is concerned,

has been entirely defrayed from its current appropriations.

1899.] SQUWIE ON AMEWRICAN PACiFIC CABLE. 673

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674 SQ UIER ON AMERICAN PACIFIC CABLE. [Dec. 27,

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D S T A N C E S Nl |i ~~~~~~NAUTICAL MILES .

___I _ I_I__ _ ____ u..'I11 'J1~JJLGREAT |RHUMB GREAT CIRCLE

~~~~~~~~DISTANCESCIRCLE LINE C.AOLCSAN FRANCISCQ TO HONOLULUA 2078 2087 2286 PROPOSED UNITEDSTATED

60-, HONOLULU TO MIDWAY ISLAND 1140 SA141 1254 _______ PACIFIC CABLE ROUTES-0-MIDWAY ISLAND TO GUAM 293 D2299 A2523

GUAM TO DINGALA BAYT, P.I. D GSlA360 AS PROPOSED BRITISH PACIFIC

TOTAL VIA MIDWAY ISLAND O6O7D 6ODS 7559O CABLE ROUTE

WAKE ISLAND ST747 Y761 AD PROPOSED INTERNATIONAL

GUAM TO YOKOHAMA 1348 1348 D ( CABLE SPANS

120 1 0 160 100 100 1i0 120