OVERLAND TELEGRAPH.

Press, Volume V, Issue 558, 13 August 1864, Page 4

OVERLAND TELEGRAPH.

fFrom the S. A. Register^

Since Mr. Todd's report was written, suggestions have been laid before the authorities by a gentleman of much experience, who is now iv Adelaide, relative to the advisability of establishing an overland telegraph between this colony and the northern settlement, with the riew of bringing the several Australian communities nearer to the main postal route of India, China, and Europe. The idea is that a company should be formed for this purpose, and that in addition to the opening of telegraphic communication with Van Diemen's Gulf, they should establish a lino of small but fast steamers, one of which should leave Singapore for North Australia immediately after the arrival of each mail steamer from Suez, whether British or French. The preliminary operations of such a company, it is stated, would consist in establishing stations at distances of from twenty-five to fifty miles along the route explored by Mr. Stuart, which etatious would be used for the purposes of the telegraph line, and also for the niaintenance of a horse-post, which it is thought might be at first used for the transmission of mails. "By this arrangement," it is said, ■' regular postal communication would be established three times a month with Singapore, one of the chief ports and depot* of the great steam line from Suez to China and Japan, and whence independent lines diverge to all the importaut European settlements on the Asiatic coasts and islands, namely—two to Bombay, three to Calcutta (one of which touches at the intermediate ports on the east side of Bengal), one to Siatn, one to CochinChina, five to China, one to Borneo, and two to Batavia, one o r -*-V> ; -V continues the communication to all the Dutun ports of the Indian Archipelago." By the establishment, then, of an overland line of communication, with steamers at the other end, all these ports and countries would be brought into direct communication with the Australian colonies. It is stated that with a horse-post to North Australia, and steamers from Van Dieman's Gulf to Singapore, the transit would be sixteen and a half days—tho overland route from Adelaide being 1400 miles, and the sea voyage 1860 miles. Theee sixteen and a half days, added to the time which it would take to convey the mails from Point de Galle to Singapore, would make about twenty-two or twentythree days, or rather more than the time occupied by the Peninsular and Oriental steamer via King George's Sound. There would, therefore, appear to be no advantage offered by the proposed communication overland as regards time, whilst the bulk of the mails would still have to be conveyed by sea. But, it is said, " the continuation of the European telegraph line to Singapore, which the home Government are pledged to carry out as soon as the line is completed, would admit of six or seven days' later news being sent by post overland than can be obtained by the steamer iwhich sails from Ceylon; and, as it would be desirable to commence the North Australian telegraph line at the Adelaide end, each section as completed would be available for the transmission of intelligence; so that the new enterprise would compete successfully with the old route from, the very first." The following suggestions fti to thi capital which ft company would raauira aw extracted from tlae memorandum -wliie>i we hare referred to :—" The cost of the telegraph line -will be £138 per mile, or £193,200 for the whole. Three steamers, which need. not be at greater burclen than 100 tons each, will euflice to Seep up tbe comraunic*tion -with Singapore, but a fourth may be needed in case of accident. The cost of all these will be about £5,000 each, or £20,000 in all. The cost of forming stations is included in the estimate for the telegraph line. The cost of a set of horses and gear will be about £2500 ; bullocks and drays about £1000. The ! annual expenditure in wages, coale, stores, &c, need not be estimated at present; but it may reasonably be calculated that telegraph fees and a subsidy from Government, in lieu of postage fees, will not only cover all this, but leave a large surplus: A guarantee of, say five per cent, on the paid-up capital, is not likely to be withheld. The capital should not be less than £250,000. The Government guarantee on this would be £12,500 per annum. The monthly steamer to King George's Sound costs nearly £17,000 per annum at the present time."