THE PROPOSED PACIFIC CABLE.

Press, Volume LI, Issue 8740, 12 March 1894, Page 4

THE PROPOSED PACIFIC CABLE.

In the course of an interview with the Wellington Evening Post representative, the Hon. J. Kidd, Postmaster-General of New South Wales, said that if a conference of Canadian and Imperial authorities can be .secured, the Pacific cable will be an accomplished fact very soou. Both Samoa and the Sandwich Islands, through whioh the proposed cable would pass, have made overtures to the Hon. Audley Coote for the - construction of the/cable, and Mr CoofceU now on hia way out to Australia for the purpose of submitting his scheme. Tbe chief objection to Mr Sandford Fleming's proposals was the long circuit from Vancouver to Fanning Island, which involved some 4000 miles. This necessitated a cable of twice the usual weight and thiok_ess, not. only largely increasing the cost in the first instance, but greatly increasing the difficulty of picking it up to repair break* ages; while with so long a circuit only about twelve worda a minute be sent instead of some twenty-two as o_ an ordinary ocean cable. The longest cirouit under Mr Ward's proposal will bo some 2000 miles.