THE FRENCH PACIFIC CABLE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 10099, 7 April 1896, Page 4

THE FRENCH PACIFIC CABLE.

Our friend Mr. Audley Cooto is again on the war-path, and it will not be his fault if his French Company for Submarine Telegraphs does not obtain the control of the cable system of these British colonies. "Nil desponincflini" is the battle cry of this enterprising and indefatigable pioneer, and a man who, in the present state of international feelings, can steel himself to the belief that by perseverance he can compel these colonies to sell themselves to France, shows an amount of pluck that deserves, even if it does not win, success. Mr. Coote, as our cables tell us, lias been interviewed in Sydney on the cable question, and he says that the idea of a cable through British territory alone is impossible. Ho does nob say wherein the impossibility consists, for in the route as specifically selected by tho Telegraph Conference at Sydney recently— from Vancouver to Panning Island, to Fiji to Norfolk Island, forking to New Zealand and Australia, British soil alone is touched. He thinks, too, that such a line branching to New Zealand would come in contact with the Eastern Extension Company's system. And supposing that it did we can breathe still. Such a branching line forked at Norfolk Island and sending its prongs to Australia and New Zealand would, of course, compete with the company's cablo between this colony and Australia. And a good thing, too, and one whereat we shall bo all glad, hoping further that it will get all the traffic. As for the bait which he holds out for the French Company to any Australian Government contributing to its guaranteo — to wit that, such Government will get its messages free in perpetuity—the Governments won't nibble, not even the bait to the Australian public, and that to the press, offering fabulous reductions on the tariff, will tempt them to hook themselves 011 to the French wire, and Mr. Audley Coote's labour is vain in endeavouring to foist his Now Caledonian cable on the colonies in any guise. He caught two colonies sleeping, New South Wales and Queensland, when ho got them to subsidise the first section to New Caledonia. But they are very much awake now, and have publicly washed their hands of the scheme of the Paris Company, so genially smiled upon by the French Government. Mr. Audley Coote, and Sir John Pender, the late chairman of tlio Eastern Cable combination, have been the two Hons in the path of our Pacific cablo enterprise. But they have both long since been located, measured, and weighed, and their vaticinations of failure, equally with their proffers of assistance, have been fixed at their- just value. All who are sincere in their desire for the Australian-Canadian cable, whether in Canada or those colonies, are fully alive to the fact that the two most insidious enemies to bo watched have been Mr. Audley Coote and the chairman of the existing eastern cables, more especially when they are offering advice and assistance, 1