PACIFIC CABLE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 14507, 22 October 1910, Page 7

PACIFIC CABLE.

STATE-OWNED ATLANTIC LINE. URGED BY SIR GEORGE REID. By Telegraph— Pres. Association.—' London, October 20. Sir George Reid interviewed the Earl of Crewe (Colonial Secretary), and urged the desirability of an Atlantic cable in connection with the Pacific. He stated that good judges had estimated that it would : pay handsomely at a-third of the ' present rates, and a profit was pos- j sible even if a second cable were i necessary as a precaution against j breakdown. I Sir Geo. Reid has arranged for : the Pacific Board to prepare a de- 1 tailed expert report, which Lord : Crewe will consider. (Received October 21, 11.50 p.m.) London, October 21. Sir George Reid incidentally mentioned to Lord Crewe a possible alternative route, avoiding the dangers of trawling, via the Shetland Islands, Iceland, Greenland, and Labrador, which would be no longer than the Atlantic. The greatest length between land points would be only 850 miles, and experts calculate that the cable could be worked with four times the speed of the Atlantic. The only drawback was the touching at Danish territory. Sir George added that he had ascertained that the only two Bri-tish-owned cables, the Anglo-Ameri-can and the Direct United States Company, were on the verge of absorption by the American Tele- i phone and Telegraph Company. I Representations have been initi- ; ated regarding the deferred Pacific rate. A meeting of cable companies and officials of the British Post Office will be called shortly to consider the matter.