THE PACIFIC CABLE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18534, 19 October 1923, Page 6

THE PACIFIC CABLE.

The announcement that the Pacific Cable Board is considering the duplication of the Fiji-Bamfield section probably indicates a much closer approach to definite action than the phrasing of the telegram suggests. The duplication has long been recognised as necessary, and a decision to proceed with it was reached at least three years ago, to be postponed for technical reasons. It is noteworthy that this great State enterprise, in which , Britain, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand are partners, attains its majority this year. The connection between Australia and New Zealand was inaugurated on April 23, 1902, and that with Canada on October 31, though the cable was not opened for traffic until December 8 of that year. The actual laying of the cable from Bamfield, Vancouver Island, to Fanning island and thence to Suva was accomplished in six weeks. Including the direct cable laid between Sydney and Auckland at the end of 1913 and the recent operations on the Australian coast and between Auckland and Suva, the board's system in the Southern Pacific is completely duplicated. There remain the two long sections, of which that between Fanning and Bamfield, over 3000 miles in length, practically determines the volume of international traffic that can be handled. The board has always maintained that while this section sets its limitation upon the capacity of the service, it cannot reduce the tariff, as the cable could not cope with the resultant expansion of business. In April, 1920, the board advised the partner Governments that the duplication of the cable had become a matter of urgency, primarily as a safeguard against the risks of interruption and secondarily to provide greater capacity and flexibility for dealing with rushes of traffic and with future increases of business. The proposals then outlined were deferred in respect of the northern sections pending investigation of a new type of cable and, it may be surmised, by some apprehension regarding the competition, both commercial and technical, of wireless telegraph. So far as the latter consideration isconcerned the cable companies do Hot seem to be greatly disturbed by the enthusiasm in the wireless world, especially as every' project for an Imperial wireless chain has ended in dissension and disappointment. In the circumstances, it may be presumed that the decision to proceed with the duplication of the northern section of the Pacific Cable waits upon the determination of only technical questions. The finan-_ cial aspect is already assured by the existence of a reserve fund sufficient to pay for the new cable. To Australia and . New Zealand especially, the completion of this work will be of . far-reaching importance. It would ensure a reduction in charges, provide an ample channel for a much , larger volume of traffic, and thus contribute materially to the realisation of the true function of the Pacific Cable which is to provide a means not only for urgent communications, in which cost is a secondary consideration, but to make telegraphy between the Dominions and Britain cheap enough to be as popular for social as it is convenient for commercial correspondence.