THE PACIFIC CABLE.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XIII, Issue 4742, 16 December 1886, Page 2

THE PACIFIC CABLE.

Tne Auckland Herald states that its London correspondent has been informed that the company undertaking this inmortanfc work has good reason to rely on obtaining substantial support from the Governments of all the countries interested in the enterprise. Provided they all enter heartily into the proposal there should be no difficulty in raising the amount of subsidy expected, ( specially when it is considered that all Government messages are intended to be transmitted free of charge. Already the Hawaiian Government have set the example by voting 20,000 dollars as their share cf the subsidy, and there can be little doubt of it being followed by the several British colonies sharing in tho advantages the cable offers. In so far as New Zealand is concerned the Ministry have indicated very plainly their preference for this line of communication, and that they will receive tho cordial approbation of Parliament to any proposal in fivor of subsidising it, may be taken for granted. The Canadian Government are expected to grant t'12,000 a year to the scheme, and the Australasian colonies are roliod on to brin" up tho colonial subsidy t0 £50,000, which means only <i small contribution from each of them. Another sum of £50,000 is calculated on as the amount which the Imperial Government will be prepared to grant. And considering the vast service it will render to the United Kingdom by placincr her in uninterrupted communication with all her leading possessions, it may be presumed that a vote to the extent mentioned will without difficulty receive the sanction of the House of Commons. Tho proposed charges for the transmission of messages are so light as compared with those demanded by the Eastern Extension Telegraph Company that it will, so soon as it is constructed, become the popular line. At first the chargo for ordinary messages will be at the rate of 4s per word and Is per word for Press messages, along , the entire length of the line. This will be a vast improvement on the rates at pre- ' sent imposed by the Eastern Company, ' while there is also the prospect of the above very moderate charges beins; still further reduced. Altogether the effect of this line, when completed, will be to cause a complete revolution in cable communication.