A SECOND CABLE.

Southland Times, Issue 3027, 11 March 1878, Page 3

A SECOND CABLE.

..• ;»■./'. ;■ ■- ■ — The following is an extract from the Melbourns Arena ©f T?%bniary. 14 .—We published ywtwday tdetofetch from the Chief Secretary ef South AusfeaSifttn the subject of a second eible, which we think should enable the GoTestimeriti of Victoria, New.South Wales, and HWf^^ZeAkiita.'^eestheir way to prompt ac- . ttet/' T|» jgaatejni&ctension Telegraph ComMjmhaAkxoade an offer which appears to be rffcaio^blibißial^lesqription', and no fantastic Imm about' the: advantages of other routes ftguld parent an agreement beitig come to on tha terms tncoposed without delay. This Cbfrporatipn, ofwhoee ability to carry out any t£&git maT-nndertake with promptitude and •Sewnoj ther#canba no doubt, is ready to hy Another cable from |Port Darwin via DudoewangiQto Singapore, avoiding the Java l^ijiineifll^getherj f or a subsidy of £32,400 par- annum. The capital required for thia work, which' would be 2,157 miles in length is estimated' at .£540,000, so that the sum sjfced is only 6 per cent, on the outlay. When the subject was under discussion before, *& additional £16,200 per annum was asked M ft Tenewaljund, but this is now abandoned. If. however, we regard this amount as a proPjBE perc«»tagpe to !put by for inevitable reBtwals, w/a find that Jth« Company would only gat 3 p»r cent on its capital, and the earnings of lie Una daring' any time the existing 1 cable fU& be silent — for it must be remembered tbat oa« ; line is l«r more than equal to carry all the B»u»geai' forwardad— to compensate it_ for intereet, risk, and repairs. As the cable is to ba.4>£ ' the bast type ' it is evident that no oiW Company could possibly tender at anything like ao low a price. The Eastern Eitension Company is only able to make such a& adv»iit»ifeous offer because it already has iiv establishments along the line, and a second battle wonM not increase tiie working expenses. If the offer- be accepted the contractors would duplicate their cable between Singapore and Pftßang, thus providing against breaks in the ni?»c*crow the Bay of Bengal. Altogether, ik is hopaless to look for better terms. Mr Morgan ppinta w out the objections to the rival ron^» via v Champion Bay. Tho distance betweeh thatpjape and Adelaide is 2,330 miles, or 400 nsile^ more than between Adelaide and Port Daiwin, while the additional cable reasimd^rduld be about 350 mUes: Of course if 4to North '^97est Cape were made the starting wont, the/cable sronld be shortened, but the bind line through' ft difficult country would be increased. The additional 400 miles would be for the most! part along the coast, and conse- 1 qnKitlj more exposed to interruptions than the trans continental wire. We trust the Goveramenfr will give the matter earnest and prompt attention.' .