PENNY-A-WORD CABLES.

Colonist, Volume LI, Issue 12397, 12 November 1908, Page 3

PENNY-A-WORD CABLES.

♦ . . • ■■ . . SPEECH BY -MB, HENNIKER HEATON. [Pkess AssooiATioif-MDopyninßT.l "(Received Nov 11,. 11:35 p.m:) .. London, Nov 11. Mr Herijiiker Heaton, speaking at the .Royal Colonial Institute, advocated universal periny-a-word cables. He ha'iic\ cd the collapse of the. relenticas opposition ! ;to the Imperial psnny postage justified his belief that' .the cable scheme would be successful in' the near future. If political frontiers were abolished .or ignored by arrangement with Foreign ..Gdv^ ernments, the chief . obstacle woulcLbg removed. If that was impossible,; lie relied on the Marconi system. The Postmasters-General of the Empire; ought to meet in London and the Home and Colonial Governments should' offer to "construct land' lines to portions of the Empire along the route to British oversea possessions. The money' the Governments had expended on cables was more than suffijcient to pay the interest on all cables and land lines it would be necessary to acquire. "While thinking . the cable companies were ungenerous and unwise he. was' still unwilling to deprive them of a farthing of their iust reward. English merchants pay five millions a year for cablings though only three millions was spent on inland messages by the whole of the United Kingdom. Notwithstanding the enormous cost a few messages of a social kind were despatched. AugloSaxondora longed for more intimate communication. In Government hands the cables would cost only a million a year instead of 1 four. -He blamed the Imperial Post Office for .never advocating lowering the cost of cabling. • The marvellous Pollokvirag system would enable the cables to cope" with .the rush of messages at a popular :■ rate. A concession must increase the cohesion of r tlie Empire. Penny-a-word cables would not be a luxury, but one "of humanity's needs. .If the cable monopolies would not move reformers were independent-- of them. If a cable to Canada were constructed the land lines would do the "rest. ■ The natural- trade route ; to Australasia was via India ■ and China. The British and Colonial Governments together could either buy out the cable companies at' 'the, market price or act a's indicated. The first step was. to calKari "Imperial Conference, and then a Conference with, the American postal authorities. They should also link up the land line Europe with India, China and. Australia. ' PROPOSED ATLANTIC CABLE. London, Nov. 10." Mr Lemieux, the Canadian Post-master-General, will discuss with the Imperial Governent the construction an Atlantic cable at Britain's and Canada's expense, the rates to be five cents a word',- and a pen ny a word f or p ress messages.: