A New Cable.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6292, 17 July 1888, Page 4

A New Cable.

♦ PEOPOSAL OF THE MESSES MILLAR. ANTICIPATION OF THE EASTERN EXTENSION COMPANY. fFEOK OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.} (Per B.M.S.S. Rimutaka.) n London, June 1. The proposal of the enterprising Messrs Millar Bros to establish direct cable communication between Western Australia and India is understood to ba engaging the attention of the Colonial Office, in connection with a despatch from Sir Napier Broome on the subject. It haa also been discussed in unofficial circles, and the balance of opinion ia apparently adverse, on the ground that the idea is somewhat premature. Emphasis ia laid on the fact that Western Australia is the moat unsettled and the least populous of the Colonies, and contributes only 1 per cent of the existing cable business. Furthermore, it i 3 asserted that this new route, does not offer such predominant advantages aa would induce the Eastern Colonieß to largely avail themselves of its services* The principal plea advanced in its favour— that the cable will avoid shallow waters and troublesome coral formations — ia met by a counter statement of the great difficulty of picking up and repairing a oable sunk many thousand fathoms deep. It is also pointed out that there is but one spot available for a station between Western Australia and Ceylon— Keeling liland— which is about half way between the termini of the proposed route, a circumstance which, it is alleged, will add considerably to the cost and trouble of effective maintenance. The critics estimate the total coat of construction at half a million, whilst working expenses and interest will annually absorb about J875.000. In the event of the Colonial Office authorising the Perth Government to accept the proposal of Messrs Millar, it is stated on good authority that two conditions will be appended, namely, that the acquired rights of Messrs Millar over the cable should be restricted to a period of twenty-one years, and that the cable Bhould be completed within a stipulated time under pain of forfeiting a substantial monetary penalty. Needless to Gay, the ruling Powers of the Eastern Telegraph Company have not been wholly unconcerned spectators of this contemplated new departure ; and, whilst believing that Western Australia is not yet ripe for telegraphic experiments, ib ia understood that they are quite prepared to anticipate the development of that promising Colony by laying a cable from Banjoewangie to a point on the Western Australian Coast, near King Sound, and connecting it with their land line across the Australian Continent.