Page image

D.—No. 3

Charles Morris, (Director of the Bank of Australasia). James J. Cummins, (Chairman of the Union Bank of Australia). F. H. Dutton, (45, Dover-street). H. A. Hankey, (Lane, Hankey, and Co.) W. W. Cargill, (Director of the Oriental Bank Corporation). . Peek Brothers and Co., (20 and 21, East Cheap). W. N. de Mattes, (27, Leadenhall-street). Richard R. Wade, (Director of the National Provincial Bank of England). Daniel Cooper, (Director of the Bank of New South Wales). William Fane de Salis, (Chairman London Chartered Bank of Australia). J. B. Elin, (Director of the Union Bank of Australia). David Salomons, M.P., (Alderman, and Chairman of London and Westminster Bank). H. G. Gordon, (Chairman of Oriental Bank Corporation). T. M. Mackay and Co., (Shipowners, 1, Leadenhall-street). Ashton and Co., (39, Lombard-street). G. U. Adams, (for the Chartered Bank of India, Australia, and China). Halliday, Fox, and Co., (4, Cullum-street). John O'Kell, (4G, Fenchurch-street). Robert Smith and Co., (St. Michael's Alley, Cornhill). J. L. Fraser and Co., (39, Nicholas Lane). Scott, Bell, and Co., (2, Alderman's Walk, Old Broad-street). Kay, Finlay, and Co., (2, King William-street). T. D. Findlay and Co., (Glasgow). Thomas Bouhote and Co., (150, Leadenhall-street). Ogle and Co., (24 and 25, Fenchurch-street, Agents to the Burmah Company, limited). Knight, Coleman, and Co., (Brokers to the Indian Telegraph Company). How Brothers and Co., (4, Cullum-street). The Borneo Company, limited, (John Harvey, Managing Director). S. D. Sassoon, (8, Leadenhall-street). James Wiseman and Co., (Glasgow). A. Middleton, (Liverpool). Grindlay and Co., (55, Parliament-street). F. GlSBORNE.

Enclosure 3 to No. 1. MESSRS. FOKDE AND FLEEMING JEH'KIN TO ME. F. GISBOBNE. 6 Duke Street, Adelphi, July 14th, 1862. Dear Sib, — We enclose you an Estimate of the first cost and maintenance expenses of the proposed Cable between Java and Brisbane. You will see by the Specification that we recommend the adoption of a heavy and somewhat expensive Cable. Small and cheap Cables have seldom proved permanently successful, and we think it bad policy to spare money on this part of the expenditure. The Core will transmit, with the usual Morse instruments, from seven to eight words per minute between the proposed Stations. With new and improved instruments this number could be doubled. The outer covering of heavy iron wires is suitable to the depth of water along the proposed route. These wires are, moreover, to be protected against corrosion by a hard bituminous outer coating. We believe that the sum named as the cost of this Cable, free on board in England, will agree well with the Tenders to be obtained from first class makers by public competition. Contractors have hitherto been generally employed for the transport and submerging of Cables, but we think that in a line like the present where there is really no risk of failure, the large sums usually paid under this head can be saved ; and we have framed the Estimates on the supposition that the Company will transport and lay the Cable by means of its own officers. A large saving will thus be effected, and the Company's officers will have a thorough control over the execution of this part of the work, which has hitherto frequently not been the case. The proposed arrangement will also enable a large number of Firms to tender for the outer covering. We propose to use Sailing "Vessels for the conveyance of the Cable, in wrought iron water-tight tanks, from England to Australia. The adoption of this plan without any sensible increase of risk or delay still further diminishes the Estimate below the sum which would be required if the Cable were to be carried (as formerly estimated) in Steamers specially built or chartered for the purpose. The proposed plan entails the purchase of two large and powerful Steamers, which would, however, in all probability be used to lay the Rangoon—Singapore, the Singapore—Hong Kong, and a new efficient Singapore—Batavia Cable. In any case, these Steamers would be sold and replaced by one or two smaller and less expensive boats, for repairs. One boat would be sufficient for the Java Brisbane section, but two would be required for the whole Eastern System. The Java—Brisbane section is at the end of the Estimate credited with a portion of the purchase-money of the large

7

TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION.