Honolulu Republican, Volume IV, Number 504, 23 January 1902 — WIRELESS SUCCESS MAY DETER THE PACIFIC CABLE [ARTICLE]

WIRELESS SUCCESS MAY DETER THE PACIFIC CABLE

House Committee Conference ■ Brought Oct Matt; Interesting Points. ■IHCOIirS RESULTS DISCUSSED Advocates of Boib Private and Government Lines Give Erdencc. Business Men of the Orient Said to Favor Plan of Hawing the Cab'e Under the Control of a Private Corporation—Cable Can be Manufactured in the United States. WASHINGTON. Jan 11—The ef feet of s - Ire In** telegraphy on the fu lure of the submarine cable was de veloped to some extent ti-day by the House Committee on Commerce in connection with the hearing on the proposed Pacific cable. The hearing was larg ly attended. Vice President Ward of the Pacific Cable Ccmpaac continuing his statement of yester day. He said he believed that the company he represented w >uld be able to make exclusive traffic arrant ments from points beyond the Philippines and connect in* with Chi na and Jcpan. He maintained that whil there was no purpose to set up a monopoly, yet it was likely his com pany would have exclusive traffi ar rangements with the Far East. H--also stated that thfre would be qu*'s tiens as to the right of the Unit'd Stati s to land a cable on for -m shores. Chairman Hepburn asked a- rl* - cf questions as to th-- effect of wire less te’egraphy on the submarine i-a bi:\ Ward replied that th.- new s>tern presented a serious question. Hwas not sure that the Pacific cable project would have be-n undertaken if the longdistance experiments had been held earlier. As to th * claims that wireless signals had been r> n veyed*llooo miles across the Atlantic. Ward said that if tUe cla ms were made good they would deter people from laying any more cables When a-.kcd as to the eff ct th is far on fh“ cable business. Ward said It had depressed cable intere -t#. Thomas R. Hughes, repr- senting an American company which produces cables, said that as good cables could be made in the United States as in any other part of the w rid. and h« asked that Am rican labor and capital have the advantage of doiag this work. Chairman Hepburn asked if this American companv was prepared to make a definite business proposition to the United Stat s Government. Hughes replied that such a prop m turn would be submitted In due form within the nert two days Hepburn c.-k-d that the formal proposition be in alternative form—first, for delivering a cable of Ameriman maki* at San Franc -co; »• nd for making and laying the cable to Hawaii. Guam and Manila. Hughes thought the Government betl> r able to do its own cable laying, using the Army transports.