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The Pacific Cable. Mr THYNNE : In moving the Resolution of which I have given notice, I propose to give a' short summary of the history of this cable question, because, although many of us are familiar with* it, it is yet not thoroughly known throughout the Colonies; and the opportunity is a fitting one to make some allusions to its present position,, with a view to facilitating subsequent action on the part of the various Governments. The question of this cable was first proposed in 1887, at an Intercolonial Conference in London, when Mr Fleming, whose name is so well known in connection with this matter, pointed out the necessity or cable communication between Canada and the Australasian Colonies for the purpose of improving and promoting commercial and social arrangements, and practically for strengthening the system by which the British Empire is independent of any foreign power in respect to its telegraphic communications. A long discussion took place in regard to the matter, during which it was shown how extremely vulnerable the present system was in case of European disturbances. Objections made to the proposal by Sir John Pender and other distinguished men were also considered by the Conference, but the result of the Conference was practically a confirmation of the principle that such communication was necessary A request was made to the Imperial Government at the end of that Conference for the institution of a survey across the Pacific,. but unfortunately no definite step was taken for the completion of that survey. Last year the Canadian Government, anxious to have its high aims and aspirations promoted a little more rapidly than had been done since the 1887 Conference, met representatives of all the various Colonies in Canada. These delegates practically found the question in the same condition as it had been left by the Conference of 1887, except that some additional information had been obtained as to the conditions of the sea-bed between Honolulu and the American Coast. Then we come to the fact that in 1888 a Postal Conference held in Sydney passed a resolution in favour of a survey being made by the Admiralty, the cost to be defrayed by the Imperial Government, the Government ot Canada, and the Colonies. The Imperial Government declined to undertake the task, unless they had reason to believe that the submarine cable would be shortly laid. The matter came up also in 1894, at the New Zealand Conference, and again at the Ottawa Conference, when I had the honour of attending on behalf of my Colony At the latter Conference, as shown by the report which I laid on the table yesterday, resolutions were arrived at, from which I will quote as follows:— 1 "That, in the opinion of this Conference, immediate steps should be taken to provide telegraphic communication by cable, free from foreign control, between the Dominion of Canada and Australasia." 2. " That the Imperial Government be respectfully requested to undertake, at the earliest. possible moment, and to prosecute with all possible speed, a thorough survey of the proposed cable route between Canada and Australia, the expense to be borne in equal proportions by Great Britain, Canada, and the Australasian Colonies." That first resolution practically bears out the conclusions arrived at by former Conferences, Then a resolution was arrived at to the following effect: — " That the Canadian Government be requested, after the rising of the Conference, to make all necessary enquiries, and generally to take such steps as may be expedient in order to ascertain the cost of the proposed Pacific Cable, and promote the establishment of the undertaking in accordance with the views expressed in this Conference." Such was the position of the question at the close of the Conference at Ottawa. A few hours later some new light was thrown on the subject by the unexpected and very welcome arrival at Ottawa of the distinguished electric engineer Mr Siemens, and Lord Jersey in his report refers to the information supplied by Mr Siemens when he says, "At the Colonial Conference of 1887, and in subsequent correspondence it was assumed that this was the case," that is to say, that further consideration should be given to the question of survey before active operations were commenced. The Report continues—" Some doubt was' expressed at the Ottawa Conference as to whether the partial surveys already made in the Pacific Ocean were not sufficient to render possible a fairly approximate estimate of the difficulty and cost of the work." This was the view taken by Mr Lee Smith, who stated as an illustration that when the cable on the West Coast of Africa was laid, no survey was taken, but an allowance made for risks. It appears that since 1887 the scientific resources connected with the laying of submarine cables have been so improved that, given a general knowledge of the depth, a previous survey is not, now always required. On this point I will quote from a printed memorandum by Mr A Siemens, which was communicated to me after the close of the Conference —"With regard to the technical difficulties raised in .1887, it may not be out of place to consider that the necessity for a close survey of a cable route arises principally from the requirements of the engineer laying the cable, who has to know at every moment the exact depth of water into which the cable passes. The break power with which the cable is held back, and by which the percentage of slack is regulated, has to be adjusted according to the depth of water in order to ensure an even distribution of slack along the whole route of the cable. Such a distribution prevents accidents, economises cable, and facilitates repairs hence the usual practice is to lay cables only on routes where very frequent soundings have been taken, and in 1887 the experts consulted by the Imperial Government were not satisfied that the Pacific Ocean was sufficiently well explored for this purpose. During the last seven years the work of survey has steadily progressed, and at present it may be asserted that the route proposed at the Wellington Conference passes nowhere through water more than 3500 fathoms deep.