To the Editor of the Dean Sm,—It is becoming clear to every one that something must' be dove to establish a more reliable telegraphic communication between Shanghai and Hongkong. The Telegraph Company seems to take things rather easy, and by its slowness in mending the cables when broken, prolongs the duration of the interruptions to something unreasonable and quite unheard of in other companies.
Iremember thatat the time the Telegraph Company had the steamer Great Northern in these waters for the sake of repairing the cables in ease of interruption, it happened several times that the cable was lying unrepaired because the Great Northern had no time to look after it, being occupied in running with cargo between the coast ports. Besides the delay thus incurred, there is something wrong ina Telegraph Company transacting shipping business In these last days, another instance has happened, where the cable ought to have been repaired in a.mmeh shorter time than it now takes to do it. Not long ago the Telegraph Steamer J. C. Orsted left Shanghai for Nagasaki, all cables being at that time in order, Arrived at Nagasal she must have got information fron® Shanghai, Hat the exile between Hongkong and Amoy is interrupted. What was readier than sending the steamer to repair it immediately? but instead of this the Telegraph steamer proceeds to Wladiwostock, where, I believe there was nothing to do which might not as well have been dove either by another vessel, or at alater time when the repair of the cable had been effected. But off she went to Siberia, and not ull returning from that place,—that is after a loss of about a fortnight—the steamer proceeds to repair the cable. Perhaps the reason for this mode of proceeding is not to be sought so very far, when it is kept in mind that there are tivo electric wave to Europe, one via Russia and one vin Hongkong. 'On the first line the Great Northern. Company pockets, [believe, abouthalfof the rate paid fora message to Europe, while on the southern line it only gets' very little share of the same. What would then be the consequence for the Company of the above breakdown in the Hongkong Cable The whole trafic to Europe would necessarily be forced to pass by the Northern route, and as this is the busy season, the nimber of messages to and from Buz rope, a the new and considerably increased rates would, [should think, keep the Gompany more than indemnified for the loss Sustained by the non-working of the Hongkong line, If this hus been the Company's reason for not hastening the repair, Nemesis did not permit it to enjoy its autocracy long. Not many days Inter, the cable to Nagasnki was broken, thus' leaving Shanghai perfectly isola~ ted," without communication with Europe either by north or south. Since then, new breakages have happened; and for the present there are at least two breakages between Amoy and Hongkong, one between Amoy and Guitzlaff, another between Gutzlaff and Nagasaki,' and last, one between Gutalaff and Shanghai! This does not Took very promising.
Whether the arrangement adopted in the above case was meant to be akind of speculation on the part of the Company, or was merely slowness or want of judg: ment, one thing is certain; ' there is something rotten in the state of Denmark and the only remedy in. this case is: competition.
Why wait till another Compan feels inclined to lay another cable, of whic at present there is only little prospect 7 Why do our merchants not start their own line between Hongkong and Shanghai! the necessary capital is not greater than ought easily to be found here, where people are in for so many kinds of Companie And that anew cable, properly made, properly laid and properly managed, would pay, is, think, beyond doubt. "How often have we not got telegrams from Hongkong ten, nay more hours old, because the line was so crowded with messages that they had to wait a considerable time ere the could get off This proves that there will be enough to do for anew cable, even if the old one should sometimes happen to be in working order.
T remain, dear Sir, yours faithfully,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.