WILLIAM SIEMENS, F.R.S. 315 



TKlJKiRAI'HIC COMMUNICATION WITH THE EAST. 

 To THE EDITOR OF "THE TIMES." 



SIR, The article in The Times of yesterday from a correspon- 

 dent, I iraded "Telegraphic Intercourse with the East," calls atten- 

 timi very properly to the importance of a submarine line from 

 this country to the Cape, via Ascension and St. Helena, and 

 thence to India via the Mauritius. The cable would be situated 

 iu deep water throughout nearly its whole length, where, according 

 to our present knowledge of telegraphic engineering, it would be 

 much more securely placed than in shallow water, and could in 

 case of need be picked up with almost the same facility. Inde- 

 pendently of its great value as a line connecting important British 

 possessions, it would constitute another alternative means of com- 

 munication with India. At the present time our communication 

 with India, Australia, and the Cape depends, notwithstanding the 

 nominal existence of a line through Turkey, as pointed out by 

 Colonel Bateman-Champain, in The Times of to-day, on the Indo- 

 European telegraph. This line, referring now to the portion of 

 the system connecting London and Teheran, with the origin and 

 construction of which I have been intimately associated, has not 

 been looked upon with much favour by many in this country, who 

 at the end of its construction predicted its ultimate failure, and 

 threw out broad hints to the effect that the telegraph posts might 

 serve in certain regions to mark the tombs of the staff employed 

 upon the work, while others took the objection that the line if 

 constructed would be liable to frequent interruptions from political 

 causes. I and those acting with me felt no misgivings on these 

 points, nor do I share the apprehensions reiterated by your corre- 

 spondent, because, before seeking to obtain concessions from 

 Germany, Russia, and Persia, for the construction of the line, we 

 took the precaution of ' having its neutrality and independence 

 from government interference guaranteed by an international con- 

 vention between the two principal Powers concerned, which 

 guarantee has been absolutely respected throughout the very 

 trying times of the Franco-German and Russo-Turkish wars, as 



