54 On the Electric Telegraph between England and India. 



having been in favour of a line via King George's Sound, and 

 Mr. Todd holding a similar position in South Australia, having 

 favoured a line from Adelaide, following Stuart's track, through 

 the centre of the Continent to Northern Australia, neither of 

 these routes appeared at the time feasible, nor do I think even 

 at this date, lines of telegraph could be cheaply constructed or 

 maintained over an uninhabited country. A new aspirant has 

 lately advocated the King George's Sound route, with the view 

 of forming a company for a line to Western Australia and on to 

 Java, but his calculations and distances are so absurd that he 

 has met with little or no support, and I think both the gentle- 

 men above alluded to, have now arrived at the conclusion that 

 the Queensland route is the best. 



As regards the burden to be borne by the several colonies, 

 even supposing they are called upon to pay, it will be so insignifi- 

 cant that it will scarcely be felt ; but as all main trunk cable 

 lines have proved more than self-supporting, and in nearly every 

 instance returned very high rates of interest, I am of opinion 

 that no portion of the annual guarantee will be required. In 

 support of which I will quote the three large cable undertakings 

 now working, and shew their gross earnings : — 



Name of Cable. 



Length 



in 

 knots. 



. i i Interest 

 o . Annual 

 Cost. D on 



Kevenue } -. ., •, 

 1 Capital. 



Weight in 



Tons per 



Knot. 



Malta and Alex- 

 andria .... 

 Persian Gulf . . 



Atlantic Cables 



1330 

 1176 



3748 



£480,000 

 400,000 



1,200,000 



1 per cent 

 * £96,200 | 20 

 96,000 24 



400,000 1 33 J 

 1 



213 



3-06 



1-75 1, 1865 



1-50 J 1866 



The working expenses are a mere trifle, to be paid out of these 

 sums, except when the cables are injured, when a considerable 

 outlay is required ; but even then the maintenance expenses are 

 not very much felt, as they are generally paid out of reserve 

 funds for renewals — the same as adopted by large ship com- 

 panies. 



The imports and exports to and from Australia are also so 

 extensive as to warrant our guaranteeing the whole 7 per cent., 

 even without the contemplated assistance from Java. The Aus- 

 tralia imports and exports amount annually in value to nearly 

 40 millions pounds sterling, with a gross tonnage of l,i 21, 424 

 tons. The commercial transactions induced by this enormous 

 sum annually would be sufficient to pay an ample dividend with- 

 out falling back on the guarantee. 



* The receipts vary much on this line, and the revenue therefore can 

 only be taken as an approximation. 



