Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 35, Number 88, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 July 1903 — GIRDLES THE GLOBE. [ARTICLE]

GIRDLES THE GLOBE.

Telegraph now completely ENCIRCLES THE EARTH. Opening of Pacific Wire Regarded as Epoch in Nation’s Life—AH Records of Transmission Are Shadowed by Marvelous Electrical Feat. The Pacific cable was successfully completed at 10:50 o'clock Saturday night, eastern time, by the welding together of the eastern and western links at Honolulu on board the cable ship Anglia, thus completing the entire line of telegraph from San Francisco' to the Philippine Islands, a distance of over 8,000 miles, and bringing to a conclusion the greatest and most difficult submarine cable enterprises undertaken in the history of ocean telegraphy. A message from President Roosevelt to President Mackay of the Commercial Pacific Cable Company was sent over the new cable around the world in twelve minutes and Mr. Mackay’s. reply was sent around the world in nine and a half minutes. The best previous time for a message around the world was made on ane sent by United States Senator Chaunceyjd. Depew from the national electric exposition, Grand Central palace, in New York City, in 1890. It took fifty minutes to transmit the message. President Opens the Cable. The first message sent over the new Pacific cable was' one from President Roosevelt at Oyster Bay to William H. .Taft, Governor General of the Philippines at Manila. This left at 10:50 p. in. and was as follows: Governor Tuft, Manila: I open the American Pacific cable with greetings to you and the people of the Philippines. THEODORE ROOSEVELT. At 11:19 p. m. the following reply was received by the President from Gov. Taft: President—Washington: The Filipino people and the Americans resident lu these Islands are glad to present their respectful greetings and congratulations to the President of the United States conveyed over the cable with which American enterprise has girdled the Pacific, thereby rendering greatly easier and more frequent communication between the two countries. It will certainly lead to a closer union and a better mutual understanding of each other's alms and sympathies and of their common Interest lu the prosjierity of the Philippines and the education and development of the Filipinos. It Is not Inappropriate to Incorporate In this the first message across the Pacific from the Philippines to America an earnest plea for the reduction of the tariff on Filipino products lu accordance with the broad and liberal spirit which the American people desire to manifest toward the Filipinos and of which you have been an earnest exponent. TAFT. Message Circle* Globe. President Roosevelt then sent the following message around the world westward to Clarence 11. Mackey, who was with Mr. Roosevelt at Oyster Bay: Clarence 11. Mackay, President Pacific Cable Company, Oyster Bay, N. Y.: Congratulations and success to the Pacific cable, which the genius of your lamented father and your own enterprise made possible. THEODORE ROOSEVELT. The message was sent at 11:23 p. m. and was received by Mr. Mackey nt 11:35, making the time of its transmission around the world twelve minutes. Mr. Mackey replied as follows, his message going around the world eastward: The President—Oyster Bay, N. Y.: I thank you deeply for your message and I earnestly hope that the Pacific cable by opening the wide horizon of the great east may prove a useful factor to the commerce of the United States. CLARENCE MACKAY. President Roosevelt received the, message at 12:04 Vi. Foreign Cables Are Used. The courae of President Roosevelt’s message to Mr. Mackay was—by tire Postal Telegraph Company’s land line from Oyster Bay to San Francisco, thence by the Commercial Pacific cable to Honolulu, to Midway, to Guam and to Manila. From Manila to Hongkong the message passed by the cable which was lifted and cut by Admiral Dewey in 1898. From Hongkong it went to Sajgon, to Singapore, to Penang, to Madras, to Bombay, to Aden, to Suez, to Alexanlria, to Malta, to Gibraltar, to Lisbon and to the Azores. Between Hongkong and the Azores it passed by foreign cables. At the Azores it was taken up again by the Commercial cables and sent ter Canso, thence to New York and thence to-Oys-ter Bay. These messages were followed by a large number of congratulatory messages to Gov. Taft and President MaWtny from Governors of different States and other distinguished men.