connected with Australia viâ Java. From Australia two all-British routes go to Britain. That consideration modifies, to some extent, the urgency of the need for the Cocos route.
Great Britain and the West Indies.
Directly south of Halifax in Nova Scotia lie our West Indian possessions. Halifax is united by cable with Great Britain, and from Halifax a line of cable runs via Bermuda and Turks Island, which are both British possessions, directly to Jamaica. Since Jamaica is the most important of our islands in that region, and is in close touch with the others, strategic requirements appear to be reasonably satisfied by this all-British connection.
The Cable Committee of 1902 did, indeed, report that 'the Admiralty have for some time advocated the construction of an all-British cable to St. Lucia for strategic reasons, and in our opinion it is highly desirable that such a cable should be laid.'[1] This cable would have run direct from Jamaica to St. Lucia. It has not been constructed because, since that time, the views of the Admiralty have totally changed, the important works at St. Lucia have been stopped, and the policy of the Empire has been turned towards the withdrawal of our naval forces from Halifax, Bermuda, and the West Indies, so as to admit of concentration elsewhere. In these circumstances, the existing Halifax-Jamaica line, built under subsidy from Halifax to Bermuda in 1890, and from Bermuda to Jamaica in 1898, appears adequate to the needs of the case. The agreement for the construction of the latter section provided that the rate to Jamaica from Britain is not to exceed 8s. a word. That is the existing rate. The previous rate was 5s. 10d., which rate and other West India rates were reduced in 1898.
But while the strategical position is fairly satisfactory,
- ↑ Second Report, paragraph 37.
