[Inclosure.]
Report of a committee of the privy council,
approved by the Governor-General in council on the 21st of December, 1883.
The committee of the privy council have had under consideration a
dispatch dated 6th of October, 1883, from Her Majesty’s minister at
Washington, transmitting a note, dated September 28 last, and
inclosures, from the Hon. Mr. Frelinghuysen, with respect to the
application of the Canadian Government for the laying of a cable to
connect the Canadian telegraphic system with the Puget Sound
Telegraph Company’s lines to Seattle and the United States
Government line to Cape Flattery.
The minister of public works, to whom the dispatch in question and
inclosures were referred, reports that this permission was not
desired with a view of establishing a telegraph station within
American territory, nor with the intention of entering into
competition with either the United States Government or the Puget
Sound Telegraph Company.
The minister observes that among the inclosures is a letter from Dr.
Minor, president of the Puget Sound Telegraph Company, urging upon
the United States Government to refuse this permission, and stating
that similar privileges requested from the Canadian Government had
not been accorded to his company.
The minister represents that the privileges asked by Dr. Minor were
not only to land cables on the shores of British Columbia, and then
connect with established lines, but also to open an independent
station at Victoria, and then to enter into competition with the
Canadian Government system of telegraphy via the New Westminster and
the boundary-line route to the same town of Seattle.
The minister further reports that all other conditions submitted by
the United States Government with a view to granting this permission
are unobjectionable, and he recommends that the fact be brought to
the consideration of the honorable the Secretary of State for the
United States that any company or person can, upon proper
application, subject, of course, to such rules and regulations as
may be necessary to
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prevent competition for telegraph business within the province of
British Columbia, obtain permission from the Canadian Government to
land cables on its shores and there connect with their established
lines.
The committee concur in the report of the minister of public works,
and they respectfully advise that your excellency be moved to
transmit a copy of this minute, when approved, to Her Majesty’s
minister at Washington, for the consideration of the United States
Government.
JOHN J. McGEE,
Clerk, Queen’s Privy Council for
Canada.
