A contract has been entered into with the Mr. Bartholomew mentioned in the
act, and he is now in the United States arranging for the construction of
the cable.
I am informed by the minister of foreign affairs that the prospect for the
success of the enterprise is very favorable.
[Inclosure in No. 196.]
cable concession in hawaii.
AN ACT to authorize the Hawaiian Government to contract for
the construction of inter-island submarine electric telegraph
cables.
Be it enacted by the King and the legislature of the
Hawaiian Kingdom:
Sec. 1. The minister of the interior, with the
unanimous concurrence of the cabinet, is hereby authorized to enter into
a contract with J. Sherman Bartholomew, residing in Honolulu, H. I., his
associates and assigns, or with any other persons or corporation, for
the construction, laying, or maintaining of a submarine electric
telegraph cable or cables to connect the islands of the Hawaiian group
from Hawaii to Kauai, as follows, to wit: From Hawaii to Maui, from Maui
to Oahu, with a landing on Molokai, and from Oahu to Kauai, together
with lines of land telegraph to connect the same with all or any points
on the Hawaiian Islands.
Sec. 2. Such contract may, by its terms,
provide for the grant, concession, and confirmation by the Hawaiian
Government to the said J. Sherman Bartholomew, his associates and
assigns, or any other persons or corporation (hereinafter named and
referred to as the constructors), of the sole and exclusive right and
privilege to construct and lay submarine electric telegraph cables to
connect the islands of the Hawaiian group, from Hawaii to Kauai, by the
way of Maui, Molokai, and Oahu, together with lines of land telegraph,
to connect the same for and during a period not to exceed ten (10) years
from the first day of January, A. D. 1889; provided, however, that if
the said lines of submarine electric telegraph cable shall not be laid
ready for use on or before the first day of July, 1889, then the
exclusive right and privilege, the granting of which is hereinbefore
authorized, shall, at the option of the cabinet, at once, or at any time
thereafter, lapse and become void upon three (3) months’ notice to that
effect being given to the constructors. And provided also, that if any
of the lines of land telegraph to connect with the said submarine cables
shall not be constructed and ready for operation on or before the first
day of January, A. D. 1891, then or at any time thereafter upon three
months’ notice to the constructors, the minister of the interior, with
the approval of the cabinet, may declare the exclusive right and
privilege granted for the construction and maintaining of any such land
line to be void and forfeited, and such exclusive right and privilege
shall thereupon be void. And provided also, that the rights and
privileges granted by virtue of this act shall not operate to prevent or
preclude the Hawaiian Government from consenting to the landing, laying,
or maintaining upon the Hawaiian Islands, or any of said islands, or in
any Hawaiian waters, of any submarine telegraph or other electric cable
or cables which shall serve to connect the said islands, or any of them,
with any foreign country, or to interfere with the vested rights of any
existing Hawaiian telephone or telegraph corporation.
Sec. 3. Such contract may further provide for
the payment by the Hawaiian Government to the said constructors of the
sum of twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) in the manner following,
that is to say: Upon the completion of the said line in good working
condition between Oahu and Maui, the sum of eight thousand dollars
($8,000); upon the completion of the said line in good working condition
between Oahu and Hawaii, eight thousand dollars ($8,000), and upon the
completion of the said line in good working condition between Oahu and
Kauai, nine thousand dollars ($9,000).
Sec. 4. The granting of any of the rights or
privileges and the payment of any of the money authorized by this act
shall be conditioned upon the following additional covenants, that is to
say: All messages other than Hawaiian Government messages or press
messages shall be received and transmitted over any or all of said lines
at the rate of not more than ten cents for each word, and all messages
to or from the Hawaiian Government or any officer thereof in his
official capacity and all press messages shall be received and
transmitted over said lines for one-half of the rates charged for
messages other than Hawaiian Government messages or press messages.
Sec. 5. Upon proof satisfactory to the minister
of the interior that the respective sections of said line, as set forth
in section 3 of this act, have been completed and are in good working
condition for the transmission of messages, the said minister is hereby
authorized and directed to pay to the said constructors the respective
sums of money as provided in said section 3.
Sec. 6. This act shall take effect from and
after the date of its approval.
Approved this second day of July,
1888.
Kalakaua
Rex.
By the King:
L. A. Thurston,
Minister of the Interior.
