Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 22.djvu/398

 FORTYSEVENTH CONGRESS. Sess. I. Ch. 465, 466. 1882. 37] Canada. shall have been obtained before said bridge shall be built or commenced. Sec. 3. That the ught to alter, amend, or repca.1 this act is hereby Right to alter, expressly reserved. And the right to require any changes in said struct- “m°¤d» °* '°P°¤] nrc or nts entue removal ut the expense of the owners thereof, when- "°°°"°‘1‘ ever Congress shall decide that the public interest requires it, is also expressly reserved. Approved, August 8, 1882. can. 466.-An act to encourage and promote telegmphic communication between August 8, 188*2, America and Europe .;-—-. .__ Bc it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That Samuel L. M. Barlow and Right *° ¤°¤ Orazio Lugo, of New York, and Albert G. Buzby, W. Mitchell McA.11is- ‘f."“°:ct‘{}°§"“P]‘ ter, and John H. Colton, of Pennsylvania, their associates, successors, Au,:,°:};(:,a'§,,,l:qw]$;(:;{ and assigns, shall have the right to construct, lay, land, and maintain mpc granted, etc. u line or lines of telegraph or submarine cables on the Atlantic coast of the United States of America, to connect the American and European coasts by telegrnpbic lines, wires, or submarine cables: Prov-ided, That Pmam. said company shall begin to lay said cable or cables within two years from the passage of this act; And provided further, That no amalga- .» nmticn, combination to establish rates, union, or sale of cable interests established under this act, shall be made to any European or other cable companies, nor shall there be any iictitious increase or watering of stock; and any violation of the provision of this section shall work a forfeiture of all rights thereunder. Sm:. 2. That any tclegraplxic line or cable laid shall be subject to the C°¤di“°¤¤» °*°· following conditions, stipulations ancl reservations, to wit: First. The Government of the bnitcd States shall be entitled to exercise and enjoy the same or similar privileges with regard to the O011- trol aud use of such line or lines, or cable or cables, as there may, by law, agreement, or cthemvisc be exercised and enjoyed by any foreign government whatever; and, in addition, the United States Government shall have the right to the exclusive use of a wire, at such time or times as they may require, not to exceed four hours out of every twenty-four, and ut such rates as may be prescribed by the Secretary of State, but not to exceed twenty cents per word, nor less than ten cents per word. And the rates charged upon said line for messages for individuals shall not exceed twenty cents for each word. Secondly. Citizens of the United States shall enjoy the same puvilegcs as to the payment of rates for the transmission of messages as are enjoyed by the citizens of any other nation. Thirdly. The transmission of dispatches shall be made nn the follow- ing order: First, dispatches of state, under such mgulaucns as may be oi °“· agreed upon by the governments interested, the rates not to exceed Rat°s those charged to individuals; secondly, dmputches 011 telcgmpluc service; und, thirdly, private dispatches. Fonrtbly. The lines of any such cables shall be kept open to the pcb- Tr;r;¤¤:;¤10¤ ¤*` lic for the daily transmission of market and commermql reports and 111- '°P° - · telligence and all messages, dispatches, and cqmmumcatnons shall forwarded in the order in which they are reccwed, except as hereinbefore rovided. ` Before extending and establishing any such line or lines, or t A<i;=:p2::dw.;§:¤ i; cable or mbles, in or over any waters, reefs, islands, shores, and lands Semtm of Sum within the jurisdiction of the United States, a written acceptance of the terms and conditions imposed by this act shall be filed m the pince of the Secretary of State by the parties above named, or :1 majority of them, their associates, successors, or assigns, or by the company or mrpomtion which may be organized to construct and operate cables under this act.