The Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1860-07-27 00:00:00

THE ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.

To any one who looks a little a-head it must be
evident that, in the progress of scientific inven-
tion, we have not yet derived from this wonder-
ful agent one-twentieth of the advantages which,
when its itse is more widely extended, we shall
ultimately enjoy. We feel confident, indeed, that
in a few years every street and district of our
large cities will be more or less linked together by
the wonderful wire; and the telegraph will be
applied for social and domestic intercourse to an
extent now difficult to conceive. As it will beat
in point of despatch that other admirable institu-
tion, the Post-office, the day may possibly arrive
when it will also successfully compete with it
.in
point' of cheapness.

We have. been led into these reflections by

serving that a prOspectUs has been issued of the
linited, Kingdom Electric Telegraph. Company
fir introducing a system of electric conimunica-
fon on the Post-office principle of a uniform
ifiarge, irrespectiVe of distance. The rate pro-
iosed is- a shilling for a short message to any part
if the United Kingdom. The capital of the
3ompany is to be L 160,000, in shares or fos each.
On Wednesday . a Parliamentary- return was
issued, which contains some interesting informa-
tion as to the Electric Telegraph Companies at
present in existence. It appears from this docu-
ment that twenty-eight companies have• been
incorporated either by act of Parliament or Royal
charter, ten of which only are in operation. With
respect to the others, the return states that some
of theni are " not known; letter returned' by
poSt-ofhce." One has been wound up, 'and with
respect to theothers, " no information " has been

received, or they have been suspended or are in
abeyance.
The EleLtric and International Telegraph Company
have an authorised capital of 41,148,000, -of which
£527,855 been raised since 1846. In 1861 the
gross revenue was £49,866,-and the-dividend 6 per cent.
per annum; in 1857 it was £180,734, and the dividend
8 per cent. per annum; in 1858 it Was £177,638,
and_ the
_dividend 61 per -. cent. per annum ; and
in 1859 it was £201,674, and the dividend
per cent. per annum, la. the year• 18.50 -the ium-
ber, of miles in operation was 13,906, the number of
stations opened 257, and the number of messages sent
64,734 ; and in 1859 the number of miles in operation
was 62,429, the number of stations opened 562; and ;the
number of messages `sent 1,025,263. The persons em-
ployed in 1854 were 1,281, and in 1859 1,594:. At the
present time, the tariff ie--.Within the metropolis, Is. ;
Within a circuit of c 0 miles, Is. 6d.; ditto 100 miles;
2s:;" dit.f.o)so miles, :35.; beyond 140 miles; 4s. ; to or
from. Dublin, ss. ; and half the rate for every additional
10 words or fraction of 10 words, or 3d. per extra word
beyond 20, at the oPtion'of the sender.

With respect to the Red Sea and India Telegraph
Compan:Y, it is stated that the company
,W 215 formed in
August,' 1858, under the sToint-stocii.. Companies-Act,
and incorporated by a special act of parliament in July,
1850.. The present capital is £BOO,OOO, in 4,000 shares
of £2o'eachit of Which £7l/0,000 has been called up. Of
this amount £15,000 has, been paid for concessions,
£lB,OOO for the necessary buildings, &c., for the
stations up to :this time, and the remainder
etpenaed in the constrnction and,layingßf a telegraph
between Alexandria and Kurrachee. The line Veing
not yet open to the public, no account of annual
receipts and expenditure can .be givenr,orof messages
sent. The shareholders have, however, received three
payments of interest, under an agreement with the
Treasury, by which 41 per cent. is guaranteed for fifty
fears on the paid-up capital (not to exceed £1,000,000).'
The line consists of 220 miles of -land line between
Alexandria and Sttezi and 3,048.mi1es of siihruarino line
from Suez to kurracb.et, with Ave intermediate stations.
The staff tO'be employed has not been at present fully
decided .upon. On. the opening of the line, it is pro-
posed,to fix the _tariff at £4 10s; for a single message of
thirty words'.

- ,
The etateriielits respecting the. Sdbmarine. Telegraph
Company between Great Britain and the continent of.
Europe, show that the present total capital of the com-
pany:is £340,000.. The receipts for 1852 were £4,632,
the expenditure £1,922, and. the dividend 6 per cent.
per annum. Dividends of 7,7 f, and 8 per -cent haVe
been Paid, and in 1559 the receipts were £26,995, the
expenditure £14,121, and the dividend at the rate of 6
per cent. per annual. The number of miles in operation
in 1932 wag 96, and the number of messages sent 3;049 ;
and in 1859 the number of miles Open was 2,366, and
the messages sent 122,969. This company is in com-
munication with all the telegraph stations on the Con-
tinent, amounting to upfraids Of 3,000

Under -the.-head of "British and Irish Magnetic
Telegraph Company " we find thit the amount expended
up to the date of the prehase cf the British. Telegraph
Company, incorporated by royal charter in April, 1854,
upon works, patents, &c., was £284,847, and that the
amount similarly expended by the British Telegraph
Company was £297,130. Since then above £lOO,OOO
haVe also been expended. The dividends paid in 1867
were at the tate of 51 per cent. on Class A, 7 per cent.
on Clan B, and 4i per cent. on Class C shares ; in 1858
the dividends on these shares were 6, 7,-and-4 per cent.,
and in 1859, 41, 7, and 4 per cent. In 1867 the num-
ber of miles of line in operation was 3,441, and in 1859,
4,197. The message's transmitted in 1857 were 423,772,
and in 1859, 550,168. The number of persona einplotect
at-tile end of 1859 was 1,044.