The Express.
London, England, 1848-03-18 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, SATURDAY EVENING, MARCH 18, 1848.

regulated, he might become an authority with every Chan
oelkr of the Exchequer, more to he relied on than mere
mercantile Bank directors, who, if not ignorant, are gen.:-
rally narrow-minded, prejudiced, and interested. Besides,
with a proper sense of economy, and the power to enforce
his views, it is incalculable hew much money he might save
to the country.
The siaatile feet that the machitery of the Mint, with one
exception, we believe stands now precisely as it stood more
than thirty years ago, in spite of all the immense strides
which skill ■nd invention have made in mechanical science,
and in spite of all the efforts made in other countries to
simplify and improve the arts connected with coining, is a
significant instance of how much essential good might &rile
from such an office.

la the evidence printed in the Mint report, the machinery
of the Mint is more than once called " stupendous," but,
on inquiry, we find this peat, stupendous result originates
in three small stearn.euginee—one of 30, one of 16, and one
of lfthorse power ; so that we must consider the description
somewhat exaggerated.
We should likewise suggest the creation of another office
of great importance to our plan, or the adaptation of one of
the existing offices to that end—namely, a comptroller, or
superintendent of all the practical operations, who should
attend in person, and not by deputy, exercise vigilance aid
authority, promote discipline and regularity, correct all
abuses, and insist upon carefulness, attention, and economy
in every quarter. By his personal attendance and practical
knowledge, he would not only supervise the operations in a
general way, hut daily examine the books, and satisfy him-
' self of the correctness of every transaction. And upon these
conditions being faithfully fulfilled, we cannot doubt his
salary, however liberal, would be amply repaid.
In the creation of these &Bees, we are of course assuming
that the present system of centreets be entirely abolished,
and that the permanent Master of the Mint take the work
into his own hands, and under his own control end manage-
ment. This is the idea now predominant, and it ap-
pears to have also entered into the minds of some members
of the former committee. Whether this coo be equitably
done at once, in consideration of extant rights and agree-
ments, is • question we cannot undertake to answer •
Tier do we care, for our &Nervations are directed
rather to the future than the present. We can
have no wish to deprive the present officers
of any emoluments secured to them—our remarks not con-
cerning individuals, but &Ibsen and systems—but as times
and gessoes concur in a reform of the Mint, as in other
cases, we anticipate any change will be fur the public good;
and that whatever may be done, should be done effec-
tually. If not sixpence could be saved in the expense
of tioinage, the introduetiun of a better system of in-
ternal government would amply recompense the labour.
It the contract system upon • full and deliberate in-
quiry were found the best and safest for all concerned,
yet it does not follow it may not be changed, in
some of the details, with great advantage to the public,
in point of economy. Ihe contract system, and the
existence of a corporate body, or partners enjoying
equal privileges, have no necessary connexion. A
cintract, it is obvious, might as effectually subsist with
one or two contractors as with five, six, or seven. An ex-
ample is, indeed, offered in the melter's department, where
there is only one contractor, though ho may be required to
employ, occasionally, one or more extra clerks or aesistante.
But, according to the system of partuers, what is the conse-
quence ? Wray, the public must pay six or seven very large
iecomes, instead of one or two ; and give thousands to
supernumeraries where as many hundreds would be ample.
The profits are occasionally very large; they appear to us
enormous,judging by the annual payments; and by dividing
them amengst a considerable number the income of each is
thereby reduced, but the publicgaiu nothing by thejuggle. We
cannot see, or understand, on what principle an arrangement
of this kind can be maintained er justified. Whereas, by em-
ploying one or two permanent contractors, at a lower tales
with assistants en moderate salaries, we can understand very
well how • very great saving might accrue to the public, mil
yet leave the contracting parties as well off as before.
It has been asserted that the principle of the "company "
is to make the young work for the old, which, at tho first
glance, appears very humane and considerate ; but we
aro afraid it is humanity purchased at the public
cost, and, in a measure, corroborates what we said
on • former occasion. For, supposing the young
men in training, at the end of seven years, to
become part of the body corporate, the seniors,
who may not have reached old age, give place to young and
vigorous blood, spend the rest of their days in ease and quiet,
while in this inactive state they receive, their full share of
the profits. Thus, of the seven in the hive, four may, end
do, become drones, as we asserted before. This sort of ar-
rangement is no doubt • very pleasant and humane one, but
if we were to apply to the moneyers the rule of government
offices generally, as to illness, old age, and long service, we
should have reason to dispute the equity of the case.
The circumstance of the re-coinage of silver in 1816
may have necessitated additional bands, but surely it is
not necessary, nor yet wise, that they should become part-
ners, and share the profits equally with the older mem-
bers. Where shill we find a manufacturing lirni, which
on a sudden flush of busiuess requires assistance, and out of
each person so employed a partner is created for life, to enjoy
hereafter equal rights and privileges ?
We are, therefore, still puzzled why the moncyers should
keep up their number, as they do ; and we are equally sur-
prised that the government have not before adopted steps to
cheek the facility of taking apprentices, which would by
degrees lowa the evil, and ultimately lead to a reduction of
the rates of coinage, and that without affecting the emolu-
ments of the remainder.

ELECTRIC TELEGRAPHS IN NORTH
AMERICA

From an article on the telegraph of Professor
Morse, furnished by Charles 'l'. Cheater, Esq., for Silliman's
Jwirnal, we select the following interesting information:
E ich line has its termini, generally giving name to the
company that owns and governs it. Intermediate are
stations," varying in number and importance with the
length of the line. It matters not how many of these sta-
tions are interposed, provided the arrangements for the in-
troduction of the wire at each secure its insulation. No per-
ceptible difference in the current would result were 50 or
100 of these interpcsed on a well insulated line. On one of
the lines 16 are included in the circuit, each of which can
unite to each or all the others—each receiver preserving •
closed circuit while the transmitting operator manipulates
with his key. Of course but one writes at a time,
The business of the offices is conducted by operators,
copyists, bookkeepers, battery-keepers, messengers, and in-
spectors or repairers. Messages to be transmitted are re-
ceived, pre-patd, the price estimated by a tariff, whose
elements are the distance transmittal and the number of
words; thei average rate being 2i cent, for ten words 100
miles. These messages vary in value from 10 cents. to 100
dollars. Messages thus recoivod are filed according to des-
tination, and sent in order of reception u nearly as the busi-
ness of the line admits. As a general rule, the stations are
written to in rotation, commencing with the most distant ;
the time used in performing the circuit varying, of course,
with the amount of business and the condition of the wires.

In the economy of our lines the number of intermediate
offices is of advantage, if their management is competent, so
they facilitate the discover! and repair of difficulties and
breaks, a consideration rendered important hitherto by the
weakness of our structures. Each office has its peculiar call
or signal, to which, when the line is in order, an immediate
response is expected. Tints la expresses New York. The
sound is so familiar as instantly to arrest the operator's at-
tention, though he should be at a distance from the instru-
ment. Thus the American telegraph is phonetic—it appeals
to two senses. Lung messages have been faithfully recorded
from attentive listening to the peculiar sound of the instru-
ment. There are systems of abbreviations too, many ordinary
words and sentences being expressed by a single letter or
numeral. By the aid of these and a quick ear, convents-
tion may be carried on between operators with wonderful
celerity.
To the skilful operator, the little brass instrument b^-
comes an articulate creature; it not only conveys his written
thoughts, but expresses his pausing emotions. He detects
the individual with whom he converses, and can recognise
the effect of his own conversation as producing pleasure,
vexation, or indifference. In business correspondence, too,
abbreviations render the transmission so rapid that an or-
dinary penman fails to keep pace with it. On one occasion,
with no allowance (or repetition or delays, twenty-five thou-
sand letters were transmitted in an hour and a holt; by the
aid of two instruments and wire, about three average
columns. That the actual business capabilities of the wires
may be better understood, the brief statistics of a single day's
business at one office may not be uninteresting.
Two wires were at work, one through 200, the other
through 600 miles. Four hundred and fifty private mes-
sages were sent or received, comprising every variety of
business and information. The average length of these
messages was twenty-five chargeable words, in addition to
address, &.7. Beside these, three entire hours were occupied
in :ransositting market and other intelligence, fir publica-
tion, abbreviated so above. The line was pretty actively
employed for sixteen hours, and being in good order, sixty
or more messages were transmitted in rotation, without a
word of repetition. A numerical statement of the operations
of the telegraph can give, however, But a faint idea either
of their importance or value. It should be considered that •
the invention is used or'y in cases of urgency and impart-
ance—ita receipt' are not like those of other nosiness, a
tritl%nre per cent ige on previous outlay.
For some time it, was supposed impossible to work two
independent wires ; experience has proved that the inability !
lay solely an the ituperi'ee:ion of sttuetures. Two copper I
ways have work-d independently and well through issru
miles. The iron wire is expect-d to work equally well
through twice the distance. [Two iron wires have worked
independently and separately at the same time, through sOn
miles. The superiority of iron to copper has been fully I
proved,—Additional note.] No mutual influence is exerted
by the two currents. Some careful experiments, made with
a view t t a-virtain whether a secondary current might nut
be induced in one wire Iron the primary current in the
other, proved conclusively that no appreciable etlet:s coca
be treed on either from env arrangement of the other with
relation to battery or ground.
li
Rain, snow, &c , act as disturb is influences with less ,
power than wou'd be supposed, but in proportion to the ea-
ellen e o 7 insulation ' • since et times, duncg revere storms,
lines have work: d wet, through their entire extent, and at
. a light shower cuts off even the nearest stout'''.
Aside from the -nemerated difficulties, there is one which
CP probably it' ways act temporarly and to some extent. I
Du.:ng thunder stairs, elevated nietellic conductors afford
ing fur the nigh ring a p • 'age to the earth, the wires will
often became so changed, that the dual in its passage en-
cou ite,ing the small wire of the re, eddig magnet as an
obtActe, wi%l dart off to the nereest and largastoonductor, or
melt the smaller wire. Or, if less of the fluid be present, its
magnetic effects will be disclosed in the ins -meets,
ductng on them a spasmodic effect.

To remedy or prevent such effects, two natruments, simple
enough in idea and co na action, have been devised. The
one consists of a met silk globe, surrounded with a ring of
metal, presenting to the globe a number of sharp points.
The ring is adjustable, so as to bring the points in the closest
possible proximity to the globe and yet prevent contact. It
'cereals, need be added that the globe is thrown into the
main circuit (the current entering by a large, and passing
out by a very fine wire) : the ring is connected with the
ground.
The other arrangementcannot be well understood without
the aid of a drawing. The main wire, before corning to the
ir.strumenu, connects the helices of the receiving wallet
ith the upright lever. The right standard connecting with
the ground, when the atmospheric current charges the mag-
net the armature is attracted, the lever brought in contact
and the current passes off to the earth. In this way both,
dynamical and atmospherical currents are "turned out of
doors."
_ _

The following lines are completed From New York to
Carmel, Poughkeepsie, iiudeon, Troy, Albany, Schenectady,
Little Fells, Utica, Rome, Syracuse, Auburn, Geneva, Can-
andaigua, Rochester, and Buffalo, 509 miles; from Troy
to Saratoga, 36 miles; from Auburn to Springport, Ithaca
and Elmira, 34 miles • from Ithaca to Oswego and Bing-
hampton, 46 miles; miles;
Buffalo to Lockport, 20 miles;
from Buffalo to Niagara and Chippewa, C. West, 12
miles; from Buffalo to Queenstown, St. Catherine's, Ham.
ilton and Toronto, C. West, 150 miles; from Buffalo to
Erie, Ashtabula, Cleveland, Sandusky City, Toledo, Mon-
roe, Detroit, 350 miles ; from Hamilton to Dundas, Wood-
stock, and London, C. W., 75 miles ; from Toronto, to
Oshawa, Port Hopo, Coburg, Belleville, Kingston, Brook-
Title, Prescott, Cornwall, and Mi,ntreal, C. W., 376 miles;
from Montreal to Berthier, Three River., and Quebec, C.
East, 180 miles; from New York to New Brunswick,
Princeton, Trenton, Philadelphia, Wilmington, Havre de
Grace, Baltimore, and Wsehiagton, D. C., 224 miles.
From Washington to Georgetow a Alexandria, Fredericks-
burgh, Richmond, and Petersburg:l, 175 miles. From Phi-
ladelphia to Lancaster, Harrisburg, Carlisle, Chambers-
burg, Bedford, and Pittsburgh, Pa., 296 miles. From
Philadelphia to Port Richmond, Pa., Reading, and Potts-
ville, 106 miles. From Lancaster to Columbia and York,
Pa., 25 miles. From Pittsburg to Wellsville, New Lisbon,
Massillon, Akron, and Cleveland, 130 miles. From Pitts-
berg to Wheeling, Wellsville, Zaneoville, Columbus, Lep-
ton, sad Cincinnati, 120 miles. From Cincinnati to Law-
renceburg, Madison, 0., Louisville, Viocennes, and St.
Louis, 3n6 miles. From Columbus to Chillicothe, 0., 46
miles. From New York to Stamford, Bridgepirt, New
Haven, Hartford, Springfield, Worcester, and Boston, 237
miles. From Boston to Salem, Newberyport, and Port.
Ind, 74 miles. From Boston to Lowe'', 26 miles. From
Chicago to ?dilwaukie, 90 miles.
The lines in progress or contempla9od, are from Peters-
burg, Va., to Raleigh, Fayetteville, N. C., Cherry, Cam-
den, Columbus, Charleston, S. C. Augusta, Savannah,
Columbus, Gu., Franklin, Montgomery, Mobile,
Ala., New Orleans, 1,127 miles. Detroit to Chicago, 260
miles. Bridgeport to Montreal, 300 miles. Norwich to
Worcester, 85 miles. From Wilmington, Del., to the
Delaware Breakwater. From Saratoga to Whitehall, Rut-
land, Montpelier, and Burlington, Vt., 150 miles.
Lines are also contemplated from Macon, Ga., to Florida;
Macon to Tennessee, and from St. Louis to New (Means,
over 2,000 miles.
..... .