The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1866-11-14
The Atlantic telegraph.

battery of fifty to work that from this city tc
Mobile The latter costs from twenty-five tc
thirty dollars, and must be renewed every
week. The same is true of most of the tele-
graph lines in this country, and the great ex-
pense of working them, in this item alone, can
readily be imagined. 1t is doubtful indeed
unless the wires be laid under ground, if the
insulation can be much improved 70 say
nothing Of the imperfect structure of the wires.
they are now stretched from tree to tree OF
pole to pole, all Of which are more or less con-
ductors Of electricity, and the electrical force
is, to that extent, necessarily lessened. The
Atlantic cable, however, shows what can be
done 1t is even stated that a battery no
larger than lady's thimble is capable OF
sending a message across the Atlantic. The
battery expenses, therefore, are comparatively
nothing. After the cable is twisted and laid
there would appear to be but little expense
whatever in working it. A small corps of
operators at either terminus is all that is need
ed, and their labor cannot be half as exacting
or yeXatious AS that Of operators on tile Mobile
line
From the LIST Of November, yesterday, the
charges on messages by the Atlantic telegraph
will be only one-half what they have been.
Were it not for the immense expenditures in
cured in various unsuccessful experiments,
the rates might be reduced to those Of an
overland telegraph and even less; for the lat
ter, on account of imperfect insulation and
consequent loss of electrical force, is necessa-
rily worked BY expensive relays The old
company raised and expended no less snm
than six millions Of dollars. The capital Of
the present company is three millions, and by
the condition on which the money was raised
eight per cent. is 70 be paid on certain prefer
ence shares and four per cent on ordinary
stock, besides $500 in a lump, annually
secured to the working company. These con-
tracts. which had their origin in early failures
and the difficulty Of raising money to prose-
cute the enterprise, viii probably keep up the
rates 10 figures which viii place the usefulness
Of the cable for a long time beyond the reach
of any but very wealthy people and corpora
TONS
The imperfect connections with the CONNER
cial world on this side, however, have thus
far had the effect Of lessening the possible
revenues Of the company. They have, also,
up to this time refused all messages of less
value than 300. It is to be hoped when
the connections on this side shall have been
made perfect and the line been opened to all
messages, whatever their length, so as to en-
iov the patronage Of all classes of people, the
rates can still further be reduced Even I'M
der present Disadvantages the average earn
ings have been upwards Of five thousand dol
lars a day. One day they reached ten thou
sand. The average would make an income Of
81, $4,000 annually, for be it remembered
the Atlantic cable is not subject to changes of
weather lis working is neither affected by
wind nor storm but carried on every day and
night and hour Of the year. Half that sum
at present rates would be 1912 500. But the
London Times assures us that each cable is
capable Of transmitting fifteen words minute,
and the two together thirty, making a total of
Is, 768, 600 words in the 500 days Of a year.
IF this be true the two cables are capable Of
earning $50, 420, 600 annually according to
the present reduced rates of charges-S2 so
a word-an enormous and unparalleled profit.
Even at ten cents word, the annual earn
ings would be ST ,576 800, enough to satisfy
all the Improbable contracts made during the
early years of experiment, and yet bring a
very large revenue to the company. These
calculations, it is true, are very much like the
PouItryman's, who, counting up, in advance,
The eggs lis hens and their progeny would
lay il the course Of the year. made no al
lowance for rooster chickens. But even al
lowing that the two cables will only transmit
fifteen words q minute-half what we are
assured they are capable of-and that they
are worked only half the time, the profits must
still, at present reduced rates, be enormous
In view of the high character of the gentle
wonderful enterprise, in the interest ofciviIsa-
ton, we look for another and great reduction
Of charges SO soon as the connections are
made perfect on this side, and the usefulness
of the cable is opened to all classes of people
New Orleans Pcayune