The New York herald., 1868-04-20

TO the rule being that Of postal communication.
WITH the consent and appreciation 81 the the country country
ment and he submitted that telegraphic communicac
tIon and postal communication might be considered
vided for correspondence between persons at dis
tance, ana the only dtDeresce acas t'a the mode or
principle that the monopoly which had succeeded so
well In the regard to the conveyance OF letters
might be % stsoS 20 soSceea esa Is ws
He was not aware OF any objection TO mono
poly in one case which would not hold good In
the other. In reply to those who asked for what
reason the change was proposed, he replied, first,
that this country was behind others in the matter or
teegrams to letters was far less in this country than
in Belgium and Switzerland In 1860 Ia Belgium the
proportion was one telegram to 2lS letters; IN Swzer-
land 1t one to S4; and in the United Kingdom was
one to 2s6. In 1868 the proportions were-in Belgium
one to ia; in Switzerland one to "a; in the United
Kingdom one to 1877. In 1865 they were-in Belgium
one to 81; in Switzerland one to 90; and the United
Kingdom one to l2l. The increased proportion OF
kilograms to letters in Belgium in 1863 was attrbuta.
BILE to reduction Of the tariff from sf. to IT,. ana
the further increase in 1866 was due TO reduction
OF charge from franc TO half franc per message.
These figures showed that we had been suffering
here fr0na a high rate for teegraphc communica.
ton. II we were equally favored In the matter OF
charges the prohaoity y was u that our proporoan
especially as we were more likely to use the
teIegraphic communication within our reach, be-
the longer distances In this country would re-
present greater saving Of time In teegraphy COM
pared with communication by letter. Our present
system dld not SatlSfactlOn 10 the
world: Last year deputation from the Associated
Chamber Of Commerce waited upon the Postmaster
General and himself at the Treasury to present me-
mortal upon this subject, and they had also pc
| titiOned the House OF Commons. They complained
Of high rates. veXati0ns delays the inaccurate rem
derng OF messages and the absence Of telegraphic
| communication in whole districts. The rates for
| messages were as foows-One hundred miles and
under, Is for twenty words; from 100 to 200 miles,
1s 3d.; over 200 miles, 2s between Great Britain and
Ireland As. In other countries the rates for twenty
| words were as follows:-France 600 miles, Is Sd. (;
Prussia, 100 miles, Is. 3d.; Belgium, 100 miles, 3D.
| Switzerland 200 miles, sd. Under the present system
OF private administration in this country there was
were fp four telegraph Companies which had to pay
dividends to shareholders, besides railway companies
| which conveyed messages The cost OF working the
telegraph system was greater than 1t would be II IL
in one hand-that OF the State; and If the sys-
tenn Of teegraphing were made the monopoly Of the
Postmaster General, he lcould be a6le TO arork at
loooer rates than tie companies owing to the short
ness OF the time at his disposal he now passed TO the
provisions Of the BILL which was not compulsory In
| Its terms 1t proposed to give the Postmaster
| General power to buy up the undertaking OF
| any company in the United Kingdom AS 1t was OBJ
vious that the Postmaster General were to acquire
one or two undertakings, he would be able injuri-
ously to affect the others not so purchased, 1t was
provided that in case ne purchased one, any OF or
to purchase their Undertakings by arbitration Some
OF the railway companies, either themselves or by
their lessees, worked wires in the conduct OF their
own business and also on behalf of the public. IL
| was thought that some of the railway companies
| would be unwilling to relinquish the use or their
wires for their own purposes; while II government
| competition were established they would lose the
| pront which they have acquired from conveying
messages for the public lt was therefore provided
i'll the case of such companies that they should be
| able TO compel the Postmaster General to buy up
their right to convey messages for the public and
that would be leaving them in the same position as
regards profit and loss they would be under exist
| ing arrangements. The power to compel the Post
master TO acquire undertakings was to be limited TO
| period of twelve months, either from the passing
of the act the acquisition Of the first undertaking.
| AS it was now within minute of quarter 10 six,
/ honorable
| for leave to bring in the bill
| Mr.. MILNER GIBSON rose to ask question, but the
| quarter struck before 1t could be answered.
Leave was given to bring in the bill, and 1t was
subsequently brought In and read q second time