The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1869-01-22
The Proposed Union Of the Telegraph
and Postal System.
Paper by Mr.. OIton, President of the
Western Union Telegraph Company,
Laid before the House Commit
tee on Postofices.

WARRINGTON, ID. c., Jan. 2l.-Mr. Orton, presi.
dent OF the Western Union Telegraph Company,
laid before the House committee on pOstoffices,
to-day, paper on the proposed union of the tele.
graph aud postal system. This paper presents a
thorough ard exhaustive statement of the present
condition of the electric telegraph in Europe and
America. The company has evidently taken
great pains TO collect the most accurate infoTma-
ucn upon the subject, and the facts presented,
therefore. possess than ordinary interest and
value. The statistics show that there is a larger
Lumber Of telegraph Offices, 10 proportion to the
population, IN this country than any other in the
world. White in Europe there is but one tele-
graph Office for every forty.four thousand six
hundI ed and fity-one Of ifs inhabitants in the
United States there Ia one for every seven
thousand FIVE hundred and forty nine. The
total number Of kilograms transmitted
in Europe per annum, according to the
official reports, is eighteen million six hundred
and eiehty-three thousand, at an expense Of if-
teen million two hundred and eighty-sx thousand
dollars, the average cost being eighty-one and
hve-sxth cents per message The Western Union
Telegraph Company transmits ten million and
sixty.seYen thousand kilograms per annum at
cost Of five million seven hundred and thirtyeight
Thousand dollars, being an average of fifty seven
cents per message. The European statistics in.
clude inland, internal donal and transit messages
and thus presents larger number of kilograms
than are actually transmitted, and the same mes
sage is sometimes counted in several countries
while those Of the Western Union telegram Com.
=
traverse thousands Of miles In reaching their des i
nation. Making proper allowance for the da-
phcation in counting IN Europe, the sctual
number of dispatches sent was fourteen mil.
lion twelve thousand, at an average cost Of
one dollar nine cents each. In no country in Eq.
rope il the telegraphie administration connected
with the post office. In France and Spain the
telegraphs are under the control of the minister
OF the interior. In Russia Prussia and Italy they
belong TO the ministry of public works. In Bel.
eium the telegraph, railways and the post office
form general division under the minister of pub.
lie works, but are kept distinct In Austria the
administration of the telegrsphs and the post of.
fee were at one time united, but it was found ex-
pedieDt TO separate them In Switzerland the tele-
graphic organization is nearly the same as Prus.
sis. The post Office customs and private estab-
lisbmepts supply the elements Of an auxiliary
staff, but all the persons employed in the trans
mission OF telegrsms depend on the sdministra.
ton Of telegrsphs for their compensstions and
in the annual budget an appropriation is
made for that service distinct from
the post. An effort was made in
eighteen hundred and sixty-four to consolidate the
post snd telegraph service. but owing to the