The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-12-21
Postal TeIegraphy.

One of the strongest arguments IN favor
of postal telegraphy in this country is fur
nished by the history and success OF the
system in Great Britain. From q personal
| inspection we feel warranted IN asserting
that the report made by the Hon. Frank
Ives Scudamore upon the government tele-
| graphic system is an ample Justification OF
the measure. Among the very satisfactory
results of the system, so recently adopted
under peculiar difficulties and dlsadvall-
| tages, the financial result Is, perhaps, the
most conspicuous. This result OF the mea-
sure which Mr.. Scudamore has labored so |
zealously to carry through IS expressed IN
the British Finance Accounts for the fiscal |
wear ended March 81, 1871, substantially |
as follows: The gross amount received
for the transmission of telegraphic mes-f
sages. &C., in cash and postage stamps, was |
997l .2l5 lbs. 114d. the payments
out were e273,2s1 lis. 3d., leav-
| ing the net produce of revenue
from the Geographic service $685.
933 los. Sd. Computing the pound
sterling at $4.S6, we get as the net reye-
nue. 81, 39I ,95S. 43 in American gold, which
is equivalent to SO, 1902 1886 40 i'll paper cur
rency. estimating gold to be at premium
of l2.l, which was the average premium on
gold for the first eleven months OF the year
| 1871, according to the report of Secretary
Boutwell,.
The adoption of a measure, which has
resulted in such great gains to the, British
public, is certainly worthy OF the serious
consideration of American statesmen. And
we claim, furthermore, that the question OF
postal teegraphy is OF vital consequence to
the people of this country, not only IN
itself. but from it's bearing ON the question
, of governmental management OF monopo-
lies.
We may state as a matter of history that
,, the total amount of stock created under the
| telegraph act of 1863, for the purchase OF
the Geographic system of the United hing1
dom during 1870, was e7,OoO,O0O, for
which money value of GG, 4o7 ,662 was
received. 1t is significant fact that the
, British Government has now IN Its
i hands sum OF money borrowed from
! private citizens, through the postoiiice
! Savings banks, amounting to more than
: seyenty-fiye millions Of dollars, for winch
, it paws interest at the rate of only q per
i cent. per annum, and it has been borrowing
i money at this rate and in,this way for more
+ than ten wears. In 1870 it invests G6 ,4ol )
: 6G2 in the postal telegraph, and during the
: first year realizes on tins investment .
a clear profit of 9697 1888 les. Sd, winch +
q very nearly eleven per cent. OF the Original
n capital.
! Under all the circumstances attending thu
+ Inauguration of the postal telegraph II
e Great Britain, the yield OF net revenue o
d nearly four millions OF dollars IN our cur
reHcy during the first year OF its operation
3 may, indeed, be regarded as a trlumpha,n
Il success. If our British cousins can max
| IL - a., tbatt
=. ING SO remunerative, convenient and eco
+ nomical. NAV not we, the forty millions o
rs people. directly or indirectly affected b.
Is the present Geographic monopolies, we
If consider the propriety of taking this bus
O. ness into our own hands and conducting
" through an agency subject to our contro
t. viz: the government? Wewould certainl
ne find it more profitable than to submit
e. the comparative extortions of private con
.d panies.
err When we take all the facts into considel
u alton the large extention of the lines
ad places of minor Importance which HAY
n never before enjoyed Geographic facilities
k the reduction OF the rates charged Tor Oh
ly transmission of messages to about tw'
%. thirds of what they were under the prlya
re- companies which formerly conducted Il
sci business the increase of the habit OF tel
no graphy the additional facilities afforded
", newspapers for the prompt supplying
zee their readers with Intelligence; the pro-
zen to the British people of nearly eleven p
: a cent, on the actual cost of the lines, WIFI
err thew can borrow money at two and hs
ity and three per cent, by pledging their n
tional credit. together with other conslde
I. atoms, they vindcate the wisdom OF t
Of transfer beyond the possibility of lrespef
ion full cavil.