The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-08-10
,ur POSTAL TELEGRAPH SYSTEM.

The popular mind is so fully engaged in
advancing political discussions, and forecast
inc Presidential chances, that few of our |
readers will be much interested in what |
should in no sense be considered party |
matter-the consolidation ofthe Telegraphic |
and Postal Systems of the United States
under one governmental management. This
consolidation has been in operation IN Great
Britain for two years, and the economic al
results, as shown by the annual report OF
Mr.. Scudamore, the superintendent OF the
British Post-ofiice Telegraphs, are so strik-
ingly displayed that we commend them to
the careful consideration of our readers,
especially business men. The estimates made
of the number of messages which would
be forwarded in one year, when the pro-
posed plan should go into complete opera
ton. was II $50, 900. The actual number
sent in the year ending March 81, 1872,
was Il, 473,79G, and the business is con-
ctantly and rapidly increasing, at a ratio OF
not less than thirty per cent, SO that the
be transmitted during the present year
will reach 16, 100000. i4 IT, 1Ia
These are all private messages; butpress
messages show an equally remarkable in IN I
crease. Under the old system 5000 words
was the daily average Of newspaper dis
patches during the session of Parliament !;
under the new system from 10000 to ILL.,
600 words have been sent in one day. %
The estimated income from private mes
sages for the current year is $4,625 900;
from press messages $237 100. In addi-
ton $243 $50 is expected from the rental
of wires and instruments leased to firms
and individuals for the convenience of their
private business, making a total in
come of So, 19G,050; to meet estima-
led expenditures, $3.50 900, leaving net
revenue 10 the Department of Sl,756,D5o.
This extraordinary development OF 5tele-
graphic business and its remarkable eco-
nomical results to the public, may be at
tributcd to several causes, the most promi-
nent Of which is the extension of lines te
every considerable village and business por-
ton Of each town in the United Kingdom
Then the postofiice having Offices already
established and agents in all these places
the additional duty of receiving and dis
patching Geographic messages entails yer,
slight additional expense. Increased bus
ness and reduced expenditures have enables
the postoffice telegraph to greatly reduc
the charges. Under the old system tn
average cost of messages sent from Man
chester aud Liverpool averaged htty-tw
cents under the new system the averag
cost is but twenty-six cents. .stn4 20
The charges for transmission are no
un form, or as near uniform as rates OF le
ter postage, and the certainty of speed
transmission makes the measure very al
tractive one to the public. a aasa
The experiment so fiercely opposed b
the existing companies, and of doabtede '
pediency by large majority of the publ
has proyeda grand success, and its adoptlt
in this country cannot long be postpone
Such vast organization of material force
and productive energy has involved immenl
labor as we'll as expense, and the great d
ficulty at first was to securesan adequa
supply Of reliable and efficient operator
To meet this demand schools have been,e
fablished in London and other towns, in
which candidates are admitted betweent
ages of fourteen and eighteen, after passi
satisfactory educational and medical exam
nations.
Another and somewhat novel diflicul
presented itself in arranging the day a
night work satisfactorily, so as to separi
the male and female operators; and q
Scudamore ventured upon what we dee
/" the hazardous experiment " of emplo