The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-08-12
How the European Lines Are Placed
at the Disposal Of the People.
ADVANTAGES OF CHEAP 1ELEeRApHy
Cost Of Construction of Lines at
the Other Side Of the Atlantic.


LONDON, July Is, 1872.
me western Union Telegraph Company has made
an appeal to the British public for loan OF
$l5OOOOO Subscriptions are solicited by means OF
prospectus which has been issued In behaf OF the
company, setting forth In glowing terms the pros
porous condition OF teegraphic enterprise The
document asserts that, while having absorbed
nearly all the competing lines, the company pos
monopoly Of the vast Geographic business OF
the United States. AS a further induCement to
subscribers much stress s laid on the fact that the
United States government by act Of Congress- &C
Quiredthe right to order the purchase OF the tele
graph lines. In the event OF the administration
avaihng of the option 1t Is stated that at must re-
suit in the company receiving very large sum for
the surrender Of its privileges" and, continues
the prospectus, ut will be seen, therefore" that
'under the circumstances" the investment proves
exceedingly valuable"
AN EXCEPTIONALLY DESIRABLE INVESTMENT.
This eminently patriotic appeal has received the
endorsement Of financial concern in London,
trading under the style and title Of Grant Brothers
4 Co. These gentlemen say that they have no hesI-
tatiOn In recommending the bonds as an exoep.
tionally desirable investment.
ENORMOUS TELEGRAPHIC RATES IN THE UNITED
STATES.
In the month Of May last French Geographic
journal published letter authorized by the West
ern Union Company, demonstrating that in the
year ending December 81, 1870, there were trans
united 9,333, 327 messages, and that the revenue
derived therefrom amounted to s7,454,062 In the
year following Qs7I 11,507,729 messages were
transmitted over the companys wires, the receipts
having been $685. 1877. To judge from these fig
ures il would appear that the American people are
taxed to an enormous extent for the privilege Of
enjoying Geographic facilities. According to the
companys own showing the average cost of a mes.
sage has been as fOllows:-In 1870, seventy-fve
cents per message; in 1871, slxty-eight cents per
message.
Whenever the question of postal telegraphs has
been brought before the United States Congress
attempts have been made to place in doubt the
veracity of statements regarding European tee.
graphy, and especially those statements which had
reference TO tarin rates have been called seriously
into question. It has been boldly asserted that the
average rate charged per mile in the United States
docs not exceed the rate charged In Europe. The
error OF this assertion has been repeatedly ex-
posed and my previous letters on the subject Of
tarns must have utterly annihiated the belief that
the people Of the United States are as well served
as those Of Continental Europe in regard to cheap
end popular means Of telegraphy.
THE UNITED STATES AND EUROPE COMPARED.
The following table shows the rates paid from
Warrington to other cities In the Union for mes
sage Of ten words, address free, compared with
the tarin rates paid like distances when trans.
mitted from Paris TO other European cities for
twenty words inclusive Of address,
THE UNITED STATES.