New-York tribune., 1873-01-18
GOVERNMENT g. TELEGRAPH.
from Page Eleven.
anita rer ,nrd In his commnnicatOn on this suhiect

This conclusion is founded upon tho test OF the prac
teal use of the cipher adopted which shows that II
ss more expensive than the originally adopted and
the new cipher was introduced on the LIST OF January
last shall also recommend that the increased shall
be applied from and after that date"
Although this opinion bears date May 1872, neither
the compensation at the rate named therein. nor any
compensation whatever, has been received by the Com
paDy for the period during which the cipher has
been in operation, nor for the three months next pre-
Cedng.' -,
The change from two to three cents per word is spoken
of as an increase Of fifty per cent and without explains
tion the impression NAV be conveyed that sueh an III
asked and allowed. As mater " - 20, ~
however, there increase Of compensation & w the
change from two cents TO three cents per word Iol
reason that II required LONGER h Iae ~ The niItmum
number OF words IN the original cipher IaIstl'Ieu % @
daily over any Of the circuits was -: ents The mini
word the Company would receive - Genus he nants
mum Of the new cipher 81 words AZ tnree cTh hi
Per word the daily product onI S1o Ser cent vet
The wires were occupied an average OF from nNe 70 &
per cent longer each Gay III o. % tbe new c
new cipher than "A OF the old Inc use o .s ne Toes
pher increased considerably the number OF tn
sages required 10 correct errors TesuH HitSont com
artistic construction and these were sS The Managers
pensaton as stipulated in the agreement tnv on dis
Of the Company do not desire 10 ese The illustration
cussion OF the subject Of the rdes, ircit was oc-
submtted showing the time particular hrsor oses
% tore il NAV appear to have in the presence OF
the following statement or Iacts oo.h % January
e signal service business for he moR1n m W i,i
,s5 az hc rafe of two cents per word for eac crcut,
WOuld nav the Company $500 IN year. n " % . ~
scyyice were charged at the rates established py le
ter General for other government messages
that h 10 say. cent per woId ioI Saoh VI %
rnffea WOu
Tates charged the public the same service "ouu "ou'
70 s445S2l. - ...,..,. -, .,o roronon, is
from general business at average rates a, -. .,o
M has repeatedly demonstrated that II costs the
bHsness II signal Office business costs only the aver
Ce OF an business 1t would yield the average pro-,
its But Signal ONCE Reports have paid less than nan
the rate, ana cost more than lie
transmit; precisely how much more has not Deeh sleu
for the reason that is not possible 70 ascertain Ines
reports mOnopOize not merely wires ana ccuts puV W
ts the whole system of circuits large portions OF
In fupg one Of
not ONLY the actual expense for specnc service
d9nsge Tesnlfing from other business being delayed.
Eor evcrv operatOr employed in sending aud receiving
signal REPORTS 10 sometimes happened Jhat tWo MOuIu
ne idie because their wires were taken TO make the
s,cia circuit When President OF one OF the most
Important Railroad Companies IN the country VIII state
the cost each Of carrying limited number OF passengers
bv secaI train three times day, such trains TO nave
orty over ali others the service to begin AT the same
6our each day and continue daily for YEAR then the
of this Company will undertake TO show tnat
ihe cost OF precisely similar service 10y the Telegraph
is certainly greater than sending ordinary messages III
ON page 1855 Of the Annual Report Of the Chief SIGNAL
Ocer to secretary of War for the nsea year ended
Jnne SO 1871 is table which exhibits the rates then
charged by al the Telegraph Companies from Washing
Tor 10 rs OF the most important telegraph stations In the
United States and also comparison between the rates
charged the public and sthose fixed by the Posmaster
General on Government business for single messages
and for messages of 100 words The comparison Is as
hyce rate paid by the public per message, 50 90
The same message, at Government rate, VI 25 For 100
words paid 10y the public, s3 Vs. by the Govern
Concerning this exhibit the Chief Signal ofoer re-
ma
an average saving to the United states beyond what
had been paid previously IN the case 0i te shOter mes
sage classified as above Of 45 per IN the longer
the United when the number OF words exceeds 4O
this conclusion is Justified by the exhibit Is not
auestioned But something more appears 10 be proven
than Is contained in the statement quoted III the cost Oh
ornary Teegraphc business is 20 per cent OF the gross
receipts al the average rates pad oy pilvste el1 ~
follows that part least OF the saving 10 the united
Siates which resulted from the reduction OF - per cent
IN the rates for Government messages hauS ~ tne
master General at the expense OF the telegraph
Companies, who performed the service iof the Uhteu
States at rates below the average cost.
IN seems proper TO remark in this connection, that
although the table referred 10 Ia the report
Of the Chef signal Officer fairly exhibits the
advantages which the Government derives over
an eTroneons impression Of the average rates
actually para. If Washington sends the same number OF
messages each OF the IS stations named IN the taoe
thu the average charge per message would De ascer
tained by adding together the 60 separate rates and
dividing the by the number Of stations For exam
lle me charge from Washington to NewYork is gwen
~ 40 cents From Washington TO san Diego Catorna,
but IL k probable that Of every 100 messages from Wash
fnrton there will be 90 destined TO 70 one Tor
Gan Diego On this basis TUG a'eahe inso"u VI "a W.
But the substitution of the new cipher not the
connection with signal Office business.
While the negotiations were in progress between the
IN The sprng of 1871 II was represented by the Chief
signal Officer thst in addition to all the other facilities
re0ured IL was necessary that he should have al his
disposal special circuits between Washington aud New
York, Washington and Chicago, and WASHINGTON and
connected with the Signal Office at 745 NJ, li5 M,
and p daily and at such other Tunes as the sig
nal Office should call for them These circuits were IN
addition to the scheduled circuits upon which the regg
lar trday Weather Reports were TO be trans9ltte9 IL
nal officer 10 be able 10 communicate uTecuy ana
nromptv with the Observer Sergeants at the three cities
named during the time the regular reports were being
received at signal Office, ana without lnterrupng
DeeirnO 10 Troyde every facility required for the eff
fcent transaction of this business the Company con-
sented 10 supply these special circuits.
he w
time however, when II was ascertalned that these
special circuits being put to other uses than the
Tecton of errors in reports and other matters Of i'm
porfanee directly connected with their transmission It
Sisnlay during the most crowded hours Of the day,
when they most useful TO the public and, there
ses of the Company's wires confined to those
composing the three special circuits. Other and equally
important circuits including those connecting the At
lantic and Pacific coasts sometimes taken by the
signal Office without notice TO or permission OF the
Company 70 give exhibitions TO invited guests, and 10
promote convenience and crafty the whims OF It's
attaches. -, -
The following are copies OF some Of the messages
reaIns of which are now in the COmpanys possession
sent from and exchanged with the Signal Office over cir
that they were 10 used only in emergencies and for
the TRANSMISSION of business Of special Importance The
cost OF tins service computed at ordinary rates. "ouu
amount 10 thousands OF dollars:
CONVERSATION BETWEEN THE SIGNAL OFFICE AT WASH
ISGTON, NEw-YoRK, BOSTON, AND CHICAGO, AUG. z,
sSSi ono, BosoA-The Secretary Of asks VIA! the
weather h Observer about heei Tell him your
soe% s % sggal On'weaber hA-pleasan.-East Don't
ossi one 20 osoa-" Thanks the Secretary Of War K"
Signal Oo Nee Y0rk"What wires Aro you working to Chi
St Yo1t to Signal oaoG" working three wires to Chr
ssoasi o, Yorh"C Can stay here for few min
Nee Yort 70 SOse OeG"vey busy, bat will do Jump in at
end Of message"
(sIGNAL cHICAeo)
Sondi One o Ia s. or q. there y
1IEaOo 10 S.gHal Ogce.-"N Who do wantP
!s,0sai ono 10 Chi000O-" Il g. or s. tbereP
CL1aQo 10 S.9aal Oa"Yes. wait minute. III get hem.p
S,osol Oas. The Of War is
ags you working through San Francisco Can put
Msst on 81 a mnuieW
ChLaoo signal one" West o. X pu, here but il
quicker than work through,
working Won't
Signal On CAioa0o- nothing nporAat Only
wanted would He has been trying the Franklin hres