New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-12-27

The world II appears by the tables apended 10 sne re-
mort NJ tine that In 1872 Great Britain
semi 900 messages; France in ISL s2oo spain
In Is72 10000 Belgium In iSI2 1,ay in 1871
2Sooooo Russia in 1874 'soo'O"; s"i'hefA"u ~ A''A
TSs tables also show that Asa77o2 interior message.
vera sent for s. lgl 3c6 irancs-being an verago o
about and half francs per message Sss ,o aa U
' one country 10 anotherthe receipts were
| francs--being average OF nearly io'n an" 3" ''
| francs per message
| CHARGE or ARBITRARY RATES REFUrEp'
What ia meant by arbitrary rates. 1t Ia not easy TO
understand right OF the companies To Tx the rates
except for Government messages cannot DC quesoneu
The present tariff system is based on airline oiS'"noc'
between all stations regardless OF the actual distances
over which messages are necessarily sent and the rate
for like distances ia the in the EASTERN northefn
western and southern sections There are Few
most Of them on or near te arc beoW the scale rate in
other sections As TO these rates belnR hsn
ehea .0t as the average rates other countries II
| not absolutely cheaper. The western union con,-
tsm Of night messages at half rates, which provides
cheaper telegraph service for ike average ustances
Ss He'd Il apy time during the day and deliverable
| tho next morning Under this arrangement messages
are sent from NewYork to Buffalo and pittsburgh for
Is cents to Cleveland cents to Chicago aud Gin
cinnat for 90 cents: 20 b. LOUIS ,9r 20 On New
81 a. The extent to which rates have been reduced In
the United states within the last five years Will be com
pretended by comparing the above rates with the fol-
lowing which were the rates charged before that time
New-York 20 Buffalo and Pittsburgh. Is cents Chicago
Milwaukee, and st. Louis ~ 10 and " rs; New-Oreans
and Mobile 81 u.s. Galveston and other points In TeIas
81 and "a So Francisco and other places IN Cafor
MA 81 and 81 so: oregon and Washington IerrltOry w.
Tue half night messages has not been applied to
stations the Pacific coast but Instead ~ o. mas oeen
fixed rs the maximum rate between any Two on
Western Union lines. These reductions are greater
than those made IN any other country curing TIC same
In every European country except Great Britain the
s sounry sn bodS words Constitute
message-the date address, and signature Delng Tree
ami the average Of the free words 10 each message
considerably than ten The present average tariff
in United States Is so cents for message OF ten
chasing power OF so cents of paper currency Ia
scarcely greater than that of IL francs on the continent
of Europe and but little greater than that OF the En
This is especially when applied to labor which is
of the telegraph business, not
only in he United States but in all other countries In
nearly every European country it will be seen that the
tariff for interior messages Is less than half the average
rate on international messages.
LOSSES FROM OPERATING THB TELEGRAPH IN OTHER
COUNTRIES
II further appears, by the tables appended to the
Postmaster Generals report that in 1917 the product OF
interior messages Germany 6,511sG9 francs and
that there disbursed for salaries s,39i5 francs;
yet by emitting from the exhibit all expenditures for
construction Germany enabled to show profit OF
about 900 francs derived from 100000 international
messages, which yielded over 100000 francs
France has population nearly equal to that OF the
United States and very extensive and complete tele
graph system There were sent In that country In 1871
4S,952 interior messages lthe product OF which was
4Ig4S23 francs There expended for salaries In the
time 962ooO francs and the total loss from ope
rating telegraph that 43567f francs Yet
nearly OF the French telegraph receipts for that
wear derived from international and transit
ages. but for which the loss would have been over
100000 francs In view Of these results 1t will not DO
deemed surprising that early In 1872 the French tele
graph authorities advanced the rates 20 per cent
increase applied to the rates which yielded co
cent OF the revenue OF the previous year
receipts are set down francs and the penses
for salaries and maintenance s4sssSo francs OF which
about 5000 900 paid for salaries.
In neither Of these countries did the gross receipts
from interior messages amount to half the expended
The Geographic expenses Of Austria 1871 were about
100000 francs OF receipts; Hungary, IN 1872.
100000 francs; Belgium 100000 francs; Portugal 10000
francs The Netherlands, 6ooooo francs Sweden. 100000
francs
by the tables TO have received nearly 100000
francs from messages-beng average
500 900 international messages about francs
being at the rate OF nearly francs each In territorial
pares with the United States nearly any other
European country 1t will be from these state.
Country 's sns a'
RESULT IN GREAT BRITAIN.
In the statistical tables appended TO the Postmaster
Generals report the operation Of the telegraph in Great
Britain for the year 1871 exhibits apparent profit Of
100000 francs say apparent profit because in the
reports Of the telegrsphc operations in that country
large amount ia carried annually to capital account, for
disbursements which III other countries are charged 10
revenues from the British telegraphs, since lines
were taken over by the Government have every year
expenses. During the last year the expenditures
account Of the telegraph have bcep made the
which resulted in disclosing tie fact that,
besides applying all the receipts from the business,
and q large appropriation by Parliament, there had
been drawn from the deposits in the postal savings
banks, and expended upon the telegraph. ssOo0cO
the British PostmasterCieneral. Mr. MonseiE During
the investigation, which was conducted by Psrha-
Ives scuaauore, esq, the Manager of the Post-OGice
Telegraphs to the application OF the appropriations
which expected their investment In his reply.
in July last in which the receipts and expenses
for two years estimated he states that al The close
of the next fiscal year, ending March 81, 1875 IT is his
opinion that the capital stock will stand deblted with
over 100000 and that he will then have paid
the capital from the average date OF Its investment
the rate Of three per cent per annnm The British
E1rope But when the estimated sioocc 90 have bsen
invested 1t will be equal In that OF
the Western Union Company at the present time.
A STRIKING CONTRAST.
Contrast $4,000 OoOequal to $50 100. the
estimate that the lines and prop
erty Of the Western Union. and all other COMPANIES in
the United States, can be reproduced for &Iss1ooo!
Concerning the estimates of Mr.. scudamore venture
TO remark that profits OF tho NJ the dat,
he fixes will not enable the payment OF three per ceu
that his efforts will relaxed nor ina,
any thing will be omitted which would TO Increase
under his charge but because after tbree years exper
ence which all his original estimates have fallen FAR
short Of reality he still underestimate the amount of
his vitabe expenses and overestmates the ponfs
possible realized. In view Of the fact then thai
average tariff interior mes5ages In Europe IA ~
francs and international messages Al francs IL wI
be that the rates In this country, winch the POST
General denOunces IL high charges, taken
altogether, as low the average rates European
where the telegraph under con
troll.
THE TELEGRAPH NOT BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION
strictly true the chief object Of the companies
Ia to make profit for their stockholders 1t Is for that
purpose alone that private parties have invested capital
In the telegraph business and there Is good reason
why investors in such property, and those TO whom