, 1880-02-22
Of repose OF the telegfaphs as thav n,,
the turns OF policeman IN bis heat w" are to

Of repose of the telegraphs al ttsv -
the turns OF policeman IN bis beat ~" are to
The efforts of the Post Office Dpn,-+
to get control Of the telephones ara h,t.asl seas
opposed BY all the papers, which adv,sa,.Ig
amend its own arrangements before atts..s'' ~
ing to possess itself Of those Of other, N~ ~
Times even charges that the Department aaa Lne
not aim at the full utilization OF science a*s
that 1.-THE impr ovements eagerly crasnod ~ ~
the competition Of freedom are stil adm;..O,,
with SLOW and sullen reluctance by thosa g :
are above the fear Of rival and be1o, ~
confession of an error" It aftftms fksf ~ e''
reign of the Post-Oflca has been f,tn, ao
English telegraphic invention, which hs' "
been compelled either to turn its enara;as ss
into other channels or to seek the rewa;,,s -,
its labor in foreign countries" Both w.
Times and the Telegraph, with a sort Of 49,
Gus despair, point out the great advances
and conveniences OF the American Services,
its immense superiority as compared with 49,
English, in the use of the telephone; In tn,
summoning Of messengers to execute avs-s:-
conceivable sort OF commissions, such =.
making purchases, engaging places at ents-
tainments, fetching conveyances, and O.
forth; in the rapidity with which mess,,as
are sent; in the telegraphic arraneements
for giving alarm In case OF fire; and ln ali M
multifarious applications Of the telegram
and telephone which are so familiar to Amerz
cans, and which really amount to placino ,
trusty servant in every house at the dfsnos,,
of its inmates any hour Of the day or night
The Telegraph states the real cause Of In;
failure when 1t says: Is It Is indeed noct.
cry that an invention, which was said to have
conquered time and space, Should be tied
down and have its natural usefulness in.
paired by the bonds Of red tape" The faiL'
ure has not occurred because the eontrolo NJ
the service is in the hands Of the Govern.
ment, but because the Government has mt
azailed itself Of improvements with the alae.
everything else, the Government will not
move except according to conventional rou-.
tine. As compared, however, with results.
when the companies had control, the serytea
has been successful The price Of tefeHaph.:
ing has been reduced from one-half to tTo..
thirds to the public, and fouE-dfth$
to the press. The extraordinary prices
which used to rule have been doas
away with, and dispatches which used
to range all the way from shilling to a .iol;
lar can now be sent for shilling. Since ua
took charge the amount Of Ti1a
has been quadrupled, and the number of
offices has been doubled Insulation is bet.
ter, Offices are more convenient, and tho s3s-
tenn Of delivery has been improved. Tbs
trouble lies wholly in the red tape with
which everything connected with Govern!
ment operations in England is hampered.:
The fault is in the Circum1ocution Office.
There is no demand upon the Goye1nmentty By
Ehe English press to surrender the seryiceto to
a privileged monopoly, but to handle tibet:
ter, and the agitation has now become So
general that there is a fair prospect Of relief.
" hat they want is. that Offices shall be open.
1t night; that there shall be more of ,them;.
hat messages shall be delivered with moro
and greater dispatch; and that
he telephone shall be combined with the
to its fullest extent, advantages:
n which at present the American telegraph
'ystem is infnitly superior to the English.