The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1884-01-18
The Postal Telegraph.

| We have with mucn interest ShH'c"
over The speech made last Monday III the
United States Senate by Mr. HILL. OF Colo
RADIO, in favor of Government system OF
telegrapbs, or postal telegraph. We Gull
some noticeable statements.
Under the tariff OF one franc, or less
than twenty cents for twenty words, the
number OF internal messages in Belgium
grew from 90,2iG in 1860 to $50, 72l in
1865. On the Isl OF December Of that year
the rate was reduced one half. and in 1866
the number OF messages increased to
692 1856, or more than 100 per cent. In
1882 the number was 2. 225, 09i, in addition
TO 579,931 international messages sent and
SIC, 923 international messages received,
and 3,09j,i77 messages in the service OF
telegraph, rost-ofice, railroad, navy, ana
and other Government departments.
In Switzerland, under like tariff OF one
frame, twenty words, the number of internal
messages had in 1867 reached 1918 The
rate was reduced to half franc on the 1st
OF January, 1865. In the very first year
of the reduction the number OF messages
increased TO 79S, 1SG, or more than 100 per
cent; and since that time it has grown to
|, S37, 1885 in 1881, in addition to S'9,I21 ill.,
ternaticnal messages sent and received.
.Since the establishment OF the republic
the progress has been most rapid. In 1873
the service was amalgamated with that OF
the post-ofiice, and in 1880 the tariff was
han hol
cent per word, with minimum tariff OF
80 centimeS. The result Of this reduction
appears in the increase Of internal mes
sages from $685. 1856 i'll 1879 to 21.2lO,jl0
in 1889. In the last-named year the French
sent and received also 3,S19,620 interna-
tiODal messages. For one franc messages
may now be sent from the north OF France
TO Algiers, distance OF 1000 miles.
"In Germany the tariff was for long
time based upon distance. Under this rate
the number of internal messages in 1872
was 6, 1858, and the receipts from in
ternal messages were S1,304,313, showing
an average receipt per message (Which OF
course exceeds the average tariff for the
minimum number of words of about 20
cents. In 1915 the service was amalga-
mated with the post-oilice so completely
tistics as TO the salaries paid employees who
perform the postal and telegraphic services.
ain 1878 Bavaria and Wurtcmberg,
which formerly maintained separate tele-
graphic administrations, were brought into
the imperial system. The present tariff in
Germany IL Il cents per word, with a
fixed rate of 5 cents per message add-
tional For local messages the tariff is !
kot. Of int a
messages in 1882 was 12,303,jlG.
In Great Britain. notwithstanding the
exorbitant price Paid for the telegraph, the
investment has not proved an improbable
one. Since the cate of the transfer OF the
telegraph to the State, january 80, 1870.
the length Of tie line has been increased
from 1851 miles to 27.0!6 miles, and that |
OF wire from $500 miles 20 1872, 43l miles. !
We quote:
1.-THE number OF offices has grown from
2,4S8 to 5,147, and the number OF messages |
from about 100000 to nearly 33,000.000. |
Much OF this increase was very sudden. |
the number OF messages in 1872 having !
jumped to about 1900, 000. The popular |
appreciation OF the benefit derived from |
the transfer of the telegraph TO the State |
was so marked that for sshort time the |
lines, notwithstanding their great extern
sion, were clogged with business. This !
difficulty was soon obyiated. however. and |
the steady progress OF the system has en-
abIed the Government to pay all the cX-
penses out OF the receipts, and TO fall but |
little short of paying tie interest on the
entire investment"
Mr.. Hills plan, or the bill he favols,
fixes popular uniform rate OF one cent
per word for all distances, with reduc-
tons for the press. and provides for the
transmission OF kilograms by mail between
postal-tclegraph offices and all post-ofllces
where telegraph offices are moi established
under it, provisions. Postal-telegraph
offices are to be opened at all places where
telegraph offices now exist by July 1, 1887.
Ten cents for a message to Oregon, or
California, or Maine, or Texas.