The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-12-17
AMERICAN TELEGRAPH.
COMPARED wITH EsoLhSD's COZ
sRsMEsT SYSTEM.
A Talk with Colonel X. {. Clowry, Vice.
President asd General superfetend-
ent of the western Union Co.

some feeling has been aroused in tel
Graph circles by reason Of recent public'
tons OF the chief Engineer OF Briti'
Tclcgraphs. who claimed, after visit
This country, that the English compare
favorably with their American cousins.
To learn his views upon the subject,
reporter called yesterday on Colonel II.
clowry. yicc-prcsident and general super
lntcndeut Of the Western Union Telesrap
Company, and chairman Of the committe
on electricity Of the Worlds Fair
colonel Clowry, did you read the telc
graphic dispatches recently published d
which Mr.. Prccce, the Chief Engineer .
the British Tclcgraphs. - quoted as say
!ng that there was only one branch o
electrical industry I'm which the Englisl
compared fsvorabiy with their American
cousins. that being biography, IN Whici
they were certainly aheadF
yes. 1 read the article you mention
Il suppose you also read the interview
with AIR. Prcccc. published IN the New
York sun last August!
eyes. read that also
..lyhaf Is there 10 he said I'm reply TO
those statements % AIR rrccceT'
'.Aycf. a good deal can be said in refer
cncc TO the natter Nm Mr.. Preeccs inter
view in the sun. hc states that the 'tele-
graph fecilidcs in England are greater
than they are here. for we 90 60 every
town and every village, irrespective Of the
fact that they pay or do not pay, while
In The States the places that pay appear
10 me TO he the only ones that receive ihc
attention Of the telegraph companies. I'm
reply 90 that statement. ] quote from the
annual report Of the British Postmaster
General who says. The department has
ceased To- require the repayment Of the
capital outlay for telegraph extensions
made under guarantee. and the guarantee
IS now required 10 cover only the expense
81 working and maintenance BY act Of
Parliament The rural sanitary authorities
arc empowered to undertake guarantees
for telegraph offices al places within their
districts. and 20 dcfray the cost out Of
the rates. AS the result OF this concession
there has been considerable extension Of
the telegraph system In rural districts
II viii be seen boy this that the telegraph
system Of Great Britain is not extended
20 small towns except under a guaranty
10 cover the working and maintenance.
The statement Of the Postmaster-General
S. therefore a direct contradiction Of
that Of Mr. Prcccc.
The Western Union system.
Under the Western Union system the
telegraph extends 10 every railway station,
great and small. I'm the United states
without expose 10 the public. and we are
lnly too glad 10 ext mi our lines 10 other
towEs rot connected with railroads
where. rs In Great Britain. the expense OF
working and maintenance is guaranteed
Notwithstanding the statement Of Mr..
i'rerce that the telesraph in England ex-
tends to every town and village, IL Is
fact that there are telegraph offices estab-
Iisied at less than One-thigd CT the post
ollices.
- notice. also. that when asked by the
Sun reporter If he considered government
telegraphs a Success in England Mr.
l'rcece said Yes. they gre undoubtedly
a success i'm England ON the other hand
the British Chancellor If the Exchequer
In laying before the House Of Commons
last April ;he annual hudgct. said i'm his
speech thercupon. That the operations
OF .he British government telegrAphs for
the fiscal year showed . bad revenue"
ana an excess of actual WORK ing expenses
over receipts of ul50D tN600W. TO say
W"VowO of bonds issued for their
acquisition. lie also said tGat since the
purchase by the government Of the tele
braph lines, Including the moderate inter
PSI they ought 10 have paid upon their
.ost, the loss on that transaction mad |
been A@0p0 (auOut So. 900 OOO. which |
result was founded on "A decentralization |
and for anything that can he seen 10 The |
'ohtrary II Is a revenue which is going |
rom Dad to worse and not likely TO inn
prove. According TO these figures the
'll''sh government has operated the tele-
'l"Ph system Tor about twenty-five years
- l"aS OF ahout 4lOW.0oO a year. The
elegraph D. used mostly by bankers. mer-
'hants manufacturers. brokers. and snoc. |
iitdis' so that, according to the English
'ah' large majority OF the people who
ever use the telegraph have to make nm
us yearly dehcit Of Sl,O00OOO I'm order Ia
nora the parties first named low rates
~ their messages but. while for short
Instances the word rates i'm England are
o"er tnah .hey are here. sulI. owing
the inherent methods i'm vogue i'm rho
y W oouh,iles Tor counting the number
"''us ia message Gin Great Britain
ne words in the address and signature arc
"uhted' while we do not count thena,
ne cost To the sender on an average nros'
dse ~ about the same The long-distanca
a'eb on the continent. and be,waor
.hSiahd and the continent are much
lsher Than those for similar distances IN
ne United States. ."
Betting the Globe with Wirss
hesarding the statement i'm the Sum
: ~ 'nat Mr. Freezes department is
&c western Union and American Reu
eephohe companies rolled up into ono
"o nan dozen submarine cable com
anus throWh IN. etc, 1 will merely can
''e','ion 20 the fact that the British tele-
'aph system comprises but about no ono
liles OF line. 10000 miles of wire and
'"o Offices extending over an area or
""ut I-"'Wh square miles; While tho Mo-
'rh Union Telegraph system alone com.
rises about 10000 miles OF line 20 ono
lies OF wire, $500 miles of ocean .,,h
'arine cables aud 22.OO0 offices. .xt.pd,ne
lioushout an area OF more than 2 ON nno
luare miles. being. therefore. about o,,ad-
apie the British Government telesra,h
FStem. and extending over an area tu,an-
'-iour times as great. The capital ac-
punt Of the cost 10 the British Go,err
lent OF It's telegraph system is so 600 ono
'he western Union Telegraph Comma
capital account was in proportion a.
property In the same ratio IL wonId
over 500. OoO00 N'N
Mr freece. in his interview saws ,bo,.
n england. the telegraphs belone 80 ,ho
'oPif' 'hey are maintained by the neo,la.
icy are supervised by the neonio. =.
cry Engiishman has the right "a co,.,
am 81 any delay or anything wrong no,
lg through the press. but in the Honeas
armament and every comnlain, =, ,