The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-07-12
BRITISH TELEGRAPH SERVICE.
Its Management by the Government
Very Satisfactory

From u. S. Consular Report
On the 18th of January last a banquet
was given In London by the telegraph
employees of England. the director gem
eral or posts and teiegraphs presiding, to
celebrate the twenty-fifth anniversary Of
the control and operation by the state of
the telegraph lines Of Great Britain. In
I'll the 18th of January. 1870, the telegraph
service was performed by separate COM
panies, some of these Independent, and
others working in conjunction with the
various railroad lines. On that date all
of the telegraph lines OF the United King
dom were acquired to the state by pur-
chase at a total cost OF Eli, 0ooO00 (S5S.-
52s o00).
This is one of the many measures that
the English people owe to Mr. Glad
stone who, Inspired by Baines, the pro-
moter of the idea, advocated the purchase
with energy and intelligence, citing sta
tistics and figures which convinced the
people of the necessity of such an i'm
portant service being under the direct
control OF the state.
In the beginning the task of combining
both services, that of posts and tele-
graphs, which, until then, had been sep
arate, and of organizing them together.
was rude one. The telegraph lines had
no connection between themselves. each
company having freely extended its wires
TO those points which appeared most iucra-
tive. without considering any but it's own
interests. The consequence was that en-
tire districts, on account of their distance
from these lines, were entirely devoid of
telegraph facilities, and many important
towns. situated In zones appropriated TO
particular companies. only communicated
between themselves I'm roundabout way.
and badly at that. owing TO the preference
that each company gave to its natural
clients
The state had to treat all districts alike.
without preferences or privileges. and this
work OF connecting the various lines, and,
above ALL of extending the service TO those
towns which had not possessed il. was so
great that from October. 1870. to October.
1871. 5000 miles of wire was put up, neces-
stating Is. 00 new batteries and about Z 80
additional apparatus. This colossal task
was intrusted TO the employees of posts and
telegraphs, and the work was pushed with
unfiagging energy. without resting either
day or night, and was completed in an in
credibly short space OF time.
We shall now see the results Of this
change Of the telegraph service from the
hands Of private companies into those Of
the state. During the year Is7o-the year
OF the purchsse-the total number OF tel
egrans handled weekly by all offices in the
United Kingdom is estimated ar from 49,
noo 10 2f5. 90. In 1893 this total exceeae
100 coo. The annual total, which. in 1870.
did not reach 1000 900 exceeded 20. go G0 in
1923. The increase of the press service has
even been larger than that of individuals.
In the year 1859 the English press sent by
telegraph 100000 words; the number of
words which are now sent annually by
the newspapers exceeds 90, 90. oo9--thirtv
times more than formerly. The prexen.
tariff OF the press. II is true. is very small
as compared with that Of 1870. and the su
tomato apparatus which. In 1s9o, could
only send at the rate of seventy-five words
a minute now sends 500 a minnie: and
besides at that time IL was only possible
10 send a single telegram on each wire In
the same direction. while at present fly.
or six are sent on the same wire stimuli
tsneousIv. Thus the transnissfve power
OF the lines has been Increased six-folh.
with only a slight modification or the IN
struments.
Tn 1870 IL was calculated that 1t was pos
sihIe N send 30 kilograms daily between
the different districts Of London. while
today the number of kilograms sent be
tween the different districts OF London
varies from - 0sD to ~ 00o. The telegraph
is employed In London for all the small
and necessary details Of Afe-to announce
that YOU are going to dine AZ certain
house. or 70 inform your wife that You
have 10 attend a sudden meeting or the
shareholders Of the raiirad. etc.
The service is performed with the most
nsrYe-ct punotuaiity. II Is calculated that
me average time employed today In the
transmission OF a telegram between TWO
commercial cities Of England varies from
seven 20 nine minutes. while In 1870 two
or three hours were necessary
kilograms may be sent TO all parts OF
the United Kingdom al the rate OF II cents
for The frst twelve words minimum
charvse. and cent for every additional
word stamps IN payment 70 be affixed 20
The for,s, hv the sender. The address OF
the receiver ls charged for. hat not that
~ the sender when written on the back
~ the telegraph form. Five figures are
,-r,unte5 as one word - r. a letter preeed-
ing Or following a group Of figures The
charge includes delivery within the town
rostal limits. or within ore mile 81 head
ne4re. beyond that limit the charge is u
cents per mile.
the annual revenue which the treas
u~w aersvesA from the com biHed services
OF POSTS and felegraphs IN England
AMOUNTS 20 G. T50.1oa t17. s3i-dSsl. II not be-
ing possible 20 ascertain the amount de-
rived from each service separately ss,-
c.rdgug 20 the statement made by Mr..
sew I.efevre who occupied the post OF
Agrsgtnr general OF posts and teiegraphs
an ,ssa administration OF Mr.. Gladstone.
r.hs English government does not cor
ss.sar the telegraph servbcs as a means
~ revenue tor the treasury. but as a
v,ssans OF information Tor the whole CON-
ny giving facilities Of ali kinds for It's
,,se ana extension IN all the social class.
a Joke From SCOTIA