San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1896-01-20
NEW CABLE CODES.
Preparation for the Introduction Of
the Preconcerted Language.

Preparation Tor the 1nIEoouCt1on VI
the Preconcerted Language.
From the New York Post.
Within the last six months
there have been indications that
when the new cable vocabulary
goes into effect in Europe, January
/, 1898, it will be adopted in
America almost universally.
Newsdealers in and about Broad
street already keep the book,
which is called THE Official Vo-
cabulary for kilograms in Precon-
certed Language" This vocabu-
larry was ordered at the interna-
tional conference Of Government
representatives in Paris in 1890,
and was published in 1894. 1t is
only within a few months, how.
ever, that there have been signs
that America would adopt the
vocabulary widely. There is some
objection among business men
both here and abroad, as there is,
on the other hand, much support.
Chambers of Commerce in Eng
land have taken action both ways.
One objection is that, according to
some, the 100000 words of the
vocabulary chosen from eight
languages, do not give possibilities
enough for expression, are too
restricted in their scope. Others
say that they are badly chosen,
containing words too much alike
and emitting better words. Mer-
chants who have codes already
object also to the trouble OF max
ing new ones. 1t should be noticed
that this vocabulary is not in it.
self q code, but only a list of the
words from which codes may be
made. The next meeti ng Of the
convention will be held at Buda
Pest next year, and the action Of
the last convention will then al
most surely be ratified and become
a law for the telegraph business
in almost all of the countries OF
Europe, all of which are owned by
the governments. The countries
represented at the last conference
were:
Great Britain, Germany, Argen.
tine Republic, South Australia
Austria Hungary, Belgium, Brazil
Bulgaria, Cape-of-Good- Hope
Cochin-China, the Spanish colo
lines, Denmark, Egypt, Spain
France, Greece, the Ducth East
Indies, Italy, British India, Japan
Luxembourg, Montenegro, Natal,
Norway, New South Wales, New
Zealand, Holland, Persia, Portu
gal, Roumania, Russia, Senegal
Servia, the Kingdom Of Siam
Sweden, Switzerland, Tasmania
Tunisia, Turkey, Victoria.
Bulgaria, Roumania and Servif
refused to adopt the "preconcerteC
language" and Austria anC
Turkey did so only under certain
restrictions. The vocabulary in
cludes words in German, English
Spanish, Dutch, Italian, Portu
guese, and Latin. 1t has no word
over ten letters and no word no
in it can be transmitted.
The general object in adopting
the vocabulary was to get uni
formity and thus to diminish tn
liability to error in transmission
The list was chosen with view t
making as few similar soundin,
words as possible. Another sligtt
er advantage is that it is NOR
difficult to defraud the companie
individuals now sometimes ru
two words into one and thus tax
advantage Of clerk who does ne
know the language in which til
dispatch is sent, though this trio
is likely to be thwarted by th
company at the delivery end.
OF course, this rule does not al
ply to the private cable Office
which American lines have
Europe, but those are few, and +;
every message sent to or from a
Office Of the lines represented
the agreement will have to
written in the preroncerted la
guage, it is the general bell