Omaha daily bee., 1907-02-24
reIephnne. in Eurnnr.

Reports from American consuls at Mar
settles. France; Milan. Italy, and vaIetta.
Malta. furnish Information about telephone
operation and cost in the respective
localities and the extent to which American
appliances enter into the business.
Telephony Is a government monopoly in
! France. In the large cities. like MarseiIles
one does not rent an instrument at 30 much
per year. without further responsibility
! therefor. as in America One begins by
making application for connection and
service For this fixed rental is paid
after which one pays the state for the
wire used In making the connection. and
| finally purchases the instrument itself But
/ the instrument cannot be adapted to the
/ public service unless II is of type ap-
proved by the state and bears the govern
msnt stamp. Consequently manufacturers
who desire to engage in this business must
submit their types to the directeur De
Irexploitation telephonique ct teiegraphique
at Paris for inspection, and II they are
4 found acceptable each instrument must be
/ married.
| In Marseilles the annual cost OF teIe-
phonic communication Is 90 francs SIS. so
/ plus the supplementary charges. In Paris
| the annual cost IN 400 francs CS7T2O. and
/ this system OF fixed annual charges plus
/ supplementary charges prevails in all cities
of more than S0,O1c inhahitanta. In cities
OF less than 1900 inhabitants the govern
ment puts in the telephone and erects the
wire and charges fee for each communities
! ton plus 100 francs Csla3O the first year,
/ se-fTancs ,Sl53E the second year; 60 francs
! (S1l.59 the third yeHr. and 40 francs t6.YD
the fourth and each succeeding year.
There are about 500 phones in use IN
/ Marseilles. The purchase price OF teIe-
| phones is t3-16
In Italy the government also controls
the telephone business. excepting a portion
OF upper Italy, where private company
operates rs phones. These lines connect
with the national and the Swiss govern
ment lines in order 70 form a compIere
system. Included in the main company
are the exchanges for the cities OF Milan
uo.5oO phones) ana Turin C2.5O0 phones,
and about loo other phones I'm their
suburbs and elsewhere. a grand total OF
something over 1900 instruments IN use.
The lines are under direct government
supervision. II not control. their regulations
being subject to the review of the minister
OF posts and telegraphE. are their rates.
Rates IN Milan ara 80 a year for every
instrument within a radius OF two miles OF
the Milan exchange and Ills additional
annually for every one-eigilth OF a mile
beyond the minimum limit. Offices OF the
national government OF the provinces and
the communes ara allowed a discount of
50 per cent on these rates. Professional
men. pharmacists and others OF thar class
are allowed a special rate OF about n g
annually for each instrument used. subjec,
to the same extra rate for points outside
the minimum limit. and with 10 per cent
discount for subscribers taking three on
more telephones. These rates apply in ths
larger cities Of upper Italy. and are slightly
less in the smaller towns. The usual ar.
rangements are made for extra bells. desh
sets. etc In Milan nearly all wire lines
are run in underground conduits.
A private company controls the servicu
in Valetta- operating 80 phones most Of
which are OF American make. The servicl
Il reported satisfactory, but as business
houses do not consider time Il money
the number Of phones IN use II inHiEnin
cant