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Cornell University Library 
 
 arY809 
 
 v.1-3 
 
 Electric telegraph. 
 
 3 1924 032 182 499 
 oMn.anx 
 
TELEGRAPHS. 
 
 REPORT BY MR. SCUDAMORE 
 
 ON THE 
 
 REORGANIZATION 
 
 OP TB31 
 
 TELEGBAPH SYSTEM OF THE UNITED 
 
 KINGDOM. 
 
 ^ve^tnwo to tftt ^ou»t of (2rommon0 Hvi (iO^otnmanli of ^ev Mm»ts^ 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 PRINTED BY GEORGE EDWARD EYRE AND WILLIAM SPOTTISWOODE, 
 
 PRINTEBS TO THE QXJEEN's MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY. 
 
 FOR HER MAJESTY'S STATIONERY OPFICE. 
 
 187L 
 
 [C. 304J Price 12s. 
 
General Post OflBce, 
 
 My Lords, 25th January 1871. 
 
 I HAVK been anxious for some time to bring under your Lordships' 
 notice the various steps taken by the Department under my control in the 
 acquisition and consolidation of the property of the Telegraph Companies, and 
 in its re-arrangement and development. 
 
 I have also been anxious to point out the difficulties with which the 
 Department has had to contend in the accomplishment of its task, and to show 
 how it has happened that the success which it hoped to attain, and which is 
 now all but complete, was not attained in the first instance, or with the rapidity 
 which could have been desired. 
 
 And I have also wished to place before your Lordships a statement of the 
 revenue accruing from and the expenditure incurred in the undertaking, and 
 to propose for your consideration and sanction the future establishment of the 
 Telegraph Department of the Post Office. 
 
 With this view, I some time back instructed Mr. Scudamore to prepare 
 a Report upon the whole subject. 
 
 My sudden retirement from the Department has prevented Mr. Scudamore 
 from completing his Report during my tenure of office there, but he has pre- 
 pared a considerable portion which is complete in itself, and which shows with 
 much detail what the Post Office was expected to do, what it has done, and in 
 what manner the work has been done. He has, in short, completed those 
 portions of the Report which are of public interest, and, under these circum- 
 stances, I think it right to forward these completed portions for your Lordships 
 information, leaving it to my successor to deal with the portion still in course 
 of preparation, and which will treat of the financial results of the undertaking, 
 and of the establishment which it will be necessary to form. 
 
 I have the honour to be, 
 
 My Lords, 
 
 Your Lordships' obedient servant, 
 
 HARTINGTON. 
 
 The Lords Commissioners of the Treasury. 
 
 27031. a 2 
 
EEPORT. 
 
 GENERAL POST OEPIOE, 
 
 January 1871. 
 
 TO THE POSTMASTEE GENEEAI/. 
 
 The re-organisation of tlie telegraphic system of tlie United Kingdom has now 
 advanced so far towards completion that I am ahle to make a full, though probahly not 
 a final report, upon the steps which have been taken ia the acquisition, re-arrangement, 
 and development of the property of the late telegraph companies, and in aflforduig to 
 the public those advantages which they were led to expect would accrue to them upon 
 the transfer of the telegraphs to the Government. 
 
 As more than five years have passed since the agitation in favour of the transfer 
 (which had been proposed by Mr. Allan in 1854, by Mr. Baines of this Department in 
 1856, and by Mt". Ricardo, formerly chairman of the Electric and International 
 Telegraph Company, in 1861) was formally and vigorously begun by the Edinburgh 
 Chamber of Conamerce, and since I was directed to inquire into and report upon the 
 subject, and as it is probable that all but the immediate promoters of the transfer have 
 forgotten why and with what objects it was undertaken, I propose in the outset of this 
 jReport to show what those objects were, and what were the advantages which the 
 public hoped to obtain, and this Department undertook to afford, if the transfer were 
 sanctioned by Parliament. 
 
 I propose in the next place to describe the difficulties by which the Department has 
 been beset in the accomplishment of its task, and, in justice to those who have worked 
 with me, to show why it has been that the complete success which is now close at hand 
 has not nor coidd have been more rapidly attaiaed. 
 
 I propose next to show what the Department has done towards carrying out the 
 various branches of its undertaking, and what remains for it to do ; what advantages 
 have already accrued to the -public, and what further advantages will accrue when the 
 plans of the Department are completely carried out ; and I shall have to describe with 
 great but really unavoidable minuteness the modes of proceeding adopted by the 
 Department, and the means employed by it to effect its purpose. 
 
 Lastly, I shall endeavour to state the financial results of the scheme, so far as it is at 
 present possible to ascertain or estimate them, and to show in detail what has been the 
 cost of acquiring, re-arranging, re-constructing, and improving the property of the late 
 telegraph companies, what further cost has been involved in the purchase of rights 
 and interests of other than the late telegraph companies ; what further cost has been 
 and will yet be involved in extensions of the system as it was handed over by them, 
 and what has been, and will hereafter be, the revenue accruing from, and the cost of 
 working and maintaining the completed system, 
 
 I shall be able to show that the Department is on the very eve of fulfilling all its 
 promises to Parliament and the public, and that if its progress up to the present time 
 has not appeared to keep pace with the expectations of the public, it has been at least 
 as rapid as the circumstances in which we have been placed would permit. 
 
 I shall be able, however, to show that even in the first year of our operations we 
 shall very nearly obtain, even if we do not ^ictually obtain, the estimated gross annual 
 revenue; that this gross revenue must inevitably grow largely from year to year; 
 that though in the first year of our operations our estimates for cost of construction, 
 reconstruction, and maintenance will, for reasons to be described, be exceeded, the 
 normal proportion of expenditure to revenue will not hereafter differ from that 
 given in previous estimates ; and that the financial results of the completed scheme 
 will not be less favourable than those which I have all along predicted for it. 
 
 The advocates of the proposition for the transfer of the telegraphic system to the 
 Government desired to attain, and the Department undertook to work out the following 
 principal results : — 
 
 A. The reduction and simplification of the charges for the transmission of telegrams 
 
 throughout the United Kingdom. 
 
 B, The extension of the wires from railway stations lying outside of town populations 
 
 to post offices in the centre of such populations, the extension of the wires 
 
 27^31. A 
 
 r 
 
already carried iato large cities towards the subiirbs of such, cities, and the 
 extension of the wires from towns into rural and other districts unprovided with 
 telegraphic accommodation. 'Ftom. the combined effect of these extensions it 
 was hoped that a saviag of time and a saving ia cost of porterage would accrue 
 to the senders and receivers of messages. 
 
 0. Such a complete separation of the commercial telegraph system from the 
 railway telegraph system as would entirely relieve the commercial wires of 
 railway messages,' and throw on the railway wires those commercial messages 
 only which arise out of the circumstances of railway traffic. 
 
 D. Eree trade in the collection of news for the press, of which collection the 
 telegraph companies had hitherto had a monopoly, with low rates for the 
 transmission of such news, no matter by what or by how many agencies it 
 might be collected. 
 
 A. — The reduction and simplification of the charges for the transmission of telegrams 
 
 throughout the United Kmgdom. 
 
 Those who contended that the charges for the transmission of telegrams by the 
 companies were too high rested their case solely upon the tariff which the Electric 
 and International Company, the British and Irish Magnetic Company, and the United 
 Kingdom Company, xmder the provisions of the Telegraph Act of 1863, had agreed to 
 adopt for messages passing over but not beyond their own lines. Under that tariff the 
 charge in Great Britaia was \s. for a twenty- word message over distance^ not exceeding 
 100 miles ; 1«.. Qd. for a message over distances exceeding 100 but not exceeding 
 200 mUes ; and 2«. for a message over distances exceeding 200 miles. Por messages 
 passing between Great Britain and Ireland the charge ranged from 3«. to 6*. 
 
 Por additions of 10 words or less than 10 words half rates were charged in addition to 
 the first charge. 
 
 The case against this tariff was so strong that the promoters of the transfer never 
 found it worth their while to point out that it was limited in its operation to certain 
 lines and districts, and that beyond those Hnes and districts there were very many 
 unfavourable exceptions to it. In order that the pubHc may know the full extent to 
 which they have been benefited by the transfer it is necessary that these unfavourable 
 exceptions should now be noticed. In the appendix to this Report wiU be found a list 
 (Paper A) of 25 branch telegraph lines, belonging either to railway companies or 
 to other telegraph companies than those before named, and for the transmission of 
 messages over which branch lines an extra charge over and above the tariff before 
 described was levied. 
 
 On these branch lines there were about 475 stations, to all of which the extra charge 
 applied. 
 
 The extra charge was always high, and sometimes extremely high, in proportion to 
 the ordinary tariff. 
 
 Por instance, the charge for the transmission of a message from London to Granton, 
 which is about 4 mUes from Edinburgh, was made up of 2s. the charge to Edinburgh^ 
 and \s. the additional charge to Granton. The charge from London to Penarth Docks' 
 about 3 miles from Cardiff, was made up of 1*. M. the charge to Cardiff, and 6c?. the 
 extra charge to Penarth. The charge from London to Abingdon was made up of L*. 
 the charge to Reading, and M. the extra charge to Abingdon. The charge from London 
 to Bournemouth, which is about 7 mUes from Poole, was made up of \s. the charge to 
 Poole, and 2*. the extra charge to Bournemouth. These illustrations might be 
 multipHed indefinitely. 
 
 Irrespective of the stations on these branch lines, there were about 460 railway 
 stations m connexion with the system of the Electric and International Telegraph 
 Company on messages to or from which an extra charge of M. was levied as a fee to 
 the station master for his attendance and trouble. 
 
 Thus a message from Plymouth to Castle Eden was charged with 2*. under the 
 ordmary tariff, and M. additional as the station master's fee. 
 
 Again, although the ordinary tariff was levied by the companies on lines between 
 towns m both of which aU companies had stations, yet if a message were forwarded 
 by one company from a town m which it had, but the other companies had not a 
 station, to a town m which the other companies had, but it had not a station, the charee 
 on it was composed of the qharge according to tariff from the forwarding station to the 
 
handing over station, and a further charge according to tariff from the handing over 
 station to the receiving station. Thus the charge for a message from Southampton to 
 Accringtpn would have been 2s. for transmission from Southampton to Manchester by 
 the Electric Company, and Is. for transmission from Manchester to Accrington by the 
 Magnetic Company. 
 
 Lastly, the charge for a message between the Isle of Man and the United Kingdom 
 was 4<s. 6d., whilst the charge for transmission between the Channel Islands and the 
 United Eongdom was 6s. 8d. for a London and 7s. 8d. for a provincial message. 
 
 The amoirat of the charges was not the only disadvantage of the system of charge 
 which prevailed prior to the transfer. An almost equal disadvantage arose out of the 
 complexity of the charges. It was difficult for the clerks, and stUl more difficult for 
 the pubhc, to know what the charge on a given message would be. 
 
 A varying tariff, framed primarily upon distances and secondarily upon routes is a 
 tariff difficult to understand, and there can be little doubt that the prevailing uncer- 
 tainty as to the charge prevented many from sending messages who would otherwise 
 have sent them freely. 
 
 - The proposals (for the transfer) which were put forward by Mr. Baines in 1856, 
 though not the first in order of date, were the first which contained any practical 
 suggestions as to the mode in which the transfer might be effected, any distinct practical 
 statement of the advantages which might be expected to accrue from it, or any reliable 
 data in support of the arguments advanced. At that time Mr. Baines had not long ceased 
 to be an officer of the Electric Telegraph Company, and had fully in his mind the 
 disadvantages and dif&culties which were inseparable from a tariff so variable as that 
 which then prevailed. He proposed that the charge for transmission should be at the 
 rate of Qd. for 20 words, irrespective of distance. A tariff irrespective of distance had 
 at that time been established in Belgium and Switzerland, but in no other country. 
 In 1861 the United Kingdom Telegraph Company was formed with the intent to 
 establish a rate of Is., irrespective of distance, but it was compelled by the rival com- 
 panies to abandon that rate and adopt in concurrence with them the rate which prevailed 
 up to the time of the transfer. In 1865 the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce advo- 
 cated the estabKshment of a sixpenny rate, irrespective of distance, and their example 
 was followed, by the other chambers of commerce throughout the kiagdom. 
 
 I have frequently expressed the opinion, which I still hold, that a sixpenny rate for 
 messages of 10 words is that which will at no very distant date be found the best for 
 this country, but I did not think it prudent when I drew up my first reports on the 
 subject to recommend the adoption of so low a rate. The lowest uniform rate on the 
 Continent was at that time a rate of one franc, the rate prevailing in Belgium and Switzer- 
 land, and it seemed to me that until some experience had been gained of the capacity of the 
 English telegraphs to bear the increase of work which a red-uction of tariff would bring 
 about, it would be well to proceed cautiously, and I therefore recommended the adoption 
 of a shilling rate, a shUltng being in this country much what a franc is in Belgium and 
 Erance. : 
 
 When the Telegraph Bill of 1868 was before the Parliamentary Committee a sixpenny 
 rate was strongly advocated by Mr. AUan, and by Mr. Patterson who represented the 
 Liverpool Chamber of Commerce ; and Mr. Potter, one of the members of the Com- 
 mittee, proposed that it should be adopted. The proposal was, however, rejected. 
 
 As it has been stated more than once since the transfer that some, if not all, of our 
 difficulties have arisen from our having started incautiously with too low a rate, I tbink 
 it is only right to call attention to these circumstances ; and to quote, in support of my 
 statement, the following passages from my own evidence : 
 
 " 2505. (Mr, Norwood.) We had evidence given the other day by a very intelligent gentleman, Mr. 
 Allan, I think, and he told us that, in his opinion, the system of charging per message of 20 words, and 
 throwing in the address, is not a good and sound one, and that he prefers charging 6d, for 15 words 
 including the address ; what is your deliberate judgment upon that ? — 1 think it is quite probable that, 
 in the course of years, his opinion will be found to be correct, but I would rather begin with the 1& 
 rate. ... 
 
 " 2506. That is your deliberate opinion ? — It is. I was very much struck by what he said, and on 
 thinking it over since I am inclined to believe that there was very great force in the remarks which he 
 made, but it would be more prudent to begin with a Is. rate. It would be necessary to give the 
 aiddress, because that is practically given at present, and we could not withdraw it from the public." 
 
 " 2507. He only proposed tojgive 15 words, including the address? — That was for 6d., and eventually 
 we should do the like, I have no doubt ; but if the rate were reduced I should not exclude the address." 
 
 " 2508. You have a strong objection to starting with less than Is.?— Yes ; 1 should propose to start 
 with Is. I should like to be safe at present. I should be very much surprised if we did not come to a 
 sixpenny rate in a few years." 
 
 ■'■''■'■■ A 2 
 
4 
 
 •' 2540. (Mr. Potter.) You stated that you were satisfied with a practical mo&opoly ?— Yes. _^ 
 
 " 2541. Would not that practical monopoly be much safer with a 6rf. rate than a Is. rate ? — Of 
 course the lower the Government charge is the less fear there is of competition. 
 
 " 2542. Does not the whole tenor of your evidence lead the Committee to the conclusion that coming 
 down to 6d. at once would be a safer step than the Is. oae ?— I am afraid that the Committee would thmk 
 me too bold and sanguine a person if I answered that question in the affirmative ; I would rather be 
 Cautious. 
 
 " 2543. But if it were left for you to determine, would you not at once come to a 6d. rate ? — I must 
 not say that. t_- u 
 
 " 2544. Your private opinion would be in favour of a 6d. rate?— I will go so far as to say this, that 
 if in three or four years' time there has been a large increase of business, yet not so much increase as I 
 have anticipated from the reduction of rate, I should then feel certain that our only fault was in not 
 having made a sufficient reduction, and should be desirous to recommend that we should come down 
 to 6d. 
 
 " 2545. Supposing there were a loss for the first year or two, and that the taxpayers had to pay that 
 loss, do not you think, that the general public would be better satisfied if that loss resulted from your 
 coming down to Gd. at once ?— Possibly they might, but after all that has taken place before the Com- 
 mittee I should not like to see a loss in either the first, or the second, or the third year at all. I want 
 to see it self-supporting from the firsc. 
 
 "2546. Would you yourself anticipate any loss in the second year from the sixpenny telegraph 
 system ? — I have made so many promises that I must not make any more. 
 
 " 2547. You have spoken rather in favour of Mr. Allan's suggestion of 15 words ? — ^Yes, I think 
 there is great sense in it. 
 
 "2548. Would there be any great difference in the cost between 15 and 20 words in a telegram 
 between London and Aberdeen ? — It would be imperceptible. 
 
 " 2549. Would it not be better to tempt a customer with the extra five words than to restrict him to 
 15 ?— Possibly it might, but still I do not know about that. To the great mass of people 15 or even 
 10 words would be enough, for there are really a great number of messages which could be comprised 
 in a few words ; for example, ' I shall not be home to dinner ;' ' I will bring down some fish ;' 
 'You can come and meet me at four ;' and so forth. There would be millions of messages of that 
 kind, and I do not know why we should give more words than the people wanted." 
 
 When the Bill, after it had been amended by the Committee, came again before the 
 House of Commons Mr. Potter once more iirged the adoption of a sixpenny rate, upon 
 which the late Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr. "Ward Hunt, said : " That both he and 
 " I believed in. a sixpenny rate, and had no doubt that eventually the rate would be 
 " reduced to 6d., but that it was thought prudent to try the effect of a Is. rate in. the 
 " first instance." 
 
 The unofficial advocates of the transfer in their proposals for an alteration of tariff 
 dealt merely with the initial charge for a message of 20 words. 
 
 The Government proposal, as it was submitted to the Committee of 1868, was that 
 the transmission rate for 20 words should be Is. ; and that half a rate should be charged 
 for each additional 10 words, or part of 10 words. On the motion of Mr. Goschen, 
 however, it was decided that a quarter rate should be charged for each additional five 
 words or part of five words. This was an important improvement. 
 
 I must not quit this point of my subject without reverting to the proposals which 
 were made both in 1868 and 1869 for a departure from the principle of uniformity of 
 rate by the adoption of a sixpenny rate for towns. 
 
 I think I may state that these proposals were rejected mainly on account of 
 r^resentations made by me, the nature of which may be gathered from the following 
 extracts from the evidence given by me before the Parliamentary Committee on the 
 Money Bill of 1869 : 
 
 " 345. (Mr. Laird.) You say you propose to reduce the rate of charge? — Yes, we propose to have 
 a uniform charge of Is. throughout the country. 
 
 " 346. Will it be the same in towns? — It will be the same in towns; but I fully expect that in the 
 course of two or three years we shall have a uniform charge of Qd. ; I have very little doubt that we 
 could afford, if that were the only question, to commence with a 6d. rate at first ; but that rate would 
 bring an enormous increase in the number of messages, and until we know accurately what number of 
 messages we can carry, and what business we can do with the stafi", we think we ought not to brinff 
 that increase of work upon us ; that really is the only reason for not charging a lower rate than a 
 shilling. 
 
 " 347. At starting, you will charge an increased price for town messages as compared to what they 
 at present pay, will you not? — It is an apparent increase but not a real increase; because the offices 
 are so far from the senders and receivers of messages, that the charge for porterage places the whole 
 charge above Is.; but in future our Is. will cover the whole charge in consequence of our offices 
 being near to the senders and receivers of messages ; I can show you that the 6d. messages are not to 
 be much thought of, when I tell you that now, out of six millions of messages carried annually only 
 160,000 are carried in the whole kingdom at a 6d. rate. We will say we impose an additional charge 
 upon these 160,000 messages of 6d. each; but there are still two-and-a-half millions of messages 
 carried at rates of Is. 6d. and upwards, and on all those messages there will be a reduction Now 
 
160,000 is to two-and-a-half millions, about as 1 to 15, therefore, for every message on which we 
 impose an additional charge of 6d., we are going to take off a charge of Is. Gd. 
 
 " 348. (Sir Smith Child,) But that does not console the senders of the 6rf. messages ? — There comes 
 in my other statement, that the sender, or rather the receiver, of the 6d. message has to pay so much 
 for porterage, as brings the total charge to him above Is. ; and from the greater proximity of our 
 offices to the public, the result will follow, that in the great majority of cases the Is. will include the 
 porterage. 
 
 " 349. Does not the 6d. charge generally include porterage at present? — Only within a short 
 distance of a telegraph office. 
 
 " 350. "Within a mile, I think? — Yes, I believe so, but the greater number of the receivers are 
 beyond a mile. 
 
 " 351. (Mr. Weguelin.) Are these 160,000 6c?. messages of which you have spoken, principally com- 
 mercial messages, or social messages ? — I can hardly tell you ; I am not able to say. 
 
 " 352. You made an analysis, from which it appeared that the greater portion of the messages sent 
 off are commercial messages ? — Yes, but I have not made an analysis of the Qd. messages specially ; 
 I think the probability is, that they are chiefly social messages. 
 
 " 353. {Chairman.) tinder the Act of last year, the rate is to be uniform, is it not ? — Yes. 
 
 " 354. So that the Government will not have the same means of meeting competition which a 
 powerful company would have ? — Undoubtedly a competitor might come in in a large town with a 3i. 
 or a Qd. rate, and we could not take the same means as a private company wouU have taken, namely, 
 lowering the rate, because if the rate was lowered in one large town, we should have to lower it 
 elsewhere. 
 
 " 355. If you lowered the rate in London under the Act of last year you would have to lower 
 it also between London and Ireland ? — Yes, because the Act prescribes a uniform rate. 
 
 " 356. {Mr. Hunt.) "When the Bill was under discussion last year there was a great pressure 
 put upon the then Government to reduce the rate in the bill to Qd,, was there not ? — Yes, there 
 were two questions raised ; one was that we should have a uniform rate of 6^. for all messages, 
 and I have already given the answer to that, " We shall be glad to have a uniform rate of &d. 
 when we know that we can do the work ;" the other was that- there should be a uniform rate of 
 Is. for general transmission, with a 6d rate in towns. "We contended that that would be giving an 
 undue advantage to towns over the country, because if there were a M. local rate, every townsman 
 would be able to send a message, say, from INlanchester to John of Groat's house for Is., and a mes- 
 sage from Manchester to Pendleton for Qd. ; whereas a man in the country would only have the Is. 
 rate, and no local rate fof himself; therefore we thought it only fair and logical to have a uniform 
 rate throughout the country. I am told that the distance of free delivery in the case of the 6rf. 
 messages is only half a mile." 
 
 The following clause from the Telegraphs Act of 1868 shows the final decision of 
 Parliament with respect to the charges for the transmission of telegraphic messages. 
 These charges can he reduced without further legislative action, hut the principle of 
 uniformity cannot he abandoned without the sanction of Parliament : 
 
 " 15. The Postmaster General, with the consent of the Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury, Postmaster 
 may from time to time make regulations for determining the hours during which the offices appointed General to 
 by him to be places for the receipt and despatch of messages shall be open for the transaction of tele- ™a^e rcgula- 
 graphic business, and for fixing the sums to be from time to time paid for the transmission of conduct of 
 messages, and for services rendered in connexion therewith, and for the general conduct of telegraphic tusiness, and 
 business ; Provided always, to fi^ charges. 
 
 (1.) That the charges for the transmission of messages throughout the United Kingdom shall 
 uniformly and without regard to distance be at a rate not exceeding one shilling for the first 
 twenty words of each message, or part of twenty words, and not exceeding threepence for 
 each additional five words or part of five words : 
 
 (2.) That the names and addresses of the senders and receivers of messages shall not be counted as 
 part of the words for which payment shall be required : 
 
 (3.) That the sums charged for the transmission of messages shall be held to cover the costs of 
 delivery by special foot messenger, within the limit of one mile of the terminal telegraphic 
 office, or within the limit of the town postal delivery of that office, when it is a head post 
 office, and the town postal delivery extends for moi>e than a mile from it : 
 
 (4.) That when the addressee does not reside within the above-described limits, and the sender 
 desires to have his message delivered by special foot messenger, the charge to him for 
 porterage by such special messenger shall not exceed sixpence per double mile, or any part 
 thereof beyond such limits : 
 
 (5.) That when the addressee does not reside within the above-described limits, and the sender does 
 not desire to incur the cost of special delivery, his message shall be delivered free of extra 
 charge by the ordinary postal delivery next following on the arrival of his message at the 
 terminal telegraphic office." 
 
 B. — The extension of the wires from railway stations lying outside of town populations 
 to post offices in the centre of such populations j the extension of the wires already 
 carried into large cities to the suburbs of those cities, am,d the extension of the wires 
 from towns into rural and other districts unprovided with teleg.raph accommodation. 
 
 Those who advocated the transfer of the telegraphs to Government in the belief that 
 if it were effected the results described in the heading to this section would .follow, 
 
 A 3 
 
were of course actuated by a desire to bring the telegraph offices closer to the popu- 
 lation, and to reduce, for the senders and receivers of messages, the labour and cost of 
 the transmission of the messages over a certain portion of the then existing routes. 
 Prior to the transfer of the telegraphs to the State, the principal telegraph system of 
 the country, that of the Electric and International Telegraph Company, had grown up 
 on and in connexion with the principal railways of the country. This had come to 
 pass, partly because the telegraph was seen to be indispensable to the exigencies of 
 railway traffic before it was thought likely to be of great service to the general public, 
 partly because railways in some respects, though not in all, afforded the best routes 
 for telegraph lines, and partly because, in the case of the particular company to which 
 I have referred, there was such an amount of connexion between the board of that 
 company and the boards of certain railway companiesas enabled the telegraph company 
 to obtain a monopoly of way leave over certain railway lines, - The result was, that 
 in a vast number of cases the telegraph lines followed the railway lines, and terminated 
 at the railway stations, which in the great majority of cases were outside of the town 
 populations. 
 
 Mr. Baines, writing in 1856, and with his recollections of the Electric Telegraph 
 Company fresh upon him, put the case thus. He writes : — 
 
 " I have shown that of the 730 post towns, 260 only are telegraph stations ; of the latter only 60 
 have offices within the limits of the respective towns ; the remainder being at the railway stations, which 
 are rarely within a mile of, and not unfrequently two or three miles distant from, the towns from which 
 their respective titles are taken. An important increase of business must therefore result from the 
 telegraph being readily available, and thus obviating the necessity for the conveyance of messages by 
 hand over the distance between the railway station and the town. It is clear that if the post offices of 
 all towns were removed to railway stations, a very considerable contraction of postal business would 
 ensue, (not to speak of the inconvenience resulting to the public) as no letters, save those of com- 
 parative importance, would in all probability (owing to the intervening distance) be posted. This 
 principle is equally applicable to the electric telegraph." 
 
 As a matter of course circumstances had ia many respects changed between 1856 
 and the autumn of 1865, at which time the formal agitation for the transfer com- 
 menced, nor would Mr. Baines' remarks as to tlie post towns have held good then. 
 
 By that time the Electric Company had extended their lines from many more 
 railway stations into post towns, into which the Magnetic and United Kingdom Com- 
 panies, which worked chiefly on the common roads, had carried their lines also ; but a 
 large number of places which really required telegraphic accommodation were still 
 served from railway stations lying outside the town limits. 
 
 In the Appendix to my first Report on the subject (which was made in July 1866), 
 I gave a list of 486 towns in England and Wales, having a population of 2,000 and 
 upwards per town (the list did not include the largest towns), and showed that at 
 only 144 of those 486 towns was the telegraph office withia the town limits. 
 
 I may here observe, though the statement belongs more properly to a subsequent 
 portion of this Report, that at the present moment only 35 out of these 486 towns are 
 without a telegraphic office in the very centre of their population, and that this change 
 is due to the action of the post office. 
 
 The distance of many of these towns from the nearest railway telegraph station was 
 so great that they could hardly be said to have had any telegraphic accommodation at 
 aU; and the following remarks which appeared in my report of July 1866, were 
 fully warranted by the circumstances of the case : 
 
 " In Appendix F. will be found an account of the telegraphic accommodation aiforded to certain 
 towns in England and Wales, having a population of 2,000 persons and upwards ; and from this account 
 it will be found that many populous places are so far removed from the nearest telegraph office (which 
 is as a rule at a railway station) as to derive practically very little advantage from it. In short 
 Appendix F. shows broadly that, so fa.r as telegraphic accommodation is concerned, while 30 per cent' 
 of the whole number of places named in it are well served, 40 per cent, are indifferently served 12 per 
 cent, badly served, and 18 per cent., having an aggregate population of more than half a millionperswis 
 not served at all. If to this obvious want of facilities for, and increased cost of depositing messages at 
 telegraphic offices, we add the high charge for telegraphic transmission, we have a surplus^e of 
 obstacles to the growth of telegraphic correspondence. We have, in short, in the telegraphic system 
 of the United Kingdom precisely what we had in the postal system of the United Kingdoni before the 
 year 1840, when the receptacles for letters were few in number, when the charge for transmission firom 
 post office to post office was excessive, and when the limits of the free deliveries were so narrow that 
 large numbers of letters were subjected to additional taxation before they reached the hands of the 
 addressees," 
 
 It would have been easy to make out astiU stronger case with regard to Scotland and 
 Ireland. 
 Nor, when the lines were extended from the railway stations into towns was 
 
the accommodation, even in the greatest towns, satisfactory to the public. The 
 first memorial from the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce oontaitis the following 
 remarks : " There are at present about 300 places in which all the three companies 
 " have offices generally situated, as in the case of our own city, within a few yards of 
 f each other. Many of these offices could be dispensed with, and their cost applied to 
 " the establishment of others placed where the convenience of the public rather than 
 " the necessities of competition required them to be placed." 
 
 Obviously it was the view of the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce that these 
 duplicate and triplicate offices did not afford duplicate and triplicate accommodation, 
 and, as a matter of course, they were right in supposing that the companies in thus 
 settling themselves in such close contiguity to each other were desirous merely of 
 competing for the most lucrative site. 
 
 I might cite instances of many towns in which duplicate and triplicate offices 
 were located side by side, or vis-a-vis, in the centre of business. 
 
 Liverpool, Manchester, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Leeds, Sheffield, Birmingham, New- 
 castle, HuU, Bradford, Brighton, amongst others, occur to me as conspicuous examples. 
 Aid while the centres of the great towns were thus thickly studded with duplicate 
 and triphcate offices, the suburbs were for the most part unprovided, or at best very 
 scantily, with offices, and the residents in such suburbs were consequently in a great 
 many cases outside the telegraphic free delivery, and therefore Uable to an extra charge 
 for porterage on their messages. In 1868 the Electric and International Company put 
 forth a pamphlet in which they deprecated the proposed transfer. In replying to that 
 pamphlet {see Parliamentary Papers) I thus stated the case of Liverpool, Manchester, 
 Edinburgh, and Bu'mingham : — 
 
 LiVEEPOOL. 
 
 The district of Liverpool may be regarded as a semicircle with a radius of five miles. The river 
 forms the chord of the semicircle, and all, the telegraphic offices are on or very near to the chord, the 
 principal of them being clustered together in the centre of the chord. The district is thickly studded 
 with money-order offices which have been placed so as to suit the requirements of the population. 
 Twelve of these money-order offices are at a distance of from one to two miles from the nearest tele- 
 graphic station, and the population served by them must, to a great extent, be outside the telegraphic 
 free delivery. Three are from two to three miles, and three are from four to five miles from the nearest 
 telegraphic station. The population served by these offices must be altogether outside the telegraphic 
 free delivery. 
 
 Manchester. 
 
 The Manchester district may be regarded as a circle with a radius of five miles. The principal 
 telegraph stations are in the centre of the circle, but there are two stations on the boundary, and two 
 at about four miles from the centre. These four stations are at opposite quarters of the circle. This 
 arrangement would appear to promise a better accommodation than that which is afforded to Liverpool, 
 nevertheless 17 money-order offices are from one to two miles, eight from two to three miles, and three 
 from three to four miles distant from the nearest telegraph station. 
 
 Edinbuegh. 
 
 In the Edinburgh district all the telegraphic stations, with the exception of one at Granton 
 Harbour, one at Leith, and one at Portobello, are in a circle with a radius of from half to three-quarters 
 of a mile. No comment, therefore, is necessary to show that the greater part of the population, and 
 especially the population of the southern suburbs, must be out of the telegraphic free delivery, and at 
 a considerable distance from the nearest telegraph station. 
 
 Birmingham. 
 
 Taking the Birmingham district to be a circle with a radius of five miles, the principal telegraph 
 offices will be found clustered together in the centre, and within a radius of half a mile. 
 
 Of the money-order offices with which the district is studded, 1 1 are between one and two miles, two 
 between two and three miles, three between three and four, and three above four miles distant from a 
 telegraph station. 
 
 In London, the Electric, Magnetic, and United Kingdom Companies had established 
 a considerable number of branch offices, but in London also they had adhered to their 
 plan of competing for the traffic of busy localities. The London and Provincial 
 Company, too, had established what was designed to be mainly a local system, for the 
 transmission, primarily, of messages from one part of Lo^don to another. 
 
 In reality, however, the lines of this company were mere feeders to the lines of the 
 other companies, and were used mainly for the transmission of provincial messages over 
 certain districts of Londons Purely local messages were comparatively few in number, 
 the time required for their transmission being usually greater than that in which the 
 
 A 4 
 
post or a special messenger could have deUvered them. Statements to this effect 
 constantly appeared in the public prints for some years prior to the transter _ 
 
 In my first report (July 1866) I stated that when the transfer took place i snouia 
 
 ^To°'on"^ a central telegraphic oface at each of the 10 District Post Offices in London ; 
 To o?en Xdtate Saphic offices at the sorting offices and receiving offices m 
 
 To'ct^cf ?he subordinate telegraphic offices of each district with the central 
 telegraphic office of that district ; j_ . . ■, i,-. ^ffl„« or,,i mpTi 
 
 To estlbUsh dh-ect communication between each central telegraphic office and each 
 other central telegraphic office in London. 
 
 WhUe small towns and the suburbs of large towns were thus insufficiently Provided 
 for even less provision was made for the wants of rural districts. These were almost 
 entirdy dependent upon raHway stations, at many of which the service ^as occasiona 
 only, and at but few of which was there a regular messenger. I thmk it weU even at 
 the risk of stretching out this report to an inconvenient length, to reproduce heie a 
 poXn of the evidence which I gave before the Committee of the House f Commons, 
 and which was then admitted to contain a correct statement of the amount and quality 
 of telegraphic accommodation which had been supplied by the telegraph companies 
 in town and country. 
 
 « 62. (Mr. Sargood.) Having given us the position of the telegraph offices in relation to railways and 
 towns abroad, do you find a great contrast when you come to England m that respect .-'—In the United 
 Kingdom the greater number of telegraph offices are and have long been at the railway stations ; and 
 the charge for transmission of messages to the offices at such stations is very frequently increased by 
 the charges for porterage out of the free deUvery ; they do not carry the message so far by wire as the 
 continental administrations do; they have to carry it further on human legs, and therefore the charge 
 for porterage is somewhat higher. „ , t, ^,y. 
 
 « 63 Your idea, if these matters should fall into the hands of the Post Office, is to carry your 
 wires so near to the people that those difficulties will be overcome ?— We should endeavour to use legs 
 as little as we possibly could. _ ^ -j • <.v. 
 
 " 64. You say as little as possible, but you do not mean to dispense with legs i—i. am atraia, in tne 
 present state of the world, we must use legs to some extent. r iu 
 
 " 65. The published rates for transmission, I think, in this country, are generally those lor the 
 conduct of the messages over the wires ?— Yes, and within a limited free delivery. 
 
 " 66. Do they afford a fair approximation to the cost of the telegraphic message, bearing m mmd 
 that very much has to be supplemented by legs at an extra cost?— No, they do not. _ I can give some 
 illustrations of that. For instance, there is apparently a sixpenny rate for transmission in some large 
 towns, but the dispatching and receiving offices are so few in number in those large towns, and con- 
 sequently so far distant from the bulk of the population, that a sixpenny rate can hardly be said to 
 have a practical existence, whilst the time occupied in transmission is so great that the Post Office 
 sometimes, and a private messenger almost always, can do the work more quickly. 
 
 « 67. That being a general observation, applicable to everybody and everything, perhaps you can 
 give us some local illustrations ; have you made any experiments with _ messages ?— -Yes, after the 
 debate in the House of Commons on the second reading, when the question as to a sixpenny rate in 
 towns was raised, 1 sent some experimental messages; in Birmingham, for instance, I sent 10 messages 
 to different parts of the town and its immediate suburbs ; in five cases the charge, including porterage, 
 was Is. 6d ; in two, Is. ; and in three cases, in which 6rf. only was charged, the postmaster informs me 
 that, to the best of his belief, the messages did not pass through the wires at all, but were sent at once 
 by hand to their destination. 
 
 " 68. (Chairman.) Those were messages which were sent from one part of Birmingham to another ? 
 — Yes, they were all sent from the Birmingham post office to other parts of Birmingham. In Liver- 
 pool I caused nine trial messages to be sent to places in the town and its vicinity. In four cases the 
 total charge was 2s. per message, and the average time occupied in the transmission was one hour and 
 a quarter, and the average cost of the nine telegrams was Is. id. In Leeds I am told that the &d. 
 rate extends to two points only, Holbeck and Hunslet lying within a mile ; and in Edinburgh I believe 
 it extends only to Leith. 
 
 " 69. {Mr. Sargood.) Can you bring us a little nearer home, and give us a little London experience ? 
 — In London I sent messages from the City to Camberwell, Kensington, Norwood, Lee, and Hamp- 
 stead. In no case was the total charge less than Is. The telegram to Lee, near Bl&,ckheath, cost 2s. ; 
 and the Post Office messenger, after depositing it at the telegraph office, went down to the place of 
 destination by railway with a return ticket, which cost him Is., and he arrived 20 minutes before the 
 message did. 
 
 " 70. How did Kensington fare ? — The message to Kensington cost Is., and occupied fully two 
 hours in transmission. 
 
 " 71. That is worse than the omnibus, I think?— Yes. The message to Hampstead cost Is. 3d., 
 and occupied nearly three hours in transmission. 
 
 " 72. {Mr. Hope Scott.) I suppose you abused the companies pretty freely for that ?— We do not 
 abuse them at all ; I do not ascribe it to any fault of the companies. 
 
 " 73. {Mr. Sargood.) It is rather a weakness than a vice ?— But it is a weakness which does not lean 
 to virtue's side. 
 
" 74.. I suppose between large towns messages maybe transmitted rapidly ? — There is no soft of 
 ground for complaint with regard to the transmission of messages between large towns, nohe whatever ; 
 the work is rapidly done, there is a proper force of messengers, and messages are carried out promptly 
 and properly* ... 
 
 " 75. You tbink that, notwithstanding the result of your experiments, the delay is not a necessary 
 consequence of the existence of telegraph companies, and would not be a necessary consequence of the 
 Post Office conducting the telegraphs 'i — Certainly not, it is really in consequence of the telegraph 
 system having grown up mainly round the railway system. There are in the United Kingdom a great 
 number of places which are distant four or five miles from the nearest telegraph station, which is 
 mostly at the railway, and there are a great number of telegraph stations in the United Kingdom 
 which are open for public business only at intervals throughout the day, and from which the messages 
 received are sent out for delivery by chance messengers only. I may mention that only a fortnight 
 ago I received a telegraphic message at my house which was brought by a fishmonger's boy who had 
 been pressed into the service by the telegraph clerk. His fish would not keep, but my message would, 
 and therefore he delivered the whole of his fish before he delivered the message. I do not say this in 
 disparagement of the companies at all, not for one moment. 
 
 "76. You are merely speaking as the experience of public life? — / beg to say, mice for all, that I have 
 never concurred with those who accused tliem of habitual inaccuracy in tlie transmission of messages, 
 I think that they have done their work uncommonly well, and in the first insta/nce at very great pecuniary 
 risk, and in spite of very great difficulties indeed. 
 
 "77. We may as well meet this at once; your object is not to throw blame on individuals? — :No; it 
 is on the system. 
 
 "78. But merely to state the difficulties which exist? — Yes; and which will be removed. 
 
 " 79. Do you believe that a public department responsible to the country is less likely to fall into 
 those errors than private speculators ? — I believe that a public department will be forced not to fall into 
 such errors, or if it does, will be forced out of them instantly. 
 
 " 80. Then we will relieve their minds at any rate by that acquittal; do you consider yourself that 
 the- amalgamation of railway work and telegraphic business is advantageous to the efficacious going on 
 of the, telegraphic work? — ^I do not quite understand the question; do you mean that I think it a 
 misfortune that telegraphs have grown up around railways ? 
 
 "81. No, I did not quite mean that; 1 meant whether you considered that the occupation which 
 people have at railways was detrimental or otherwise to the acceleration of telegraphic business ? — 
 Undoubtedly, where the working of a telegraph is left to a station master or to a clerk who has other 
 avocations, he cannot give time immediately to the transmission of the- message, and when a message 
 can only be sent out when there is a railway porter disengaged for the purpose, a delay in the delivery 
 must take place ; there can be no question about it. 
 
 " 82. Do you consider also that telegraphic means of communication is of importance to the whole 
 community, and ought to be placed within their reach? — I do. 
 
 " 83. As much as facility of communicating by letter ? — Quite as much ; I think the more you can 
 increase the means and facilities of communication, the more you stimulate trade, economise capital, and 
 facilitate every operation of commerce. . 
 
 " 84. Having that view, do you think it a matter of such importance, that it is one which ought to 
 be taken up by the Government in the interests of the country ? — I do. 
 
 " 85. And that mere private speculators for the advantage of dividend are not so likely to consider 
 the interests of the public as the Grovernment office would?— I think that they are bound to consider 
 the interests of their shareholders before they consider the interests of the public. 
 
 " 86. The question of capital and dividend, would not arise if those matters were under the manage- 
 ment of a public office ? — No ; the Post Office would be bound in the interest of the nation to make its 
 system self-supporting undoubtedly, and in doing that could not avoid making a profit ; but profit 
 is not the first object in view. 
 
 " 87. Do the various Chambers of Commerce agree with you in the supposition that the telegraphic 
 communications would be increased, if they were under the management of Government? — Repre- 
 sentatives from the Chambers of Commerce of Liverpool, Derby, Hull, and I think Manchester and 
 Edinburgh, will come before you bye-and-bye, to depose to that effect. 
 
 " 88. Will you just explain to us the peculiar facilities which the Post Office possesses from the 
 amount of its stations, if I may so call them, for extending telegraphic communication ? — I would say 
 first, that the Post Office has a large number of money-order offices, which it has opened with direct 
 regard to the requirements of the population. The money-order offices are always in the centre of the 
 popula,tion which they serve ; as a rule, we open a money-order office wherever we expect that 12 
 money orders a week will be issued from it ; but we constantly accord to places which are separated 
 by a hill or a river or a considerable length. of road from their nearest money-order office the accom- 
 modation which such an office will give, even although we do not expect that more than one money- 
 order per working day will be issued at the newly opened office. 
 
 " 89. Referring to what my learned friend, Mr. Rodwell, said about those maps on the wall, do we 
 understand that each of those dots indicates the position of a money-order office ? At least that, and it 
 does something more than that. At the close of last year we had in the United Kingdom 3,700 money- 
 order offices ; that was one money-order office to every 1,450 inhabited houses, and the position of nearly. 
 3,000 of those offices is shown on those maps on the wall. Those dots represent towns and villages 
 having one or more money-order offices in them, and all the dots without exception, whether they are 
 marked in black or whether they are marked in plain red, represent towns having one or more money- 
 order offices. In London, which is only represented by one dot, there are upwards of 400 money-order 
 offices ; in Liverpool there is but one dot, and there are 40 or 50, and in Manchester, I think, as many. 
 On the map of England and Wales there are 2,056 dots, representing money-order towns and villages. 
 The dots which are marked with a black vertical line indicate the towns near to which there is a tele-j 
 graph station where the attendance is not continuous, or where the messages are sentt out by chance 
 messages only. The red dots which are marked by a black cross indicate the towns near which there is 
 27031. ;B 
 
10 
 
 a> telegraphic station open regularly for business, and with a proper force of messengers to carry, out the 
 messages. The dots which are left plain indicate the towns which have no telegraph station near to 
 them. I said that on the map of England and Wales there are 2,056 dots ; 5 67 of those have imperfect 
 telegraphic accommodation, 648 have perfect telegraphic accommodation , and 850 have no telegraphic 
 accommodation. In Scotland there are 385 dots, indicating towns and villages having money-order 
 offices ; 92 have an imperfect accommodation, 97 a perfect accommodation, and 196 none. In Ireland 
 there are 509 towns and villages having money-order offices; 33 have an imperfect telegraphic 
 accommodation, 109 a perfect accommodation, and 367 none. 
 
 " 90. I believe there are many telegraphs which are not maintained for railway purposes, but which 
 are used for public purposes also at stations ? — Yes. 
 
 " 91. Can you tell us anything about their experience ?— One of the telegraph companies has a 
 charge book, I believe it is called, and that embraces 622 towns and villages ; at 223 of those places the 
 station master or his subordinates work the telegraph, and the public are cautioned in the following 
 terms with regard to those stations: — The station master is permitted by the Railway Company to send 
 and receive messages to oblige residents, but as his duties are manifold, expedition in the transmission 
 of messages to or from those stations cannot always be relied on. 
 
 " 92. That is the Telegraph Company's own notice ? — ^Yes, that is the company's own notice. The 
 company also work to and from 350 auxiUary railway telegraph stations, charging, I believe, an addi- 
 tional fee, which is the remuneration of the station master, so that it may be said that attendance is 
 continuous at only 41 per cent, of their stations. 
 
 " 93. I see there is no outline of counties or towns on these maps ; can you give us any idea of the 
 relative proportion of telegraph stations that are within the town m the midst of the inhabitants, .and 
 those that are away from it at a distance? — We endeavoured at first to show that on the maps, but we 
 found it impossible unless we had quite covered the room ; but I believe that at 1,300 at least of the 
 2,000 towns and villages marked on the map of England and Wales, there is no telegraph station within 
 the town limits. In Scotland and Ireland the proportion of stations out of the town limits is much 
 higher. 
 
 " 94i Have you any idea of the average distance from the town where the stations are outside of it ? 
 — From the nearest money-order office the average distance is three-quarters of a mile, I believe. 
 
 " 95. That is to say your system will bring the place three-quarters of a mile nearer the people than 
 at present .'' — Yes, on the average. 
 
 " 96. In very many instances? — Yes. 
 
 " 97. With regard to the radius within which there' is a free delivery at the various stations, would 
 that be very much increased if you adopted the rule of making every money-order office a telegraph 
 office also? — Undoubtedly, as the senders and addressees of telegraph messages would then respec- 
 tively be nearer than they now are to the despatching and receiving offices the difficulty of sending a 
 message would be reduced, the rapidity of its transmission would be increased, and the charge for 
 extra porterage would be more often avoided." 
 
 C.—Such a complete separation of the commercial telegraph system as would entirely 
 relieve the commercial wires of railway messages, and throw on the railway 
 wires those commercial messages' only which arise out of the circumstances of 
 the railway traffic. 
 
 The foregoing extracts from my evidence will show some of the disadvantages which 
 arose out of the growth of the telegraph wires along the railway wires of the country. 
 But they do not give a complete view of all these disadvantages. The following 
 extracts from the paper prepared by Mr. Baines in 1856 wiU show more fully the 
 defects of the system : 
 
 u I'^h P'^^^T* telegraphic system (the Hnes of which are, with scarcely an exception, in possession of 
 tihe telegraph compames) may be divided into two heads ; the public service, and that of the railways. 
 Themajority of telegraph lines have wires apportioned for either service, but it will be seen fromiie 
 
 « r^T '*^*T^°> tf ^^ ^^-n*^^ f'^^*^"^ °"™^^^ °f telegraph offices are served by wires which 
 should be employed solely for railway business. j = y^ ^ 
 
 « ^''•''IP°u**°'^"''? ^"^>°'^'.^^^®''''°'^S'=°tl*ii'''^hich are telegraphs - - 260 
 
 Wo. which communicate by wires expressly set apart for public business - (about") 80 
 
 of tlS3wa s"^ ^''^^ ^ ^'^ ^''^ provided for the business and regulation 
 
 " „JB ' -i i ^^ P ^^^pT' °* ,*,^° ^^''^^ ^^ *^« ^»tire »ii^Mber, a choice of two evils must 
 '' !fl .L!" T ^^«, '"f ^^g«« °f the public must have precedence, and thus delay railway buSnesror 
 vice verse,. In the former case it is apparent that the safety of a railway train, and the Se" of its 
 ^JhTf!^^' "Y ^^ ^"^T^'^^'l I'y t^ non-signalling of its passage, not to s^eak of the delay of 
 other railway business of great, although perhaps not of such vital importance : or in the Ser 
 ^he important dispatches of the pubhc are possibly rendered of no avaU by delW while LrhS 
 comparatively trivial railway business occupies the wires. The medium cJi^S viz X't^of both 
 descriptions of messages taking turn according to priority of time, will not act^sSorilv There 
 " r-tiTSTandt Se Ser'tnd V^'^' -hiler.ilwa/ stations report t'Sttce^t^: 
 
 « Z:?^£^^^S^^S:S^ of telegraphs, and careful examinatW of tr^s^lUysS 
 
11 
 
 "Public safety ret|uifes that the electric telegraph should be fully developed; in its application to 
 " railways— an opinion which has, 1 believe, been already expressed by the Coicmittee of the Privy 
 " Council for Trade; and public necessity requires also its free use for the purposes of daily life'. To 
 " mercantile firms of every description the use of the telegraph is indispensable ; and any measure by 
 " which its free employment could be rendered less costly and more reliable in all seasons of the year, 
 ." would be attended with the most important advantages. These results can only be attained by the 
 " maintenance of a sufficient number of wires for railway service only, with distinct sets for the 
 " commercial work." 
 
 As a matter of course the system did not remain the same in all its details tip to the 
 time of the transfer, but it continued to he the same in principle. A great number of towns 
 and districts, ofwhich many were important, continued to be served by wires which were 
 used joiatly for railway and commercial works. The following are but a few 
 illustrations of this joint use of the wires up to the time of the transfer. The districts 
 between London and Timbridge, between Tunbridge and Ashford, between London 
 and Tunbridge Wells and Hastings, between Brighton and Portsmouth, between 
 London and Bristol (Bath, Chippenham, Swindon, and Reading excepted), between 
 Exeter and Bideford and Barnstaple, between Ipswich and Norwich, great parts of 
 East Anglia and North Norfolk, the towns in Linoolnshire with few exceptions, the 
 district between Birmingham and Leeds (Burton, Derby, Stafford, and Chesterfield 
 excepted), between Carlisle and Glasgow, between Dublin and Galway, between 
 Dublin, "Wicklow, and Enniscorthy, between Waterford and Limerick, and between 
 Dublin and EnnisMllen were all served by wires, of which there was a joint occupation. 
 The list might be multiplied indefinitely ; and it is certain that wherever this joint 
 occupation of the wires prevailed the delay in the transmission of messages, even under 
 the high tariff, was only to be measured by hours. 
 
 The railway companies were fully alive to the disadvantages of the system, and 
 though they at first, while they jointly with the telegraph companies were opposing 
 the fa-ansfer, urged that the connexion between them and the telegraph companies 
 was indispensable to the public safety, they afterwards took care to provide for the 
 complete severance of that connexion by proctuing the insertion of the following clause 
 in the Act of 1868 :— 
 
 " (2.) On such acquisition as aforesaid all the posts, wires, instruments, and other telegraphic 
 apparatus belonging to the railway company, and also all posts, wires, instruments, and 
 other telegraphic apparatus belonging to the telegraph companies on the railway company's 
 lines and canals which are necessary for establishing a complete system of telegraphy in 
 connexion with the working of trains, and the traffic of the lines and canals, shall become 
 the absolute property of the railway company, and shall be handed over to them by the 
 Postmaster General free of charge, in efficient working order, so that the railway company 
 may be in a position at once to take up and carry on their own telegraph work on their own 
 system, and thereafter the said posts, wires, instruments, and other telegraphic apparatus, 
 shall be maintained and worked by the railway company." 
 
 This clause has been carried out to the letter wherever it is applicable. The efi:ect, 
 of the separation of the commercial from the railway work, upon the commercial work 
 shall be noted hereafter, but I may state here that so far as the safety of railway pas- 
 sengers can be secured by the employment of a free and unencumbered telegraph, the 
 risks of railway travelling over great lengths of important line must have been 
 diminished by the operations of the Government measure. 
 
 D. — T'ree trade m the collection of news for the Press {ofwhich collection the Telegraph 
 Compames had formerly a practical monopoly), with low rates for the transmis- 
 sion of such news, no matter by what or by how many agencies it might be 
 collected. 
 
 Prior to the acquisition of the telegraphs by the State, the telegraph companies, 
 whilst competing with each other for ordinary messages, were in combination for 
 collecting and transmitting news to newspapers and news rooms. The rates which 
 they charged for the collection and transmission of news were moderate ; but, as they 
 had the entire command of telegraphic communication in the United Kingdom, the 
 newspaper proprietors who required news by telegraph were compelled to resort to them 
 for it, and to take what the companies were willing to supply. 
 
 To ascertain what were the views of newspaper proprietors with regard to this 
 arrangement, it is necessary only' to refer to the evidence given by the representatives 
 
 B 2 
 
12 
 
 of the Provinoial Press before the Parliamentary Committee on the Telegraphs Bill of 
 1868. The following passages are extracted from that evidence : — 
 
 J. E. Taylor, The Chancellor of the Exchequek. 
 
 ^^1' 1234. Arising out of those meetings, have attempts been made to establish an organization 
 
 7 July 1868 fo'" t^^ collection of intelligence for the newspapers, independent of the Telegraph Com- 
 
 ^ ■ panics? Some two years ago an attempt was made, before this Bill was in contemplation; 
 
 and since we have had to consider what its effect would be upon the Press, we have also 
 been engaged in establishing such an organization. 
 
 1235." Have you seen your way, since this scheme was before Parliament, for organizmg 
 a system of obtaining news for the Press ? — I see no diflBculty whatever in it. 
 
 1236. The newspaper proprietors propose to collect their own news through an intelligence 
 department, and that the Post Office should have nothing to do with it, except so far as 
 regards the transmission of the news, when so collected ? — Yes. 
 
 1237. As regards the interests of the newspaper press, do you think that system would 
 work better than the Telegraph Companies having the intelligence in their own hands ? — I 
 think decidedly better. 
 
 1238. The newspapers will collect the news which they think will serve their purpose, and 
 they will be independent of the views of any other bodies collecting intelligence for them ? — 
 Yes, just so ; they would collect it by a co-operative association. 
 
 1289. Under the present system, you are in the hands of the Telegraphic Companies as 
 to what news they will send you ? — Entirely. 
 
 1240. Have you found it the case sometimes that you have received news you did not 
 want, and were out of news that joix did want ? — Yes, that is so. 
 
 The Chancellor of the ExcHEauER. 
 
 1243. Are the rates which you have agreed upon, and which are proposed to be inserted 
 in the Bill, these: for night messages. Is- for 100 words to one address? — Yes. 
 
 1244. And 2rf. for the transmission of the same matter to every additional address ? — Yes. 
 
 1245. And the day rates will be the same, except only that 75 words will be considered a 
 message under the proposed tariff instead of 100 words? — Yes. 
 
 1246. Will you compare the cost to you of receiving news in that way with the present 
 cost of receivmg the news from the hands of the Telegraph Companies ? — It is not very easy 
 to compare it ; the comparison, after all, can only be an approximate and theoretical one. I 
 should like to explain, that at present a large proportion of the news published in the pro- 
 vincial newspapers is received under a subscription contract with the Telegraph Companies. 
 The Telegraph Companies report the Parliamentary debates, and send reports of markets 
 and other matters to the amount of about 4,000 words per diem on the average. They 
 deliver that matter to us in the country, and charge us rates varying from 150^. a year to 
 250/., the average being about 200/. By the tariff proposed to us by the Post Office autho- 
 rities, the cost of transmitting a similar amount would be somewhere about 126/. or 127/. a , 
 year, and we conceive that for the difference between that and 200/. probably the news 
 might be collected by the organization we propose to establish. 
 
 1247. At present the 200/. covers the cost of the collection of the news? — It covers the 
 cost of the collection of the news and the transmission, 
 
 1248. The 127/. which you reckon you would pay to the Post Office would only cover the 
 cost of transmission ? — Yes. 
 
 1249. You think that the difference would be absorbed in the expense of collection? I 
 
 should say fully absorbed in the expense of collection. 
 
 1250. Therefore you do not expect that to you the cost will be less ? — I think, if any- 
 thing, it will be rather more. 
 
 1251. If the cost will be more, wherein will be the advantage of the change to you?— I 
 think that we shall be able to supply ourselves more precisely with that description of 
 intelligence which we require. 
 
 1252. In fact the quality of the article will be better? — Yes. 
 
 The Chancellor of the Exchequer. 
 
 1255. As I understand it, under the existing system, the supply of news is a thorough 
 monopoly ? — It is so. 
 
 1256. Have any disadvantages been found from that monopoly?— Yes, I should say 
 decided disadvantages ; we have not such facilities as we should hke to have, and as would 
 enable us to conduct our business in the most convenient manner to ourselves. 
 
 Mk. Leejian. 
 1312. Has your attention been called to the arrangements to be made by the Post Office 
 with regard to news-rooms and exchanges in the country ?— Yes 
 them^t-?do^not''"°'' ^^'^tarrangement is to be made by the Post Office with regard to 
 
 1314. Has it been a matter of discussion at your meetings ? Certainly 
 
 1315. Has the Press objected to the Post Office supplying news rooms and exchanges V- 
 Some persons have objected, at our meetings, certainly. exwianges . 
 
13 
 
 1316. Many? — A considerable number were prepared at first to object, but I should say J. E.Taylor, 
 that the opinion of the majority has changed very decidedly. , Esq. 
 
 1317. At first there was a very strong feeling on the part of the Press against the news- 
 
 rooms and exchanges being supplied? — Yes, in certain quarters there was a very strong •''^ July 1868. 
 objection. 
 
 1318. How did that feeling change ? — It has changed during the process of the discussion 
 in the Bill, especially at the meetings we have held. I believe that the balance of the 
 argument is strongly in favour of letting the Post Ofiice do as they like upon the matter of 
 either supplying the news rooms or not, as facilities may be given. 
 
 1319. I find in a letter of Mr. Fisher's this paragraph : " I believe the newspapers, if not 
 " thus interfered with, will pay a larger sum for the intelligence than they can do where its 
 " value is destroyed by postmg it in public rooms before it can be printed ;" has that been 
 the argument ? — ^That has been the argument, to a certain extent. 
 
 Mr. Noewood. 
 
 1328. With regard to the cost you do not object to the present charge for news made by 
 the telegraph companies, but you object to the quality of the news ? — Yes. 
 
 1329. You frequently have intelligence transmitted to you of little or no value for your 
 purpose, and transmitted in a form in which it is of little service to you ? — Yes. 
 
 1330. You believe, having yourselves the power of collecting such intelligence, you would 
 be able to serve the public better ? — ^Yes. 
 
 1331. You ai-e prepared to incur any. little extra expense in the collection of news which 
 may be necessary in the first instance ? — Quite so. 
 
 1332. You have no fear at all that the Post Office will treat the entire newspaper 
 press in the provinces with perfect equality and fairness ? — I have not. 
 
 1333. You have confidence that they will act with strict impartiality, that your expression 
 of opinion on public matters will not be guided or influenced by the fact that, to a certain 
 extent, you are in the hands of the Post Office ? — I believe we shall have a much more 
 effective control over the telegraphs than now. 
 
 1334. You would not hesitate as a journalist to make comments upon public affairs with 
 the same freedom as now, or with even still greater freedom ? — Certainly not. 
 
 The Chancellor of the ExcHEauEii. W. Saundei-s 
 
 1364. You have heard Mr. Taylor's evidence as to the terms of the agreement with the Esq. 
 Post Office for the transmission of news for the newspapers ? — Yes. " — 
 
 1365. Do you agree with his views upon the matter? — I think that under these rates we ^^ 1868. 
 shall be paying quite as much for the transmission of news as we are paying now ; but I 
 
 believe vc shall get a better supply of news. 
 
 The Chancellok of the ExcHEftUEK. 
 
 1370. Apart from the news which is supplied to you by the agency of the intelligence 
 department of the Telegraph Companies, do you occasionally 'have special messages ? — 
 Yes, we get them, but rarely, for the rates for their transmission are too high. 
 
 Mk. Norwood. 
 
 1380. I mean this ; would not it be possible for the Post Office to say, " We will not 
 supply such and such a paper?" — I imagine that the Bill itself will compel them to supply 
 papers on equal terms. At present the telegraph companies are not compelled to supply 
 all papers on equal terms ; they may supply particular papers or not, as they please, and on 
 what terms they please. 
 
 1381. Has an instance of this kind come under your notice, have you ever heard of a case 
 in which a newspaper proprietor purchased a paper, and when he became possessed of that 
 paper, and applied to the intelligence department of the Telegraph Companies for the usual 
 supply of news, the reply made was, " Yes, but there happens to be an outstanding account 
 " with the former proprietor of your paper, and we must have that paid before we treat with 
 " you ?" — That has happened twice to me personally. 
 
 1382. You were compelled to pay the debts of your predecessor as the price of obtaining 
 information on the ordinary terms ? — In the first case I discontinued the supply of news, 
 and did not pay the claim. In the second case I was obliged to pay the claim. 
 
 1383. What did that amount to ?— 77^. 
 
 1384. You had to pay 77^. of your predecessor's debt as a condition of your receiving the 
 ordinary intelligence supplied to the newspapers ? — Yes, 
 
 The Chancellor of the ExcHEauER. p jq Finlay 
 
 1450. Do you live at Belfast? — Yes. Esq. 
 
 1451. Are you the proprietor of the " Northern Whig," published there ? — I am. 
 
 1452. Have you been in the habit of receiving telegraphic news for the use of your 7 July 1868. 
 paper ? — Yes, I have, since the commencement of telegraphic communication with Ireland. 
 
 . 1453. Do you find the present system is all that you would wish ? — No, I do not. 
 1454. In what respects have you reason to complain of it? — My objections to it are 
 threefold. I think it is inefficient in certain respepts ; I think it is too costly in certain 
 
 B 3 
 
14 
 
 F. D. Finlay, respects ; and I think that it has placed in th^ hands of Telegra.ph Companies a power 
 Esq^. which they have used in a despotic and arbitrary manner. 
 1455. We will take those points in order. Why do you say that it is inefficient ? — Because 
 
 7 July 1868. , there are delays and errors, both of which are seriously inconvenient to us, in consequence 
 
 of there being a submarine communication. The second point is with. regard that it is too 
 dear. It is not too dear if the absolute number of words transmitted by the company be 
 calculated in proportion to the amount annually charged ; but the gross sum is too dear, 
 inasmuch as they send us a quantity of matter which we do not require, and refuse to 
 supply us with the quantity of matter which we do require. I can give instances, if the 
 Committee wish it. They supply us with a quantity of foreign intelligence, derived through 
 the agency of Mr. Renter, a considerable portion of which is so absolutely valueless to the 
 Irish press that we do not even take the trouble to insert it, and for this supply of Renter's 
 foreign intelligence the Telegraphic Company insist, in spite of remonstrance, on very 
 materially increasing our annual payment. With regard to home intelligence, the Tele- 
 graph Company will not give items of information which are of special importance. In 
 Slustration of that I may mention that when Lord Lurgan won the Liverpool Cup they 
 absolutely refused to tell me who the winner of the Liverpool Cup was, and I had to pay Ss. 
 for a message to Liverpool, to make my inquiry 3s., and 3s. for the reply, though I knew 
 of my own knowledge that the information was in the telegraph office at the time. 
 
 1456. Your readers are very often more interested in English sporting news than in foreign 
 political news? — 'There are 10,000 people in Belfast who would wish to know that Lord 
 Lurgan had won the Liverpool cup for one who would wish to know what had passed in 
 Bulgaria. - , ' 
 
 1457. You think that the Post Office would transmit news to you about the Liverpool 
 cup, if your agents sent it to them, quite as readily as they would transmit news about 
 anything happening in a remote foreign country ? — The Post Office would make no distinc- 
 tion in the matter. We would supply the news, and the Post Office would transmit it without 
 regard to its character. The third objection to the existing system is, that the action of the 
 Telegraphic Company is despotic and arbitrary, inasmuch as, by the combination, the com- 
 panies have acquired an absolute monopoly of the news supplied ; whereas a broker who is 
 not satisfied with the Magnetic Telegraph Company can send his messages to the country 
 and to London by the Electric Telegraph Company. The newspaper proprietors can make 
 no selection. I have my contract with the Magnetic Telegraph Company, I am not, and 
 have not been satisfied with that company, but I cannot be supplied by any other Telegraph 
 Company. In consequence of the combination, there is no competition in the transmission 
 of news. 
 
 1458. Can you give any instance of the exercise of that despotic action on the part of the 
 company ? — I can. On the 8th of June I wrote an article in the " Northern Whig," in which 
 I supported the Bill at present before the committee. I spoke of the advantages of it to the 
 public and to the Press, and I made a very severe complaint of the manner in which the 
 Press had been dealt with, winding up by saying that we (speaking in the name of the 
 paper) did not attempt to conceal our personal desire that we should be relieved from the 
 pressure that we had submitted to for so long. On the 13th of June Mr. Boys, the superin- 
 tendent of the IntelUgence Department, wrote to me a letter. 
 
 1459. Have j^ou that letter?— I have a copy of it. 
 
 1460. Will you read it? — "Intelligence Department, Telegraph Station, Telegraph 
 " Street, London, E.G., 13th June 1868. Dear sir, I will submit to the next meeting of 
 " the directors the article in your journal of the 8th instant. I have never received from 
 " you any complaint of errors, &c., and if you had made them every case would have been 
 " carefully investigated. The printed attack is, therefore, most unjustifiable. Your assertion 
 " that the charges are exorbitant is at direct variance with the statement you made to me 
 " when last in London. The time appears to have arrived when the ^directors should 
 " seriously consider whether the contract with your journal should be continued, and I have 
 " no doubt they will come to a decision which may afford you an opportunity of making 
 " your own news arrangements, on less exorbitant terms. I am, dear sir, faithfully vours 
 « Charles V. Boys." . . ' ^ > 
 
 1461. Had you any means of making other arrangements than those through the company 
 whose representative wrote that lettter? — The only alternative open to one would have been 
 to engage a special wire to Belfast, for which I should have had to pay 1,000^. a year, and 
 to organise a news collection of my own, which might hare cost anything up to 5,000^. a 
 year ; so that if the Telegraph Company had carried out this threat they might have ruined 
 me, provided I could not aiFord to pay 6,000^. additional for my expenses. That is the alter- 
 native that was presented to me. 
 
 1462. So that the company had the power, if they wished it, of, saying' you should not 
 receive telegraphic news unless you took a certain line in your paper on particular questions ? 
 — Yes ; to controlling my action in the management of my newspaper. 
 
 1463. Is that a condition of things which could be tolerated by the editor of a newspaper? 
 — It is a condition of things which I should not tolerate at any rate, and I should think it 
 would be intolerable to any man of independence. 
 
 Sir Feederick Heygate. 
 
 1478. Do those telegraphic arrangements ever fail, owing to accidental causes?-^ 
 Occasionally, but not frequently. 
 
 . 1479. How many times in the course of a year are you prevented from obtaining your 
 telegrams ?— Half a dozen times in the course of a year ; due to natural causes electrical 
 disturbances, and violent tempest. ' 
 
15 
 
 1480. When that happens, your arrangements are very much impeded? — We have then F. D.Finlay, 
 no telegraphic information supplied to us. Esq. 
 
 1481. Do those accidents arise from there being only one submarine wire at work? — 
 
 I believe there are two submarine wires at work. 7 July 1868 
 
 1482. Was not it the case that during a portion of last winter only one was available ? — 
 I have no recollection of such being the case; as far as my knowledge goes there is 
 one from Whitehaven to Larne, another from Port Patrick to Donaghadee, and another 
 from Kingstown to Holyhead, but that third has been broken for a long time, so that 
 there are only two available. The entire communication with Ireland comes through 
 Belfast. 
 
 1483. If your arrangement is with one company, if anything happens to the submarine 
 wire which that company works, I suppose the whole of your telegraphic intelligence is put 
 a stop to ? — If ahythmg happens to that wire we cannot possibly have communication. 
 
 1484. You say there are two wires; your arrangement being with one company, if the 
 wire worked by that company fails the whole of your intelligence comes to an end ? — Both 
 the wires, I believe, are in the hands of the Magnetic Telegraph Company. I am giving 
 hearsay evidence now ; but the general opinion is that those wires belong to the Magnetic 
 Telegraph Company. 
 
 1485. Is it your opinion, from your knowledge of pubUe feeling in Belfast, that this 
 purchase by the Government would be looked upon as a great benefit to Ireland ? — I do not 
 think it is a case of special benefit to Ireland more than any other part of the United 
 Kingdom. 
 
 1486. The more remote the district is from London, the greater the advantage to it of 
 telegraphic communication ? — Naturally so. 
 
 1487. Therefore the benefit to Ireland would be greater than to parts of the United 
 Kingdom nearer to London? — The benefit to Ireland would be very considerable. As 
 it is proposed to reduce the charge for special messages, it would be an advantage to those 
 who take special messages, and also as it is proposed to reduce the price for commercial 
 messages, it would be a great benefit to the mercantile public. 
 
 1488. Are the public of Belfast satisfied with the present telegraphic arrangements ? — 
 They are not satisfied with them. 
 
 1489. On what ground? — On the ground of irregularity. 
 
 1490. Is the rate in Ireland similar to that in Great Britain ? — No ; for a telegraphic 
 message from London to Belfast the cost is 3s. for 20 words. 
 
 1491. What is the charge for a similar distance in this country ? — I think 2s. 
 
 1492. Can you give any reason why there should be that difference? — I cannot; but they 
 say that the submarine cable is the reason. 
 
 1493. Is there any greater expense in working a submarine cable than a land wire ? — No 
 greater expense in working it, but a greater expense in laying it down. 
 
 1494. Do you think that there has been an increase in the use of telegraphic com- 
 munication in Ireland of late years ? — I have no knowledge upon that subject. 
 
 1495. What is your opinion of the advantage to Ireland of the proposed uniform 
 1*. rate ? — I cannot conceive, looking at it from a public point of view, that it can be 
 otherwise than most beneficial. I think every facility for inter-communication should 
 be established between the two countries, and that Ireland should be brought as much as 
 possible into connexion with the United Kingdom, and therefore the more facilities in the 
 way of communication we have the better. 
 
 1496. How many hours after the publication of the " Times " newspaper does it arrive in 
 Belfast? — The earliest way by which it can arrive is by Dublin ; coming by Dublin, it 
 arrives at Belfast at four the following morning ; that is to say, Monday's " Times " arrives 
 in Belfast at four o'clock on Tuesday morning, but it is not available till the morning's 
 delivery, between eight and nine. 
 
 1497. Are your Belfast papers published very early in the morning? — At five o'clock in 
 the morning. 
 
 1498. What is the latest telegraphic news you are able to give ? — The House of Lords 
 divided at twenty-nine minutes to three on the Suspensory Bill, and that was pubhshed in 
 the Belfast papers the next morning. 
 
 1499. Withm four hours of the event, in fact? — Yes; it is not at all an unusual thing 
 for me to see an announcement of the adjournment of the House fifty minutes after it has 
 taken place. 
 
 1500. So thai you are able to inform your readers of what has occurred within four hours 
 after it has taken place ? — Yes. 
 
 1501. If they had simply taken a London paper, they would not have known it for twenty- 
 four hours afterwards ? — -That is so. 
 
 1502. Therefore a good system of telegraphiccommunication is of paramount importance 
 to a place at such a distance from the, metropolis ? — It is of paramount importance to the 
 north of Ireland, and of very great importance,, but not of paramount importance, to 
 Dublin ; because the London papers arrive in the evening, so as to be available for the 
 newspapers published the next morning. In the north of Ireland, without telegraphic 
 communication, we could not give intelligence of what took place in London the preceding 
 night. 
 
 It is plain from tlie foregoing extracts tliat the representatives of the Press, who 
 appeared before the Oommittee, were dissatisfied with the then existing arrangements ; 
 that they were especially dissatisfied with the monopoly of collection possessed by 
 
 iB 4 
 
16 
 
 the Telegraph Companies, and that in their opinion the then existing arrangements 
 tended to check the distribution of. news hy telegraph throughout the country. It is 
 also clear that they approved of the provisions of the BiU then before the Contmittee, 
 and thought that the effect of them would be, if they became law, greatly to mcrease 
 the spread of news by Telegraph throughout the country, at an increased cost it might 
 be to newspaper proprietors, but with a proportionate increase of advantage to them 
 and to their readers. 
 
 In fm-therance of their views, the following clause was inserted in the Telegraphs 
 Act of 1868 :— 
 
 " Notwithstanding anything in this Act, it shall be lawful for the Postmaster General, 
 with the consent of the Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury, from time to time 
 to make contracts, agreements, and arrangements with the proprietor or publisher of 
 any public registered newspaper, or the proprietor or occupier of any news room, club 
 or exchange room, for the transmission and delivery, or .the transmission or dehvery, 
 of telegraphic communications at rates not exceeding one s hillin g for every hundred 
 words transmitted between the hours of six p.m. and nine a.m., and at rates not 
 exceeding one shilling for every seventy-five words transmitted between the hours of 
 nine a.m. and six p.m. to a single address, with an additional charge of twopence for 
 every hundred words, or twopence for every seventy-five words, as the case may be, of 
 the same telegraphic communication so transmitted to every additional address : Pro- 
 vided always that the Postmaster General may from time to tune, with the like consent, 
 let to any such proprietor, publisher, or occupier the special use of a wire (during such 
 period of twelve hours per diem as may be agreed on) for the purposes of such 
 newspaper, news room, club, or exchange room, at a rate not exceeding five hundred 
 pounds per annum : Provided also, that no such proprietor, publisher, or occupier shall 
 have any undue priority or preference in respect of such rates over any other such 
 proprietor, publisher, or occupier." 
 
 Having shown what were the views and expectations of those who advocated the 
 transfer of the telegraphs to the Post Office, .1 propose now to describe as briefly as 
 circumstances will permit, the difficulties by which the Department was encountered 
 in the prosecution of its undertaking. 
 
 These difficulties may be classed under the following heads : — 
 
 E. Difficulties arising out of the very natural reluctance of the telegraph companies 
 to extend the systems under their control so long as the proposal for the 
 acquisition of those systems by the State was under consideration. 
 
 P. Difficulties unavoidable at the outset of the undertaking, and arising out of the 
 nature and magnitude of the change which was demanded by and promised 
 to the public, and which was nothing less than a complete reorganization of 
 the telegraphic system of the country. 
 
 G. Difficulties attributable to the delay which took place in the passing in 1869 
 of the Money BUI which was required to give effect to the Act of 1868. 
 
 E. 
 
 Very little was done in the five years prior to the transfer towards the extension of 
 the inland telegraph system. 
 
 In their report of the 30th January 1866, the directors of the Magnetic Company stated 
 that "additional wires" (about 100 mUes) "had been erected upon some of the main 
 " lines during 1865, but that their main object had been rather to develope and extend 
 " the traffic upon theu' existing telegraphs." In the same month the directors of the 
 United Kingdom Company reported that their mileage at the end of December 1865 
 was what it had been at the end of June 1865, and that they had opened but one 
 additional office, " as they had given their attention almost exclusively to the consoli- 
 " dation and developnaent of the existiag system, which they intended to enlarge only 
 " where there was the best guarantee of a remunerative business." 
 
 In January 1866, a severe storm, of almost unprecedented severity, destroyed many 
 hundreds of miles of the English telegraphs. The damage was so great and the repairs 
 were so costly, that the companies may well be excused for their abstinence from 
 extensions during the year 1866. The Magnetic Company in that year increased their 
 mileage of wire by 54 miles only, and the United Kingdom Company added but 146 
 miles. 
 
 The agitation for the transfer of the telegraphs began to take shape in 1866, and, as 
 a matter of course, had a powerful effect upon all the companies. The Electric Com- 
 pany, which in 1866 increased its mileage by 2,500 miles of wire, added only 2,000 
 
17 
 
 miles in 1867, and only 700 in 1868, and this additional mileage was pliace4 mainly on 
 existing lines of great importance. Hardly anything was done for the extension of the 
 inland system in 1867 and 1868 by the other companies, and in. 1869 no extensions 
 were made save those which were carried out on hehalf of and at the cost of the Post 
 OfiB.ce, and in view of the transfer. 
 
 At a cecent meeting of the o£S.cers engaged in the telegraph branch of the Post 
 OflB.oe, the proceedings at which meeting are described in the printed papers marked B, 
 I took occasion to question the divisional engineers who were formerly oflB.cers of the 
 telegraph companies upon this subject, and their replies which will be found at pages 
 233 to 240 of the printed papers were to the following effect : Mr. Sanger, formerly 
 manager for the Magnetic Company in Ireland, stated that for two years and a half 
 prior to the transfer " new works in Ireland were practically stopped. Mr. Preece, 
 engineer of the Electric Company in the south of England, said that " new extensions 
 had been stopped ;" Mr. Graves, engineer of the Electric Company in the north and 
 north-east of England, said " we kept that which we had in good order, but we spent 
 " no money in acquiring that which we had not, for it was self evident that we were 
 '• going to get no return ;" Mr. Walsh, engineer of the Magnetic Company for a large 
 part of England, said " that he had orders to extend the wires to several manufac- 
 " turing towns, but that in consequence of the probability of the Government taking 
 " over the telegraphs he received instructions not to carty out these extensions;" 
 Mr. Shaw, engineer for the United Kingdom Company throughout the kingdom, said 
 " that his company spent nothing for extensions prior to the tra'iisfer, excepting upon 
 '• the land lines which they put up in connexion with the Danish and Norwegian 
 " cables from which they expected a handsome return." Lastly Mr. Tansley, engineer 
 of the Magnetic Company in Scotland, said " that there were no extensions in hand 
 or proposed in Scotland for about four years before the transfer. 
 
 In short there can be no doubt that during five years prior to the transfer the exten- 
 sion of the telegraphic system in this country made very Httle progress, and that in the 
 two years prior to the transfer it made no progress at all. During the whole of that 
 time the public had been crying out for extensions, so that the Post O&ce started with 
 a heavy arrear of work upon its hands, and heavily in debt to pubUc expectation. 
 
 P. Difficulties arising out of the nature of the change required by and promised to the 
 
 JPublic. 
 
 I think it must be evident to anyone who reads the foregoing remarks that the 
 change demanded by the public and promised by the legislature was a sweeping and 
 radical change ; and that in carrying it out it was scarcely possible for the department 
 to avoid giving some dissatisfaction to some classes of the community. 
 
 The telegraph companies declared in 1868 that their lines were used mainly by 
 " stockbrokers, mining agents, shipbrokers, colonial brokers, racing and betting 
 " men, fishmongers, frmt merchants, and others engaged in business of a speculative 
 " character, or who deal in articles of a perishable nature." 
 
 It was their opinion, too, that " general merchants used the telegraph comparatively 
 " little compared with those engaged in the more speculative branches of commerce." 
 [Vide the pamphlet put forward by the Electric Telegraph Company in the spring of 1868.] 
 
 There is no reason to doubt the accuracy of this view. By maintaining high charges 
 as long as they could, by reducing those charges inch by inch as it were, and only 
 under pressure, by the confinement of their operations to important towns, and by 
 planting their oflEices mainly in the business centres of those towns, the telegraph 
 companies had brought speculative men, and speculative men only, to a free use of the 
 telegraph. Whoever could make money on a turn of the market, whoever could 
 advantageously place a few pounds when Bumblebee went below DulcibeUa in the 
 betting, whoever had it at heart to let Thames Street know that there was a large take 
 of herrings at Wick, rushed cheerfuUy to the telegraph office, and would have sub- 
 mitted to any inconvenience, and paid any charge to get his message through in time. 
 But the general public, puzzled by a variable and complex tariff, and disheartened by 
 Ithe distance of the telegraph offices from their doors, had got to regard the telegraph 
 as a medium of communication which they might use in times of sore necessity, and 
 then only, and to look upon a telegraph message with a feeling amounting to fear. This 
 is within the knowledge of most people ; it is certainly within my knowledge, and I 
 firmly believe that for many months, perhaps even for some years, there will be a large 
 
 27031. C 
 
18 
 
 number of people wEo will Ibe lanable to open the envelope of a telegraphic message 
 without alarm and apprehiension. 
 
 Those who adyocated the transfer to the Government contemplated a radical change 
 in this respect. They proposed, by the establishment of a low, uniform, and very 
 simple tariff, and by bringing the wires close to the population, to popularise telegraphs- 
 in this country, to put the use of the telegraph within the reach of everyone, and to 
 make that, which had hitherto mainly served the purposes of the wealthy and the 
 speculative, minister to all the necessities of social and domestic life. 
 
 On the introductio^i of such a system as this, it was absolutely necessary that the 
 Post Office should set itself resolutely against favouritism of any kind, and that it 
 should determine to forward messages stnctly in order of receipt, arid without any 
 reference to their real or supposed importance, or to the wishes of the senders. 
 
 Applications have been made to the Departinent for the establishment of a differential 
 tariff, with a low rate for ordinary and a high rate for special messages, but it is clear 
 that no such differential tariff is possible. If it were once admitted that a message 
 called special, and on which 5s. were paid, ought to go before a message called ordinary^ 
 and on Which but lif. was paid, then it would be impossible to contend that a message 
 on whibh' a guinea was paid should not have priority over a message on which 5^. were 
 paid. If the principle of strict rotation were once abandoned, the chief use of th& 
 telegraph would fall td the rich or to those whose wants, fbr the time being, made them' 
 as lavish as the rich. ' 
 
 I believe that the directors and managers of the telegraph companies aimed at sending 
 the m^ssiges in strict rotation, but I cannot divest myiSelf of the belief, although i 
 cannot give any satisfadtory" grounds for my belief, that in some way or other good 
 customers' had a preference. ' . 
 
 This, however, is quite certain, that good districts had a preference. In bad weather, 
 when the wires were working fll generally, some companies would take care to 
 keep a fair communication between important towns, even though by so doing they 
 diamaged a larger number of ■ less important towns. As a matter of course the 
 l*ost Office has endeavoured to deal with all parts of the country equally, to leave 
 those wires undisturbed which were unaffectfed by weather, and to let those districts 
 whose lines of communication were affected bear for the time the misfortune which 
 had fallen upon them. 
 
 I believe that the course which the Post Office has pursued is fair, and that it is, ori 
 the whole, for the benefit of the commxraity; -but it was not to be expected that this 
 course would commend itself to those whose interests were affected by it. . When we 
 undertook, by the establishment of a low tariff, and by the extensioil of the wires into 
 outlying districts, to bring about a large increase in the num.ber of messages, we were 
 t)ound, as far as possible, to take care that the extension of the means of transmission 
 kept pace with the extension, of the business, so that those who had hitherto chiefly 
 used the telegraph should suffer no loss of accommodation. I shall presently have to 
 show how it was that we were unable, at the outset of our undertaking, to do all that 
 we had planned and desired to do in this respect. I shall content myself now with 
 stating that I am confident our operations have given great satisfaction to large 
 numbers of persons throughout the country, who having no special motive to declare 
 their satisfaction have kept it to themselves, and that a very large part of the dis- 
 satisfaction which was ajt fixst expressed, and which is now fast dying away, came from 
 that which had hitherto been as it were a privileged class. 
 
 It will be remembered that, when penny postage was first introduced, many men of 
 business complained that they gained nothing, but rather lost by it. They said that no 
 doubt the previous charges had been high, but that the burden had not fallen on them 
 as they had for the most part charged their customers a lump sum annually for postage' 
 which had saved them from loss, if indeed it had not left them a profit. Somethmg 
 of the same kind has happened now. The Post Office has benefited the communii^ 
 generally; for a time, and I believe only for a short time, it injured a class. I ain 
 certain that before long even the injured class will be ready to acknowledge that on 
 the whole, it too has derived benefit. ' ' ' 
 
 On the whole, then, the transfer to the Government involved these practical diffi- 
 culties: — 
 
 (a.) Having undertaken by the establishment of a low tariff, and the erection of 
 feeders to the main Hues, to swell the traffic on those main lines it was 
 absolutely necessary that the means of communication on the main lines should 
 be extended and improved. 
 
1& 
 
 (b.) Havirtg undertaken, to : effect a separation between the eommQrcial system and 
 the railway system, it was absolutely necessary to supply the railways with a 
 large mileage of wires, 5,000 or 6,000 miles, in suhsiitution for those wires 
 of which there had been a joint user, to provide fresh instruments in lieu 
 of those left at the railway stations, and to take care that the Railway 
 Companies were provided with the proper force for working the wires which 
 were left to them. 
 
 (c.) Having to take over the staff of several Companies it was necessary to 
 amalgamate into one force men who had hitherto regarded each other as 
 rivals, and who had ia many cases worked on totally opposite plans arid "with 
 different instruments. Further it was necessary' to amalgamate this combined 
 force with the employes of a Government Department, and to assimilate 
 practices so much at variance with each other as those of a public office and 
 Commercial Companies. 
 
 G. — Difficulties attributahle to the delay which took place im, the passimg in 1869 of the 
 Money Bill, which was reqmred to give effect to the Actof\8Q8. 
 
 It was providedE^by the Telegraphs Act of 1868 that unless another Act were passed 
 in that or the next session of Parliament, putting at the disposal of the Postmaster- 
 General such monies as should be requisite for carrying into effect the objects and 
 purposes of the Act of 1868, tl^e p;co-^sions contained in. the last-named Act should be 
 null and void. - 
 
 From this it followed as a matter of course that until the Money Bill was passed 
 the Post Office could make no other preparations than preparations on paper for the 
 work which it had to do. 
 
 In the winter of 1868-9 grave doubts were raised by a writer in the Edinburgh 
 Review, and by some other writers in the pubHc prints, as to the bargain; with the 
 Telegraph Companies which had been sanctioned by the Act of 1868. It- was for some 
 time doubtful whether the Money BiU. would be introduced. Nor was it possible for 
 the Government to come to a decision on the subject until the result of the arbitrations 
 and negotiations under the Act of 1868 was known. It was not until July of 1869 
 that the Money Bill was introduced. When it was introduced it met with some oppo- 
 sition, both in Committee and in the House, and it was not until August the 9th 
 that it became law. Up to that time the Post Office could not spend one shilling for 
 the prosecution of its undertaking ; could not invite a tender for materials, even though 
 such materials might require months of prepa^ration ; and could not get the advice or 
 assistance of the practical officers of the Telegraph CompanieSj who, though their advice 
 and assistance were indispensable to the Post Office, werie bound in the interests of 
 their employers to withhold them so long as the issue of the long pending proceedings 
 was doubtful. 
 
 As I have before stated the Post Office was heavily in debt to public expectation, 
 and under strong pressure to mount the new system without delay. The plans of the 
 Department were complete, so far as completion was possible at that time ; but for the 
 effectual completion of the work a large amount of out-door work was required, at a 
 tLmelwhenJthe autunm was at hand, and the winter fast coming on. Further, the stores 
 required for the work could not be obtained with sufficient rapidity; to have obtained 
 them in sufficient quantities at the time it required them, the Department ought to have 
 been in a position to order them six months before. The following statement of the 
 stores supplied to the Department in 13 months from the 1st October 1869 wUl show 
 what our requirements were, and will satisfy any one who is acquainted with the subject 
 that the difficulties which we had to encounter in this respect were great. 
 
 2 
 
20 
 
 Statement of Galvanized Ieon "Wire, Gutta Pbrcha Covered "Wire, Arms, Brackets, Saddles, 
 Insulators, Poles, Instruments, and Batteries supplied to the Department for the Erection 
 and Maintenance of Telegraphs, from 1st October 1869 to 31st October 1870. 
 
 
 Galyanized Iron 
 Wire. 
 
 Gutta Percha 
 Covered Wire. 
 
 Arms. 
 
 Brackets. 
 
 Saddles. 
 
 Insulators. 
 
 Poles. 
 
 Instru- 
 ments. 
 
 Batteries, 
 
 
 
 Per the Electric and International 
 Telegraph Company. 
 
 tons, cwt.qrs. lbs. 
 H9 12 17 
 
 miles, yards. 
 457 614 
 
 45,088 
 
 27,016 
 
 29,651 
 
 138,656 
 
 6,012 
 
 30 
 
 322 
 
 Per ditto ditto, supplied 
 nnder contract. 
 
 1,404 1 3 19. 
 
 — 
 
 — 
 
 — 
 
 — 
 
 — 
 
 14,698 
 
 1,253 
 
 6,202 
 
 Per the British and Irish Magnetic 
 Telegraph Company. 
 
 3 10 12 
 
 65 23 
 
 .')02 
 
 404 
 
 20,112 
 
 76,924 
 
 4,355 
 
 — 
 
 2 
 
 Per the United Kingdom Telegraph 
 Company. 
 
 5 20 
 
 — 
 
 12,754 
 
 — 
 
 — 
 
 18,862 
 
 1,706 
 
 — 
 
 7S 
 
 Per sundry Manufacturers subse- 
 quent to the Transfer. 
 
 1,855 1 3 18 
 
 1,442 660 
 
 228,607 
 
 28,898 
 
 6,595 
 
 488,075 
 
 73,121 
 
 2,222 
 
 8,771 
 
 Totals - 
 
 3,382 11 1 2 
 
 1,964 1,197 
 
 286,951 
 
 56,318 
 
 56,358 
 
 722,517 
 
 99,892 
 
 3,505 
 
 15.372 
 
 When, after describing the results of the work which we have done, I come to 
 describe the manner in which it was done, I shall hare farther occasion to dwell upon 
 these difficulties. 
 
 4. Having now pointed out what were the views and desires of those who advocated 
 the transfer of the telegraphs to the Government, and having stated the difficulties 
 with which the Post Office has had to contend, I propose to state broadly what the 
 Post Office has been able to do for the public up to the present time, and then to 
 describe the mode in which it has carried out the various branches of its undertaking. 
 
 The Post Office has done all that it undertook to do as regards reduction and simpli- 
 fication of tariff; much of what it undertook to do in respect of extensions ; all that it 
 undertook to do towards separating the commercial system from the railway system ; 
 and very nearly all, if not quite all, that it undertook to do on account of the press. 
 
 It could not accomplish all these objects at once, or, indeed, very rapidly ; in striving 
 to attain them it could not avoid subjecting many senders of messages for a time to 
 annoyance and inconvenience, and probably from twato three months must elapse before 
 it can hope to give entire satisfaction to those who, prior to the transfer, made the most 
 frequent use of the telegraphic system. But, as the following pages will show, it has 
 done a great deal, and is still doing much for the pubHc benefit, and has spared neither 
 pains nor expense in its attempt to organise a perfect telegraphic system. 
 
 Tariff. 
 
 The uniform shiUing rate estabKshed by the Act of 1868 now appHes to all the 
 telegraph hues m the United Kingdom, the line to SciUy and the lines to Orkney and 
 Shetland excepted. It also applies to the lines between England and the Channel 
 Islands and England and the Isle of Man. These last-named islands, not being part 
 ot the Umted Kingdom, were not included in the provisions of the ^t of 1868, but 
 have been brought within the scope of that Act by an Act passed in the last session of 
 Parhament. The lines to SciUy, Orkney, and Shetland are worked by private companies 
 underhcense from the Postmaster-General, and the companies' rates are charged in 
 addition to the Post Office rates. When the companies in question first proposed to lav 
 down the cables to Scilly, Orkney, and Shetland, the Department did not desire, for 
 various reasons which need not be specified here, to enter upon undertakings which 
 seemed to mvolve a very considerable amount of extra risk and difficulty. It did not 
 however, think fit to prevent others from affording the accommodation, and accordinfflv 
 gave the companies a hcense to act. Sooner or later, however, these lines will have to 
 be brought into the Government scheme. 
 
 With these exce^ions the uniform rate, as I have stated, applies to all telegraph 
 
 lines m the Umted Kingdom, and to the lines to the Channel Islands and the Isle of 
 
 Man. Prom a carefully prepared account which has been taken of the produce of all 
 
 messages during the week ended the 17th September last, it appears that the average 
 
21 
 
 cost to the public of an inlcmd message is between la. Id. and Is, l^d. The Post Office 
 share of the cost to the public of a foreign message is so much higher as to briag the 
 average produce to the Post Office of 1,000 messages of all kinds up to 58Z. 7*. .Zd., 
 which is at an average rate of \s. M. per message ; but the average cost to the public 
 and average produce to the Post Office of an inland message is, as I have stated, 
 between Is. Id, and Is. \\d. 
 
 This average cost includes all extra charges for porterage beyond the free delivery, 
 or for any other extra service. It has been ascertained that the corresponding average 
 cost to the public prior to the transfer was Is. *ld. ; so that the average cost, to those 
 who used the telegraph prior to the transfer, of an inland message has been reduced by 
 nearly one-third.* 
 
 This reduction is partly to be attributed to the substitution of an uniform rate for 
 all the formerly prevaiHng rates, and partly to the extension of the wires by which the 
 charges for porterage have been reduced. 
 
 A glance at the ordinary form for inland messages, of which the following is a 
 copy, will satisfy every one that the simplification of the tariff has been almost as 
 advantageous as the reduction of the tariff : 
 
 A. 
 
 POST OFFICE TELEGRAPHS. 
 
 No. of 
 
 Prefix 
 
 Beceived at - 
 Code Time - 
 Sent at 
 
 To the ^ 
 ' sat J- 
 
 OfBce: 
 Byme_ 
 
 ■WOBDS TO BE BIQS.UU,ED. 
 
 In Addresses (free) • 
 In Telegram (oharged) 
 In Instructions 
 
 Total 
 
 Counter Clerk to sign here. 
 
 Geaboe. 
 
 Telegram 
 Repeating 
 Reply - 
 Excess in B.F. 
 Extra Copies 
 Be-direction 
 Porterage 
 Special Charges 
 
 Tbtal - 
 
 How paid. 
 
 In Stamps - 
 
 In Honey • 
 
 Total ■ 
 
 The blank spaces above are for use by the Officers of the Post Office only, and the Public are requested not to write in 
 or over them. 
 
 FOR INLAND TELEGRAMS ONLY. 
 
 It is particularly requested that the Message may be written distinctly, Numbers must be written in words. 
 
 Name and Address of the Sender of the Telegram. Addresses free. Name and Pull Address of the Person to whom 
 
 the Telegram is to be delivered. 
 
 From 
 
 To 
 
 In each of the spaces below, one word only should be written. The first five words of the Message should be written 
 in the five spaces mto which the line is divided, and so on. "When the Message is in excess of forty words, the additional 
 words may be written on ordinary paper attached to the Message Form by pin, or wafer, or gum. 
 
 Counter Clerk to vn'ite M. M. 
 Instructions here. 
 
 Office of Origin, 
 
 The charges for transmission, por- 
 terage, &c. are, as far as is possible, 
 to be paid by postage stamps affixed 
 below. 
 
 The stamps must be cancelled with 
 the Office Stamp. 
 
 N.B. — The Message must be dated 
 either with the Office Stamp, or in 
 writing. 
 
 IsSTEtrOIIOlfS AS TO DeIiIVEET. 
 
 I^^If the Telegram is to be delivered 
 by special means, or if it is to be sent 
 beyond the free delivery, and may be 
 detained till next delivery by Post, 
 one of the Porms of JB«guest at foot 
 must be filled up accordingly. 
 
 Words. Charge. 
 
 1/3 
 1/6 
 
 35 1/9 
 
 40 
 
 innieii ttae Sender desires tbe Telegram to be delivered 
 by KOCAK POST, tlie subjoined Form Is to be filled up. 
 
 I BEQUEST that this Telegram may be forwarded by Post from the Ter- 
 minal Telegraph Office of the Post Office. 
 
 Signature. 
 
 vnien tbe Sender desires tbe Teleirram to be delivered 
 by SPECIAL MEAD'S otber ttaan tbose mentioned in para- 
 grraph 10 at back of Form, tbe subjoined Form is to be 
 filled up. 
 
 I BEQVEST that this Telegram may be forwarded by_ 
 
 niere describe the special means] from the Terminal Telegraph Office of the 
 Post Office, and I have deposited Shillings for that purpose. 
 
 Signature. 
 
 No such form was possible prior to the transfer, and under the operation of a tariff 
 based partly on distances and partly on routes. Then very few but practised senders 
 
 * As a matter of course the average cost prior to the transfer would not have been so low as Is, Id. if the 
 high rates for long distances had not kept down the nnmber of messages liable to such rates. 
 
 3 
 
22 
 
 of messages coiUd know Tvithout inquiiy wfiat the cost of a given message woiild be. 
 Now any sender of a, message can reckon 'tte cost as he writes it. The result is that a 
 considerable proportion of ' the messages aie brought to the offices ready 'written and 
 paid for by means of stamps. ' . \ 
 
 The Department has done its best to encourage this by supplying" those who 
 habitually send many messages with interleared books of stamped message forms, on 
 which it prints the names and addresses of the senders, and in some cases Of the 
 receivers eQso. ' 
 
 A list of the firms for wbom such message fbrms have been printed is given in 
 paper 0: So, also, I ihay mention here, it provides envelope's^ with printed addtbsses, 
 .for those who receive many messages. Paper D. wiU show that upwards of 7,000 
 messages are sent out daily ia enVelopes with printed addresses. 
 
 ' ' Extensions. 
 
 In describiag the extensions, I propose to deal first with our extensions from the 
 centres to the suburbs of large towns, or ia other words with the local systems which 
 we have established in large towns. The following maps, 12 in number,- show the 
 relative positions of the telegraph offices under the companies, and the relative positions 
 of the postal telegraph offices at present, in Liverpool, Manchester, Ecdnbtirgh, 
 Birmingham, Leeds, and Grlasgow. .They prove conclusively that, so far at least as the 
 towns named are concerned, the Post Office has carried out its undertaking to put the 
 wires within an easy distance from the population. In the plans, showing the relative 
 positions of the offices under the teleg^-aph conjipanies, the offices of the Electric Com- 
 pany are coloured red, those of the Magndtic Company black, and those of the United 
 Kingdom Company yeUow. The scale is not uniformly the same for aU the towns, 
 but as a matter of course, each pair of maps is drawn to one scale. 
 
Sea/brifv 
 
 Bootie> • 
 
 Jjodwiclc 
 
 ^Wcdtotv 
 
 LIVERPOOL. 
 
 EErlcdalc* 
 
 tAffwl/ Street/ 
 
 PLAN 
 
 tJSjeffent Road/ 
 
 Anfield' 
 
 e 
 
 Sccrflcund/ Road/ 
 
 •^echluoad/ 
 
 •EyertoTu Rocud/ 
 
 Wtst^ Derby h 
 
 Tyih^Boorn/ SP 
 
 • RS. •Ryrorrv Street 
 
 ^lEocxhanqe 
 
 • Wcvber Street/ 
 Corn/ Eocchanae' 
 
 Zirrw Street' 
 
 e 
 
 > West Derly Rooyd/ 
 
 •BruziswichRoobd/ 
 
 ^Femhrolce' Maxe/ 
 
 ^EensTrvgiorv 
 
 H.P.T.O 
 
 ® 
 
 '•Rctnelobcih/Plac& 
 \Bold/ Street/ 
 
 Oxford Street/ • 
 e G-f George' Stre^ 
 
 •Edg&HUl 
 
 o Upper FarUamervb Street/ 
 
 Rranswuik 
 
 *RS ^ParhPloux/ 
 
 Wavertre^ 
 
%Can£i4l(i'Iioc3i/ 
 
 LIVERPOOL . 
 
 PLAN 
 
 QffirG&s /ye/ere' i/).4i^ 2rct,n^er 
 • G^Sovfard Stre£t^ Scale 3 Inckyes ic ^neMile^ 
 
 M 
 
 9'fythe/IBarTV Street\R.S. 
 
 Af m9iE.xchccn£f&. 
 
 JturnmroJ Street 
 ^^aJxr Street 
 
 ^ » Casa& Street' ^Liirw Street US . 
 
 t 
 
 E 
 
 Lard/ Street oljime/ Street/ 
 
 UK 
 
 • Adetpfix/ Koixl' 
 
 M 
 
 EomjO ver Stre^ 
 
 wBrvavswicJc RS. 
 
 E 
 
MANCHESTE R 
 P LA N- 
 
 
 SoaZe/. 
 oi23tsej Slw-lengs 
 
 M. e Oiieen!s Hotel 
 
 M ^ Jictorio/ R.S. 
 Surds Bank m ^ L'^^.w. 
 
 ^ yif Tfoomas Str-eet/ 
 
 lish Market « uk e% Thomas Street^ 
 UK m*^ Stock Exchange 
 Sx)yal£ccdum^m„ u^ Market^ Str-eet 
 "'^ Fork Streets 
 
 OUn^ Roa^ R.S. ., ^^- '"^-^ o%^ !f-^ ^^-^ 
 
 ^^y • Bandy Street/ 
 
 London Road R.S. 
 
 * L&K.W. 
 
 Oxford Road R.S. 
 MSJ£A. 
 
MANCHESTE R 
 
 .■ ■- n — X. ■■■■r.rr-y . : ,:-,.-:-■;■■■■.■■■■■. ■■ ; ■ — ^=: 
 
 P LA N 
 
 Shewing tke' relaUve posctions of (Aejore^en^ 
 I^os6a/' Tele^rap/i Officer 
 
 SoaZe/. 
 
 Bii3*se; SJ^urlongs 
 
 9 Cheetharri/ffM 
 
 Qiieens Road' 
 ^ O 
 
 Siranqeways 
 
 ^R&d/ Bank 
 
 O 
 
 Lower OldJiam' 2ioad/ 
 
 Pendletorv 
 
 SaJ/brd 
 
 Victoria. R.S. 
 
 lisfv Market 
 Stock lEaxhange 
 
 O Thomas Streei/ 
 
 B^egerct/ Street^ 
 
 VmleBlg? • 
 Deans Gate^ 
 
 O "^H.P.O 
 
 H.P.T.Of^ ^FicccuMfy' 
 
 Mosl^ Street/ 
 
 GfAncocUs 
 
 O 
 
 S^ Peters O 
 
 KnottMiM/ 
 
 Oxford Pood' 
 2i9 s. 
 Jf.SJJ^A 
 
 ^London/ Pood' P.S. 
 ^Ardwiok 
 
 Chester E/?ad o 
 
 ^Oxford Read 
 • Stret/brd Pioad- 
 
 Old/ Prof ford 
 
 R.9 S. 
 
 M. S. -Jd^A. 
 
 ^ Moss Side- 
 
 Rushobrw 
 
 VuiceatBrool£sD^-S.Soii,Iiitli 
 
# ^ruTttcn , 
 
 Cha.rl<?U^J*< 
 
 
• ^rct7t^?t ^a/.^^^ 
 
 EDINBURGH 
 
 LE/TH • 
 
 PLAN ' 
 
 SAewc/icr ^iS' relaUve^ positions of the jure^sen:^ 
 
 J^osta/' Tele^rapk Offi^^e^ 
 
 Soccl^ 3 i/tc/ies t^> oy /nil&. 
 
 • St<?ckl/ri.d^)e 
 
 
 Jfam>ye^ Street • 
 
 6^fy;& St/-e€l • 
 
 ® 
 
 ■ JV./3. -^ 
 
 
 ^J^arlz^/n^n^t Jifoccse^ 
 
 
 ^^Tewtn^iGn' 
 
 Mf^rcrx^j^A^nyCii/'-^e^a^ 
 

 UK 
 
 EDINBURGH /f^^^"''' 
 
 PLAN 
 
 SheiriTi^ tA& reZativey posvtion/ of T^Zepr^^^/^h^ 
 
 Scale 3 Inches to <yneMile^ 
 
 Jkf 
 
 If^n^ire?- Street l/J[% ^ ^ j:>^i^^ce^ Stre^. 
 
 
 C/jr/1-^ jBoccAan^e^ 
 
 ^ 
 
BIIRM INGHAM. 
 
 PLAN 
 
 Scale 2 /neAes to cneMilf/ 
 
 UK. ® Soh^. fFa/>m^ Z(?/ido/i'Works.) 
 
 ^So/u?. L.^MJVB.^ 
 
 MmG.W: Hotels. 
 
 J^e-w Street (i 
 
BmMINCHAM. 
 PLAN 
 
 Skewm^ tke- rela/i-ve-positcons of d^ jore^sen^ 
 jPosUd' Tele^rapk Offu^t 
 
 Scale 2 i/ic/?^s to /7 mi/^^: 
 
 • Jle^utyk. S^ Soh'O. 
 
 
 jBa^r^Me-r S'i' 
 
 S'n^w fftU^. 
 
 %J-*our-a^ey. 
 
 « yl stony S?< 
 
 Ft-ve^ Wa-T/s. 
 
 ^^ • Exchange. 
 
 • Horsa Faiir 
 
 %Z)erite/i/£^. 
 
 I BrUtoly li^ctd: 
 
LEEDS 
 
 FLAN 
 
 SherriTt^ the^ relative^ posvticn/ cf Te^lepra/^fh^ 
 
 Scale 3 Inches tc ^yneMUe^ 
 
 U.Kq Park Roctd/ 
 E • Fccrk. Row 
 M ComnterdaZ' Bljdgs. 
 
 HoUbeck^Ti.S. 
 
 O SanMet/ Larve^ 
 
 ■VmcentBrooksi'Day & Soii.Ijth 
 
LEEDS 
 PLAN 
 
 S/ten^l/W th^^ rglaUve'positu>n,s of the jor»sen^ 
 J^osta/' Tele^rapk Officer 
 
 Eyd&Farh Comer 
 
 \Sheepsc(Xr 
 
 Woodhmise. Lane' 
 
 O Mnk^taUy Mood/ 
 
 • Fork Road/ 
 
 • NbriJi/ Street/ 
 ^^TTG 9 Stock' Bocohcaigc' 
 
 %MidZa7id/lLS 
 •M!H/SfR.S. 
 
 ^^^"'^^^ ^^^ I •^^^-^/« CorruEccOum^^ « MotsTvXojv^ 
 
 M^WartZ^ • . ff,Ue^R_S. G^JT^ 
 
 \Molbeck' 
 
 ^ Banslet' 
 
 "KncentJiroolca, Daj fc Stni^IiOi, 
 
GLA SGOW. 
 
 r ■■■ — „ , , -• ' ■ -.f 
 
 PLAN 
 
 Shen'irii^ tAe^ reZative^ fiosvtifi/v of Te'lepra/yn/ 
 
 Scalo 3 Inches tc ^neMile^ 
 
 UP f) 
 
 Charincf Onos^ 
 UP. » 
 
 Jiujcharvan/ Si'K.S. 
 
 E m (cauyj 
 
 M #^ Stock, Exchange^ 
 UK 
 
 JamcUoay ^tre&O ® ii u 
 
 IIP ^% Bridg& Stree(> R,. S. 
 
 • M faiuy& G. & s.w.) 
 
 Souths Sid& R. S. 
 
 (ccci/yj • ^ 
 
 Ifincent Brools Day & Son Lith 
 
• SUZhea/L 
 
 G LASGOW. 
 
 PLAN 
 
 Skewi/t^ t/te- relaUve^ positions of the jura's en^ 
 J^ostul' Telegrrap/i O/YY'ties 
 
 SoaZe 3 Jnc/ie^ tip a^ mUe. 
 
 Cowocuddens 
 
 SaAichiehaI7y SP 
 
 Uvudhcmcav SPR.S. 
 
 • (ccd/yM) 
 
 %SPJioRax> 
 
 Sandyfbrdy 
 
 QjMxny SP R.S . 
 
 (w.jB.m) 
 
 UH.P.T.O. 
 
 Argyl&St' % 9 Stock.JEocchange' 
 
 ^roomieZoft^ i 
 
 Cro^s 
 
 Minmnff FLace- . 
 
 ^JBridffe. S(^ It. S. 
 
 (Cauy&G&s.w:m?J 
 
 WhztevaZe' , 
 
 ^EgUntmi/ S^ 
 
 ■VUicenL BrookB .Da^ & Saa, Lith . 
 
23 
 
 That the public appreciate the accommodation which the Department has thus 
 afforded them may be gathered from the statement that 9 per cent, of all the 
 messages handed in at GlasgOTS^, 11 per cent, of all those handed in at Edinburgh, 14 
 per cent, of those handed in at Birmingham^ 17 per cent, of those handed in at Leeds, 
 26 per cent, of those handed in at Liverpool, and nearly 40 per cent, of those handed in at 
 Manchester, are handed in at the stations which the Post Office has set up, in districts 
 previously unprovided with accommodation, in substitution for the duplicate and 
 triplicate offices which it has closed. As a matter of course the extensions have been 
 as serviceable to the receivers as to the senders of messages, 
 
 The offices in the local system shown in the foregoing maps are all in communication 
 with the head offices of their respective towns. A careful watch is kept from day to day 
 upon the transmission of messages between the head and branch offices, and whenever 
 it is found that the work of any particular circuit is impeded by the fact of there being 
 too many offices on it, or by the fact of some one office on a circuit being exceptionally 
 busy, steps are taken at once to provide additional wire accommodation. This has been 
 done more than once since the transfer, at Liverpool, Manchester, Leeds, Edinburgh, 
 Birmingham, and Glasgow. 
 
 The busiest branch offices in Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, and Glasgow are 
 connected with the head telegraph offices by pneumatic tubes. The pneumatic tube 
 system has been extended in the three first-named cities by the Post Office, but has 
 been introduced into Glasgow for the fixst time by that Department. It is about to be 
 introduced into Dublin, where the local system is advancing towards completion. 
 
 Much has been done to extend and improve telegraphic facilities in the immediate 
 neighbourhood of other large towns, such as Bristol, Hull, Sheffield, Bradford, Derby, 
 Nottingham, and Brighton. The last-named town affords a good illustration of the 
 plan upon which the Post Office has proceeded. The chief thoroughfares of Brighton 
 consist of two long lines running from east to west, parallel with the sea. The telegraph 
 companies had planted offices on convenient points on the thoroughfare nearest to the 
 sea, which is of course the most important of the thoroughfares, but the Post Office, 
 whilst it has maintained the full accommodation on this^ thoroughfare, has also opened 
 offices at convenient points on the other line, to the great advantage of the public. 
 
 London. 
 
 Without the aid of a map it is hardly possible to convey any adequate idea of the 
 extent and completeness of the telegraphic system in London. A map will be prepared 
 as an adjunct to this report ; but the following statement wUl show the number of 
 stations which have been provided for each district of London, and the number of 
 messages collected for transmission by each district. The statement is based on a return 
 taken in the week ended the 17th September. 
 
 
 
 Number of 
 
 Per-centage of Messages 
 
 
 
 Name of District. 
 
 Telegraph Stations in 
 District, 
 
 collected for Transmission 
 by each District. 
 
 
 
 East Central ... 
 
 43 
 
 64-05 
 
 
 
 Western - - - - 
 
 53 
 
 8-93 
 
 
 
 West Central 
 
 19 
 
 7-19 
 
 
 
 South Western - - - 
 
 44 
 
 5-96 
 
 
 
 South Eastern - - - 
 
 37 
 
 4-81 
 
 
 
 Eastern - - - - 
 
 32 
 
 3-25 
 
 
 
 North Western - - - 
 
 25 
 
 2-99 
 
 
 
 Northern - - - 
 
 32 
 
 2-82 
 
 
 
 285 
 
 100 
 
 
 Fifty additional offices have been opened since the return on which the foregoing 
 statement is based was taken ; but this circumstance would not materially alter the 
 proportions of the traffic. It is probable, however, that as the return was taken after 
 the close of the London season it does not give a fair view of the amount of business 
 done in the 'Westem and South Western Districts. 
 
 The offices in the East and West Central.Distriots, 62 in number, are all in direct 
 commimication with the central station in Telegraph Street. 
 
 C A 
 
24 
 
 The communication witli the Threadneedle Street, Stock Exchange, Lothbui-y, 
 Leadenhall Street, Penchurch Street, ComhiU, Gresham House, St Martin' s-le-Grand, 
 Eoyal Exchange (Lloyd's), the Baltic, the Old Broad Street (British Indian), and 
 Temple Bar offices, is "by means of phneumatic tube. Occasion will be taken hereafter 
 to revert to the subject of these tubes. 
 
 The following statement shows the number of offices acttially open in each district on 
 the 31st December 1870, and the number habitually in direct communication with the 
 central station m. Telegraph Street. The offices not habitually in direct communication 
 with the central station can, and in practice frequently are, put in communication with 
 that station by means of a mechanical arrangement known as the TJmschalter switch : 
 
 
 
 Total Number of Stations 
 
 Number in direct 
 
 
 
 Name of District. 
 
 open on 
 31st December 1870. 
 
 Communication with 
 Telegraph Street. 
 
 
 
 East Central 
 
 41 
 
 41 
 
 
 
 Western - - - . 
 
 63 
 
 14 
 
 
 
 West Central 
 
 21 
 
 21 
 
 
 
 South Western - . - 
 
 52 
 
 9 
 
 
 
 South Eastern ... 
 
 46 
 
 8 
 
 
 
 Eastern - . - - 
 
 40 
 
 9 
 
 
 
 North Western - 
 
 32 
 
 6 
 
 
 
 Northern - - - . 
 
 39 
 
 7 
 
 
 
 334 
 
 115 
 
 
 The following are the most important collecting offices in. the London Districts, 
 ranged in order of importance : — In the East Central, the Stock Exchange, Eenchurch 
 Street, Gresham House, Leadenhall Street, Comhill, and Lothbury offices; in the 
 "West Central, the "West Strand, "West Central District, Somerset House, and Oovent 
 Garden Market offices ; in the "Western, the Piccadilly Circus, "Western District, and 
 Paddington offices ; in the South "Western, the St. James Street, Parliament Street, and 
 Knightsbridge offices ; in the South Eastern District, the Borough and Crystal Palace 
 offices ; in the Eastern District, the Aldgate, Shoreditch, and St. Katherine's Dock 
 offices ; in, the North "Western, the Euston and Camden Boad offices ; and in the 
 Northern, the Kings Cross and the Cattle Market offices. The messages collected at 
 the postal telegraph stations in London are about 20 per cent, of the whole number of 
 messages collected at all stations throughout the "United Kingdom, and of them about 
 20 per cent, (averaging 5,000 per week) are local messages, that is, messages handed 
 in in one part of London for delivery in some other part of London. The local systems 
 established in other large towns have not as yet created a local traffic in those towns, but 
 serve merely as feeders to the main lines. 
 
 It is believed that the working of the local system in London has given great and 
 general satisfaction. Certainly no pains have been spared to make it perfect. The 
 circuits have been watched from day to day, "and additional wire accommodation has 
 been given whenever it has been found that messages were delayed for want of it. 
 Indeed the mileage of wire, of which the local system in London is composed, has been 
 increased by 60 per cent, since the transfer. At the meeting to which I have already 
 referred, and the proceedings at which meeting are described in Paper B., Mr. Baines 
 pointed out (at page 243) that in many cases we had since the transfer doubled and 
 even trebled the previous means of communication; and Mr. Isherwood, who was 
 formerly the engineer to the London District Telegraph Company, stated (see page 242) 
 that prior to the reorganisation of the system " the messages in London were in the 
 " habit sometimes of taking hours in reaching their destination, but that they are now 
 " delivered within an average of 10 minutes." The acceleration is attributable partly 
 to the multiplication of wires, and partly to the extension of the wires towards the 
 population. The following remarks which were made by Mr. Isherwood, and are also 
 to be found at page 242 of Paper B., will show that the jjlans of the Department in 
 London are almost complete, 
 
 " The whole of the town portion of the metropolitan system, I should say, is now complete with 
 the execoption of about two ofBces on the Duke of Bedford's estate, which is waiting for his consent 
 The Western, North Western, and Northern are also complete, including the -whole of the suburbs Iii 
 the eastern we have jfeached nearly to the extreme points ; but we have North Woolwich MillwalL and 
 afew stations beyond Stratford, some of which we are nearly ready to open* The South Eas'tprn offices are 
 
25 
 
 nearly all ready, or at least the orders have been given to one or two railway companies to extend the 
 ■wires. The whole of Woolwich will be shortly ready and the other stations will be done, I should 
 think, in about the course of a month or six weeks. In the South Western district we are rather behind- 
 hand, and there are some difficulties arising in respect to poleing the road on some important part of 
 the hne. I have no doubt that we shall be able to say that that will be completed in the course of two 
 months. In the Northern and Eastern districts we have pushed a little beyond the metropolitan districts, 
 having reached Enfield, and now got as far as Waltham Cross, and we also intend to go ' as far as 
 Romford. But it will be a question for the Secretary's decision as to whether this metropolitan system 
 should not be extended to a large number of towns beyond the city and metropolitan district." 
 
 With reference to the concluding sentence of these remarks, I may observe that in 
 my opinion the metropolitan local system must eventually be extended to all those 
 places ia the vicinity of London in which a large number of persons carrying on 
 busiaess in London are resident. 
 
 The Extension of the Wires from Mailway Stations lying outside of Town Populations 
 to Post Offices in the centre of such Populations, and the Extension of the 
 Wires from Towns into Rural and other Districts unprovided with Telegraphic 
 Accommodation. 
 
 The full amount of what the Department has done in this respect cannot be shown 
 without the aid of maps, and maps will accompany this E/cport, on which the position 
 of all the postal telegraph offices in the kingdom, reckoning the large towns as having 
 but one office each, will be shown to the latest date. But it may be stated generally 
 that the aim of the Post Office having been from the first to accommodate the greatest 
 possible number of separate localities, it opened on the 5th February about 1,007 postal 
 telegraph offices, each of which was at a post office serving a distinct locality, and in 
 the centre of the population of that locality. It may be also stated that between the 
 5th February and the 31st December 1870 it succeeded (iu spite of the circumstances 
 which compelled it to employ a large force on the construction of new and the improve- 
 ment of old main lines) in opening upwards of 900 additional offices for the accom- 
 m.odation of as many (hstinct localities. And, further, it is proceeding with this work 
 at the rate of from 20 to 30 additional offices per week, and has at this moment upwards 
 of 96 offices, which wait either for clerks or instruments to be opened.* The whole 
 of the postal telegraph offices now open, and which are nearly 2,000 in number, are 
 served by wires which are used solely for commercial purposes, the railway and 
 commercial systems having been completely separated. 
 
 Telegraphic, business, however, is carried on on behalf of the Postmaster-General at 
 upwards of 1,800 railway stations, so that travellers and persons resident in the im- 
 mediate vicinity of the railway stations have lost none of the advantages which they 
 possessed prior to the transfer, though, as I shall show presently, they make but little 
 use of those advantages. 
 
 It must not be supposed that this great and general extension of the wires has been 
 effected without great difficulty. The Department would gladly have devoted the 
 whole of its attention and the whole of its engineering force to the construction of 
 new, and the reinsulation and rebuilding of old main lines of great importance, but 
 the demands of the public for branch extensions have been so numerous and so urgent 
 that it has been forced to carry on the two works simultaneously. As a matter of 
 course those districts which the companies had most neglected, and in which the Post 
 Office was most in arrear to public expectation, have been most pressing in their 
 demands for further accommodation, and, equally as a matter of course, the difficulty 
 of giving the additional accommodation has been greatest in these very districts. 
 Efforts have been made to serve all districts fairly and impartially, but the accommo- 
 dation given to some districts, though it is greater than that given by the companies, 
 still falls short of that planned for it by the Department. The north and centre of 
 Devonshire, the central parts of South "Wales, some parts of North Wales, a large 
 part of the North Riding of Yorkshire, and many parts of Scotland, more especially 
 in the north and west, have still much to receive at the hands of the Department. Bui; 
 something has been done in all parts of the kingdom, whilst a very large amount of 
 work is still in course of execution. 
 
 I shall have before the close of this Eeport to make a concise statement of the 
 additional mileage of wire erected, of the naileage of line renewed and restored, and 
 of the additional instruments procured for the purpose of improving accommodation 
 on main, and extending it over branch lines ; but I should hardly do justice to those 
 who have worked with me, and who have given to the work an almost incredible 
 
 * One hundred and six extensions are in progress, and one hundred and sixty-eight are ordered for early 
 extension, 
 
 27031. D 
 
26 
 
 amount of labour and patience, if I did not aJlowthem to state in their own words 
 what each of them has done. At the meeting, to which I have more than once 
 referred, the divisional engineers thus described the work done and being done ia their 
 several districts : — 
 
 Mr. Sanger, formerly manager for the Magnetic Company in Ireland, and now 
 divisional engineer for the Department in that country, said : — 
 
 " Prior to the transfer taking place there was nothing done in Ireland except the amalgamation of 
 the offices at places where the Magnetic and the Electric Telegraph Companies competed. Since the 
 transfer 595 miles of line have heen renewed, comprising the examination and part re-insulation of 
 about 2,400 miles of wire ; 2,042 miles of new wires on existing poles on railways have also been 
 erected, Mid 234 miles of fine on roads in the shape of loops between the railway stations and post 
 office, making a total of 2,276 miles of new wires. There still remains a mileage of 842 miles on 
 railways to be erected to complete the wires to be erected under specifications, and special wires, autho- 
 rised to accomtaodate the increasing traffic and the separation of the railway from the commercial system. 
 All this work will be finished by the early spring, and we shall then be ready to go on with the erection of 
 2,000 miles of road lines to complete the system, which will, I think, be considerably advanced by the 
 end of 1871. With regard to the extensions to be first commenced on roads, Mr. Baines and I made a 
 report to the Secretary, which was approved, and I shall proceed with the execution of that work as soon 
 as possible. Amongst other extensions there set forth are the lines to Donegal, Tuam to HoUymount, 
 Galway to Clifden, Larn to Grlenarm and Cushendall, Kilkenny to Kenmure, Clonmel to Lismore, and 
 Clonmel to Fethard. Amongst the important works which have been executed in Ireland since the 
 transfer there has been a nearly complete renewal and re-insulation of the Anglo-American telegraph line 
 between Waterford and Valentia, a distance of 170 miles, and I believe I may state with perfect truth 
 that there is not a finer line in the country than that is at the present moment. Amongst miscellaneous 
 work which has been done has been the reconstruction and raising of the Belfast Street wires — a heavy 
 job ; the erection of new street wires in Limerick ; Cork, tunnel wires replaced by covered work ; and 
 a variety of other matters too numerous to mention. Though not done by me, I should mention also, as 
 it forms part and parcel of our communication with Ireland, that a new four-wire cable has been laid 
 between Donaghadee and Port Patrick for the purpose of improving the communication with Scotland ; 
 and also a new four-wire cable from Valentia to the main land, thus securing on a firm footing the 
 commvmication between London and Valentia. It is also contemplated to lay a new Irish cable 
 between Holyhead and Howth. When that is done, which vidll be about the 1st of January, we shall 
 have, excluding one spare wire, and two wires which are used by the Anglo-American Telegraph Com- 
 pany, 19 wires between Great Britain and Ireland, which will, I think, prove amply sufficient for the 
 expansion of the traffic, and for any traffic which may hereafter accrue. The following apparatus has 
 been sent to Ireland, and a great deal of it fixed : 327 single needle instruments, 68 inkers, 272 sets of 
 acoustic instruments, 24,636 battery cells, and 496 descriptions of other appai'atus. Though the work 
 is not yet commenced we have prepared the plans, which have been approved, for the laying of an 
 underground system of telegraph in Dublin, in the place of present overground wires. This in- 
 volved a large amount of labour and great care and consideration, and will cost the Department several 
 thousand pounds, but will render the communication in Dublin quite secure, which it is not at present. 
 The wire and pipes are on the way, and the officer in charge of the work will commence the moment 
 they arrive. Pneumatic tubes are already ordered, and will be laid between the College Green office 
 and the head office in Sackville Street ; also between the head office and the branch offices at the Four 
 Courts and the Custom House. In Cork the underground system is to be greatly extended, and new 
 wires laid. The order fiir the work has been issued, and the work will be commenced as soon as 
 possible." 
 
 Mr. Preeoe, formerly an engineer of the Electric Company, and now engineer of the 
 Department in the south of England, said : — 
 
 "Now, with respect to my division, I may say that we had succeeded in opening at the time of the 
 transfer 190 stations. We have opened since the transfer 137 stations, leaving now 327 stations open 
 to the public. There remain to open 280 stations, of which 59 are in the south-eastern sub-division, 
 101 in the western, and 120 in the central. The renewals conducted since the transfer have been these: 
 all the road wires passing through Rochester, Canterbury, and Dover, and from Battle to Beachy Head 
 and Brighton, have been partially renewed. The road Unes from Gloucester, through Bristol to Exeter 
 and Plymouth, have been completely renewed, and other smaller lines, which make up a total of 
 200 miles of road lines which have been completely renewed. Immediately after the transfer the delays 
 and the increase of business proving to us that considerable addition was required to the already over- 
 crowded wires, we erected additional wires from London to Gravesend, to Margate, to Windsor, to 
 Aldershot, to Epsom, to Portsmouth, to Bath, to Bristol, and to Exeter. A wire was erected from 
 London, to Penzajice, to meet the Falmouth and Gibraltar cable. A wire was erected from London 
 through Exeter to Salcombe, to meet the French Atlantic, and between Exeter and Salcombe to serve 
 the new Channel Islands cables. Wires are also being erected now from London to Margate to 
 Bristol, to Maidstone, to Tunbridge Wells, to Brightoni from Brighton to Portsmouth, from London to 
 Portsmouth, from Southampton to Bournemouth, from Bristol to Wells, and from Exeter to Totnes; 
 and various oth^r small circuits are b?ing extended in diflferent directions. The construction works 
 which we have in hand consist of a main trunk Mae from London, through Sevenoaks and Tunbridge to 
 Beachy Head, several extensions in the Channel Islands, 13 wires on new poles from London to 
 Oxford, over the Great Western line, to meet the extensions beiilg carried out in the North Western 
 division to meet "the" requirements of Ireland, and a considerable addition to the circuits in and around 
 Bristbl is 'stbout tc» be commenced. Since the transfer 109 Separate works, iiitblving additional street 
 works, change of circuits, and other works of that kind, have been carried out. I anticipate to be able^ 
 
to commence the 280 extensions which have to be carried out early in the spring, and'I hope to make 
 considerable progress before the end of the year, although I do hot think that we shall be able to com- 
 plete all the extensions that we have contemplated until the summer or the autumn of 1872. I may also 
 add that Mr. Baines and myself are commencing an investigation of all the arrangements of circuits 
 throughout my division, and I have no doubt that the result of that investigation will lead to a con- 
 siderable alteration and addition to the circuits, which will still further throw work upon our hands 
 during the ensuing summer." 
 
 Mr, Graves, formerly an engineer of the Electric and now an engineer of the 
 department in the north-west and west of England, said : — 
 
 *' The chief works that have been carried out in my division since the transfer are the following : From 
 Uxbridge to Oxford (the road line of the former), United Kingdom Company, 39 miles has been entirely 
 rebuilt and reinsulated, and two additional wires have been run from Oxford to Birmingham, 64 miles, 
 the whole of the line has been so far repaired as to be almost equivalent to rebuilding ; it has been 
 fully reinsulated, and one additional wire has been run. Between Oxford and Gloucester, 46 miles, the 
 line did not need entire repoling, but many new poles, equal to an average of six or seven per mile, 
 have had to be erected, and the whole of the wires have been fully reinsulated. From Towcester to 
 Birmingham, the former magnetic main route, the whole of the poles have been renewed, reinsulation is 
 in active progress, and five new wires are being erected upon the section. I may mention that the 
 entire work on this length will be completed in all probabihty by the end of the present month. From 
 Birmingham northwards, by Magnetic line to Manchester, we have erected new poles for a certain 
 distance, say about 10 miles at each extremity. From Birmingham to a little beyond Walsall, and 
 from Manchester to some distance south of Stockport. The work in this quarter has been suspended 
 by the necessity for drawing men away from it for the urgent demands of the new Irish line. From 
 Manchester to Liverpool, via Warrington, the former United Kingdom line, the poles have been more 
 or less fully replaced as necessity might require, and the wires have been fully reinsulated. Between 
 Manchester and Liverpool via Wigan a more complete change has been requisite. Between Manchester 
 and Wigan it has been enough to repair the wires on the existing line and reinsulate them, but from 
 Liverpool to Wigan we found it desirable to supersede wholly the former existing Hne on the canal and 
 replace it by a new independent line erected on the high road. This work of replacing is in progress, 
 and will be completed early in the next month. From Birkenhead round by Runcorn to Liverpool 
 a new main line is in course of erection ; over a certain section of it three new wires, and over another 
 section ei^ht have been fully erected, that is from Birkenhead to near B-uncorn. Between Runcorn 
 and Liverpool the works are in active progress, and by the 10th of January at latest, at least six wires 
 will be completed throughout on this section. From Sutton, a point a few miles from Birkenhead on 
 the road to Runcorn, a new line has been run to Neston, a village on the road between Hoylake and 
 Queen's Ferry. On this new line five wires have been erected, and they are extended at Neston upon 
 the poles formerly belonging to the Mersey Dock and Harbour Board, which have recently been. 
 acquired by the department. • These five wires are carried to Queen's Ferry, and from Queen's Ferry 
 outwards to Bangor. The very heavy work of entirely reconstructing the Mersey Dock Board's line, 
 and erecting upon it eight new wires, is in progress. This work is being carried on at high pressure, 
 and with many different gangs scattered over the length. In brief, I may say that I contemplate its 
 entire completion by the termination of the present month, or within a few days after it. From 
 Bangor onwards to a place known as Forth Crugmore, on the western coast of Anglesea, an entirely 
 new line, varying from seven to nine wires, is being run. This line is intended to connect with the 
 new English and Irish cable. The poles will certainly be up, and the greater part of the wires, by the 
 game time as those between Queen's Ferry and Bangor, that is, at the end of the present or early in 
 the ensuing month. Between Manchester and Ashton, on the former United Kingdom canal line, we 
 entirely reinsulated the whole of the 11 wires. Little has been done to the timber, and not much will 
 need to be done for the next year or two. From Ashton to Macclesfield a similar process of 
 reinsulation is in progress, and is almost completed, with very good effect. From Macclesfield to 
 Wolverhampton similar operations are in hand, reinsulation but not renewal of timber. From Wolver- 
 hampton upwards to Birmingham I found it necessary to reinsulate the whole of the wires almost 
 immediately upon my taking charge of the division, which I now have the honour to manage. But 
 this was a temporary measure. It was something to make it possible for us to work at all, it was not 
 enough ; the timber now needs to be replaced, in addition to the reinsulalion formerly needed. 
 Between Birmingham and Gloucester via Droitwitch and Worcester the former Magnetic hne has been 
 put into a state of partial repair ; that is to say, the necessities of the current year have been met, but 
 next year we must do more ; we have renewed certain very bad places and reinsulated other sections, 
 but have not yet done all that is needful. From Gloucester to Swansea, in South Wales, there are two 
 road lines of telegraph existing, one the former property of the Magnetic Company, the other of the 
 United Kingdom. For considerable lengths of road these two lines run parallel to each other, one on 
 either side of the way, and where circumstances admitted I have consolidated them into one telegraph, 
 bringing them into one set of poles. This work of consolidation has been realized for somewhat over 
 20 miles, and about 20 miles more of the separate line has been put in fairly good order. I anticipate 
 that by the end of February next the whole of the works in this region will be completed. The only 
 important section of road or canal line to which I have not adverted is that between Wolverhampton 
 and Chester, the former property of the United Kingdom. At this moment it is in the worst condition 
 of any road or canal line that I have to do with, and it is so far important that three or four London 
 and Manchester wires pass over it ; but I must let that remain as it is till the Irish wires are done. I 
 assume, however, that I shall have no difficulty whatever in entirely reconstructing and reinaulating 
 this section of tlie line by, at the farthest, April next. I may now mention what important changes 
 and improvements have been made with reference to the underground work in the larger towns. 
 To commence near London: In High Wycomb 13 wires carried on the roofs of the houses 
 which had been a source of intermittent trouble for several previous years, and which were at 
 
 D 2 
 
28 
 
 the time of my being first acquainted with them in a very bad condition, have been replaced by 
 an underground line buried in the streets of the town. In Banbury a similar change has been 
 made, to the great benefit of all circuits passing through it. In Birmingham two sets of open work carried 
 over the houses, formerly belonging to the United Kingdom Company, have in the same way been 
 replaced by covered work, and a long length of previously existing buried wires belonging *« the 
 Magnetic Company which had become untrustworthy have been replaced by new wires. In Macclesfaeld 
 two and a half miles of street work, the former property of the Magnetic Company, have been renewed 
 and replaced. In Congleton about 1,000 yards of underground wire has been taken up and replaced by 
 open wires. In Manchester a similar change has been effected, somewhat over a mile of underground 
 being thus replaced. At Tewkesbury 1,300 yards of covered work have been similarly superseded, and 
 at Droitwich about 800. In Liverpool ihe construction of nearly four miles of new underground work, 
 having in some portion of it as many as 57 wires, is now in active progress, and when completed, which 
 it will be within a month at farthest from the present date, we shall be able to abandon a considerable 
 length of independent over-house systems. In Chester an important section of underground work, over 
 a mile, is in hand, and in January we shall undertake a similar important work at Shrewsbury. Between 
 Oxford and Chester, on the Great Western Railway, an average of 13 wires is being erected on new poles 
 throughout, and from Chester to Queen's Ferry a short extension by the riverside is being erected to 
 connect these new wires to the Dubhn and Liverpool lines. In addition to these special works, involv- 
 ing great outlay, and the employment of a large force, but of paramount necessity (because, had they 
 not been undertaken, it is certainly humanly inipossible that the communications of the Department 
 could have been kept up during the present winter), many considerable improvements of local com- 
 munication have been effected, and I may particularly instance the benefits derived from the erection of 
 new wires between Hereford, Shrewsbury, Worcester, Oswestry, and various places in North and 
 Central Wales. In fact, local improvements of this kind have been so numerous that I cannot at all 
 adequately detail them from memory. As regards extensions to offices not previously reached by tele- 
 
 f-aphic communication, I am scarcely prepared to give accurate details, but I am within bounds when 
 say that since the 29th of January last upwards of 180 new post offices have been opened for telegraph 
 purposes within the limits of the north-western division. As regards the future, with reference to 
 extensions, I have only to say this, that if I am allowed to concentrate the greater portion (in fact, I 
 should like to concentrate the whole) of my available working force upon the improvement of existing 
 trunk lines, and upon the erection of those important trunk wires that are urgently called for, I should 
 pretty nearly suspend extension operations until perhaps April or May next. But if that can be 
 allowed, I have then to say that between May next and the December following I could complete at 
 least two-thirds, if no more, of the whole of the extensions that it is contemplated should be made by 
 the Department ; or indeed, if it be needed, I could almost pledge myself to complete every extension 
 of every sort or kind by the 31st of 'March 1872," 
 
 Mr. Shaw, formerly of the United Kingdom Company, and now engineer of the 
 Department in the north-east of England, said : — 
 
 " In the north-eastern division the principal works that I have had to undertake since the transfer 
 consist of a total re-insulation of 2,820 miles of wire, and the total reconstruction of about 255 miles of 
 lines on roads ; the re-insulation covers about 560 miles of then existing road lines. The new works 
 that I have undertaken and have completed consist of about 230 miles of new wires on roads and 
 extensions, 173^ miles of new wires on existing poles on roads and extensions, 248^ miles on existing 
 poles on railways, and 20 miles of new wires on new poles on railways. The new wires on railways in 
 my division are very small indeed, on a,ccount of my division being nearly all road work. Since the 
 transfer there have been about 137 new offices opened or completed in the north-eastern division. The 
 underground works in the towns of Hull and Nottingham have been totally renewed. The under- 
 ground work in Sheffield has been thoroughly repaired, and the underground work in Leeds, Norwich, , 
 Yarmouth, and Cambridge has been repaired, although in the latter town 1 think the Department will 
 have to totally renew it. The works that I have now to complete run pretty much as follows : a new 
 road line between Hull and Doncaster. This will be completed by about the middle or end of June. 
 I should say before. I commence to speak about completing works that the five wires,, from London to 
 Towcester, of the new Irish work, will be completed about the 13th or 14th of this month, that is, next 
 week. The new wires to Scotland by the Magnetic road line to Doncaster will be completed by the end 
 of April. The new wires to Hull will be completed in about the same time. I have also to build a new 
 road line from Doncaster to Hull, which will be completed about the end of June. A new line from 
 Leeds to Hull ; the new wires will be completed about the same time. The only portion of the north- 
 eartern district not completed by June will be the renewal of the United Kingdom line from London to 
 Blisworth, which will require renewal as regards poles and arms and insulation, in fact total reconstruc- 
 tion. From Blisworth to Leeds the United Kingdom Company put in about 12 poles per mile, from two 
 to three years ago, consequently the Department will not have to totally renew that line, but to put ii\ 
 seven or eight poles per mile per annum for the next three or four years. From Barnsley to Staley- 
 bridge the late Magnetic Telegraph Company's Hue will be totally rebuilt by the end of June. This 
 will complete the larger works in the north-eastern division." 
 
 Mr. Walsh, formerly of the Magnetic Company, and now engineer in the north of 
 England, said : — 
 
 " Immediately after the transfer I was called upon to carry out some very extensive renewals. The 
 first I may refer to was the road line from Preston to Carlisle, late the Magnetic Company's line, that 
 line being 90 miles m length, and I have absolutely re-poled it, re-armed it, and re-insulated it from 
 end to end ; besides which I had some trouble in carrying the wires in a better manner across the 
 Shap Fells, The Magnetic Company and Lord Lonsdale had some legal proceedings with respect to 
 the injury caused to his lordship's game by the telegraph wires on the Fells, and as a compromise it 
 was arranged that a suspended cable, which should contain all the wires, was to be substituted for the 
 
29 
 
 iron wires, and upon certain sections the iron wires were to be arranged all on one arm. If I had not 
 had that arrangement modified it would practically stop us from putting any more wires up, because 
 you very soon come to a limit where you have to put all the wires on one arm. However, 1 was able 
 to arrange with Lord Lonsdale's agent, so that by meeting his views half-way — namely, by putting 
 sections of the suspended cables under ground — he would allow me to arrange the wires in the ordi- 
 nary way on poles for the other sections. The consequence is, that I am now able to put up addi- 
 tional wires which the Department already requires by that route. I am sorry to say, however, that 
 we have not yet reaped the advantage of the good state of that road line, because when we come to 
 Preston we then go on the railway, and the state of the wires as between Preston and Manchester and 
 Preston and Liverpool is very bad indeed. However, the engineejr-in-chief has taken that up with the 
 railway company, and he is endeavouring to hasten their repairs. The next heavy work of renewal I 
 had to undertake was the late United Kingdom Company's road line from Leeds to Jedburgh, that is 
 a line of 156 miles. That line, in the first instance, I re-insulated, and I have since re-poled it in 
 certain places, and now it is as good a line as any we have going north. I have also had to deal with 
 the United Kingdom Company's road line from Manchester to Leeds, 48 miles, and I have, up to 
 the present time, completely re-poled about half of that. I have also laid down about 500 yards of 
 covered work at Preston for the purpose of looping the through wires into the post office of that town, 
 and I am now engaged doing the same thing at Wigan, through which the main lines of the late three 
 telegraph companies pass. I have still to complete the renewal of 110 miles of line and 749 miles of 
 wires, and I have orders to erect four additional wires by the east coast road, and eight additional 
 wires by the west coast, equal to 1,404 miles of wire. I have a new line to -erect from Wigan to Man- 
 chester, the section of which between Wigan and Preston is virtually completed ; and I have also to 
 erect a new line from Wetherby to Peckfield. I think I can undertake to say that with respect to the 
 renewal of works that still remain to be completed, and also with respect to the additional wires, I 
 shall have completed all by about the 1st of May. Mr. James has called my attention to the Isle of 
 Man. In the Isle of Man I have also a line to renew from Douglas to Ramsey ; but that also I shall 
 have completed by the 1st of May next, and if the Department would be good enough to defer all the 
 extensions to sub-offices, at all events as far as possible, I should be prepared early in May next with 
 a very strong force to carry out such extensions rapidly." 
 
 Mr. Tansley, formerly of the Magnetic Company, and now engineer of tlie Depart- 
 ment in Scotland, said : — 
 
 " Since the transfer a few short extensions have been completed from time to time as occasion 
 has required, but our attention has been chiefly directed to the repairing and strengthening of the 
 lines. The main line from Jedburgh to Glasgow, about 100 miles, has been partially re-poled and 
 strengthened in other ways.. The road line from Girvan to Port Patrick, a distance of about 43 
 miles, has also been partially re-poled, that is, poles have been put in where necessary. The electric 
 line from Dumfries to Port Patrick is now in hand, being strengthened with a number of poles, and 
 the work will be completed probably during the month of January. The line from Portsoy to 
 Grarmouth, a distance of 20 miles, has also been overhauled ; some new poles have been used, with 
 new insulation. We have re-insulated about 290 miles of line, carrying about 960 miles of wire; 
 these, of course, are the main lines to England and Ireland. Of new wires we have to erect four 
 from Edinburgh to Perth, partly on existing and partly on new poles. This work is in hand, and will 
 be finished, 1 think, probably by the end of February, or at least during March next. From Glasgow to 
 Port Patrick we have three wires to erect. This work is also in hand, and will be finished about the 
 same time. Of course, various small improvements have been made in different localities which I 
 cannot well detail just now, as I have not got particulars with me. I think that all the new work, 
 and the repairs which are necessary, as far as my division is concerned, will be completed by the end 
 of March 1871." 
 
 Mr. Eaton, who has charge of the line arrangements at the central stations and of 
 the underground street wires, said : — 
 
 " The increased requirements for provincial lines, and also the extra metropolitan stations that 
 come within the localities through which the trunk lines of the Electric Company's underground 
 system passed, necessitated a complete renewal, in order to provide the extra number of wires neces- 
 sary to be drawn in the underground pipes. Within the last twelve months, dating from some six 
 weeks prior to the transfer, the routes that have been treated in this way, that is, by drawing out the 
 old wires and drawing in new, with the extra number added, have been the following : From Telegraph 
 Street to Paddington w«^ Gresham Street, Holborn, and ' Oxford Street. From Telegraph Street to 
 Westminster vi& Fleet Street and the Strand. From Telegraph Street to the Borough, Union Street, 
 via London Bridge. From Telegraph Street to the Angel at Islington ma the City Road. From 
 Finsbury Square to Shoreditch. From the Strand to Waterloo Railway Station. The quantity of 
 wire drawn mto the several pipes enumerated above is in all 539 miles, from which, of course, must 
 be deducted the length of wire drawn out, which may be roughly stated at 300 miles, the diff"erence 
 being the increased lines required by the Department. In addition to the lines that already existed, 
 and through which an increased number of wires were placed, the following new work was undertaken: 
 For the concentration of the various companies into Telegraph Street it was necessary to lay a mile 
 and a half of new pipes, into which was draw 99^ miles of gutta-percha wire; from the City Road to 
 Shoreditch Church, 790 yards of pipe, and 6| miles of wire ; from Shoreditch to the Kingsland Road, 
 or to Stoke Newington rather, 2i miles of pipes, and 63 of wire ; from Paddington to Harrow Road, 
 If miles of pipe, and 42 of wire; from the Angel at Islington to Highgate, 4J miles of pipe, and 63 of 
 wire; from Buckingham Gate to Clapham Common, 2^ miles of pipe, and 56 of wire; from Telegraph 
 Street to the Mansion House, and from Telegraph Street to Threadneedle Street, new works were 
 
 D 3 
 
30 
 
 necessary, with a length of pipes laid equal' to half a mile, and a length of wire of 43 miles ; frbm Union 
 Street, Boi'ough, to New Cross, 3| miles of pipe, and 112^ of wire j making a total of new work absolutely 
 laid in the London streets of 16| miles of pipe, into which were drawn 487| miles of wire. The total 
 increase of mileage in underground wire in London is 740 miles of gutta-percha covered wire. With 
 regard to the central station, of course the increased number of stations in the metropolitan district 
 necessitated an increased number of instruments to be fixed at the central station. I am not prepared 
 with all the details of that. The net increase of underground wires in London may be given in this 
 way, that we have drawn in 539 miles of wire into old pipes, and we have withdrawn from the same 
 pipes 300 miles, leaving a balance of 239 miles. Into new pipes we have drawn in 487 miles, making 
 a total of extra wire of 487, plus 239." 
 
 Lastly Mr. OuUey, the engineer-in-cliief, made the following remarks with rega;rd 
 to the improved instruments and other appliances which the Department has 
 introduced : — 
 
 " At the transfer we found that the road lines which came into the hands of the Departnient were 
 almost in every instance exceedingly defective, and a large sum was deducted from the purchase money 
 of those lines to meet the renewals which the Department knew would be necessary. At the time of 
 the transfer these lines were so badly insulated, that whenever it rained communication was stopped, as 
 we all know from the newspaper reports, of the time. It was impossible that these lines could be 
 re-insulated or otherwise improved immediately^; but it was possible, by adopting certain electric 
 methods known to us, to make the communication more certain and more rapid. The first thing, then, 
 was to adopt on all important circuits these improved methods, especially the method of double currents. 
 As quickly as apparatus could be procured, more perfect instruments were placed on all the most 
 important circuits, and where lines were too long to be worked through from terminal station to 
 terminal station, without repetition or without translation, by relay — we employed a better description 
 of repeater. In order to increase the number of messages which could be sent through the wires in a 
 given time, a very large use has been made of the Wheatstone automatic instruments. This system 
 was in use by the Electric Company before the transfer. There were four circuits then — one to 
 Glasgow, one to Edinburgh, one to Newcastle, and one to Manchester from London. Since the 
 transfer two circuits have been supplied with this apparatus from London to Liverpool; one to Hull, 
 one to York, one to Plymouth, one to Sheffield, one to Leeds, one to Dublin, one to Cork, one to 
 Cardiff", and a second one to Edinburgh, one between Manchester and Glasgow, and one between 
 Edinburgh and Aberdeen. One from London to Bradford, and one between Liverpool and Glasgow. 
 In addition to these automatic circuits for ordinary business we have fitted up what we call the Western 
 News Circuit for automatic work. This circuit runs from London to Bristol, Gloucester, Cardifij' 
 Cardiff Post Office, Newport, Exeter, and Plymouth. The news is sent to all these places simul- 
 taneously, and at the rate of 50 to 55 words a minute. Special instruments adapted to the automatic 
 system have been provided at the stations named ; the Wheatstone automatic instrument itself being used 
 at London only. We have also done a great deal in the way of pneumatic communication in towns. In 
 London we have laid down two pipes between Telegraph Street and the General Post Office. These 
 two pipes will, in the course of a week or two, be extended to Temple Bar. We have laid down two 
 pipes from Telegraph Street to Threadneedle Street, one to the Baltic Coffee House, one to Lloyds, 
 one to Grresham Street, and one to the British Indian Company's Office in Broad Street. We have also 
 extended the system of pipes in Liverpool, in Manchester, and in Birmingham ; and in Glasgow we 
 have instituted a perfectly new system. We have erected new pumping engines for the pneumatie 
 system in London, in Glasgow, and in Liverpool; and we have now in progress a pneumatic system for 
 Dublin, with its engine ; this will be completed about the end of January. With respett to the 
 improvement of the line wires which I ha;ve mentioned as having been very imperfect at the time of 
 the transfer, the work done has been already described by the divisional engineers. The result has 
 been that atmospheric influences, as I think they used to be called, have almost entirely ceased to act 
 upon our more important wires, although I must .confess that some few still remain inefficient, it having 
 been impossible to repair them all. Had not the public put so severe a pressure upon 'the 
 Department for extension to new places, such a pressure as it was impossible to resist, I think I might 
 have been able to have secured more efficient work and a better service. It is, perhaps, rightiiiat I 
 should mention that we have effected a very great improvement at a considerable expense to the 
 Department in the single needle instrument. Prior to the transfer, with but few, exceptionSy these 
 instruments were capable of being stopped by thunderstorms from the demagnetization of the needle. 
 The Department has adopted a new form of single needle, which is not subject to this very serious 
 drawback. The Department has had a very large number of inventions brought before it, and it might 
 have been hoped that very considerable advantage to the pubhc might have arisen from the breaking 
 up of the monopoly of the companies iand the private interests which almost all the officers had in 
 perpetuating the form of some old instrument. But I am sorry to have to report that not in any 
 one instance has any apparatus or system of signalUng been laid before me of practical value. Qne 
 system only has been of such a nature as could possibly have any value, and that would require fully 
 10 years to mature before it could be brought out. I think it is right to say this much, because it 
 was supposed that a number of useful inventions had been kept back because of the indisposition of 
 the companies to use them." 
 
 It will be necessary for me hereafter when I come to describe the mode in which the 
 Department has carried out the various branches of its undertaking, to touch a little 
 more fully upon some of the topics referred to by Mr. Culley and the divisional 
 engineers; and especially to make some further remarks upon the working of the 
 Wheatstone automatic iustruments, and upon the pheumatic tubes. , I shaU aiaohave 
 
31 
 
 to call attention to an important service rendered to tlie Department by Mr. Winter, 
 the assistant engineer-in-cMef, who has devised such a re -arrangement of the wires 
 which the companies had carried by different routes between London and the priacipal 
 townSj as, without taking away any accommodation from those towns, leaves about 
 IjdOO miles of wire for the jformation of fresh circuits. 
 
 Message Teaffic. 
 
 Great as have been the exertions of the Department, nothing less would have 
 sufficed to enable it to keep pace with the growth of its business. In the first week 
 after the trajisfer the number of messages (exclusive of news messages, of which I 
 will treat hereafter,) forwarded from all stations was 128,872 ; in the week endiag 31st 
 March the mmaber had risen to 160,775. The average weekly number in 13 weeks to 
 80th June was 177,410 ; the average number in 13 weeks to 30th September was 
 200,787, and the average number in 13 weeks to 31st December 1870 was 203,572. 
 In the week ending on the 31st December, which is usually considered the worst week 
 in the year for telegraphic work, the number was 144,041, or nearly 16,000 messages 
 in excess of the number with which we started. 
 
 The total numbers of messages forwarded in the three quarters to 31st December 
 1870, were as foEows : 
 
 In quarter to 30th June - - - 2,306,340 
 
 In quarter to 30th September - - - 2,610,237 
 
 In quarter to 31st December - - - 2,646,438 
 
 In the nine months - - - - 7,563,015 
 
 I believe that the number for the current quarter will exceed that of the past 
 quarter. The heaviest week in the nine months was the week ending 23rd July, 
 when the war panic raised the number to 234,194. The lightest was the week ending 
 31st December, when the Christmas holidays brought the number down by 35,000 
 below that of the previous week. 
 
 Although the railway stations at which telegraph business is conducted on behalf of 
 the Postmaster-General are nearly as numerous as the postal telegraph stations proper, 
 there being about 1,820 of the former to 1,960 of the latter, these last are so much more 
 convenient in all respects to the public that 91 per cent, of the whole number of 
 messages are forwarded from them, and only 9 per cent, from the railway stations. 
 This circumstance alone shows that the separation of the commercial from the railway 
 system, and the transfer of the telegraph offices from the railway stations to the post 
 offices, was a measure really required for public convenience. 
 
 Press and News Wobk. 
 
 The numbers of messages given in the last section do not include press and news 
 messages. In an earlier portion of this report I have shown what it was that the 
 proprietors of newspapers desired and expected to obtain from the transfer. I have 
 shown that they desired to have freedom of collection of news with low rates for its 
 transmission, no matter for what or how many agencies it was transmitted, and I 
 quoted the clause which was introduced into the Act of 1868 to give effect to their 
 wishes. 
 
 There are now under the operation of this clause two principal associations for the 
 collection and supply of news, to wit, the Press Association and the Central Press; 
 and the Post Office must transmit the news collected by these associations, or by any 
 others which may hereafter be formed, on equal terms. The collection of news is open 
 to aU, and equal facilities for its transmission are secured to all who collect it. 
 
 The anticipated results have followed. The companies sent news to 144 towns only 
 in the United* Kingdom ; the Post Office, acting on behalf of the before-named asso- 
 ciations, sends it to 366 towns. The following statement gives the number of towns to 
 which the news was and the number to which it is sent direct, and also the number of 
 towns to which it was and is sent by one, two, or more re-transmissions. 
 
 D 4 
 
32 
 
 How sent. 
 
 Direct 
 
 With one re-transmission 
 With two re- transmissions 
 With three re-transmissions 
 Wi til, four re-transmissions 
 
 Total 
 
 Number of Towns 
 
 to which the 
 
 Companies sent 
 
 News. 
 
 28 
 81 
 28 
 
 7 
 
 144 
 
 Number of Towns 
 
 to which the 
 
 Post Ofice sends 
 
 News. 
 
 66 
 
 224 
 
 54 
 
 16 
 
 ^ 5 
 
 365 
 
 In the 144 towns to wMcli tlie companies sent news there were 306 subscribers for 
 news. In the 365 towns to which the Post Office sends news there are 1,106 subscribers 
 for news. The companies sent news to 173 newspapers only. The Post Office sends 
 it to 467 newspapers. Thus there is an increase of 221 in the number of towns to 
 which news is sent, an increase of 800 in the total number of subscribers for news, 
 and an increase of 294 in the number of newspapers taMng news. There is, moreover, 
 a vast increase in the quantity of news transmitted. The companies sent during the 
 session of Parliament nearly 6,000 words of news daily ; during the remainder of the 
 year they sent nearly 4,000 words daUy. The Post OfiSce sends during the session of 
 Parliament, on behalf of the before-named associations, nearly 20,000 words of news 
 daily ; and during the remainder of the year it sends, on their behalf, nearly 15,000 
 words daily. 
 
 Again,, news was and is collected for newspapers by their ordinaiy correspondents in 
 town and country. The companies charged the newspapers half rates for the trans- 
 mission of news from their correspondents, but only those papers who were subscribers 
 for the news collected and supplied by the intelligence department of the companies, 
 all other papers were charged full rates ; the Post Office charges the much lower rates 
 fixed by the Act of 1868. The quantity of news formerly transmitted by ordinary 
 newspaper correspondents is not known, but at present they hand in from 15,000 to 
 20,000 words daily for transmission. Pormerly the companies supplied the London 
 newspaper proprietors with passes, which enabled their correspondents to send their 
 messages without prepayment, the charges being reclaimed in a monthly account. The 
 companies would not extend this accommodation to the provincial press, but the Post 
 Office has extended it to the provincial press, and it is now enjoyed by the correspon- 
 dents of 64 newspapers and seven news associations. 
 
 Seven newspaper proprietors rented special wires during the night, of the companies, 
 and the same number of wires are rented by them from the Post Office. They have all 
 gained in this respect, that whereas they paid the companies a rate ranging, according 
 to distance, from 750Z. to 1,000?. per annum, they pay the Post Office an uniform rate 
 of 500Z. per annum. Two other newspaper proprietors are about to take special wires, 
 and many more could have been let if the Department could have spared them. There 
 can be no doubt that it will obtain a largely increased rental from this source so soon 
 as its additional wires have been erected. During the past year the pressure of com- 
 mercial business has too often compelled us to take away a special wire for one or more 
 nights, or for apart of a night, from the newspaper to which, subject to such a condition, 
 the same had been leased. This of course has given rise to dissatisfaction. On the 
 other hand, the special wires have been led into the offices (at both ends of the line) of 
 the newspapers hiring them, so that while they are in use the greatest possible amount 
 of work may be got out of them. 
 
 On the first Tuesday in September there were sent 
 of the Edinburgh Daily Review: - _ . 
 
 „ Oourant - . , - 
 
 over 
 
 „ Scotsman 
 Glasgow Herald 
 
 ,, Daily Mail 
 Dublin Irish Times 
 
 the special wires 
 7,823 words. 
 9,582 „ 
 
 8,300 
 
 11,043 
 
 5,213 
 
 9,377 
 
 Each of these newspapers at the same time had news from the news associations, 
 and from its ordinary correspondents. 
 
33 
 
 A very large portion of every leading provincial newspaper now consists of news 
 received by telegraph. I have seen as many as twelve columns of telegraphic news in 
 leading provincial journals, and have read in Aberdeen, in a local paper, several 
 columns of news which if Aberdeen had been dependent upon London papers for its 
 news could not have been known there until six and thirty hours afterwards. 
 
 Latterly the Manchester Guardian, the Manchester Examiner, the Manchester 
 Courier, and the Dublin [Freeman's Journal, have employed London agents to send 
 them very long morning expresses for their second editions. The Belfast Northern 
 Whigs also send every evening a long express for its early edition. 
 
 There is no, reason to doubt that the news associations give satisfaction to their 
 customers, who would hardly increase, as they do increase, from day to day, if they 
 were dissatisfied with the supplies sent to them. It is believed that they are now 
 tolerably well satisfied with the manner in which the Post Office performs its share of 
 the work. It is not pretended that they never complain, for of all the advantages 
 which they expected to gain from the Bill of 1868, that which Mr. Erank Einlay 
 so much desired, the advantage of being able to complain without fear of the con- 
 sequences, is the one of which they have most freely availed themselves ; but their 
 complaints are less numerous and less bitter, and there seems good reason to hope 
 that from day to day their relations with the Department will become more and more 
 satisfactory. 
 
 I shall have occasion hereafter, when I come to describe the mode in which the 
 Department has accomplished the various branches of its undertaking, to call attention 
 to the singular ability and energy which Mr. Patey has displayed in organising and 
 arrangiagthe news service, and P shall also have to note the completeness and efficiency 
 of the arrangements which Mr. Chetwynd has made for checking and bringing to 
 account the produce of the news messages, which forms a very important item 
 of the revenue. 
 
 Race Meetings. 
 
 The telegraphic busiaess done at and in connexion with race meetings is large and 
 lucrative, but troublesome. Special arrangements have to be made for every meetiag ; 
 the work has to be done under great pressure ; and the senders of the messages are 
 more irritable, and, when they are irritated, more free in the use of their tongues 
 than any other class of the community. On the whole we have contrived to give 
 them satisfaction, and this result has mainly been brought about by the ability and 
 zeal of those who have superintended the arrangements at the great meetings of the 
 past year.' 
 
 Mr. Preece and Mr, Kerswell have been mainly instrumental in this respect on the 
 south of the Thames, and Mr. B. W. Johnstone has rendered very important service 
 on the north. 
 
 I take the following passages, and the accompanying return, from an interesting 
 report which he has made to me on the subject. 
 
 " I beg to forward, in accordance with your instructions, the accompanying return of racing work 
 performed by the Department from the date of the transfer to the present time, which includes, to the 
 best of my knowledge, every race meeting of the year, except that at Shrewsbury now in progress, 
 and that at Warwick a week hence. 
 
 " As a matter of course Newmarket heads the return, showing, as it does, a number of messages 
 equal to nearly one third of the total number for the whole country ; and I hope, therefore, it may not 
 prove altogether uninteresting if I detail one or two circumstances connected with the disposal of this 
 large amount of work. At the earlier meetings of the year I had a return kept of the average delay 
 on forwarded messages, from which it was proved that we did the work in something like half the time 
 taken by the companies, notwithstanding the immense increase of business (nearly double) and without 
 any corresponding increase of facilities. Indeed, it was rather the other way, for while we had precisely 
 the same circuits as those worked by the companies, the business was done at one (town) ofiice as 
 compared with two under the old system. 
 
 « The outside delay on an^/ message was under half an hour, which simply represented the time 
 occupied in transmitting the long press messages, while the great majority of ordinary messages was 
 got off in _five minutes and tmder. 
 
 "As Newmarket shows the heaviest business in the aggregate, so it furnishes the largest result from 
 any single meeting, viz., the " Cambridgeshire " week, when upwards of 8,000 messages were disposed 
 of. In the 16 days of the October meetings there were, in round numbers, 20,000 messages forwarded 
 and received; and of these, upwards of 2,000 were long press messages containing 120,000 words. 
 Large as are these figures, they become still larger when it is borne in mind that the bulk of this work 
 was performed on the mornings of the race days between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., and in the evenings after 
 
 27031. E 
 
34 
 
 8 p.m. During the " Ctesarewitch " week, for instance, on Tuesday, the " Caesarewitch " day, nearly 
 1,000 messages were taken in and disposed of at the town office, between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. ; on Wed-^ 
 uesday, 800 between 10 a.m. and 12 noon; and on Thursday, 750 between 10 a.m. and 12.30 p.m. Of 
 upwards of 3,500 received messages for the 15 days only about 30 remained undelivered at the close of 
 the meetings, which, considering the difficulty of " localizing " betting men, and the great drawback 
 which has always been experienced on this account is, I consider, a wonderful result. This bears with 
 great force on the proposition I have submitted to Mr. Scudamore for a permanent "ring messenger " 
 to travel with the staff, and attend all important race meetings. 
 
 " It is gratifying to be able to add that the whole of this immense traffic was disposed of without, so 
 far as I am aware, a single serious complaint, either from the press or the public ; and it will be 
 observed from the return that the estimated profit on the year's work, i.e., on 29 days' racing, was over 
 1,200^. 
 
 " Newmarket being the "head-quarters" of racing, and afibrding, as has been shown, a large yearly 
 revenue, the companies naturally turned their attention to the arrangements for providing for the work 
 there more than at other places; and as a result of this, the accommodation which fell to the lot of the 
 Department at the transfer was better suited to the purpose than in many cases of racing towns. Still, 
 it was not cAl that could be desired, and early in the year I proposed some trifling alterations both at 
 the town and course offices, which have proved of considerable advantage in the despatch of the work. 
 
 " I have submitted a plan for improving, at a very trifling cost, the accommodation at the racecourse, 
 which has met with the surveyor's approval, and having received your sanction, will be carried out in 
 time for the commencement of business next year. 
 
 " Passing from Newmarket, I come to Doncaster, where, in spite of defective accommodation at 
 the post office, and the difficulty of obtaining the requisite number of circuits, a very substantial success 
 was achieved for the Department ; the manner in which the work was done having seciu-ed special 
 notice in all the papers interested in sporting matters. 
 
 " The old office of the Electric Company, now let as a shop, was occupied for the " Leger " week as 
 a branch counter ; and, being close to the subscription rooms, was found to be of great public utiHty. 
 A portion of the sorting office was fitted up, temporarily, as an instrument room ; and although there 
 were many difficulties and much discomfort in carrying on the duties, the public certainly did not suffer 
 by the arrangement. 
 
 " The offices at the Grand Stand, hitherto occupied by the several companies, were converted into 
 one office, in accordances with plans submitted by me to the borough surveyor ; and now we have at 
 Doncaster one of the finest, if not the very finest, racecourse offices in the kingdom. 
 
 " Just after the St. Leger Meeting, I submitted a plan for providing a new instrument room at the 
 post office, and the matter being at present in the surveyor's hands it is probable that all difficulties will 
 be disposed of before another year. It only remains to advert to the noticeable feature thait the 
 Doncaster Meeting produced the largest number of messages on any single day, ^z., the " St. Leger " 
 day, when no fewer than 1,999 messages were disposed of, nearly 500 of which were taken in at the Grand 
 Stand, and cleared ofi' within an hour and a half. 
 
 " The figures in the return relating to Epsom will probably excite some little surprise from the 
 comparative smallness of the number of messages disposed of at the meetings held there. But it is to 
 1)6 borne in mind that the spring meeting is a comparatively trifling affair; while the great " Derby " 
 gathering is more a pleasure than a " business " occasion. Moreover, the great mass of press work 
 usually telegraphed from the more distant meetings is, in the case of Epsom, carried to town by hand, 
 and thus an important item falls to be omitted from an otherwise very satisfactory return. 
 
 " In connexion with the summer meeting a new office was provided at the grand stand, and an extra 
 circuit was worked over and above those usually employed by the companies on racing occasions. 
 
 « An interesting paper, compiled by Mr. Preece, showing the nature of the arrangements made for 
 this meeting, forms an appendix to this report, and the 'Daily News ' thus notices the provision made 
 for the work at the grand stand : — 
 
 " ' The curious in such matters should note the improvement in the telegraphic arrangements of the 
 grand stand since they have been transferred to the Post Office. The Post Office arrangements are the 
 chief novelty of the year.' 
 
 " The arrangements at Doncaster and Newmarket elicited similar expressions of satisfaction from 
 the ' Standard ' and the sporting press generally. 
 
 " To measure the advantages gained by the racing public since the transfer, by merely taking 
 the cases in which the Department has extended wires to a racecourse, or has either opened a new 
 office, or improved an existing one, at the Grand Stand, would be to scarcely do justice to the Depart- 
 ment in this matter. In jnany cases, as for instance, at Huntingdon, Stamford, Lewes, Chelmsford 
 Salisbury, and other towns having race meetings, the telegraph was only at the railway stations prior 
 to the transfer, so that the public have reaped a very considerable advantage by the mere removal to 
 the Post Office. Nor only so, but they have gained immensely by the aboUtion of Grand Stand fees, 
 and the introduction of the system of M. copies ; not to speak of the much extended hours during 
 which the offices have been kept open at the different places, and the saving of gratuities on late 
 messages. I calculate that at Newmarket alone during the past year the saving. to the public 
 under these heads is not less than 300/., which has been more than made up to the Department 
 by the greatly mcreased traffic of the season. And while there have been so many 'advantaffes 
 to the public, there has been gain to the service in the greater simplicity which has been intfti- 
 duced into the system, and the consequently greater ease with which the work is performed 
 The giving of receipts was always a great bugbear at race meetings, and hindered the work at the 
 very pomt were despatch was most required, frightfully. So superior is the new system of 
 'stamping tne message that the 1,000 messages to which I refer in the early part of this Renort 
 as having been disposed of at Newmarket within three hours, were all taken in by two counter 
 clerks, without even the semblance of the 'rush' which used to characterise the proceedings of the old 
 
SB 
 
 days. The abolition of the ' messenger's ticket ' is also an immense gain in the delivery of messages, 
 < while the system of accounts has; been so simplified that little trouble is experienced in keeping 
 the ' abstracts ' up to the latest message, a thing not to. be dreamt of under ,the old system- A special 
 form which I devised for press messages at race meetings has received your approvial as an experiment, 
 and was introduced with (according to Mr. Ashley, of the Press Association,) much acceptance to press 
 correspondents generally at the late Newmarket meeting. It is now on trial at Liverpool and Shrew s- 
 " "bury, and before another year's racing commences we shall probably be able to decide as to its per- 
 manent adoption for this kind of work. It only remains to add, that the experience and data which 
 the Department has been enabled to collect during the past year will be most valuable in coming 
 years ; and there cannot be a doubt that the increase of telegraph work at race meetings will be m 
 proportion to the increase of facilities for many years to come." 
 
 E 2 
 
36 
 
 Rettjrn showing the amount of Telegraphic Business transacted at the Eace 
 Meetings of the United Kingdom, from the 5th of February to the close of the 
 Season of 1870. 
 
 Town or District. 
 
 No. of 
 Meet- 
 ings. 
 
 Total No. 
 of Messages. 
 
 Total Value. 
 
 Estimated 
 Expenses. 
 
 Estimated Profit. 
 
 No. of Press 
 
 Messages 
 
 [Included in 
 
 Col. 3]. 
 
 1. 
 
 2. 
 
 3. 
 
 4. 
 
 
 5. 
 
 
 6. 
 
 
 7. 
 
 Newmarket 
 
 6 
 
 33,667 
 
 £ s. 
 1,558 8 
 
 d. 
 
 11 
 
 £ s. 
 311 10 
 
 d. 
 10 
 
 £ s. 
 1,246 18 
 
 d. 
 1 
 
 3,499 
 
 DONCASTEK ... 
 
 2 
 
 8,293 
 
 394 6 
 
 10 
 
 85 
 
 
 
 309 6 
 
 10 
 
 616 
 
 Warwick - . - - 
 
 3 
 
 6,637 
 
 317 18 
 
 1 
 
 56 7 
 
 3 
 
 261 10 
 
 10 
 
 707 
 
 Epsom ... 
 
 2 
 
 5,890 
 
 308 2 
 
 6 
 
 155 
 
 
 
 148 2 
 
 6 
 
 *230 
 
 York .... 
 
 2 
 
 5,088 
 
 249 17 
 
 5 
 
 40 
 
 
 
 209 17 
 
 5 
 
 503 
 
 Chester ... 
 
 1 
 
 5,015 
 
 247 5 
 
 4 
 
 50 
 
 
 
 197 5 
 
 4 
 
 389 
 
 Liverpool 
 
 3 
 
 3,848 
 
 203 6 
 
 9 
 
 55 
 
 
 
 148 6 
 
 9 
 
 213 
 
 Ascot ... 
 
 1 
 
 3,800 
 
 ]91 
 
 10 
 
 80 
 
 
 
 111 
 
 10 
 
 *100 
 
 Shrewsbury 
 
 1 
 
 3,737 
 
 164 8 
 
 2 
 
 55 
 
 
 
 109 8 
 
 2 
 
 303 
 
 Goodwood - 
 
 1 
 
 2,997 
 
 155 10 
 
 4 
 
 80 
 
 
 
 75 10 
 
 4 
 
 365 
 
 Brighton - - - . 
 
 1 
 
 2,583 
 
 133 15 
 
 9 
 
 20 
 
 
 
 113 IS 
 
 9 
 
 256 
 
 NOTTINGHAJI 
 
 2 
 
 2,181 
 
 108 1 
 
 
 
 11 3 
 
 4 
 
 96 17 
 
 8 
 
 266 
 
 Windsor - . . 
 
 3 
 
 2,111 
 
 103 
 
 7 
 
 16 6 
 
 
 
 86 14 
 
 7 
 
 214 
 
 Newcastle 
 
 1 
 
 1,574 
 
 83 3 
 
 9 
 
 13 
 
 
 
 70 3 
 
 9 
 
 160 
 
 Bath .... 
 
 1 
 
 1,565 
 
 83 16 
 
 10 
 
 50 8 
 
 9 
 
 33 8 
 
 1 
 
 121 
 
 Stockton ... 
 
 1 
 
 1,476 
 
 68 13 
 
 1 
 
 11 15 
 
 6 
 
 56 17 
 
 7 
 
 157 
 
 Lincoln . . .- . 
 
 2 
 
 1,463 
 
 80 19 
 
 7 
 
 12 10 
 
 
 
 68 9 
 
 7 
 
 204 
 
 HtJNTINGDON 
 
 1 
 
 1,445 
 
 67 5 
 
 2 
 
 5 
 
 
 
 62 5 
 
 2 
 
 129 
 
 Worcester ... 
 
 2 
 
 1,382 
 
 76 
 
 9 
 
 8 6 
 
 2 
 
 67 14 
 
 7 
 
 283 
 
 Stockbridge 
 
 1 
 
 1,328 
 
 59 18 
 
 
 
 20 
 
 
 
 39 18 
 
 
 
 *150 
 
 Manchester . . - 
 
 2 
 
 639 
 
 33 3 
 
 1 
 
 12 14 
 
 9 
 
 20 8 
 
 4 
 
 100 
 
 South-eastern District 
 
 11 
 
 2,219 
 
 119 9 
 
 5 
 
 19 18 
 
 lb 
 
 99 10 
 
 7 
 
 253 
 
 South Midland District 
 
 5 
 
 2,010 
 
 92 7 
 
 9 
 
 7 7 
 
 10 
 
 84 19 
 
 11 
 
 ' 501 
 
 North Midland District 
 
 5 
 
 1,877 
 
 103 2 
 
 11 
 
 27 11 
 
 6 
 
 75 11 
 
 5 
 
 366 
 
 South.western District 
 
 8 
 
 1,757 
 
 86 11 
 
 11 
 
 17 6 
 
 10 
 
 69 5 
 
 1 
 
 548 
 
 North-western District 
 
 4 
 
 1,503 
 
 69 8 
 
 4 
 
 8 16 
 
 9 
 
 60 11 
 
 7 
 
 176 
 
 Northern District 
 
 5 
 
 1,496 
 
 83 13 
 
 8 
 
 7 10 
 
 4 
 
 76 3 
 
 4, 
 
 368 
 
 South Wales District 
 
 4 
 
 1,470 
 
 75 3 
 
 7 
 
 7 6 
 
 2 
 
 67 17 
 
 5 
 
 433 
 
 North Wales District - 
 
 2 
 
 795 
 
 38 10 
 
 8 
 
 5 
 
 
 
 33 10 
 
 8 
 
 218 
 
 Eastern District 
 
 3 
 
 321 
 
 18 10 
 
 6 
 
 6 17 
 
 10 
 
 11 12 
 
 8 
 
 31 
 
 Western District 
 
 I 
 
 99 
 
 4 14 
 
 11 
 
 — 
 
 
 4 14 
 
 11 
 
 82 
 
 SCOTLAND 
 
 5 
 
 2,004 
 
 92 11 
 
 1 
 
 10 16 
 
 8 
 
 81 14 
 
 5 
 
 603 
 
 IRELAND 
 
 3 
 
 209 
 
 11 9 
 
 8 
 
 5 6 
 
 3 
 
 6 3 
 
 5 
 
 40 
 
 Small Meetings in .various 
 Districts not returned 
 
 40 
 
 2,000 
 
 100 
 
 
 
 10 
 
 
 
 90 
 
 
 
 200 
 
 TOTAL - 
 
 135 
 
 114,479 
 
 5,578 17 
 
 2 
 
 1,283 1 
 
 7 
 
 4,295 15 
 
 7 
 
 12,784 
 
 a. Col. 4. The " Total value " is the amount actually received in cash, plus the value of " Received " and 
 " Press " Messages, reckoned at Is. each. 
 
 b. Col. 5. The " estimated expenses " are the travelling charges and per diem allowances of clerks specially 
 employed on the occasion, the cost of superintendence, and of special messenger force, with, in some instances, 
 a liberal allowance for incidental and other expenses not readily got at. The engineering expenses, however, 
 have not been got at in many cases. 
 
 c. Col. 6. From the total amount of " estimated profit " there will fall to be deducted the sum of 300/. 
 or thereabouts for the rent of accommodation at Grand Stands and Race Courses, not included under the head 
 of "estimated expenses." 
 
 * These numbers not having been furnished in the returns sent in, have been estimated. 
 
37 
 
 Private Wiees. 
 
 The original scheme of the Post Office did not contemplate any interference with 
 the companies which had -been established for the purpose of setting up and main- 
 taining private telegraphic communication between the offices and wharves or ware- 
 houses or factories of commercial firms. When, however, the bUl of 1868 was before 
 the parKamentary committee, the chief of these companies, the Universal Private 
 Telegraph Company, contended that their business would be destroyed by the intro- 
 duction of a low and uniform rate for messages, and succeeded in establishing then- 
 claim to have their undertaking purchased by the Government. It was subsequently 
 decided that the undertaking of the Economic Company, a company carrying on a 
 similar business, should also be purchased. 
 
 We found it impossible to assume the management of the private wires at the date 
 of the general transfer, and it was conducted by the private wire companies on behalf 
 of the Department until the 1st July. Since that time Mr. Culley and Mr. Chambre, 
 of the secretary's office, have been actively engaged in revising the scale of charges 
 for private wires, ascertaining the precise extent and direction of those wires, and 
 arriving at the number of wires in existing cables which are still spare and available 
 for the use of future renters. Mr. Chambre has also been engaged in considering the 
 best means of extending the private wire business, and has made some, suggestions 
 with that view to which I shall hereafter revert. The private wire business is for the 
 most part confined to London, Birmingham, Bristol, Coventry, Derby, Newcastle, 
 N'orth Shields, South Shields, Sunderland, Manchester, Liverpool, Bradford, Glasgow, 
 Dundee, and JDublin. 
 
 There are, however, many other towns in which private wires ran from the postal 
 telegraph stations to the residences or offices of men of business, who are thereby 
 enabled to send their messages for distant parts to the postal telegraph stations by wire 
 instead of by hand. Renters of these pay for the hire and maintenance of them, and 
 also pay the ordinary tariff for the messages sent over them for re-transmission. 
 
 The private wire system comprises about 4,000 miles of wire, and produces a gross 
 rental of 27,000 Z. per annum. 
 
 The following statement gives the scale of charges for rent and maintenance of 
 such wires, and the regulations and conditions pertaining thereto. 
 
 Table of CHAitiaES for Rental of Private Wires (A.), Instruments, &c. (B.), Regu- 
 lations and Conditions for Lines of Private Telegraph (C), and Time Signals (D.) 
 
 B. 
 
 WIRE EENTAL SCALE. 
 
 INSTRUMENT RENTAL, &c., SCALE. 
 
 1. Over house or underground 
 
 2. On the roads - 
 
 3. Under water ■ 
 
 In London. 
 
 Other parts of 
 the Kingdom. 
 
 Per Mile per Annum. 
 
 £ t. d. 
 8 
 
 6 
 
 £ ». d. 
 7 
 
 5 
 
 f Special rates, according to 
 (. circumstances. 
 
 6^ Minimum charge in all cases to be for one Mile, beyond 
 that distance, by quarter miles ; any less distance to be 
 counted as a quarter mile. 
 
 1. If purchased from 1 
 the Department J 
 
 2. For maintenance" 
 
 and repair of 
 apparatus, the 
 property of the 
 renter - 
 
 3. Forhire,including " 
 
 maintenance 
 and renewal - . 
 
 A., B., C, 
 per set of 
 
 1 Communicator 
 
 1 Indicator 
 
 1 Bell. 
 
 1 Single Needle 
 
 and 
 
 1 Battery, 
 
 1 Printer 
 
 J and 
 
 1 Battery. 
 
 £ s. d. 
 
 25 
 
 a r Ordinary, 
 ^ I 51. each. 
 
 Star or 
 [ Indicator, 
 I. Bl. 6s. each. 
 
 Price. 
 £ s. d. 
 7 10 
 
 £ 9. d. 
 25 
 
 Rental per Annum. 
 
 1 l 
 
 6 
 
 2 10 
 
 3 
 
 7 10 
 
 t 
 
 10 
 
 ' Including renewal of battery. t Including supply of paper ribbon, 
 
 E 3 
 
88 
 0. — Eegulations and Conditions. 
 
 (a.) For an Instrument in a Postal Tekffrapk Office. — For desk accommodation and clerks' services 
 51. 5$. per annum. 
 
 Note. — When the private -wire, intended to be in connexion with an instrument at a postal telegraph oflSoe, is not tjie 
 property of the Departmentj the person desiring to have an instrument in the postal telegraph office is required 
 to rent the instrument from the Department, and to pay the hire, maintenance, and repair rate. — Table B.No. 3. 
 
 (b.) Deli'eery of Local Messages. — A charge of Zd. each is made upon messages sent over a private 
 wire for dehvery within the local free delivery ; beyond that, the ordinary rates. 
 
 (c.) Extension of am Existing Line. — If the extension does not increase the rental, the cost is to be 
 borne by the renter. 
 
 (d.) Maintenance of Lines not the Property of the Department. — Will be undertaken for any period of 
 not less than one year ; the annual charge, is to be calculated at 1^. less per mile than the 
 rates set forth above under " Wire Rental Scale ; " but before the Department can undertake 
 to maintain, the line must be put into thorough order by the proprietor. The Department 
 cannot allow the erection on its poles of a wire not belonging to the Department. 
 
 (e.) Term of Contract. — In ordinary cases, a private wire contract is to be determinable at three 
 months' notice, or on payment of one quarter's rental ; but in cases where the expense is 
 considerable, a fixed term of from three to five years is to be made a condition. When the 
 proposed line is in an outlying district, is specially provided for a single renter, and it is 
 not probable that there will be other renters, a term of five years is to be a condition of 
 contract. 
 
 (f.) Payment of Bental. — The rental to be in all cases payable yearly, in advance. 
 
 D. — ^TiMB Signals. 
 
 Charges for the use of wires and apparatus for transmitting : — 
 
 From London to the Country. 
 1. — Ten o'clock Current. 
 
 To include rental and maintenance of a private wire from the Post Office to the renter's \ 
 
 house of \ mile in length/ 
 Do. do. I do. 
 
 Do. do. I do. 
 
 Do. do. 1 do. 
 
 2. — One o^Ohch Cwrrent. 
 To include rental and maintenance of a private wire from the Post Office to the renter's \ 
 
 house of i mile in length/ 27 
 
 Do. do. i do. - 29 
 
 Do. do. I do. - 31 
 
 Do. do. 1 do. - 32 
 
 Note. — ^If the private ■wire section exceeds one mile the ordinary rates will be charged in addition 
 
 to the 10^ or 25/, for the signal, as the, case may be. 
 
 In London. 
 
 . 1. Use of time wire for the hourly current within a radius of two miles from the General "i 
 
 Post Office - - - - - • j- 15 
 
 2. For any distance over two miles the same rate, and in addition the private wire rate 
 for the extra distance. 
 
 Note (a.) — Apparatus for receiving the signal must in all cases be found by the renter. 
 
 (h-)— Private wire regulations (c), (d.), (e.), and (f.) will be applicable to time signal contracts. 
 
 The Department will undertake to supply the time current only where the existing postal arrangements 
 
 will permit the work to be properly done. 
 November 1870. , 
 
 5. I come now to describe the steps whicli the Department has taken in carrying out 
 the various branches of its xmdertaking. 
 
 Steps taken between the passing of the General Act ofises, and the Money Bill 
 
 0/1869. 
 
 Although, as I have already stated, the Department could do nothing effectual 
 towards the completion of its schemes until the Money Bill of 1869, which was 
 required to give force to the Act of 1868, had been passed, it exerted itself strenuously 
 to make such preliminary arrangements as were practicable under the circumstances 
 
 The Telegraphs Act of 1868 received the Eoyal assent on the 31st July of that vear 
 and the Department immediately took steps in fulfilment of the promises which it had 
 made to the Parliamentary Committee to have the plant and the accounts of the various 
 
 Per 
 
 annimi. 
 
 
 
 
 £ 
 
 S. 
 
 a. 
 
 12 
 
 
 
 
 
 14 
 
 
 
 
 16 
 
 
 
 
 
 17 
 
 
 
 Q 
 
39 
 
 telegraph companies, whose tmdertakings it was to buy, thoroughly overhauled and 
 examined. 
 
 The examination of the land lines of the telegraph companies was entrusted mainly 
 to Mr. Walker, the telegraph engineer of the South-eastern Railway Company^ and 
 in a miaor degree to Mr, Bartholomew, a gentleman who had had much experience ia 
 the construction of land lines. It will be obvious that, as the plant to be examined 
 was the entire telegraphic plant of the Mngdom, the field within which the Depart- 
 ment could hope to obtain independent examiners was necessarily extremely narrow. 
 
 The examination of the submarine property of the telegraph companies was 
 entrusted to Messrs. Forde and Fleming Jenkyn, of whose fitness for this special work 
 we possessed abundant evidence. 
 
 The examination of the accounts of the companies was entrusted to a committee 
 composed of officers of the account branches of the Post Office, and placed under the 
 superintendence of Mr. Ohetwynd, the Receiver and Accountant General of the 
 Department. 
 
 The instructions to and the reports from the examining engineers and Mr. Chetwynd's 
 committee, had a very important bearing upon the price subsequently paid by the 
 Government for the undertakings of the companies. They will be found in extenso in 
 the papers printed prior to the transfer, and which accompany this Report, and vrill be 
 alluded to hereafter when I have to state the cost and financial resiilts of the whole 
 undertaking. But it may be well that I shoiild quote here some passages from the 
 instructions, in order that the object which the Department had in view may be 
 readily seen. 
 
 The Accounts Committee were instructed in the following general terms to ascertain 
 the precise amount of net profits earned by the telegraph companies in the year to 30th 
 June 1868 :— 
 
 " On reference to the Act, and to the agreements confirmed by the Act, the committee will perceive 
 that in the case of the Electric and International, British and Irish Magnetic, United Kingdom, Universal 
 Private, and London and Provincial Telegraph Companies, it will be the first duty of the committee 
 to ascertain, so far as they can from the accounts, what were the net profits of each company in the 
 year ended 30th June 1868. 
 
 " On reference to the evidence taken by the Select Committee (Questions 2205 to 2214) it will be 
 seen that the net profits were held by the promoters of the Bill to be the balance left of the gross 
 receipts after allowing for the working expenses and for the maintenance and renewal of the plant. 
 The telegraph companies did not dispute this construction of the term " net profits," nor is it at all 
 probable that they will now dispute it, and the committee must keep it steadily in view. 
 
 " In arriving at the amount of gross revenue and the amount of working expenses for the year, to 
 the 30th June 1868, they must look, not to the amounts brought to account in that year, but to the 
 amount of revenue actually earned, and the amount of expense actually incurred in the service of 
 the year. 
 
 " For this purpose, a very strict analysis of the opening and closing balances of the year will be 
 necessary. * 
 
 "In considering the sums expended for maintenance and renewals, it will be well for them to 
 ascertain the outlay in this respect in one or more years prior to the date at which the proposal for 
 the transfer of the lines to the Grovernment was broached. Taking one year with another, the cost 
 of maintenance and renewals ought to be in one and the same proportion to the sum expended in 
 construction. They should therefore ascertain the amount expended in construction up to, say, the 
 middle of the years ended 30th June, 1865, 1866, and 1868, and then ascertain the sum expended in 
 maintenance and renewals to the close of each of those years. If they, by this process, ascertain that 
 the per-centage of the cost of maintenance and renewals to the cost of construction was the same in 
 each of the three years, they will have a tolerably satisfactory proof that a proper sum has been 
 expended on maintenance and renewals in the last of the three years. If, on the other hand, they 
 find that the cost of maintenance was 8 per cent, of the cost of construction in 1865 and 1866, and only 
 6 per cent, of that cost in 1868, they will show that further and more precise inquiry into the condition 
 of the plant is desirable. 
 
 " They will of course know that the Department contemplates an inspection of the plant in any case, 
 but the extent and character of that inspection will in some measure depend upon the result of their 
 inspection of the accounts. In' arriving at the cost of construction, with a view to compare it with the 
 cost of maintenance, they will of course strike off any preliminary expenses or sums paid for patents 
 which may have been included by the companies in the cost of construction. They will also in the 
 case of the Electric and International, and British and Irish Magnetic Companies, separate the cost 
 of land lines from the cost of submarine cables, and show separately the cost of maintaining and 
 renewing each kind of line. 
 
 " For a purpose hereafter to be noticed, it will be necessary for them to trace the history of the 
 cables of these two companies back to their commencement, and to show the whole sums expended in 
 laying them down, maintaining them, and replacing them up to the present time." 
 
 They were also instructed how to deal with certain exceptions to the ordinary rule of 
 purchase, upon which I need not now make any comment. To assist them in arriving 
 at the' true cost of maintenance, application was made \o certain railway companies 
 having an independent telegraphic system ^for such information as their experience 
 enabled them to giye, 
 
 E 4i 
 
40 
 
 The following passages are extracted from the instructions given to the proposed 
 examiners of the submarine cahles : — 
 
 " By the terms of ' The Telegraph Act, 1868,' it is provided that the price to be paid by the 
 Postmaster-General for the undertakings of the Electric and International and Magnetic Telegraph 
 Companies, shall be 20 years' purchase of the net profits of those companies during the year ended 
 the 30th June last. With Reuter's Telegram Company the terms of purchase are somewhat 
 different. 
 
 " From the purchase money represented by a multiplication of the net profits, such amount is to be 
 deducted as may be determined by arbitration to represent any greater relative risk attaching to the 
 maintenance of the Norderney cable than to the maintenance of land lines of telegraph. There is also 
 a further provision to be referred to hereafter. 
 
 " In determining, as regards all three companies, what are the net profits, the question will 
 necessarily arise whether a sufficient sum has been expended during the period above referred to in 
 maintaining the cables in good working order ; and in conducting your inquiry, this point must be 
 steadily kept in view. 
 
 " The Duke of Montrose is aware that, owing to the peculiar nature of property which consists of 
 submarine cables, some difficulty may ai-ise in ascertaining the' precise extent to which depreciation 
 niight have been preventible, but he nevertheless feels confident that the large experience which you 
 have gained in the science of submarine telegraphy will suggest tojyou the means by which an accurate 
 opinion may be arrived at. , 
 
 " You will no doubt think it well to commence your inspection by applying the usual tests to 
 determine the electrical capacity and insulation of the conducting wires. A comparison of the result 
 of these tests with any well-known and generally accepted standard, and with the tests which, no 
 doubt, from time to time have been applied and recorded by the companies themselves (and in respect 
 to which the companies, his Grace presumes, will be ready to furnish you with every necessary 
 particular), will no doubt supply you with much valuable information. 
 
 " This testing for conductivity, insulation, and so forth, his Grace takes it for granted will be made 
 by yourselves in person. 
 
 " But taking into account the object of this examination, it will be obvious to you that mere 
 electrical tests, invaluable and indispensable though they are, will not of themselves alone be sufficient. 
 You must be fully aware that cables in perfect working order have failed from imprudent exposure to 
 violence and injuries due to other causes. His Grace understands that among the causes to which the 
 failure of the first Atlantic cable, after perfect action for a time, might be attributed, one was that 
 some fault in its formation had remained concealed to develop itself only after a time. Other cables 
 have been repeatedly injured by ships' anchors, and the mere step of underrunning or raising the 
 cables to repair injuries so caused may of itself be sufficient to affect the durability of the cables. 
 
 " These considerations, which would not be without weight in deciding whether a sufficient sum has 
 been expended in maintaining the cables in a thoroughly efficient state, have still greater force as 
 bearing on the question of the greater relative risk of maintaining hereafter the Norderney cable as 
 compared with the land telegraph. They are also not irrelevant to the question of probable profits to 
 be derived by Reuter's Company under their contract with the Indo-Europeon Telegraph Company, 
 for which probable profits money compensation is to be made, inasmuch as it is evident that the risk 
 attendant upon the company being able to maintain their cable must also involve a risk of the company 
 getting no profit on their contract. 
 
 " You will consequently take such steps as may appear to you expedient for collecting such data as 
 will enable you to report on this subject. 
 
 " It appears to his Grace that it is essential that data should be obtained, if possible, under the 
 following heads, as regards each cable inspected : — 
 
 1. The length of the cable. 
 
 s. Its weight per mile. * 
 
 3. Number of conducting wires. 
 
 4. Mode of protecting the core and insulating ma ,erial. 
 
 5. Date of submergence. 
 
 6. Cause of failures (if any). 
 
 7. Periods during which the cable has been unserviceable. 
 
 8. Whether any difficulty is experienced in effecting repairs. 
 
 9. To what causes fractures, if any, of the cable attributable. 
 
 10. Whether any, and if so what portion, of the cable has required renewal, and at what dates. 
 
 " In your report on the state of the lines, assuming you should be of opinion that an insufficient sum 
 has been expended in the maintenance thereof, you will endeavour to form an estimate for the guidance 
 of the arbitrator who may hereafter be called upon to assess the value of the property on behalf of the 
 Post Office of the amount which should have been expended in keeping up the lines in a thoroueh state 
 of repair and efficiency. ° 
 
 « In the event of your being of opinion that the lines are otherwise than in a thorough state of repair 
 and efficiency, you must take care that the estimate above adverted to is not a mere matter of coniecture 
 but one the accuracy of which you may reasonably expect to be able to maintain before an arbitrator' 
 in the event of your being called upon to do so. ' 
 
 " In the event of the companies habitually setting apart money for the repair of their cables it mav 
 not be amiss that you should obtain from them, should they be willing to furnish the information a 
 statement of the sum which they propose to expend between the date of your visit of inspection and the 
 1st July 1869, the latter being the date on which it is probable the transfer of the teleeranhs to the 
 Post Office will be effected. Such a statement, if obtained, will be of service hereafter in deteriiiinino- 
 whether the requisite expenditure has taken place. ^ 
 
41 
 
 "With, a view to assist these gentlemen, applications were made to tlie Admiralty for 
 information as to the sea heds across which the cables were laid, and as to the risks 
 from navigation or wash of tide or current. Application was also made to the 
 Submarine Company for such information as their experience of the working of 
 submarine cables would enable them to give. 
 
 The following passages are extracted from the instructions given to Mr. "Walker : — 
 
 " In determining what are the net profits, the question will necessarily arise whether a sufficient sum 
 has been expended during the period above referred to in maintaining the lines and plant in good 
 working order, 
 
 " In conducting your inquiry, this point must be steadily kept in view. 
 
 " Considering the practical experience which you have gained in the construction and maintenance of 
 electric telegraphs, it seems to his Grace unnecessary to specify in detail the precise means which you 
 should adopt in arriving at a correct opinion of the state of the companies' lines and plant. For obvious 
 reasons it will be impracticable for an examination to be made of every wire and all the apparatus 
 included in the three companies' systems, and his Grace must leave, in a great measure, to your dis- 
 cretion the selection of the lines which, being taken as a sample of the whole, may, in your opinion, 
 fairly represent the general condition of the undertakings, and will content himself with merely indicating 
 a few of the points at which during your tour of inspection the lines of the companies should be brought 
 under review. 
 
 " Amongst the most important of the- main trunli lines of telegraph, those on the South-western, 
 Great Western, London and North-western, Midland, and Great Eastern Railways, aud their tributa- 
 ries, rank foremost. It would, I think, be well that some portion of the South-western telegraph, sdv 
 at Basingstoke, should be examined, from whence you will be able conveniently to proceed to points on 
 the Great Western system, taking care to examine the condition of the wires by which communication 
 is maintained through the Box Tunnel. This work being performed, you will probably think it well 
 to proceed to Worcester, from which centre examination can readily be made of the numerous lines 
 belonging to both the Electric and Magnetic Companies converging on that city. 
 
 " His Grace would then wish you to proceed to Birmingham, and thoroughly examine the wires and 
 plant of the companies in that town and its neighbourhood. 
 
 " I may here inform you that it was stated in evidence before the Parliamentary Committee on the 
 Telegraphs Bill, that wires exposed to the smoke of great towns are liable to more especial deteriora- 
 tion than those which are carried through the country, and even in the latter case it is understood that 
 wires earned through manufacturing districts are less durable, and therefore require more frequent 
 renewal than wires that pass through districts in which agricultural pursuits alone are followed. As 
 the greater part of the wires running through the manufacturing districts from Birmingham northwards 
 are no doubt exposed to deteriora,ting influences, it will be for you to inquire and report how far the 
 prospective profits - of the United Kingdom Telegraph Company, if there be any prospect of future 
 profit, are hkely to be prejudicially afi"ected by this circumstance. 
 
 " The condition of the wires in these districts will also have an important bearing, as you will here- 
 after perceive, on the price to be paid for the property of the other companies. 
 
 " In your inspection at Birmingham, and also at any other large towns which you may deem it 
 expedient to visit, you will not, of course, confine your examination to overground wires alone, but you 
 will take care to look into any underground system which may be in operation, testing the wires and 
 satisfying yourself of their efficient insulation. 
 
 " In reporting upon the state of the lines (and a separate report under this head must be made as 
 regards the property of each company) it will not be necessary that you should express an opinion as 
 regards the mode of construction adopted in the first instance, but you will embody any remarks which 
 you may wish to ofiFer in this respect in a separate report, which will no doubt be useful for reference to 
 the Postmaster General's officers hereafter when the Post Office shall have assumed full control of 
 Electric Telegraphs. 
 
 " In your report on the state of the lines, assiiming that you should be of opinion that an insufficient 
 sum has been expended by the company in the maintenance thereof, you will endeavour to form an 
 estimate, for the guidance of the arbitrator who may hereafter be called upon to assess the value of the 
 property on behalf of the Post Office, of the amount which should have been expended in keeping up 
 the lines in a thorough state of repair and efficiency. 
 
 " In the event of your being of opinion that the lines are otherwise than in a thorough state of repair 
 and efficiency, you must take care that the estimate above adverted to is not a mere matter of conjec- 
 ture but one the accuracy of which you may reasonably expect to be able to maintain before an 
 arbitrator in the event of your being called upon to do so. 
 
 " In considerino- the matter, it may not be amiss that you should obtain from the companies, should 
 they be willing to furnish the information, a statement of the sum which they propose to expend 
 between the date of your visit of inspection and the 1st July 1869, the latter being the date on which it 
 is probable the transfer of the telegraphs to the Post Office will be effected. 
 
 " Such a statement, if obtained, will be of service hereafter in determining whether the requisite 
 expenditure has taken place. 
 
 " You will understand that, while you will be at liberty to report separately upon any point which may 
 appear to you to require special, consideration, and while you are, by the terrns of this letter, instructed 
 to make a report upon faults of original construction, and upon improvements which may suggest 
 themselves to you, in the course of the inspection, your report for reference to the arbitrator upon the 
 state of the companies' lines and plant must be full and complete, and leave no point untouched on 
 which it may be expedient he should be informed. 
 
 " From Birmingham it may be well that you should proceed to Rugby, taking the opportunity to 
 look into the state of the wires through Kilsby Tunnel. On the London and North-western line you 
 will find, at least south of Rugby, two lines of telegraph, both the property of the Electric and 
 
 27031. J^ 
 
42 
 
 InternatiQnal Telegraph Compatty. The same thing happens on the Great Northern, south of Hitchin. 
 I cio riot know the date at which the second line was erected, but an examination of a section of both 
 the original and the duplicate line will perhaps be expedient. , . , : ; . .,' 
 
 "From Rugby you might proceed to Stafford or Crewe, and from thence to Manchester or Liverpool. 
 After completing your en(Juiries so far, you may consider it convenient to proceed to Ireland, and after 
 inspecting a section of the telegraphs on the Great Southern, and Western and Midland; and Great 
 Western lines, go on to the north of Ireland, examining the property of the Electric and Magnetic 
 Companies in the neighbourhood of Belfast i 
 
 " From Belfast steamboats run to Carlisle, at which latter point you might recommence your 
 examination of' the lines converging on Cslrlisle' from Manchester and Liverpool on the south, from 
 Glasgow on the north, from Newcastle on the east, and from Dumfries and Ayrshire (including 
 the Stranraer lines) on the west. . : . 
 
 "I think you should then go to the north, inspecting the companies' plant at Edinburgh and 
 Glasgbw, and some of their lines in Perthshire. 
 
 " You must, however, be careful in your inspection to discriminate between the property of the 
 telegraph companies and that of the railway companies ; this caution being specially applicable to 
 telegraphs on the North British Railway, on which system telegraphs both for commercial and railway 
 purposes, his Grace is given to understand, are generally blended. 
 
 " Your inspection in Scotland being completed, the Duke of Montrose would wish you tq return 
 along the east coast route, stopping perhaps at Newcastle, York, or Normanton, Derby and Peter-,^ 
 borough. At the last-mentioned town you will have the opportunity of readily inspecting," 'snbuTd ydti 
 consider it desirable to do so, the telegraphs appertaining to the Great Northern, Midland, North- 
 western, and Great Eastern systems, and you will probably conclude your inspection of provincial 
 telegraphs by visititig Cambridge, through which town both the Electric and Magnetic Companies' 
 wires pass. 
 
 "On returning to London it will be necessary that you should inspect the wires by which the 
 metropolitan stations of the companies are connected. These wires, I believe, are chiefly subterranean, 
 and it will be your duty to report upon the condition in which you find them. 
 
 " So far you will perceive these are instructions of a general character, and while not inapphcable 
 to the property of the- United Kingdom Telegraph Company, refer in the main to the lines, &c. of the 
 Electric and Magnetic Companies. 
 
 "I now come to deal more specifically with, the case of the United Kingdom Company, The 
 system of this company is comparatively small and simple ; it has no lines in Ireland, a few only in 
 Scotland, and its trunk lines in England are almost without exception on the canals and highways. 
 This being so, the Postmaster General being desirous that the inspection should, as already stated, 
 commence with the United Kingdom Company's lines, and being desirous moreover that as the exami- 
 nation of the company's accounts rapidly approaches completion, the whole matter should be ripe for 
 settlement as quickly as possible, will leave it entirely for yOur judgment to determine at what points 
 your examination of the company's system shall be made, relying upon your using all reasonable 
 despatch in bringing your enquiries to a conclusion. 
 
 " Owing to circumstances which I need not enter into, no great progress has yet been made in the 
 examination of any but the United Kingdom Company's accounts. 
 
 " Enough has been gathered from the accounts, however, to make it doubtful whether the United 
 Kingdom Company have debited their revenue with a sufficient sum for maintenance during the year to 
 30th June 1868. 
 
 " The accounts of the Electric and International Company, for a series of years, show that the cost of 
 maintenance has been almost uniformly at the rate of 5^ to 6 per cent, per annum on the total sum 
 expended (to the close -of each year) in the construction of works. 
 
 " Evidence was given by officers of the telegraph companies before the Parhamentary Committee 
 which went to show that somewhere about six per cent, on the cost of construction ought to be expended 
 annually in the maintenance of the works so constructed. 
 
 "The accounts of the United Kingdom Company, however, show that since December, 1866 the 
 company have never charged themselves for maintenance with as much as three per cent, on the cost of 
 construction. 
 
 " It is important to observe that the period at which the charge for maintenance began to decline 
 coincides with that at which the proposal to transfer the telegraphs to the State began to find general 
 favour Avith the pubhc. It also coincides with the period at which the company began apparently to 
 earn a dividend on their preference shares. 
 
 "Under these circumstances it is of the utmost importance that you should ascertain whether the 
 apparent net profits of the- company for which the Postmaster-General is to give 20 years purchase 
 have been unduly swelled by insufficient charges on maintenance account. 
 
 " Your inquiry under this head may be of two kinds. First, you may endeavour to ascertain whether 
 any portion of the sum really' expended in maintenance, and which shomd have been charged to revenue, 
 has been charged to construction, i.e., to capital. 
 
 "In this part of your inquiry you had better perhaps proceed by obtaining from the company's 
 engineers the particulars of the works constructed during the year to 30th June 1868, and ascertaining 
 the fair cost of those works. If it should th^n appear that the! sum actually charged to construction 
 was m excess of the actual cost, the amount of the excess'would probably have to be transferred to 
 maintenance in diminution of the apparent profits. 
 
 "In dealing with the accounts of another company it has been observed that whereas informer 
 years the cost of materials was divided in varying proportions between construction and maintenance, 
 in the closing year it has been almost entirely charged to construction. 
 
 , "If any arcumstance of this kind should be brought to Ught in the examination of the accounts of 
 the United Kmgdom Company it shall be commumcated to you, but it is well that I should dbect vour 
 attention to the point. - ■' 
 
m 
 
 « In the next plae6 you have to inquire trhether, irrespective of the manner in which the charges 
 have been brought to account, a sufficient sum has been expended on maintenance. 
 
 "You will bear in mind that ev^ry diminution of the apparent net profits of, the company will not 
 only reduce the sum to be paid by the Postmaster-General for such net profits by 20 times the amount 
 of such diminution, but will also tend to reduce the sum to be paid for prospective profit. 
 
 " I mention this to show you that corrections of account, which at first sight appear to be trifling, may 
 be of considerable importance." 
 
 Whilst these arrangements were being made for the examination of the accounts 
 and plant of the telegraph companies, other arrangements were made for the appoiat- 
 ment of arbitrators in the several cases, and for settling the mode in which the 
 arbitrations should be conducted so soon as the examination of the accounts and plant 
 had been completed. In the completion of these matters much time was unavoidably- 
 spent. The printed papers will show how difacult it was for the Department to make 
 any effective progress during the autumn of 1868, and with what extreme slowness the 
 persons with whom it had to arrange moved during the vacation of that year. This, 
 of course, was but natural, but it proved in the long run to be very inconvenient. 
 
 The settlement with the various telegraph companies was effected at the following 
 dates ; — 
 
 With the Electric Company on 25th May 1869. 
 Magnetic Company on 18th May 1869. 
 United Kingdom Company on 10th June 1869. 
 London and Provincial Company on 20th May 1869. 
 Universal Private Company on 6th July 1869. 
 E-euter's Telegram Company on 9th June 1869. 
 
 The tedious character of the negotiations may be inferred from the following 
 circumstance, viz., that the formal proceedings in the case of Renter's Telegram 
 Company commenced on the 15th March 1869, and that the award of the umpire, 
 Mr. Russell Gumey, was not given until the 9th June. 
 
 In the case of this company, however, a vast mass of evidence, over and above the 
 general evidence as to accounts and plant, had to be obtained from foreign telegraphic 
 administrations, and from various other sources. 
 
 The precise results obtained by the Department from its inspection of plant shall 
 be noted hereafter, but it may be well to state that the sum abated from the 
 purchase money of the undertakings of the companies (Reuters Telegram Company 
 excepted) on accouiit of real or possible dilapidations and depreciation exceeded 
 500,000^. 
 
 I have no means of knowing how much the umpire abated on this head in the case 
 of Reuter's Telegram Company, but it was doubtless considerable. 
 
 While these negotiations with the telegraph companies were being carried on, steps 
 were also taken to arrange with the railway companies having a right to call upon the 
 Department to purchase such beneficial interest in telegraphy as they claim e to 
 possess. 
 
 While these preparations were being made for the acquisition of the property of the 
 telegraph companies, and for the purchase of the interests of the railway companies in 
 telegraphy, other preparations were made for the re-arrangement of the property to be 
 acquired, and for the organization of a combined system. 
 
 The telegraph ofllces throughout the country were visited, their arrangements in- 
 spected, and the amount of accommodation given by them, ascertained. At the same 
 time, the neighbouring post offices to which the business of the telegraph offices was 
 to be transferred were visited, their capacity to afford the required accommodation was 
 ascertainedj and plans for their re-arrangement were framed. 
 
 The various forms of instrument in use by the telegraph companies were examined, 
 and reports upon their relative merits were obtained from competent authorities, our 
 object being, of course, to ascertain which instruments would be best suited to each of 
 the various branches of our work. 
 
 We also endeavoured to ascertain whether it was not possible to effect some 
 improvements in some of the instruments and other scientific appliances then in use, 
 and, as wUl be seen hereafter, we attained a certain amount of success. 
 
 At the same time we examined the different codes in use amongst the companies for 
 signalling^, ascertained which of them it would be best to adopt as the universal code, 
 
 F 3 
 
u 
 
 and took sucb. steps, as it was possible to take, to arrange for the future assimilation of 
 codes. To this subject I shall have hereafter to refer. 
 
 Inquiries were also instituted as to the working of the telegraphic systems on the 
 Continent, and especially as to the systems of Pneumatic tube in use in Paris and in 
 Berlin. 
 
 Pull and detailed information was obtained from the telegraph companies as to the 
 position, pay, and emoluments of their staff throughout the country, and as to the 
 character and qualifications of every member of the staff. 
 
 Lastly, with a view to the re-distribution of the telegraphic plant after its acquisition, 
 the telegraph companies were required to furnish returns of all their circuits, accom- 
 panied by statements of the instruments in use on those circuits, and liue plans 
 showing the direction of every wire, in the kingdom, and the purpose to which it was 
 applied. At the same time, the railway companies were required to furnish schedules, 
 and when it was necessary, plans of the wires required by them for the establishment 
 of an independent system. 
 
 These materials having been obtained, a plan of re-distribution and further deve- 
 lopment was prepared, and the coiu'se proposed for every wire of the combined and 
 extended system was laid down on maps of large scale. 
 
 The general principles of the scheme of re-distribution and development may be 
 gathered from the following extracts from a memorandum drawn up by Mr. Baines in 
 March 1869. 
 
 " The following observations explain the principles on which it is proposed to proceed in adapting 
 the lines of the several electric telegraph companies whose property is about to be acquired to the system 
 of Post Office telegraphs, and in laying out the new lines which will be requisite in order to render that 
 system complete. 
 
 " In preparing the line maps of the Post Office telegraphs, only such of the existing wires have been 
 taken into account as ai-e shown by the line plans rendered by the companies to be commercial wires 
 used solely for public business. All other wires, whether used for railway purposes only, or used 
 jointly for railway and commercial purposes, have been left out of the Post Office scheme altogether. 
 
 " The chief points of the Post Office scheme are, as a matter of course, the head offices at post towns, 
 and the great object to be kept in view is the giving to these offices, as far as may be practicable and 
 convenient, direct communication with each other. 
 
 " In order that this end may be attained, it is assumed that all the post towns in each of the three 
 countries shall have at least one instrument that is common to all. As England and Wales and Scot- 
 land are practically one country, it will probably be convenient to deal with them as such. In this case 
 it is assumed that a Morse printing instrument will be put in at each head post office in Great Britain. 
 At the larger head offices two or more Morse printers will be required, and at the very largest the 
 Wheatstone automatic instrument will no doubt be brought into use. 
 
 " To work out the system of direct transmission between head offices, the principal wires may be 
 dealt with as being arranged in three classes : — 
 
 " 1. Direct wires, connecting the great towns and centres of business, without any intermediate 
 stations on which the automatic printer may be profitably employed, or on which it may be 
 decided to work the Hughes' type printer ; as, for example, a wire between London and 
 Manchester, London and Newcastle, London and Glasgow, and so on. 
 
 The length of these wires will be constant; that is to say, they will never be switched on £tt their 
 terminal points to an extension, nor will they ever be cut in two or diverted at an intermediate point. 
 
 " 2. Wires for local and general use between head offices, with or without intermediate head offices, 
 on the same wire. 
 
 " 3. Wires kept as clear as possible from local work, and set apart mainly for the purpose of giving 
 the smaller post towns occasional direct communication through one principal head office over 
 a main trunk wire to another principal head office; as, for example, the manufacturing towns 
 of North Lancashire,— Accrington, Bury, Bolton, Blackburn, Burnley, and so on,— which 
 would, in the ordinary course, send their telegrams for London " forward " on Manchester, 
 would, by the means above described, have the power of sending their messages direct to 
 London, although connected up with Manchester, possibly by different circuits. 
 
 "With the view of avoiding unnecessary expense, wires, which it would appear will become "spare" 
 on the amalgamation of the several systems, have been allotted to the service of towns not at present 
 provided with independent means of communication ; but, in all cases in which this has been done, care 
 has been taken to provide the towns, from the direct service of which such wire has been withdrawn, 
 with equally good communication by some other means. As an example, the wire by which direct 
 communication is maintained between Nottingham and Manchester via, Derby, has been taken up 
 westward of Derby for the service of Matlock, Bath, Bakewell, and Buxton, but by joining up at 
 Sheffield a local United Kingdom wire, which runs from Nottingham direct to Sheffield, to an electric 
 wire running from Sheffield to Manchester, an equally good communi&ation will be established between 
 Nottingham and Manchester, while the old route rid Derbv will still be to some extent available 
 
 "Again, it is proposed to appropriate a direct Magnetic wire between Leeds and Bradford, and one 
 between Bradford and Manchester, for the service of several intermediate sub-offices, dividino- the wire 
 into appropriate lengths, according to the number of offices to be grouped on each sectton The 
 remaining wires of the Magnetic Company, and the wires of the Electric and United Kingdom 
 Companies, will still afford ample means of communication between Leeds and Bradford and 
 
45 
 
 Mancheiter. Once more, a section of the Electric wire from London to Aberdeen has been cut out 
 between Perth and Friockheim for the service of Cupar Angus, Blairgowrie, Meigle, Kirriemuir, and 
 Forfar ; but this gap has been made good by appropriating the Perth and Dundee section of the 
 Edinburgh and Dundee wire (Stirling route), and joining it up at Dundee to the Edinburgh and 
 Montrose wire, by which the new Aberdeen wire is continued to Friockheim, where it rejoins the original 
 Aberdeen wire. The remainder of the Montrose wire between Friockheim and Montrose is joined at 
 the former point to the wire which has been appropriated for Forfar and other towns. Montrose will 
 get its direct communication with Edinburgh and Aberdeen by United Kingdom wire, and Dundee 
 will get its direct communication with Edinburgh via Ladybank, instead of via Perth. 
 
 " Care has, however, been taken to make alterations in the existing system only, where a harmonious 
 working of the amalgamated system demands that they should be made. As soon as the new system 
 shall have been brought into working order, very many minor alterations which will not, in the first 
 instance, be absolutely needful, can then be made with advantage. These future alterations will mainly 
 have for their object the connecting of subsidiary lines with main trunk wires, so as to give to second- 
 rate post towns more direct communications with other post towns than may, in the first instance, be 
 provided for. 
 
 "It seems prudent to defer these minor alterations until a future period, because experience will 
 better enable us to determine how far duplicate main trunk wires can be dispensed with for 
 the purpose indicated, and because, in the transition stage of the telegraphs from private to State 
 control, sufficient difficulty will probably be encountered in the mere amalgamation of offices and 
 redistribution of staff. In like manner, the distribution of relays is a matter which does not press for 
 immediate consideration, and may very well be left for adjustment when the system is in working order. 
 
 Sub-Officks. 
 
 " The principle on which the circulation of sub-offices has been arranged is very simple. 
 
 " It would be unreasonable to expect that sub-postmasters and letter receivers, who have their own 
 private business and customers to attend to, will be able to give the same close attention to the "call" 
 of another office that the Post Office will exact from its established clerks. Nor can it be expected 
 that the comparatively small business, which may be looked for at sub-offices, will afford sub-post- 
 masters that degree of practice which alone, can ensure expert manipulation? 
 
 " To put sub-offices in circuit with through lines could, therefore, have but the effect of clogging the 
 lines, diminishing their carrying capacity, and delaying the work. 
 
 " Subordinate lines have, consequently, been provided in almost every case for the service of 
 subordinate offices. These lines are arranged to work out of a head office, not necessarily the sub- 
 offices' postal head office, but that office from which, all things considered, they can be most conveniently 
 served." 
 
 In commenting on the memorandum from whicli the foregoing extracts are taken, 
 Mr. Oulley wrote thus : — 
 
 " I quite agree iu the principle laid down of interchanging and connecting the 
 " wires of the different companies. A very considerable improvement in the commu- 
 " nication may thus be effected without any appreciable expense, and will be a great 
 " advantage to the public." 
 
 The following are a few illustrations of the advantages which have been derived 
 from the interchanging and connecting of the wires of the different companies, and 
 which could not have been obtained without an amalgamation of the systems. They 
 might be miiltipHed largely, and have been selected mainly because they are simple 
 and easily to be understood. Prior to the transfer, the commimication between Leeds 
 and Derby was circuitous and defective, but by joining at ShefB.eld a wire of the 
 Electric Company from Derby to ShefB.eld, to a wire of the United Kingdom Company 
 from Leeds to Sheffield, the Department has put Leeds and Derby in direct com- 
 munication, without depriving either town of communication with Sheffield. So also 
 the communication between Aberdeen and Leith has been improved by the joining 
 together of an Electric wire from Leith via Edinburgh to Perth, a Magnetic wire from 
 Perth to Dundee, and a United Kingdom wire from Dundee to Aberdeen. 
 
 Again, the communication between Leith and Greenock has been improved by 
 joining up an Electriq wire from Leith via Edinburgh to Glasgow, to a United 
 Kingdom wire from Glasgow to Greenock. 
 
 The two following cases require a diagram to make them quite clear, but they may 
 be stated thus : — 
 
 A. 
 
 The Magnetic Company had a wire from Bristol via Gloucester and Birmingham to 
 London. The United Kingdom Company had a wire from Gloucester to Uxbridge. 
 The Department has "cut the Magnetic wire at Gloucester and at Birmingham, and has 
 joined the Bristol and Gloucester length to the United Kingdom wire from Gloucester 
 to Uxbridge, which wire it has connected with London by a fresli erection from 
 
 E 3 
 
46 
 
 Uxbridge. It has thus ohtained in place of one London and Bristol circuit, and one 
 practically useless line from Gloucester to Uxbridge, the following valuable circuits : — 
 
 1. London and Bristol. 
 
 2. London and Birmingham. 
 
 3. Birmingham and Gloucester, mth Bromyard, Droitwich, and Worcester inter- 
 
 mediate. 
 
 B. 
 
 The Magnetic Company had a wire from Cardiff via Gloucester and Birmingham 
 to London. The United Kingdom Company had a wire from Gloucester via Oxford 
 to Birmingham. 
 
 The Department has erected a wire from Oxford to London, and has thus got the 
 following circuits : — 
 
 1. London to Cardiff. 
 
 2. London to Birmingham. 
 
 3. Birmingham to Gloucester. 
 
 4. Birmingham to Oxford. 
 
 In the room of — 
 
 1. London to Cardiff. 
 
 2. Gloucester to Oxford and Birmingham. 
 
 The following diagram will make these cases clear : — 
 
pla:n^.A. 
 
 BIRMINGHAM 
 
 GLOUCESTER 
 
 BRISTOL 
 
 TS 
 
 FORMER ARRANGEMENT. 
 
 BIRMIHCHANI 
 
 BROMSCROVE 
 DROITWICH 
 WORCESTER 
 
 GLOUCESTER 
 
 BRISTOL 
 
 -ITS 
 
 PRESENT ARRANGEMENT 
 
 • EXPLANATION. 
 
 Old/ wirm rfMcju/nHro Company 
 
 > I' ThcctedJurujdom/ « 
 
 2kw mre. creded/ dy-Posfy Office 
 
 "7i-n ceul :HrcokBl> iw fr. :'■ 'mjatt 
 
PL^l^ 
 
 ,B 
 
 B/RMINGHAM 
 
 GLOUCESTER 
 
 CARDIFF 
 
 rs 
 
 FORMER ARRANGEMENT 
 
 GLOUCESTER 
 
 CARDIFF 
 
 B/RMINCHAM 
 
 PRESENT ARRANGEMENT 
 
 EXPLANATION. 
 
 0/d' ivfrftv (ff Mcuinetic &/mpcurcy 
 
 I, , T'rated' .KiurujAcnrv u 
 JsTewwire/ erected/ ffyPcsi/ Office 
 
47 
 
 I shall have hereafter to describe some still more important arrangements for 
 straightening circuits, when I come to treat of the new wires now in. course of erection, 
 hut the foregoing illustrations will suflB.ce to show the manner in which the Department 
 set about making the best use of the various systems which it had to combine. 
 Another important advantage has been gained by the separation, in some cases, of the 
 two wires forming double-needle circuits, and by the substitution of single-needle or 
 printing instruments for the double-needle instruments. The Department has gained in 
 this way, inter aha, an additional line from London to Portsmouth, and an additional 
 line from London to Dover. 
 
 Steps taken after the passing of the Money Bill. 
 The foregoing statements wiU probably show conclusively that the Department 
 spared no pains in the preparation of its plans between the passing of the Act of 1868, 
 and the passing of that of 1869- No actual work, however, could be done until after 
 the latter Act was passed, and, as I have already stated, it was not passed untU 
 August 1869. As soon as it was passed the Department began vigourously — 
 (a.) To erect the additional wires required for the completion of its scheme : 
 (&.) To re-arrange such of the telegraph offices as it designed to keep, and to fit up 
 
 such post oflGlces as it designed to open for telegraph business : 
 (c.) To arrange for the redistribution of the old staff, and for the training of addi- 
 tional staff : 
 {d.) To prepare uniform codes and regulations in lieu of the varying codes and 
 
 regulations of the companies : 
 (e.) To carry out the amalgamation by degrees, wherever gradual amalgamation 
 was practicable. 
 
 («.) — Line 'Wokks. 
 
 It was decided that the re-arrangement of the old and the erection of the new lines 
 should be entrusted mainly to the telegraph companies whose of&cers were for that 
 purpose to act as ofl&cers of the Department, even before the transfer took place. 
 This coiu"se was necessary on more than one ground. Li the first place, every part of 
 the work necessitated a certain amount of meddling, as it were, with lines in actual 
 use, and could not well have been entrusted to any but those who had the management 
 of the lines in actual use. Li the second place, the work which we had to do was so 
 large that unless we had made use of the large force in the service of the telegraph 
 companies, no sufficient force for the work could have been procured. Each company 
 was entrusted with the re-arrangement of its own system, and with the erection of the 
 wires looping off from that system, and all the companies were made acquainted with 
 the mode in which, where two systems met or crossed, the combined re-arrangement 
 was to be effected. In like manner the South-eastern, London and Brighton, London 
 Chatham and Dover, North British, and Caledonian Bailway Companies, undertook the 
 extensions which affected their independent systems of telegraph. 
 
 Mr. Bartholomew, whom I have already mentioned as having examined telegraph 
 plant for the Department, and Mr. Lyttle of this office, were employed to bring into 
 the general scheme the numerous small branch lines, such as the Poole and Boiirne- 
 mouth, the Abergavenny and Crickhowell, the Bodmin and Wadebridge, and others 
 which had been acqiiired by the Department. 
 
 The work to be done was shown on specifications, of which the following are 
 specimens selected from about 300. The wire plans and specifications were prepared 
 under the direct superintendence of Mr. Baines, who was largely assisted by Mr. Patey 
 and Mr. Cooke, and in respect of London by Mr. Taylor. 
 
 I' 4 
 
Post Office Telegraphs. 
 Section Map. — No. 38. 
 
 GENERAL POST OFFICE. 
 
 SPECIFICATION of WORK to be done in adapting the system of the Electric and 
 International Telegraph Company, on the -^^.=^ cgk^-?^:^^^ Railway, to the 
 requirements of the Po st Office system of Telegraphs . 
 
 Section from/^^^^^t^^ ^^ce^^c^ve^to ^o -c<.>-^-.^€^- . Specification No. Y 
 
 MEMOEANDUM.— The object in view is the establishment of tlic Circuits described in the subjoined table. Some of these Circuits ^vill be 
 entirely new, m which case the instruments will be af once joined up in each of the Post Offices included in the Circuit, and connected with batteries 
 ^) arte be a^ilable for immediate use. Other circ^iits will be formed by altering or extendin- existing Circuits, and by remoWng instruments now 
 at Rai way Offices into the corresponding local Post Offices. In these latter cases care must be taken not to interfere with the working of the existing 
 Urcmts but to fix the instruments, and so to leave the ^^ires that, wlien the time arrives for tiie transfer of the Company's Telegraphs to the Post 
 cmce, tlie Circuits to be re-arranged may be joined np at the shortest possible notice. 
 
 No. 
 
 Circuit From 
 
 1 
 
 o 
 
 J? 
 4 
 .'» 
 
 7 
 
 S 
 
 9 
 
 lU 
 
 To 
 
 Wire 
 Gauge No. 
 
 
 ■kJ crt.'i.^/t^ 
 
 I^Xo-rr-hUJ 
 
 // 
 // 
 // 
 
 Description 
 of Instrument 
 
 
 Intermediate Stations 
 
 
 Switches at 
 
 DIAGRAM OF THE WORK TO BE DONE. 
 
 bhowingthenumberandcourseof the Wires-distinguishing new Wire work with new Poles from ne^ Wiiv ou existing Poles onen work 
 covered work, submarine work and also offices where Instruments are to be changed, placed or removed. existHig Jr-oies, open-^^ork. 
 
 Explanation :-Existino- Wires of the Company ,W; other Companies' Wires, h/acL P.st-UiRce additions on new Poles -on Roads, ^ren, ■ on Railwavs doiM nreen („, 
 ex.stmo; Pol es-on Roads, blue; on Railways, cMM blue. Instruments :-The Company's, red; other Companies' //«r^Cl;strnonf^.^ 
 ?™:^?X'Ir£:'S::vS.''"''"'-'""^^ Bright's Bells ., tnanguJ^Ll^s; Aiphahetical lU'^nU twSJ^A^ltii:"! 
 
 £' J^ 49, SO, fivT 4T7 
 
 Srcc'Ti 
 
 "^^^^wlff 
 
 LOWESTOFT 
 
SrcvTte 
 
 LOWESTOFT 
 
 HARLESTON 
 
 J^T'tcmZiftgfTvajn. 
 
 Wi-enthaffi' 
 
 Nordent-y CaMe 
 Jf.liowestofh Cu'ble/ 
 S.Jjcwestcfi: CabT.0 
 
 Soizthnvld 
 
 AldiicrcugJi 
 
 \//ICKHAM i/IARKET 
 
Post Office Telegraplis. 
 
 Section Map. — No. 38. 
 
 GENERAL POST OFFIC 
 
 DESCRIPTION of WORK to be done in adapting the system of the Electric and 
 International Telegraph Company, on the ^A/^A^ S^^^'^^-^^'-c.^ Railw.^y. 
 
 to the requirements of the Post Office system of Telegraphs. 
 
 Section from ^^^^i^^rt.<^^^ 
 
 
 Specification No. /y/ 
 
 MEMOKANDUM.— The object in view is the pstal)lisliineiit of the Circuits described in the subjoined table. Some of these Circuirc will be 
 entirely new, in which case the instruments will be at once joined up in each of the Post Offices included in the Circuit, and connected with batteries 
 so as to be available for immediate use. Other circuits will be formed by altering or extending existing Circuits, and by removing instruments now 
 at Railwa} Offices into the corresponding local Post Offices. In these latter cases" care must be taken not to interfere with the working of the existing 
 Circ'uits, but to fix the instruments, and so to leave the Wires that, when the time arrives for the transfer of the Company's Telegraphs to the Post 
 Office, the Circuits to be re-arranged may be joined up at the shortest pos.sible notice. 
 
 No 
 
 1 
 
 2 
 3 
 
 4 
 5 
 6 
 
 7 
 
 8 
 
 9 
 
 10 
 
 Circuit From 
 
 
 To 
 
 Wiro 
 jaugo No. 
 
 <L^^ 
 
 
 
 // 
 // 
 // 
 // 
 
 // 
 // 
 
 // 
 // 
 
 Doscription 
 of Instrument 
 
 iiy/tc^myfiA^ 
 
 Intermediate Stations 
 
 Switches at 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 ^yd. 
 
 '/-f-t^ 
 
 
 DIAGRAM OF THE WORK TO BE DONE. 
 
 Showing the number and course of tlie Wires— distinguishing new Wire work with new Poles from new Wire on existin<^ Poles open-work 
 covered work, submarine work and also offices w^here Instruments are to be changed, placed or removed. * ' ' 
 
 Explanation :— Existing Wirra of the Company, red-, otlier Companios' Wires, Had: Post-Office additions on new Polcs-on Roads, qrmi: on Railways doikd arem On 
 existing I oles-on Roads, hh,c : on Railways, dotted him. Instruments :— The Company's, red-, other Companies', llarh ■ new Instruments ' 
 Prmters shown by «/./,,w/ m«/-/vv; Sino-le Needles by .fe.v- ,• Bright's Bells by /m«^i^tor »«a?-As ; Magnetic Bells by crosses'; Alphabetical Instr 
 by circles. Abbreviations :— P.O., Post i)^\VA . R.S., Railway Station. , i- >.ai ^uau 
 
 yrem. 
 umcuts 
 
 BERWICK 
 
 North SnnderJancl 
 
 O .At. JOS. JiKlf. JOB . J-IO, 
 
 R^nl 
 
JVorhuju 
 
 KELSO 
 
 J^ortlt Sunderland 
 XHATH/LL 
 
 o -*r. joSr Jo<y, io» , z/Ot 
 
 ^Anthle 
 
 'on Quay 
 
 \Fal'Stx)ne 
 
Post Ofllce Telegraphs. 
 Section Map. — No. 38. 
 
 
 G E N E E A L POST F E I E 
 
 SPECIFICATION of WORK to be done in adaDtintr the system of the Electric and 
 International Telegraph Company, on the i-/t^^^ ^.=^:t:^XZK^ Railway, to the 
 requirements of the Post Office system of Telegraphs. 
 
 Section from ^ 
 
 '^t^t^o'i^t.cL^KjcH^^tyt^ to fyZ-^t^ 
 
 Specification No. /3 
 
 M;EMORA^I)UM.— The object m view is the establishment of the Oircuits described in the subjoined table. Some of these Circuits rt^ill be 
 entirely ncAv, m which case the instruments will be at once joined up in eacli of the Post Offices included in the Circuit, and connected with lidtteries 
 so as to be available tor immediate use. Other circuits will be formed by altering or extending existing Circuits, and by removing instruments now 
 at Kailw.iy Offices into the corresponding lofcal Post Offices. In these lattef cases care must be taken not to interfere with the working of the existing 
 Urcuits but to hx the instruments, and so to leave the Wires that, when the time arrives for the transfer of the Company's Telegraphs to the Post 
 Ottire, the L ircuits to be re-arranged may be jomed up at the shortest possible notice. 
 
 No. 
 
 Circuit From 
 
 Ta 
 
 1 T\/t^^Vxy\y<y^/K^A^(Ax\/tA/C' 
 
 2 i C^e^e^^.,-^^1^ 
 
 
 
 
 Wire 
 Gauge No. ' 
 
 Description 
 of Instrument 
 
 
 10 
 
 // 
 
 // 
 
 // 
 // 
 
 // 
 // 
 
 
 
 (^ 
 
 Intermcdiat-e Stations 
 
 CA^-e^^ic^-^^i-^ , 0<Et<'t&ix-^^5t'<-tx.---~ 
 
 
 ct.4^t^). 
 
 i^Ot^VUt^ 
 
 
 n>\. 
 
 '<f'teyt. 
 
 Switches at 
 
 DIAGRAM OF THE WORK TO BE DONE. 
 
 Showing the number and course of the Wires— distinguishing new Wire work with new Poles from new Wire on existing Poles, open-work 
 ■overed work, submarine work and also offices Avhere Instruments are to be changed, placed or removed. 
 
 Explanation: — Existing Wires of tlie Company, red ; other Companies' Wires, Hack. Post-Office additions on new Poles— o 
 
 existing Poles— on Eoads, live ; on Railways, dotted Hue. Instruments : — The Company's, 
 Printers sbomi by oblong marks ; Single Needles by discs; Bright's Bells by triangular marks 
 by circles. Abbreviations ; — P.O., Post Office ; R.'S., Railway Station. 
 
 X Poles—.!' Roads, green; on Railways, dotted green. On 
 
 fed : other t'unipanies', black ,- new ' Instruments, gre£n. 
 
 Magnetic Bells by crosses ,- Alphabetical Instrumentt: 
 
 Jiranccoster 
 
 -». Biirnkam 
 
 
 O M 65 66 68 . 69 
 
 WELLS 
 
Srancaster 
 
 Bvaiihatrv 
 
 Xv- 
 
 ', * ^ 
 
 ^lakenev 
 
 .^'^ 
 
 Dcckxng 
 
 f 
 
 JEasV Itiuihxim 
 
 Gay ton 
 
 / 
 
 *>^ Ncui)prou/)h' 
 
 SWAFFHAM 
 
 / ^^ .¥ew Walsin^Juwv 
 
 TtoiLgliam/ 
 
 LttcJiam' 
 CastleAcre/ 
 
 DEREHAM 
 
 :^\ 
 
 I 
 
 WaMon/ 
 
 Sirtghojw 
 
 ^■ 
 
 .Solt 
 
 Joulsham 
 
 TteepTinm 
 
 ^ynuridhatn. 
 
 ■'^■■■; 
 
Post Office Telegraphs. 
 
 Circuit Specification. — No. 35. 
 
 GENERAL POST OFFICE. 
 
 SPECIFICATION of WORK to be done in adaptino- the system of the British and 
 Irish Magnetic Telegraph Company to the requirements of the Post Office system 
 ot Telegraphs. 
 
 Section from c>^§t^^, 
 
 to 
 
 Specification No. / 
 
 ent.re^new'^nXlfc^^e'The'n^^^^^^ establishment of the Circuits described in tlie subjomed table. Some of these C:k u.ts will be 
 
 so as to be I;aUable L immedirtf ut^^^^^^^ at once jomed up in eac i of the Post Offices included m the Circuit, and connected with batteries 
 
 No. 
 
 Circuit From 
 
 I 
 
 8 
 
 9 
 
 10 
 
 <SZ_c 
 
 0~L<-oC 
 
 o-vt^ 
 
 To 
 
 Wire 
 Crauge Xo. 
 
 C^f^-'^'t^S-x^Sof.^ 
 
 
 C^yvtf^ 
 
 // 
 // 
 // 
 // 
 
 Description 
 of lustrumeut 
 
 lutcrmediate Stations 
 
 Switches at 
 
 
 (^ 
 
 .^ , , , DIAGRAM OF THE WORK TO BE DONE. 
 
 snowing the number and course of the Wires — distinguishino- new Wire worT^r witb npw P..loc ft.^^ „ wi • • ^ 
 
 covered work, submarme work and also office, whaie Instrumen^,,rro t/ectango^^^^^^^^ ■"=" ^^'" °' ^=="""« f°'<»'' "P^"""*. 
 
 <:?. .^-^^^ J^r.Si . 
 
 -H^ 
 
BuHHiiK/hoiiriie 
 
 \ 
 
 ROYSTON 
 
 y 
 
 i 
 
 ■J'/iarfield 
 
 BUNTINCFORD, 
 
 WARE 
 
 HODDESDON 
 
 mi 
 
 (Jheshivnt • 
 
 WALT HAM CROSS 
 
 CAMBRIDGE 
 
 w Bccrkwav^ 
 
 \ 
 \ 
 
 ^■v^ • MnrJi Badharti 
 
 -# Walthant Abhev 
 
 LO N D N 
 
 * In returning these papers the District Superintendent will mark the diagram drawn above so as to show the position, names, and lengths of 
 1 unnels and whether the Wires are earned through or over them, and in what manner. If a spare Half-arm or Wire is to be used the fact should 
 be stated, together with any additional particulars. ' oiiuuiu 
 
Post Office Telegraphs. 
 Circuit Specification. "No. 35. 
 
 GENERA L P ST OF F I C E 
 
 SPECIFICATION of WORK to be done in adapting the system of the British and 
 Irish Magnetic Telegraph Com}iany to the requirements of the Post Office system 
 of Telegraphs. 
 
 Section from (W^^Je^- 
 
 ■t-<^ 
 
 to c^^^^^^i<.^£^a: - , Specification No. ^/^ 
 
 MEMORANDUM.— Uie object m view is tlie establishment of the Circuits described ni the subjoined table. Some of these Circuits will be 
 entirely new, m which case the instruments will be at oncc^ joined up in each of the Post Offices included in the Circuit, and ^■onnected with batteries 
 so as to be arailable for immediate use. Other circuits will bo formed by alterin- or extendino- existing- Circuits, and by removing instruments now 
 at Kaiiway Ufhce^s into the corresponding local Post Offices. In these latter cases care must bc'tiken net to interfere witli the working of the existing 
 (arcuits, biit.to fix the instruments, and so to leave the Wires that, when the time arri^es fn- the transfer of the Companv's Teh'graphs to the Post 
 v)ffice, tne Circuits to be re-arranged may be joined up at tlie sln)rtest possible notice. 
 
 No. 
 
 Circuit From 
 
 8 
 4 
 
 .') 
 () 
 7 
 8 
 9 
 10 
 
 
 
 To 
 
 Crn 
 
 ige No 
 
 '^<^-t'^ -x^ 
 
 
 // 
 // 
 
 Description 
 of Instrumeut 
 
 I nteruK'Jiatc Stations 
 
 /•^l^£j^,/j f^cUp ' jOi.it't-^-x,Cr>~,^^^,.>L- 
 
 CU 
 
 J^c^^^C/i:<^^^ C^6<>T.LXci>i^ ^ )^.^t^..£«*ilt!.<5.6i^ 
 
 c>4< 
 
 ■VO-Cr-^^-oL-^i 
 
 <fh:'Q^yi *--c^ . 
 
 Switches' .at 
 
 DIAGRAM OF THE WORK TO BE DONE. 
 
 Showing the number and course of the Wires— distinguishing now Wire work ^vith new Poles from new Wire on existinc^ Poles ooen work 
 covered work, submarine work and also offices where Instruments an to be changed, placed or removed. " ' 
 
 Explanation ;— Existing Wires of the Company, rcl ; other .Companies' Wi 
 existing Poles— on Roads, Uuc , o\\ Riiilways, doltid I 
 
 hU(c!, 
 
 Post-Ottice additions on new Poles— on Roads, grec:: ; on Railways, dutted areen. On 
 
 Printers shown l)y ohlotuj mar/.s 
 by rinks. Abbikviations : — P.O 
 
 Inst .-11100018 :—Tlic Company's, red; other Companies', llach 
 
 •i.y:le Needles. by rfAsr.--.- liii-lit's Bells hy triangidar marks; Magnetic BeTfs" b'v" rrossgis 
 Pcgt.QHiee ; U.S., Pivilw;,- Sijifion. 
 
 new Instruments, gresn. 
 Alphabetical Instrumento 
 
 DUNDALK 
 RS 
 
 0. M. 60. S?. 10'Z 
 
ATciee^ 
 
 UrogJbooLcu. 
 
 iS!kerries. 
 
 O. M. ()0. ISZ lO/j 
 
 Mbdxthide'. 
 
 >■ CZorv6cirf. 
 
49 
 
 Various circumstances combined to retard the prosecution of the work. In the first 
 place, it was necessary to obtain a vast number of consents from landowners, house- 
 holders, local boards, and turnpike boards, before the extensions could be put in hand. 
 In three months no less than 4,400 consents were applied for, and 4,200 obtained ; but 
 of course not without considerable labour and much correspondence. Mr. Brown had 
 charge of this duty, and conducted it in a very satisfactory manner. In many cases 
 it was necessary to send an officer from London to the persons whose consent was 
 required in order that he might explain our views, and remove misapprehension, and 
 conciliate opponents. Mr. Yates, both before and since the transfer, has rendered good 
 service to the Department in this way. 
 
 The work was still further retarded by the want of materials. 
 
 Poles, to have been fit for use at that time, should have been cut in the previous 
 winter ; and, as the Department was not in a position to invite tenders in the previous 
 winter, but few poles had been cut either here or abroad. 
 
 Wire, of which we required a great quantity, could not be obtained from more than 
 a few manufacturers, and some of these were compelled to erect additional machinery 
 before they could make any reasonable approach to the supply which we required. 
 Arms, insulators, brackets, and batteries came in with equal slowness. Our difficulty 
 with regard to instruments was even greater. The mechanics, who in this country are 
 capable of making telegraph instruments, are but few in number ; and there was much 
 reason to fear that if we put too great a pressure on the manufacturers for the execution 
 of large orders their men would strike. Eventually the difficulty of obtaining a 
 sufficient number of printing or recording instruments at the outset proved insur- 
 mountable, and we were compelled almost .at the last moment to greatly modify our 
 plans, and to open many stations with the single needle, which is a much less 
 expeditious and satisfactory instrument. Our difficulties in regard to instruments 
 extended far into last year, and were aggravated on the outbreak of the war by the 
 withdrawal from this country of a large number of German instrument makers. 
 Lastly, as the autumn "drew to an end and the winter came on, short days and bad 
 weather opposed fresh impediments to the work. 
 
 (b.) — OmcES. 
 
 The Department, as I have stated, had to re-arrange certain telegraph offices which 
 it designed to keep, and to newly fit up a large number of post offices, to which it 
 designed to transfer the busiaess of telegraph offices, and a large number of offices in 
 towns, to which it proposed for the first time to bring the telegraph business. 
 
 The work had to be done both in town and country partly by the Office of Works, 
 for whom Mr. Williams, an assistant surveyor of that department, acted ; and partly 
 by the Post Office through its own officers. 
 
 In London Mr. WiUiams, besides entirely remodeUirig the central station in Telegraph 
 Street (a work of great labour, which will be described hereafter) had to fit up or 
 re-arrange for telegraphic business the district post offices, and the branch postal 
 telegraph offices at Leadenhall Street, Eenchurch Street, Cornhill, Gresham House, 
 St. Martin's-le-Grand, Einsbury Square, Smithfield Market, Holborn Viaduct, West 
 Strand, Covent Garden Market, Somerset House, Temple Bar, Mark Lane, Piccadilly 
 Circus, St. James' Street, Parliament Street, and the Borough. 
 
 The following statement describes some of the work done by Mr. Williams at those 
 towns in the country in which the post offices are the property of the Crown : — 
 
 STATEMENT of Work done in Gueat Britain by Me. Williams, Assistant Surveyor of the 
 Office of Works, in fitting up Crown Offices for Telegraphic Business. 
 
 ENGLAND. 
 
 Bath - - - Extensive alterations made in the Head Post Office, new room for the 
 telegraph apparatus formed within the sorting office, and improved accommo- 
 dation given in public counter room. 
 
 Birkenhead - - Room fitted up with instrument counters, and provision made in public office 
 for writing telegrams. 
 
 Birmingham - - A large new room built on girders in the money order office at Cannon Street ; 
 the room fitted up with instrument counters. Certain alterations made at Head 
 Post Office, and pneumatic tube carried into public counter. 
 
 Bradford - - A spare room fitted up for telegraph business. 
 (Yorkshire.) 
 27031. G 
 
50 
 
 Head Post Office, writing accommodation provided by an alteration of the 
 public counter, and some other changes made in the mternal littmgs. Head 
 Telegraph Office and West Pier Office re-arranged. 
 
 A new room with approaches built over part of sorting office ; some additional 
 fittings provided at the three district offices. j r ai. * i 
 
 Counter accommodation re-arranged, and inner room fitted for the telegraph 
 apparatus. 
 
 Provision made in sorting office for telegraph apparatus. 
 
 Principal telegraph office re-arranged, three rooms thrown into one, and 
 counter^ provided for telegraph apparatus. Public office re-arranged and fitted 
 in improved manner ; some fittings provided at Head Post Office. 
 
 Postmaster's room fitted up for telegraph apparatus. 
 
 Office prepared for the reception of the telegraph apparatus, and counter 
 accommodation provided for the writers of telegrams. 
 
 A large down-stairs room fitted up with instrument counters for temporary use 
 as a signals' room. 
 
 Room fitted up with instrument counters. u • «. n 
 
 Considerable changes made in the internal arrangements of this office. Post- 
 master's apartments adapted for the reception of the apparatus. Public accom- 
 modation provided. . . 
 
 Post Office adapted for telegraph business. New staircase provided to connect 
 instrument room with public counter. 
 
 Post office adapted for telegraph business. 
 
 A new room built, and by the removal of walls between it and another room a 
 large instrument room provided. A variety of other changes made to provide 
 for the requirements of offices displaced by the changed battery accommodation 
 provided in basement. 
 
 Office fitted up for reception of telegraph apparatus. 
 
 Most extensive changes made in a large upper room at the Head Post Office ; 
 the room fitted with instrument counters. Basement prepared for two steam engines 
 and pneumatic apparatus. Counters and other necessary fittings pierced with 
 skylights and connected by means of pneumatic pipes with the public counter. The 
 three District Post Offices fitted up for telegraphic business. 
 
 A spacious room of the nature of a loft converted into an excellent instrument 
 gallery fitted up with instrument counters, ceiled, and properly lighted. Various 
 rooms converted into mechanic shops and battery rooms. Certain fittings 
 provided at Head Post Office. 
 Newcastle-on-Tyne a large room fitted up with instrument counters, and connected by lift with 
 the message counter. 
 
 Post Office prepared for reception of telegraph apparatus. 
 
 A new room provided and subsequently enlarged to meet the growing wants of, 
 telegraphy. 
 
 A stable acquired and converted into a well-lighted, warmed, and properly 
 fitted up instrument room. 
 
 Spare rooms fitted up for the reception of the telegraphic apparatus, and 
 counter space provided for the use of the public. 
 
 Office prepared for telegraph business. 
 
 The interior of the office almost entirely re-arranged, to provide space for the 
 apparatus. 
 
 An existing telegraph office thoroughly overhauled, internal arrangements 
 altogether changed and made suitable for postal telegraphy. 
 
 Rooms acquired and properly fitted up for telegraph business. 
 
 Certain small fittings provided at Head Post Office. 
 
 Office adapted for reception of the telegraphic apparatus. 
 
 Certain changes in the internal arrangements made, and space and fittings 
 provided for telegraph business. 
 
 Rooms fitted up for telegraph business. 
 
 Rooms fitted up for telegraph business. 
 
 Rooms fitted up for telegraph business. 
 
 Brighton 
 
 Bristol - 
 
 Cambridge 
 
 Cantekbury 
 Cardiff - 
 
 Carlisle 
 Dover - 
 
 Exeter - 
 
 Hastings 
 Hereford 
 
 Ipswich- 
 Leamington 
 Leeds 
 
 Leicester 
 Liverpool 
 
 Manchester 
 
 Norwich 
 
 Nottingham - 
 
 Oxford - 
 
 Plymouth 
 
 Portsmouth - 
 Rugby 
 
 Sheffield 
 
 Shrewsbury - 
 Southampton 
 Stoke-on-Trent 
 Taunton 
 
 Torquay 
 
 Wolverhampton 
 
 Worcester 
 
 Scotland 
 
 Belfast 
 
 Dublin and Cork 
 Limerick 
 
 SCOTLAND. 
 
 Changes, chiefly of the most extensive nature, planned and carried out by 
 Mr. Williams and Mr. Matheson, were made at the following offices :— Aberdeen, 
 Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow,* Greenock, Inverness, Leith, Montrose, Perth, and 
 Stirling. 
 
 IRELAND. 
 
 Under the direction of the Board of Works in Ireland a new instrument room 
 was constructed out of, some spacious lofts over the Head Post Office at Belfast, 
 
 One of the telegraph offices prepared for the concentration of the apparatus. 
 
 A spare room on the ground floor fitted up for the reception of the apparatus,, 
 counter room arranged for tplegraph business. • 
 
 * At Glasgow two floors were thrown into one to form an instrument room, and one spacious office with open 
 counter was provided for the putakcm place of two or three small offices. *^ 
 
61 
 
 I cannot speak too highly of Mr. Williams' exertions, of the readiness with which he 
 entered into the views of the Department, or of the ability which he displayed in 
 devising the means of providing for the work which was ahout to devolve on us. " 
 
 It was originally intended that the surveyors in town and country should superintend 
 the fitting up of all the less important ofi&ces, and a large number were fitted up by 
 them. The following extracts from a circular which I addressed to them describe the 
 plan on which it was intended that they should proceed : — 
 
 " In considering the question of accommodation at the larger oflBces, it will be -well to bear in mind 
 that on the transfer of the telegraphs to the Post Office the Department will acquire all the rights and 
 obligations of the companies, so that in those large towns at which the companies own, lease, or rent 
 offices, we shall be in a position, should that course be deemed desirable, to continue, as the companies 
 would have continuedj the occupancy of existing telegraph offices. Of course, from motives of economy, 
 as well as for other weighty reasons, it is desirable, other considerations not pi^evailing, to terminate, 
 by sale or notice, the tenancy of surplus offices; and I merely call attention to this point in order that, 
 if any insuperable difficulty should present itself to you in immediately removing the telegraphic 
 apparatus from the telegraph offices to a principal post office, use might be made for a time of the 
 premises evacuated by the telegraph companies. 
 
 " In most towns, except the very largest, the wants of the telegraph office will be adequately met by 
 one room of moderate dimensions for the use of the manipulators, which might conveniently be situated 
 on an upper floor, and by a small room in the basement, or any other part of the building where space 
 is not of value, wherein the electrical apparatus for supplying electricity to the signalling instruments 
 could be deposited, and of which use might also be made as a waiting-room for messengers. 
 
 " With regard to counter space, i.e., accommodation for persons writing their telegrams in the office, 
 I may state that the telegraph companies pai-tition off their counters into spaces from two feet to two 
 feet three inches in width. It does not necessarily follow that at the post offices portions of the actual 
 counter should be so appropriated ; such accommodation as may be requisite might be afforded by 
 means of desks fixed against the wall in various parts of the public office, the sole object being to afford 
 the public the means of writing a telegram conveniently, and with a certain amount of privacy. 
 
 " In considering the question of counter work against the time when you will be called upon for a 
 formal report, it is desirable that you should take into account the practicability of combining the duty 
 of receiving telegrams from the public Tvith the ordinary duty of a counter clerk, such as the registration 
 of letters, sale of stamps, transaction of money order and savings bank business, and so forth. 
 
 " You will next have to consider the general arrangements which will be necessary in establishing 
 the telegraph at the small money order offices conducted by traders and persons in a small way of 
 business, and who are not called upon to reserve a separate office for the transaction of money order 
 and general postal business. We cannot, of course, call upon the sub-postmasters to provide a separate 
 room, yet it is absolutely necessary that the telegraph should be screened from the eye of the public. 
 I do not doubt that it will be practicable, in almost every case, for the sub-postmaster to partition off a 
 portion of his counter, or his shop, as an enclosure for the telegraphic apparatus. A single instrument, 
 or even two instruments (and it is not likely that at the class of offices in question more than two 
 instruments will be required) will not occupy a space more than two or three feet square, so that it 
 will be seen that the accommodation to be reserved need not encroach very much on the shop room. 
 
 " As a result of common observation, I need not mention that it appears to be the general practice in 
 every shop, great or small, to set apart a few feet of the counter as a book-keeper's desk, or, at shops 
 where a post office is estabUshed, as a place for the transaction of money order and savings bank 
 business. These reserved places, somewhat more screened would, no doubt, cheaply afford all the 
 accommodation we should require." 
 
 To assist them in their task they were supplied with small models of two kinds of 
 country post offices arranged on what was thought to be a suitable plan, and with the 
 followiBg blank forms of specification, and the accompanying diagrams of office fittings. 
 Eor their further guidance, and for the guidance of the persons whom they might 
 employ, specimen sets of fittings were made in London, and supplied to two or three 
 towns in each surveyor's district : — 
 
 G 2 
 
62 
 
 As time wore on, however, it was discovered that the surveyors could hardly get 
 through the whole amount of work in the required time, and that a general fitting up of 
 oflftces, withiu a certain distance of London, from London itself would be at once more 
 expeditious and more economical. 
 
 Mr. Chambre undertook and carried out the organisation of a corps, to which we gave 
 the name of the [Pourgon corps, and which worked thus : — _ . 
 
 A Pourgon, hired from one of the London mail contractors, drawn by a pair of horses, 
 filled with fittiags of the prescribed patterns (some in mahogany, for the better class of 
 ojfioes, and some in stained wood, for the less important offices), and accompanied by la 
 driver, a clerk in charge, and a carpenter, provided with the necessary tools, was 
 dispatched from London to fit up the offices in a given district. Care was taken ia 
 selecting the clerks in charge to choose men who had a knowledge of drawing and of 
 mechanics, and who were moreover of good address and conciliatory manner, and 
 thus able to overcome any little difficulties which the postmasters might be disposed to 
 raise. 
 
 Messrs. Cooke, Ardron, Haines, Hasdell, Drake, Munro, and Avent were selected for 
 this purpose ; and at the outset of the work Mr. Chambre accompanied each clerk in 
 charge for one or two days on his first trip, and instructed him in the work. The 
 following statement shows what they did, what it cost, and how long they were about 
 it: — 
 
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54 
 
 Oircumstances have caused me to visit, in the course of the past year, many of the 
 ofBices whioli were thus fitted up, and I can state confidently that the work was 
 uniformily done in a highly creditable manner. Some of it has not yet borne fruit, 
 as the wires have not yet been extended to all the offices which they visited, but the 
 whole will in due time be useful. 
 
 From time to time as the principal post offices were fitted for telegraph business, and 
 as the engineers were ready to lead the wires into them, one or other of the telegraph 
 companies having an office in the neighbourhood of a post office which was ready was 
 requested to move its staff and instruments into that office, and to carry on business 
 there on its own account until the Postmaster-Greneral was ready to assume the con- 
 trol of the work. 
 
 Thus the United Kingdom Company moved into the post office at Leeds, the Elec- 
 tric Company into the post ofilce at Leicester, and the Magnetic Company into the 
 post office at Greenock some weeks before the actual transfer of business took place. 
 In this way a large part of the shifting of staff and instruments was effected gradually 
 long before the final transfer took place. 
 
 There were, however, a great many cases in which no such gradual transfer could 
 take place. The Electric Company had a large number of offices at railway stations, 
 which were served by wires used jointly for commercial and railway purposes, and 
 worked by clerks who worked both for the railway and the telegraph company. In 
 these cases the transfer could not be effected until the railway company had been pro- 
 vided both with wires and clerks in substitution for what they were gding to lose. : In 
 spite, however, of these obstacles a large part of the shifting was gradually effected. 
 
 (c.) Training and Redistribution op Staff. 
 
 Our difficulties in regard to staff were very great indeed. In the first place we had 
 to take over a large number of clerks who were not all alike familiar with one and the 
 same form of instrument. Some could work the Bright's bell instrument, but not the 
 single needle or printing instrument ; some could work the single needle only ; some 
 again could work the printer and the single needle, but not the Bright's bell instru- 
 ment. We were desirous of extending the use of the bell and the printer, and soon 
 found ourselves in urgent need of more clerks who could work either or both of those 
 instruments. Again we had reckoned upon the services of a large number of clerks 
 who were employed at railway stations, partly for railway and partly for commercial 
 purposes. We could not have removed these clerks from the railway stations before 
 the railway companies had obtained substitutes for them without endangering the 
 public safety. 
 
 Very large districts of country were thus situated. In the south-east of England 
 especially there were no town telegraph offices. Even such a town as Maidstone was 
 served from a railway station situated on the opposite side of the river to the town. 
 
 It was absolutely necessary, therefore, to organise a scheme of instruction in the use 
 of telegraph instruments, and for this purpose plain instructions for the use of learners 
 were drawn up, and large quantities of dummy instruments of various kinds were 
 provided. A competent force of trained clerks, to act as instructors, was borrowed 
 fi-om the telegraph companies, and a district was allotted to each instructor, over 
 which he was required to travel constantly, so that in passing from office to office 
 he might assist and guide the learners, and note and report their progress from day 
 to day. 
 
 That there might be no lack of learners, a bonus of 11. was promised to any post- 
 master, sub-postmaster, or receiver, or to any member of their families, or to any 
 clerk or sorter or letter carrier who could to the satisfaction of an examiner display 
 a certain proficiency in the manipulation of telegraph instruments. The foUowiag 
 statement, which is made up to the end of the year 1870, will show the success with 
 which our efforts in this direction have been attended in Great Britain. 
 
55 
 
 Retuen showing the Nximber of " Post Office" Learners to whom the Postmaster-General's bonus 
 
 of 11 has been awarded. 
 
 
 No. of Learners. 
 
 Nature of Profloienoy attained. 
 
 Total 
 Number. 
 
 Trained in 
 
 Male. 
 
 Female. 
 
 Two or more 
 Instruments. 
 
 On the Single 
 Needle. 
 
 On the 
 "Morse." 
 
 On the 
 Bell. 
 
 London 
 
 The Provinces 
 
 Scotland 
 
 139 
 743 
 114 
 
 196 
 
 419 
 
 93 
 
 40 
 3 
 
 335 
 932 
 140 
 
 166 
 
 58 
 
 24 
 6 
 
 335 
 
 1,162 
 
 207 
 
 Total 
 
 996 
 
 708 
 
 43 
 
 1,407 
 
 224 
 
 30 
 
 1,704 
 
 •' By the term ' Post Office Learners' is meant persons abeady in the service of the Post Office, 
 their friends or relatives, and persons who have been induced to learn partly by the promise of the 
 bonus, and partly by the hope of future employment. These learners are not to be confounded with 
 those presently to be mentioned in the return of the London school, who form an entirely distinct and 
 separate class, composed of persons specially trained for direct appointments, and not entitled to the 
 bonus. A special interest attaches to the class of ' Post Office ' learners, as showing how correctly the 
 Department had reckoned on the co-operation of its employes throughout the country in carrying out 
 the great scheme of postal telegraphy. 
 
 "From a return which has been called for, and which is kept up as new learners are added to the 
 list, it has been found that fully ninety-seven per cent, of the learners trained at provincial and Scottish 
 offices are actually in the service of the Department, many of them in entire charge of postal telegraph 
 offices, and all of them engaged in some way or other in telegraph duties. In London the learners are 
 almost exclusively composed of receivers, their wives, sons, daughters, and assistants ; and it may 
 safely be assumed that even a larger per-centage of these is engaged at the present moment in 
 telegraph work than in the country, large as it has been proved to be there. Taking these numbers 
 in conjunction vdth those affi3rded by the returns of the London school, we have the impressive fact 
 that the Department has, in little more than twelve months, added to the effective strength of the 
 telegraph force of the country no fewer than 2,000 persons who knew nothing whatever of telegraphy 
 prior to the transfer." 
 
 But useful as this scheme of instruction proved, it soon became evident that even 
 more vigorous and systematic measures were necessary, and we determined to estahKsh 
 regular schools of instruction in London and many other large towns. The foUowiag 
 statement will show the nature and result of our plans. 
 
 London. 
 
 There are male and female schools, fitted up with every necessary appliance for 
 teaching, and capable of accommodating from 100 to 150 learners. The female school 
 has been in existence since November 1869, and the male school since February 1870. 
 During this period there have- 
 
 Entered the male school 
 Do. female do. 
 
 Making a total of 
 who have been disposed of as follows : — 
 
 Appointed as telegraphists 
 B/Csigned ' " " 
 
 Dismissed (incompetent) 
 Now in school ,^ - - 
 
 Total 
 
 204 learners, &c. 
 367 
 
 571 
 
 Males. 
 
 j> 
 
 - 204 
 
 Females. 
 
 154 
 
 269 
 
 26 
 
 25 
 
 10 
 
 24 
 
 14 
 
 49 
 
 367 
 
 G 4 
 
66 
 Of the total number appointed, viz., 423, there hare been sent — 
 
 Males. Females. 
 
 To the central station, as manipulators - 
 metropolitan district „ 
 
 J, country stations „ 
 
 5) 
 
 94 
 
 192 
 
 34 
 
 51 
 
 25 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 25 
 
 154 
 
 269 
 
 counters, or as sorters, &c. 
 Total 
 
 It has been found that the average time occupied in trainiag a male learner is as 
 nearly as possible two months, and a female, three months; and so far from there 
 being any difficulty in procuring learners, there is usually a superabundance of applica- 
 tions from persons of both sexes. All the systems of telegraphy in use by the Depart- 
 ment are taught in the school, including the art of " punching " for the Wheatstone 
 transmitter, and proficiency in each of the three systems — Morse, single needle, and 
 bell— must be shown before a learner is certified as competent. No pay is given during 
 the period of instruction, nor are learners taught in these schools entitled to thB bonus 
 usually paid to "Post Office" learners in the strict sense. But when proficiency has 
 been shown in each of the three systems before mentioned, combined with a fair 
 knowledge of the technicalities of telegraph work, and of the " H " set of instructions, 
 the learner becomes entitled to go to a district office as a " probationer," and com- 
 mences to receive pay of 10s. a week if a male, and 8s. a week if a female. Afterwards 
 he or she is either appointed to the central station, or to a district office, according as 
 there may be a vacancy. 
 
 So well have these schools answered their purpose, that the London offices have 
 already been placed on a tolerably efficient footing, so far, at least, as numbers are 
 concerned, while many pressing cases in the country have been met by their means. 
 
 It is not, of course, pretended that competent telegraphists, in the strict sense of the 
 term, have been sent out of these schools, for it is weU known that telegraph clerks 
 cannot be made in this way. But a class of operators has been produced, who have 
 proved, at least, that the basis of a good sound telegraphic education can be laid in 
 this way. 
 
 It only remains to add that the London school is conducted by a superintendent, 
 with one principal, and two second assistants in the male department, and with a 
 matron and six assistants in the female department. A copy of the rules, which have 
 also been adoptedTtn the Edinburgh school, is annexed. 
 
 • Edinburgh. 
 
 The school here is modelled on much the same plan, and is capable of imparting 
 instruction to 30 learners at a time. 
 
 Manchester. 
 
 There has been a school here for nearly nine months, and the accommodation pro- 
 vided is for 20 learners. 
 
 Liverpool 
 Has had a school for nearly 11 months. 
 
 Birmingham 
 Has had a school ever since the transfer, with an interval of a few weeks. 
 
 Newcastle 
 
 Has had a school, which produced nine competent learners in six months, but 
 which has since been discontinued for want of space. 
 
 Glasgow 
 Has had a school for about six months. 
 
57 
 
 Ireland. 
 
 The schools in Ireland underwent a complete re-organisation in July last, and are 
 now in a very flourishing condition. In Dublin, in addition to the departmental school 
 in College Green, which has produced 20 trained learners, and at which the average 
 number under instruction is 18, learners are trained for the Department at the Queen's 
 Institute, under an arrangement which subsisted, prior to the transfer, between the 
 Committee and the late Magnetic Company. We have improved upon this arrange- 
 ment, however, and Mr. Cornwall reports on the 13th of October, that not only has 
 the change resulted in greater satisfaction to the Committee, but that it has greatly 
 stimulated their efforts to make an adequate return, as well by increasing the 
 number of pupils under instruction as by improving the quality of the instruction 
 imparted. 
 
 IFnder impreved arrangements as to space, &c. the number of persons in trainiag 
 has been increased from 24 to 40 ; and it is considered probable that from this number 
 12 qualified learners per month may be drafted into the service, if necessary. Already 
 35 trained female clerks have been obtained through the agency of the Institute ; and 
 there has been observed this noticeable feature, that the clerks obtained ia this way, 
 since the transfer, have exhibited a higher educational proficiency than many of their 
 predecessors. 
 
 The regulations in force in the Institute, as well as in the departmental school, are 
 identical with those of the London school. 
 
 Belfast has a school, from which 12 certificated learners have been drawn for service 
 ia the Department. The average number of persons under instruction is 10, but efforts 
 are being made to increase the number to 25 or 30. 
 
 Cork has an average of nine learners under instruction, but as yet only two learners 
 have obtained certificates of proficiency. This school was the last one established in 
 Ireland ; and it appears that failure to pass the educational test on the part of numerous 
 candidates has somewhat interfered with its productive power. 
 
 The following are the regulations which have hitherto been enforced with regard to 
 the London school : — 
 
 Rules of the School of Telegkaphy. 
 
 Admission of Candidates.] 
 
 1. The limits of age are from 14 to 20, and candidates under the former or over the latter Jimit are 
 ineligible. 
 
 2. Nominations to learnerships are made by the Postmaster-General ; and admission to the school is 
 dependent upon the result of an examination in the following subjects, viz, : — 
 
 (1.) Writing from dictation, 
 
 (2.) Exercise to test handwriting, ' 
 
 (3.) Arithmetic — first four rules, simple and compound. 
 
 3. No pay will be given during instruction ; but when the candidate has attained the sta,ndard of 
 efficiency required for telegraphists employment will be oiFered as vacancies occur, 
 
 general Rules, 
 
 1. The hours during which the school is open for instruction are from a.m. to p.m., 
 and the order of attendance is as follows : — 
 
 (1.) For male learners, from to 
 
 (2.) For female learners, from to , 
 
 Punctual attendance will be rigidly enforced, and general regularity in this respect will be duly 
 estimated in deciding upon the fitness of the learner for employment m the Postal Telegraph 
 
 Sbjtvicg 
 
 2. Each learner on entering will be furnished with the following papers for his guidance and 
 
 instruction : — 
 
 (1.) Fuliset of instructions "H" (organization of staff). 
 
 (2.) Alphabet and punctuation card, 
 
 (3.) Clock card, 
 and to such of the learners as display a special aptitude for "engineering" work, a copy of Mr. CuUey's 
 " Handbook of Practical Telegraphy," together with a set of instrument diagrams, will be lent. 
 
 3. The school will be conducted in all respects as a " model telegraph office," and the learners will 
 be required to subject themselves on all occasions to the discipline of the Postal Telegraph Service, as 
 enforced by the superintendent instructor in charge. . , j u -n r. 
 
 Talking will not, under any circumstances, be permitted amongst the learners; indeed, there will be 
 no necessity for this, as every learner will be provided, as far as possible, with an actual telegraph 
 instrument joined up to some other instrument, and in the hands of another learner, so that each may 
 "speak" to -the other without the use of the voice. , .,i i. i • ;i 
 
 4. The course of instruction, after the elementary stages have been passed, will embrace every kina 
 of work connected with an ordinary telegraph office, i.e. imaginary messages will be sent trom one 
 
 27031. H 
 
58' 
 
 instrumetit to another, with all the formality of real ttiessiiges, slips of news, already printed off by the 
 instructors, will he wound on drums, for the purpose of bping read off and tr^a^cnbed by tlie learners ; 
 and at the close of the day the copies will be brought together and carefully examined so as to detect^ 
 any errors in the transcription, timing, dating, or general filling up of any message or slip ot news. ^ 
 
 5. The standard of efficiency will only be reached when a learner is able to read 12 and send 
 20 words per minute on each of the three instruments in use by the Department viz-, the printing, 
 the single needle, and the bell, in addition to which wiU be required a fair knowledge ot the contents 
 of the "H" set of instructions, and of the general routine of a telegraph office. -.,,,., ^ » 
 
 6 Learners will only be entitled to the benefits of the school for two months alter their date of 
 entering. If, at the expiration of that period, they are not pronounced competent, it will be a question 
 for the Secretary's decision whether they shall continue to receive instruction. • • j. 
 
 7. The superintendent ins'juctor will keep a record of the attendance, progress, and examination of 
 each learner, and he will furnish certificates in cases of proficiency on the form which has been supplied 
 
 \ Strangers^will not be permitted to inspect the school of telegraphy, unless by special authority 
 from the Secretary; and persons applying for admission to the school as foomera should, when 
 eligible^ as far as age, fee. is concerned, be requested to make apphcation to the Private Secretary to 
 the Postmaster-General. 
 
 By a systematic and persistent training of learners, by borrowing clerks from 
 railway companies wherever it was possible to borrow, by bringing back to tbe work 
 clerks who had left tbe service of the telegraph companies for other occupations, : and 
 especially by bringing back female clerks who had married, and who in accordance 
 with the practice of the telegraph companies had been dismissed on their marriage, 
 the Department has contrived to acquire the necessary amount of staff. How great its 
 needs have been wiU appear from the following comparative statement of the staff 
 employed by it, and the staff employed by the telegraph companies. Keferenee will 
 hereafter be made to the messenger force. 
 
 STATEMENT showing the Number of Clerks and Assistants employed by the Post Office fpr 
 Telegraph Work on the 31st August 1870, and the Nitmber of Clerks employed by the 
 , Telegraph Companies prior to the " Transfer." 
 
 Post Office, 31st August 1870. 
 
 
 
 Clerks ancl Assistants employed on Telegraph Work. 
 
 
 
 Clerks of 
 theDeparljuent, 
 
 Assistants employed by 
 the Postmasters. 
 
 Total 
 Nvanber of 
 Male and 
 Female 
 Clerks and 
 Assistants. 
 
 
 
 Males* 
 
 B'emales. 
 
 Males. 
 
 Females. 
 
 
 
 England. - - - 
 
 (excluding LONDON.) 
 
 1,610 
 
 48 
 
 452 
 
 467 
 
 2,567 
 
 
 
 SCOTLAND - 
 
 291 
 
 14 
 
 104 
 
 66 
 
 475 
 
 
 
 IRELAND 
 
 255 
 
 84 
 
 60 
 
 V 
 
 406 
 
 
 
 LONDON ; - 
 
 482 
 
 728 
 
 124 
 
 131 
 
 1,465 
 
 
 
 *2,638 
 
 874 
 
 740 
 
 661 
 
 t4,913 
 
 
 * 9 men of the Boyal Engineers are included in this number. 
 
 + 768 Postmasters' assistants, only partially employed on telegraph duties, are included in this number. 
 
 
 Telegraph Companies prior to the 
 
 "Transfer." 
 
 
 
 
 — 
 
 Clerks, 
 
 
 
 Males. 
 
 Females. 
 
 Total. 
 
 • 
 
 
 UNITED KINGDOM 
 
 2^035 
 
 479 
 
 2,514 
 
 
59 
 
 . : Schools for Technical Instruction. 
 
 Although, as I have stated, we have been able by the instrumentality of our schools 
 to obtain a considerable force of tolerably well skilled manipulators, we have for some 
 time been anxious to carry the instruction both of new intrants and of persons now in 
 the service somewhat further. Four or five months ago Mr. OuUey proposed that a school 
 should be established for the purpose of giving to the staff of manipulators a knowledge 
 of the principles, construction, management, and adjustment of instruments, and such 
 an acquaintance with electrical science generally, as will enable them in ordinary 
 emergencies to be- themselves the engineers for their respective circuits or stations. 
 Mr. Oulley's object is as much as possible to break down the hard and fast line which 
 now separates the commercial from the engineering staff, and in too many cases makes 
 the former helpless when the latter are absent. I believe that Mr. Oulley held this view 
 when he was an officer of the Electric company, but it is of far more importance now 
 than then that his view should be acted upon. Year by year as the Post Office widens 
 and embraces an ever-increasing number of small stations, and an ever-increasing 
 apparatus at large stations, the demands on the time of the engineering staff will 
 increase and it will be desirable on aU grounds that whenever such an arrangement is 
 practicable the commercial staff shall be made able to supplement, to some extent, the 
 teiibours of the engineering staff, so as to leave the latter staff more free to attend to 
 stations at which no such convertibility of staff can be effected. At the small stations, 
 which are for the most part very distant from the engineering dep6ts, it is especially 
 desirable that the clerks or assistants should have such an a,mount of technical 
 knowledge as would enable them to detect and remove small faults in or in the. 
 neighbourhood of their own offices. Both time and money would be saved in 
 numberless cases if the persons employed at small and remote offices possessed this 
 knowledge. Mr. Culley, in a memorandum which he prepared for me in November 
 last, stated his proposition in the following terms : — 
 
 " My proposal with regard tp the engineerftig schools will be this. 
 
 " That the whole signalling staff be given to understand the Department expects they shall be able to 
 detect and remedy the more ordinary faults, and that it is part of their duty to keep their apparatus 
 in proper order. 
 
 " That no new clerk should be appointed who could not pass an examination. 
 
 " That the female staff should be expected to understand instrument adjustment only. 
 
 " That at each of the schools for signallers an assortment of the various apparatus should be provided, 
 but it would not be necessary to include the ' Hughes ' or the ' Automatic,' except at some of the 
 schools. 
 
 " The chief instructor of each school should be qualified to undertake the duty of instruction as 
 regards apparatus. His object should be to give his pupils an idea of principles and to explain to them 
 the reason why a certain course is adopted, so that they may not only be able to understand one special 
 form of any instrument, but also any modification which may happen to be before them. 
 
 " For this reason I would propose that not only the standard form of instrument be supplied, but 
 also some of the older forms, such as, — 
 
 " Drop handle needles. 
 
 "Embossing Morses. 
 
 " Varley's relays. 
 
 " Soft iron relays. 
 
 " Peg and lever switches. 
 
 " It would also be desirable to construct a model line. 
 
 " The examination might be conducted in this way : The instructor to cause a fault, either on the 
 line or on the instrument, in the absence of the pupils, and to require them to discover and remedy it. 
 This is the plan pursued by Professor Hughes. 
 
 " It might be well also, in order to give a little interest to the instruction, to provide some of the 
 simple electric experimental apparatus. 
 
 " I think lectures might be given occasionally to the more promising pupils, but this would be an 
 after consideration. I think Mr. Sanger has started a school, somewhat on this plan, under Mr. Louth. 
 
 " The printed statements which have been issued have led me to suppose that a sufficient number of 
 pupils offer themselves to enable the Department to reject those who cannot pass this examination, the 
 strictness of which must be determined by trial. 
 
 " With reference to the existing staff, I don't think the staff will take the trouble to learn unless they 
 henefit themselves in pay; and it will clearly be impossible to urge them by a threat of dismissal. I 
 would propose then that a gratuity might be given to those who qualify themselves, or better still, 
 that a small addition be made to their salarjr. This addition should be kept entirely distinct from 
 advance by ordinary promotion, for promotion will always in practice be given for reasons totally discon- 
 nected from proficiency in this respect. 
 
 " This extra pay should be rescinded in case the receiver fail to keep up with the terms, or if he fall 
 back in his qualification. 
 
 " Three classes might be instituted, — 
 
 "The lowest, those who can detect a faulty battery cell, and who, in addition to this, can adjust an 
 ordinary bell or " Morse." 
 
 H 2 
 
60 
 
 "The second, those who can localize a line fault and test for resistance as well as understand simple 
 apparatus. 
 
 "The first, those who also understand the higher class of instruments, such as transmitting relays, 
 the "Hughes," and the "Automatic." 
 
 " The higher engineering duty of the station should be performed by the clerk in charge and his 
 assistants. . . rr r 
 
 " I do not think any special machinery will be required for enabling the existing staff to quahfy for 
 the lowest grade, except at the smaller stations, and there they must be taught by a travelling instructor. 
 
 ",Every clerk at a large station has the opportunity of learning if he pleases all the simpler matters, 
 and in fact those who care to take the trouble do learn. 
 
 "Special teaching would be required for the two higher grades. I would propose that one or more 
 of the most competent of the station staff should be paid to lecture and give instruction. This at large 
 stations only. 
 
 "The clerks would readily attend such classes if they were paid for their time, even without the 
 extra bonus ; but if they were not paid very few would keep up their attendance if it were not for the 
 hope of earning the proposed extra pay, but I think this might prove a sufficient inducement. 
 
 " Mr. Eaton has instituted a weekly meeting of his own staff, where papers are read and electric 
 matters discussed. I would propose that such meetings should be officially recognised, and that worlcs 
 and periodicals bearing on electric matters should be supplied." 
 
 At the general . meeting to wHch I have so often referred, Mr. Culley's proposals 
 were very fully discussed. The report of the discussion will be found in the printed 
 report of the proceedings, but for convenience of reference I give here some extracts 
 from the report, which will show plainly the great importance of the subject, and the 
 views which the engineers of the Department take of it. 
 
 With Mr. Culley's entire concurrence I called the attention of the meeting -to the 
 fact that the clerks of the late United Kingdom Company, who during the hard 
 struggle of that company for existence were compelled to turn their attention to each 
 and every duty of their offices, were much more handy and much better able to deal 
 with emergencies and to remove faults than the clerks of the wealthier companies who 
 were in the habit of relying very much upon the engineers ; and I asked Mr. Shaw, 
 formerly superintendent of the United Kingdom Company, to state his views. He 
 said : — 
 
 " With the United Kingdom Company it was, as you say, sir, simply a struggle for life. We started 
 a system that none of our clerks really understood, and we had to get inferior clerks from the other 
 companies, and we had to train them from almost the very lowest point that you could train a clerk. I 
 may say that in Manchester, where we first started, I found it necessary myself to establish a school, or 
 schools, so far as this, that every clerk had to be put under a system of instruction, not only of manipiie^l 
 latiiig but of regulating. We started with very bad wires, and we had to use relays, which required a 
 certain amount of training, and the company were not in a position to pay very high salaries, and con- 
 sequently we got somewhat unskilled clerks. Our system was to take them into the office and put them 
 to the instrument, and to show them the simple arrangements for regulating, and in a very short time 
 we found that they were able to manage their instrument and to regulate it. and afterwards to obtain a 
 knowledge of the batteries ; but, as I said before, we were obliged to have a small staff, and we had to 
 make the clerks in charge their own engineers. It became a standing rule with me, as the super- 
 intendent of the company, that every clerk in charge at a small station should not only be able to 
 regulate his instrument, but that he should be able to make up a battery, and maintain a battery, and 
 to detect a fault in the instrument, and, if a simple one, to repair it. The only way in which we could 
 do this with the higher class of instruments which we afterwards used was by giving them some five, or 
 six weeks' instruction in the use of the instrument, which I may say was Professor Hughes's. Professor 
 Hughes came over to England and gave us three months of instruction." 
 
 As Mr. Eaton had voluntarily started a discussion class at ~the central station in 
 Telegraph Street, I requested him to describe the course which he had taken. He 
 said : — 
 
 " The transfer of the telegraphs to the Government brought together at the central station on the 
 engineering staff members of each company, each one knowing the system to which he had been 
 accustomed, but comparatively ignorant of the others. Fortunately for myself, I had previously had 
 the work of concentrating the various systems into Telegraph Street, and from the experience gained 
 in carrying this out I had acquired a general knowledge of the systems of the Magnetic and United 
 Kingdom Companies that was not enjoyed by any other of Mr. Culley's staff. This, added to my 
 previous knowledge of the Electric and International Telegraph Company's system, enabled me to fall 
 into the altered state of things more readily than those who only saw the things together on the first 
 day of the transfer for the first time. I, of course, do not include here those of Mr. Culley's staff who 
 had prepared the plans and knew what lines were in existence, but I refer to those only who had the 
 worldng of them. The result was that for some time, although we were in the same building, we were 
 to a certain extent divided. After a time this state of things gradually wore off, and by an enforced 
 interchange of duties between the members of the various companies, between clerks who knew one set 
 of lines and those who knew another set of lines, we gradually amalgamated and brought them acquainted 
 with the system as a whole. To make this more complete, an idea of a class meeting was started ; this 
 was taken up eagerly, and has been continued to the present time. It has been, to the present, quite 
 independent of the ordinary duties. Members attend in their own time, and have instituted a fund for 
 
61 
 
 the purchase of current literature strictly bearing upon science, and which is calculated to improve them 
 in the knowledge of the various forms of instruments, &c. Papers are prepared and read by the 
 members in turn, illustrated by diagrams, and these are discussed at the meetings. I can safely say that 
 those who have attended have, by this interchange of ideas, been much gratified, and have also been 
 benefited. The membership has up to the present been confined to those of my staff at the central 
 station, and number about 16. The meetings have been held in my office, and I have at the general 
 request presided. I have no doubt that many of the commercial staff would be glad to join, if allowed, 
 but the difficulty would be that most of the present members have a fair knowledge of the subjects not 
 generally enjoyed by the others. Therefore it would not work well. What is wanted is a school where 
 a properly qualified instructor might take all who were appointed to attend, and teach them on a fixed 
 plan. Some of the subjects at our class are confined more to the special duties of the central station, 
 that would not be of much service to those who were not to be stationed here, although at the same 
 time it wouldbe of advantage if those who worked with us at certain stations could be brought together 
 so that an uniform system might in time be in existence everywhere." 
 
 In order that all those who were present at the meeting might clearly understand 
 what kind of instruction it was that the engineers desired to impart, I requested 
 Mr. Graves to state his opinion, which he did in the following words : — 
 
 " I think there is a certain amount of misapprehension existing as to what is implied by the engi- 
 neering training which the officers of the engineers' department think should be imparted to the employes 
 of the service generally. The words ' scientific instruction ' have been vaguely and freely used by 
 myself, for example, but I am quite sure that the phrase is very mal apropos to the subject in hand. 
 Science is not the present object. We wish to leaven the entire mass of the clerks employed by the 
 Department with such primary technical knowledge as is necessary to enable them to keep the apparatus 
 which they control in fair working condition. A clerk at present entering the Department is trained 
 in manipulation only ; that is, he knows how to make the signals to express the letters, and if he has 
 any supplemental instruction it is merely in codes, in matters connected with filling up the forms, and 
 it in no way aids Kim in keeping in order the instruments by means of which he has to transmit his 
 communications. It is this further education which it is thought most desirable to impart. It is quite 
 evident that there are many small post offices in which a single clerk, far from any engineering officer, will 
 have entrusted to him one, two, or more instruments, which he cannot work unless they are in an efficient 
 condition, and it is also self evident that a very simple accident, arising from an immediately remediable 
 cause, will often paralyze entirely the working of the office. For example, the battery is attached to 
 the instrument by connecting wires ; one of these becomes detached from the terminal or the screw by 
 which it is connected with the instrument ; the result is that the clerk can transmit no signals; if he is 
 wholly unacquainted with the nature of the instrument he uses his work is stopped and his office is 
 closed for an indefinite period, till a member of the maintenance staff can reach it and remedy the 
 defect. Mr. Culley proposes that a system of engineering training should be adopted, divided into 
 three grades, the lowest, or primary, being one which it is desirable should be attained to by every 
 employe of the service, by every clerk, whether admitted in the future, or whether now employed. Such 
 emplcye iiiTO\AA be asked only to acquire that subordinate, primary, or elementary knowledge which is 
 absolutely indispensable, if he. is efficiently to do the work at any particular station. That is, he must 
 have an idea of the construction of his battery, and have an idea where to look in case of any failure of 
 its action, and know how to remedy any simple fault. In the same way he should be acquainted with the 
 connexions of his instrument, that is, he should have a rough idea of the course of the electric current 
 through his instrument, and be aware to what points of it to look in the event of any failure in its 
 action, to see where dirt is most likely to accumulate, where any particular spring or other essential 
 portion may give way so as to paralyze the whole ; and again, particularly with regard to the printing 
 instrument, he ought to be competent to deal with the adjustment, as it is called, that is, the regulation 
 and management of certain screws which are employed to control the instrument and keep it in efficient 
 working order under varying conditions. This adjustment is necessary to be learned because the 
 strength of the electric currents passing into an instrument from a distant station on a fine day and on 
 a very wet day will vary. In the same way, an instrument speaking to two stations, one close to it and the 
 other a long distance away, will also be influenced in different degrees, and the adjustment is to neutralize 
 that. And to enable an office or station to be kept working under conditions that involve the necessity 
 of local alteration, this primary education which may fairly be termed technical education, should be 
 imparted, if possible, to every clerk in the service. Following upon this, Mr. Culley suggests a secondary 
 grade, in which clerks should not merely possess all the knowledge required in the primary grade, but 
 should also have a knowledge of the means requisite to , discover the probable position of defects or 
 interruptions of communication on a line, to localize faults, as it is technically termed, and should bo 
 enabled by means of proper testing apparatus, to ascertain from time to time the condition of the wires 
 passing from their office. Beyond this again, comes a third and higher class, and that is really the only one 
 to which the name ' scientific instruction ' can be properly applied. This higher class must acquaint itself 
 with the more complex apparatus employed by the Department— with the Hughes' type-printing 
 instrument, with the Wheatstone fast speed instrument, and with those descriptions of mstrument 
 which can only be employed at stations of considerable importance, and which from its nature involves 
 mechanical complexity. Add to this sundry other branches of knowledge denoting a similarly 
 advanced stage, and you have an outline of what appears to represent the first or highest class 
 of telegraph students. This highest class must in all cases be a very limited one ; it must be 
 composed of persons who have shown a strong personal inclination for a study of the subject and 
 whose inclinations are gratified by having opportunities given them for developing knowledge acquired 
 for themselves. You cannot obtain efficient students of this advanced order by merely telling certain 
 men that it is their interest to acquire the knowledge, they must feel the prompting spring within 
 themselves. I think, therefore, this first class is one which cannot be dealt with by the establishment 
 of any provincial or general schools; it must be dealt with by special schools, either in London, or as 
 
 H 3 
 
62 
 
 Mr. Preece would perhaps suggest, in Southajoaptou, for there are special reasons why at SoudiMnpton 
 education of an advanced order can be given with facility and efficiency ; but leaving that alone for the^ 
 moment, my idea is, that the instructors who are employed at the central offices to direct the manipu- 
 lation study should be able to direc,t the study of their pupils towards the attainment of the knowledge 
 which I have been referring to as forming the requirement of the primary grade^that technical 
 knowledge which all ought to possess. A fear seems to be entertained that in the estabhshment of 
 district schools too large a number of learners wiU be trained at the same time, and that more young 
 hands will be taken on than there will be situations found for in a reasonable period. As that seems 
 to be considered a likely danger I may remark that the instructors who would be placed at such 
 central offices will not merely have to deal with the learners who may be admitted for the future 
 requirements of the Department, but they will deal with the members of the existing staff who are 
 ignorant of the knowledge which it is so essential they should acquire. Nine-tenths or nineteen- 
 twentieths of the existing clerks of the Department are wholly ignorant of that which it is essential 
 they should know, if they are ever to be efficient servants of the Department, and_ I believe the 
 instructors of those central schools would for a long time be amply occupied in imparting knowledge 
 to the men on the lists now, quite independent of that which they would have to give to the pupils 
 who entered for the future. The clerks in charge at subordinate stations (I mean those stations where 
 no school existed, but where it would be possible to take on a few learners) would be able to impart 
 similar knowledge in technical matters to pupils placed under their direction. At the most subordinate 
 of all stations where the post-master has a single learner, I quite admit you cannot give even the 
 simplest technical education without bringing the learner to some centre, or sending an instructor to 
 him. Passing over that difficulty, it is clear that, without trenching in any way upon the schools that 
 are necessary for manipulating purposes, without adding to the cost that the manipulating schools must 
 necessarily carry with them, you obtain this technical education in addition to that hitherto sought 
 for. The technical education should, in my view, be imparted by the instructor, but the instructor's 
 certificate should not be considered as a sufficient warrant that the education had been imparted to a 
 sufficient degree ; let the instructor instruct his pupils and send them up for examination, but let an 
 officer detailed by the divisional engineer, or a proper person having acquaintance with the subject^ 
 examine, pass, and certify the clerks. 
 
 " Then there are the central schools for the more advanced grades — ^perhaps that had better be left 
 in the hands of Mr. CuUey or Mr. Preece, but I would say one word as to the instructors. I am per- 
 sonally wholly ignorant of the calibre and capacity of the instructors of the schools as they are now 
 arranged, and I have not the remotest conception whether the instructors at Birmingham or Liverpool 
 or Manchester are able to do more than impart manipulative knowledge to their pupils — if they are not 
 they ought to be — if they do not possess the knowledge they must be trained — we must teach the 
 instructor, or if he is unteachable he must be changed for one who has been taught, or can be taught ; 
 there is quite a sufficiency of efficient hands in the service on whom drafts could be made to form an 
 instructing force. The number of hands absorbed wholly for instruction would be limited ; a great 
 portion of the instruction would be developed by clerks employed in the duties of the office, who in 
 extra hours and under special arrangements could act as instructors. Let us begin by certifying the 
 efficiency of the instructors; let us then mark out a course which every lad of average' intelligence can 
 attain to, and when we have done that and taken steps to induce the bulk of our existing service to 
 acquire that knowledge of which they are deficient, we shall certainly raise the standard of our 
 existing corps, we shall arrive at a higher order of education and efficiency than the learners have 
 hitherto attained, and our staff will approximate more nearly than the staff of the former companies 
 did, or the staff does now, to the idea of an efficient telegraph establishment. We want to approach 
 to the ideal which we find iil certain portions of the United States, where the clerk, if abandoned 
 wholly by the engineering staff, if separated from any man whose special business it was to attend to 
 the instruments, could patch up his instrument, put together a broken battery, and generally do all 
 that was needful in the office and much that was needful out of the office, not altogether efficiently, but 
 in such a way as to keep the mill going till some one could be brought in to repair the mechanism 
 more thoroughly." 
 
 Mr. Preece said : 
 
 " Referring to Mr. Culley's report, and referring to Mr. Grraves' remarks, it seems to me that a con- 
 siderable amount of advantage must accrue to the Department from giving technical instruction to out 
 force; naturally, we engineers look upon this point with a great deal more interest, perhaps, than the 
 surveyors. I should like to point out in the first place the effects that now arise from the absence of 
 this technical education on the part of our staff. It must be remembered that we have stations many 
 miles away from a railway, at places which are very difficult of access, and which in the ordinary course 
 of events it takes a very long time to reach ; the consequence is that our public messages, when 
 interruptions occur, are very considerably delayed, and the reputation of the Department is at stake. 
 
 " Now if we give these instructions which we are so desirous of giving to our clerks, we give them 
 the power at once of rectifying these faults, thereby preventing all the causes of delay, and removing 
 the ground for the blame which at present attaches to the Department. The rapid removal of faults 
 is nothing, however, compared with the prevention of faults ; and it is in the prevention of faults that 
 I consider the education of our staff will lead so much to the future reputation of the department. 
 Again, this knowledge will also facilitate the testing and localizing of faults, enabling us perfectly to 
 meet the wants of the public by placing all our wires in proper working condition. As regards thfe 
 means of obtaining this, Mr. Culley's report and Mr. Graves' remarks deal generally with the subject ; 
 I want to point out how we can obtain what we so much desire, I say the first thing we have to do is 
 to attack our existing staff. We have collected together by no means bad specimens of intelligence. 
 We have, it is true, in many places, very inefficient hands, but we have them there and we rnust make 
 the most of them. The first thing we can do to instil a desire amongst the staff generally, to acquire 
 this knowledge, is to offer rewards when js shown any particular activity, any particular zeal,' or toy 
 
63 
 
 particular act of intelligence, and it has been my practice to call your attention to anything of the 
 kind that has happened, and you have invariably at once acted on my recommendation, and given small 
 gratuities, and had it posted in the postal circular. The result has been this, that it has created a 
 spirit of inquiry amongst all the staff. The moment the inspector appears at an out station the clerk 
 at once asks him for information, and I believe we have set the ball rolling, and are in a fair way to 
 perfect our plans more in accordance with Mr. CuUey's ideas. We shall find that we shall be able in 
 time to raise an army of good electricians, and when that good time comes about we shall cease to hear 
 of those breaks and accidents which now so frequently interfere with our communication. But in 
 addition to offering those remarks and gratuities, and inserting those notices in the postal circular, I 
 would make a certain fixed addition to every man's pay in accordance with the abilities he shows. 
 But those are mere matters of detail, which I will not allude to now, but which I think can 
 very well be left for subsequent consideration. There is also another question, namely, whether 
 the acquisition of this knowledge shall be made a part and parcel of the steps which lead to 
 the clerk's promotion. That is a question which may very well be left to the consideration 
 of the committee. To secure these different points, I propose, assuming that it has been 
 determined that our staff shall be educated, to form classes at all the large towns. The nature 
 of those classes, the manner in which the instruction should be given, and the various details, 
 would of course be left to the committee ; but I may say this, that I take a particular interest in 
 this point, because for many years past I have had a great deal of experience in the tuition of tele- 
 graphists. The Indian G-overnment have sent all those who have been appointed to the Indian Telegraph 
 Diepartment to me at Southampton, and I have every year given them a regular course of training in 
 practical telegraphy. That has thrown upon ray shoulders an immense amount of labour, and to give 
 an idea of what it amounts to, I find last year I delivered no less than 52 lectures and 26 separate 
 demonstrations on practical subjects. To do all this entailed the giving up of a considerable amount 
 of time, but it has afforded me very great pleasure, and I am particularly anxious that some system of 
 that kind should be adopted in our Department. We know that a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, 
 but that Uttle knowledge, when imperfect, particularly in telegraphic matters, is a most dangerous thing, 
 and we find that the knowledge that is imparted by books and by telegraphic journals and things of 
 that kind is of such an unsatisfactory and imperfect character that those who attempt to act on it must 
 invariably fall into difficulties. Now the knowledge that is possessed by Mr. Culley and his ofiicers is 
 knowledge that has been ground into them by 20 years' experience. I speak of it perhaps a little 
 egotistically when I say it has been cemented by the most patient industry ; in fact those who have to 
 keep up with the time and to maintain a knowledge of telegraphy have to work very hard indeed. 
 Therefore I say the staff which is to be regulated by certain chiefs of the Department should possess 
 the knowledge possessed by those chiefs, and L am most anxious at Southampton to establish a class 
 where knowledge shall be imparted to our staff which I know to he the knowledge possessed by the 
 chief of the Department. In order to acquire these results, the details of which I leave to be discussed 
 in the committee, I am prepared to undertake the formation of a class which would perhaps come more 
 within the category of Mr. CuUey's third grade, his highest grade. I am prepared to do all I can 
 down there for this purpose, and I am sure the result must be, , if properly carried out, to add considerably 
 to the acquisition of that knowledge which alone can make our Department as perfect as we wish it 
 to be." 
 
 Mr. Culley then said : — 
 
 " I do not know that I can say much in addition, for the gentlemen who have just spoken have so 
 • exactly stated my own views in the matter. I am very glad to find that my two old colleagues are 
 Perfectly at one with myself in this important matter. I might say that one of my principal objects, 
 if Mr. Scudamore will allow it to be so, is to let it be understood in the service that every clerk is 
 expected to attend to his instruments. The feeling now among many is that it is an exceedingly 
 undignified thing to look at a battery; that to look at a battery is a workman's job, that even to adjust 
 an instrument is the work of some one lower in position than a telegraph clerk. That is what the 
 clerks have been too apt to think, especially in my old company, the Electric Telegraph -Company ; 
 they have felt ' there is a ma,n who ought to attend to all those things, it is no business of mine • ' I 
 wish that to be swept away. I wish it to be understood that it is quite as genj;lemanly for a person to 
 understand the adjustment of his instrument as it is to understand how to signal with it. And I would 
 wish merely to point out in conclusion how very absurd it would be to send out an engine driver with 
 an express train on a wet morning who stuck fast on the first bank he came to because he did not know 
 that he ought to sprinkle a little sand on the rails. None of our clerks understand what would be 
 equivalent intelegraphy to the sprinkling of sand on the rails, none of them know the very simplest 
 matters connected with our apparatus unless they have a taste for those matters themselves ; they havs 
 never been taught them, and it has never been made part of their duty to understand them." 
 
 It is my impression that the readiest way of carrying out Mr. Cidley's views and 
 iaducing the staff to instruct themselyes, not merely in manipulation, but in the adjust- 
 iiient and maaagement of the instruments, wiU he to offer them some pecuniary 
 iaducement to do so. When they find that a man who can not only work but adjust 
 his instrument gets a little more than a man who can only work it, they will quite 
 cease to be of opinion that it is mfra dig. to be able to adjust it. 
 
 The subject having been thus fully discussed by the general meeting, and a general 
 agreement on certaia main principles having been arrived at, it was resolved that a 
 small committee should be appointed to prepare a plan in detail for further consideration 
 by the Postmaster-General and by the Treasury. 
 
 H 4 
 
64 
 
 The following report has been received from the committee. I shall have to revert 
 to it hereafter when I bring the question of establishment under notice, but I give it 
 now with a view to show that full and careful attention has been given to a question 
 which all will allow to be one of vital importance to the Department : — 
 
 Repout of the Committee appointed to discuss the question of the Establishment of Schools, both for 
 Manipulators and for Technical Instruction, and the question of the Allowances which should be 
 given to learners in such Schools, and to instructors. 
 
 For Mr. Scudamore. 
 
 The Committee on the subject of Schools of Instruction, having carefully considered the various 
 questions referred to them by Mr. Scudamore's minute of the 15th instant, beg to report the following 
 conclusions, at which they have arrived in connexion therewith : — 
 
 1. That the towns in which the Department most requires schools for manipulators and for technical 
 instruction are as follow, viz. : — 
 
 London. Liverpool. Nottingham. 
 
 Edinburgh. Birmingham. Bristol, and 
 
 Dublin. Leeds. Southampton. 
 
 Manchester. Newcastle (or Carlisle). 
 
 We recommend that the schools to be established in these towns shall be under the direction of a 
 salaried instructor, competent to educate both as regards manipulation and the simpler technical 
 matters; and we beg to append a schedule showing what districts can be best served from the respective 
 schools. 
 
 Schedule of proposed Schools of Instruction, with Districts to be served therefrom. 
 
 Locality of School. 
 
 District to be served. 
 
 London 
 
 Edinburgh 
 
 Dublin 
 
 Manchester — Liverpool 
 
 Birmingham 
 
 Leeds 
 
 Newcastle or Carlisle 
 
 Nottingham 
 
 Bristol 
 
 Southampton 
 
 The Metropolitan District generally, together with the " Home " 
 portions of the Eastern, South-Eastern, South- Western, and 
 South Midland Districts. 
 
 Scotland, generally. 
 
 Ireland, generally. 
 
 Local, and partly North- Western and North Wales Districts. 
 
 North Wales-and South Midland Districts. 
 
 North- Western, and partly Northern District. 
 
 Northern of England, and perhaps Southern of Scotland. 
 
 North Midland— partly Eastern, and partly South Midland. 
 
 Western, and South Wales. 
 
 South- Western and South-Eastern. 
 
 " 2 and 3. It has already been ascertained that accommodation exists at most of the towns above- 
 named, while it is assumed that it can readily be afforded at the remainder ; and special attention has 
 been given to the important consideration as to the probability of finding the requsite number of eligible 
 learners in recommending the localities of the respective schools. 
 
 " 4. We recommend that the conditions of admission into the schools of persons not already in the 
 service shall be the same as those now in force in connexion with the London, Edinburgh and Dublin 
 schools, with the following alterations and additions, viz. : — ' 
 
 " (a) That the limits of age be from 14 to 18, 
 
 « (b) That the nominations in Edinburgh and Dublin be vested in the secretary or controller of these 
 
 offices, and those to schools in the provinces, in the postmaster. 
 " (c) That the candidates be medically examined by the medical officer of the Department prior to 
 
 admission. ^ 
 
 "5. The technical instruction to be communicated in these schools should be based upon such 
 portions of Form H. 21, as refer to the mechanical construction and adjustment of the single needle 
 and Morse printing instruments, the construction and arrangement of batteries, and a knowledge of the 
 simpler technical terms. ° 
 
 " 6. We propose, that those who have entered the schools shall be examined periodically as to their 
 proficiency, as well m manipulative as in technical knowledge, by an officer especially appointed for 
 the purpose, whose duties shall be held to embrace not simply the work of examination but the inspec 
 tion of the whole of the schools throughout the country. We attach the greatest importance to the 
 condition that the instructor shall in no case be the examiner, and that the examinations shall in every 
 case be conducted either by the inspecting officer above mentioned, or by a duly qualified person acting 
 under his immediate instruction ; our object being to secure the operation of an uniform principle 
 throughout the service— not only m the arrangement of the schools, but in the conduct of the examina- 
 tions, and to secure, as far as possible, an uniform standard of efficiency. 
 
 "When a learner has succeeded in passing the required examination, he should be furnished with a 
 certificate eutitling him to rank as a " probationer," and qualifying him for employment in a workina- 
 office, as vacancies occur. ^ ' a wu ». ig 
 
 "7. The standard of efficiency to which persons not in the service should be required to attain before 
 they are considered qualified for employment is, in our opinion, as follows, viz.: For manipulation, that 
 
65 
 
 they should he ahle to read 12 and send 20 words per minute on the printing and single-needle instrU* 
 ments, and to read six words a minute by sound ; in addition to which they should be required to display 
 a fair_ knowledge of the " H " set of instructions, and of the general routine of a telegraph office. For 
 technical knowledge the standard can only be described as a practical acquaintance with the subjects 
 enumerated in section 5 of this report. 
 
 " We hold it to be of importance that these standards should be attained after a period of instruction 
 not exceeding three months, and that if at the end of the first month the learner has made insufficient 
 progress to justify the expectation of his qualifying within the prescribed period, the inspector should be 
 at liberty to recommend that he or she be requested to withdraw from the school. 
 
 " 8. We propose that no extra allowance shall be made to those persons now in the service who do 
 not attain greater acquirements in technical knowledge than those demanded from a learner, as above 
 described, but that they should be encouraged to further educate themselves by the prospect of a special 
 allowance of 2s. a week on passing the required examination in the second or lower grade. This grade, 
 it appears to us, naturally embraces a practical knowledge of the following points, viz., the electrical 
 arrangements and mechanical construction of the apparatus, of the mode in which ordinary repairs can 
 be effected, of the cleaning, refreshing, and testing of batteries, the method of localising faults by the 
 use of the ordinary detector, as well as a slight elementary knowledge of electricity and magnetism. 
 
 " We would make it a condition that the allowance (applicable only to this grade) be rendered liable 
 to suspension on its being certified by the divisional engineer that the clerk or other officer to whom it 
 has been granted does not maintain the standard of efficiency, or fails to turn his acquirements to 
 practical account. 
 
 " For the first or highest grade, comprising a knowledge of ' differential ' and ' resistance ' testing, 
 translating apparatus, and the electrical arrangements and mechanical construction of the Wheatstone 
 automatic and Hughes' instruments, we propose that no allowance shall be made beyond that for sub- 
 sistence which will be necessary in bringing persons from a distance to receive instruction in the schools 
 of the first class. We have been guided to this conclusion mainly by these considerations : first, that 
 the Department will be put to considerable expense in organising and carrying on the special instruc- 
 tion which will be required in such cases ; and second, that persons who qualify in this grade will 
 usually find their reward in the superior consideration which will be given by the Department to their 
 claims for promotion to the higher positions in the service. For obvious reasons we consider it abso- 
 lutely necessary that admission to these higher schools should be restricted to persons selected by the 
 surveyor and divisional engineer ; and we are of opinion that this higher knowledge can only in the 
 meantime be imparted at a central school to be formed in London, and at a school at Southampton, 
 which it is proposed to affiliate to this central school. We think it probable, however, that when 
 competent instructors can be found for the purpose, schools of this class may also be established in 
 Edinburgh and Dublin. 
 
 " 9. The question of giving to instructors a bonus or capitation grant for qualified learners, as an 
 inducement to push them on, is, in our opinion, restricted to the case of those offices where the clerk in 
 charge or other equally competent officer acts as the teacher ; and in these cases we propose that a bonus 
 of 10s. per head should be paid for each learner passed by a duly qualified and independent examiner. 
 The surveyors will be best able to point out at which offices in their districts instruction by such persons 
 can be most advantageously given. We are unanimously of opinion that no bonus whatever shoidd be 
 given to those instructors who are paid by a fixed salary as such. 
 
 " 10. It does not appear to us that actual interchanges of staff are practicable, unless in special cases ; 
 and we are of opinion that in order to enable clerks from the smaller offices to attend the local schools, 
 relief clerks must be employed, except in eases where overtime can be brought into operation to replace 
 the absentees. We think that it should be left to the surveyors in cases where the probable advantages 
 to be gained are worth the payment of a double subsistence allowance, to exchange clerks between 
 offices in their own districts ; and we consider it probal)le' that occasional interchanges of senior staff 
 between London and a few of the larger offices that control the working of the circuits might prove 
 advantageous. 
 
 "11. The question as to the manner in which technical instruction may best be given at small offices 
 is an important one, and has enaged our serious attention. While we are unanimously of opinion that 
 the organization of the present engineering staff is fully equal to this important duty, we are equally 
 divided in opinion as to the advisability of making any special jpayment to the members of that staff in 
 respect of the instruction thus imparted. It is urged, on the one hand, that the engineering staff is 
 capable of imparting this instruction without any special inducement — that it is their duty to do so, and 
 that if called upon they will do so. On the other hand, it is urged that they will do so more promptly 
 and heartily and more efficiently if they had the prospect of a bonus or some pecuniary reward, however 
 trifling, for each qualified clerk who receives a certificate ; and those gentlemen who hjld this vio«v are 
 of opinion that an allowance of 10a a head would meet the case. 
 
 " We have had difficulty in dealing with the case of postmasters' assistants, who are not, in point of 
 fact, in the service or pay of the Department. But looking at the fact that the technical knowledge 
 which they might acquire would be of the greatest possible value to the service, we submit that unless 
 there are departmental reasons against it, some consideration should be shown in their case ; and that 
 in estimating the amount of the consideration, regard should be had to special circumstances, and to 
 the recommendation of the divisional engineer. 
 
 " Having thus disposed of the several points referred to us, we desire to make one or two sug- 
 gestions with regard to the present condition and future arrangement of the London School, which we 
 specially visited during the progress of our deliberations. At present, the number of persons under 
 instruction is considerably reduced from what it was a few weeks ago, and it appears to us that a 
 favourable opportunity is thus presented for fixing the establishment at a proper limit, consistent 
 with probable future requirements, and with the means of affording sound practical instruction, and 
 close personal supervision. This number, we think, should not exceed 20 males, and 30 females ; 
 and assuming this recommendation to meet with Mr. Scudamore's approval, we would further recom- 
 mend that all the manipulative instruction should be carried on in the rooms at the front of the 
 
 27031. I 
 
66 
 
 building ; the females, being the largest in number; ocqupying the larger rooms, and the males the 
 smaller. Also, that the room at present occupied for the training of male learners should be fitted up 
 and set apart for technical instruction of the simpler kind, which it is contemplated to impart to all 
 learners ; and that the present large number of effete single-needle instruments should be removed and 
 replaced by efficient apparatus, including the addition of two or more 'Morse Sounders.' 
 
 " It only remains to touch upon one other point, viz., the discontinuance of the bonus of 1/. to 
 competent learners, which has been in operation since some time before the transfer. We simply 
 recommend that payment of this bonus should cease on and from the 31st of January next; and that, 
 meanwhile, a notice to this effect should be inserted in the Official Circular, so that the Department 
 may not be charged with breaking faith with any person who may now be in training with a view to 
 the bonus. 
 
 A. M. CONYNGHAME. 
 
 W. H. Preeci. 
 
 E. Graves. 
 
 Robert W. Johnston. 
 
 J. C. Lamb. 
 
 H. Eaton." 
 
 Reference is made in the foregoing report to a paper called " Form H. 21." This is 
 an elaborate but simply expressed paper, which has been drawn up by Mr. Preece for 
 the purpose of instructing (so far as a paper can instruct) telegraphists how to regulate 
 and adjust their instruments, and how to detect and remove faults of various kinds. 
 
 This paper, which accompanies this report, and is marked D. has been distributed to 
 all the clerks in. the employ of the Department. 
 
 Diagrams, showing the connexions of the different instruments in use, have also 
 been largely circulated. Copies marked E. accompany this report. 
 
 E/cference has been made more than once in the foregoing pages to Professor Hughes. 
 This gentleman, who is the inventor of the Hughes Type Printing Telegraph, to which 
 reference will be made hereafter, is a native of the United States, but he generally 
 resides in Paris, and devotes himself there to the improvement and development of his 
 instrument, which is largely in use in Prance and throughout the Continent. Having 
 been driven from Prance by the war, he has taken up his residence in London, and 
 from no other motive than a love of science has voluntarily given instruction daily to a 
 certain number of our clerks and candidates for admission in the working of his instru- 
 ment, and, which is of more importance, in its construction and general principles. 
 Professor Hughes is so situated as not to stand in need of any remuneration which 
 coTild be given to him for his services, and the Department has great reason to congra- 
 tulate itself on having been able to obtain the voluntary co-operation of so eminent a 
 man. 
 
 Assimilation of Codes, Instkitctigns, and REOTjiiATioNS. 
 
 Prior to the transfer two codes for signalKng were in use in the United Kingdom. 
 One code was that which had been specially arranged for the Bright's bell telegraph 
 by the Magnetic Telegraph Company, and was in use at all the stations of that com- 
 pany ; the other was the code known as the Morse alphabet, and was in use at the 
 stations of the Electric and United Kingdom Companies. As it was absolutely neces- 
 sary that the code should, as quickly as possible, be made uniform, and as the Morse 
 code was in use by the greatest number of clerks, and was moreover the general 
 telegraphic language of the world, it was chosen in preference to the Magnetic code. 
 Early in the year 1869 the Magnetic Company's clerks were requested through their 
 employers to make themselves acquainted with the Morse code, and we were more 
 than once led to believe that they would have mastered it prior to the transfer. 
 
 All, however, had not mastered it at that date, and for many months we were com- 
 pelled in a great number of cases to arrange the staff in such a manner that Magnetic 
 clerks at one end of a circuit should have Magnetic clerks to work with at the other 
 end. This difficulty has now almost entirely disappeared. Por the use of the Mag- 
 ' netic clerks who had to learn the Morse code, and more especially for the guidance of 
 the numerous fresh learners whom the Department had to train, a paper of " Instruc- 
 tions to persons engaged in learning the Morse ^alphabet " was prepared. As it may 
 be necessary for me hereafter to refer to the Morse code, it will, perhaps, be convenient 
 to have it described here, and I therefore give a few extracts from the paper in 
 question. 
 
 Extracts. 
 
 " In sending n essages by the single needle instrument the signals are formed by turning the top of 
 the needle to the left or the right. , 
 
 " In sending messages by the bell instrument the signals are formed by strokes on the left bell, 
 or strokes on the right bell, of tWo bells placed oppoBitte to each other. 
 
67 
 
 " In sending a message by the Morse printing instrument the signals are formed of dots ( - - - r ) 
 
 and dashes ( ). A dot is produced by tapping the key or hammer of the sending instrument 
 
 sharply. A dash is produced by holding down the same key or hammer while you can count three. 
 
 "' In signalling on these instruments, a turn of the top point of the needle to the left (oh the single 
 needle instrument), a stroke on the left bell (of the bell instrument), and a dot (on the printing instru- 
 ment), have one and the same meaning. A turn of the top point of the needle to the right, a stroke on 
 the right bell, a dash on the printing instrument, have one and the same meaning. Turns and strokes 
 to the left are the same signals as dots ; turns and strokes to the right are the same signals as dashes. 
 Thus if you know how to read a message on one of the three instruments, and keep this rule in mind, 
 you may readily read the same message on either of the other two instruments. ' 
 
 "If you want to send the letter E on the single needle instrument you must cause the top point of 
 the needle to turn once to the left, if you want to send the letter E on the bell instrument you must 
 cause a stroke to fall on the left bell, if you want to send the letter E on the printing instrument you 
 must produce a dot (- ). If you want to send the letter T on the single needle instrument you must 
 cause the top point of the needle to turn once to the right, if you want to send it on the bell instrument 
 you must cause a stroke to fall on the right bell, if you want to send it on the printing instrument you 
 must produce a dash ( — ). If when signails are sent to you you see the needle (of the single needle 
 instrument) turn once to the left, or if you hear a stroke fall once on the left bell (of the bell instru- 
 ment), or if you see a single dot ( - ) printed by the printing instrument, you will know that the letter E 
 is sent to you. On the other hand, if you see the top of the needle turn once to the right, or hear one 
 stroke on the right bell, or see a dash ( — ) printed before you, you will know that the letter T is sent 
 to you." 
 
 The paper then proceeded to classify the signals and the letters which they denote 
 in groups, and to provide a sort of "memoria technica" for the help of the learners. 
 The groups are six in number and are thus arranged : 
 
 Alphabet Signals. 
 
 Geoup 1. 
 
 Gsoup 2. 
 
 Group 3. 
 
 B - 
 I - - 
 
 S 
 
 H 
 
 Earwigs 
 Infest 
 Summer 
 Houses 
 
 T — 
 
 M 
 
 
 
 Ch 
 
 Turnips 
 Make 
 Oxen 
 CheerM 
 
 A-.— 
 
 ?: = -- 
 
 u 
 
 V 
 
 A 
 
 Wet 
 Jacket's 
 Uncomfortable 
 Very 
 
 Gboup 4. 
 
 Gboup 5. 
 
 Group 6. 
 
 N 
 
 D 
 
 B 
 
 G 
 
 Z 
 
 No 
 
 Difficulty 
 
 Baffles 
 
 Great 
 
 Zeal 
 
 E 
 
 p 
 
 p 
 
 Remember 1 
 Law 
 
 Preserves 
 Freedom 
 
 K 
 
 X 
 
 Q 
 
 Kindness,- 
 
 Conciliates 
 
 Youth 
 
 Xtremely 
 
 Quickly 
 
 Note. — ^The sentences in each group are intended to help the learner to remember the initial letters, which it will be seen form 
 each group. 
 
 The following extracts from the paper may not be without interest, as showing the 
 pains which we took to make the instruction simple and clear. 
 
 ■ ^Extracts. 
 "You may help your memory still further by considering — 
 
 a. That all the signals in the first group are left strokes or dots. 
 
 b. That all the signals in the second group are right strokes or dashes. 
 
 c. That all the signals in the third and fifth groups begin with left strokes or dots. 
 
 d. That all the signals in the fourth and sixth groups begin with right strokes or dashes ; so that 
 
 e. The left strokes or dots take the lead in groups, 1, 3, 5, whilst the right strokes or dashes take 
 
 the lead in groups 2, 4, 6. 
 /. You should also fix well in your memory that the signals for E, I, S, H, are the exact opposites 
 
 of the signals for T, M, O, CH, that the signals for A, W, J, U, are the exact opposites of the 
 
 signals for N, D, B, G, and that the signals for R, L, P, F, are the exact opposites of the signals 
 
 for K, Y, X, Q. 
 Take the following rules for your guidance in learning :— 
 
 a. Begin with the easiest groups, and get one group by heart before you begin another. 
 
 b. Do not, as you learn, say, " E is one stroke to the left, or one dot," but say, " One s 
 
 left, or one dot, means E." 
 
 c. When you have got one or more groups by heart get some one to examine you. 
 
 d. The examiner must not call out a letter and ash you for the signal .belonging to it ; he must call 
 
 out the signal and ask you for the letter belonging to it ; thus— 
 
 1. — One right Answer. — T 
 
 ' One stroke to the 
 
 Dot, dash, dot 
 Two left 
 Four right 
 Dash, dof^ dash 
 Eight, left, right, left 
 
 I 2 
 
 R 
 
 I 
 
 Ch 
 
 E 
 
 C 
 
68 
 
 e. It will help you much also to write out sentences from books or newspapers in the dot and dash 
 
 alphabet, always bearing in mind, as you will, that dots are left strokes, and dashes right 
 strokes. . • i, j 
 
 f. With a box of ordinary toy bricks you may carry on silent conversations m the dot and dash 
 
 alphabet, using the half bricks as dots, and the whole bricks as dashes." 
 
 But another, and in some respects a more troublesome assimilation had to be 
 effected. For the sake of dispatch in signalling, telegraph stations are known by 
 certain abbreviated names composed of one or more letters, and these abbreviated 
 names are signalled in place of the fuU names. Thus Edinburgh is known as EH, 
 Liverpool as LY, and Glasgow as GW. Prior to the transfer the name codes of the 
 companies differed widely. Thus Dublin was called DU by one company and DB by 
 another, BeKast was BT with one and BET with another ; Newcastle was NC with 
 one and NT with another, and Newport (Mon.) was NT with one and DT with another. 
 Then, again, as five companies had central stations in London, there were four 
 different names for London to wit, LY (Lothbury), GH (Gresham House), CO 
 (Cannon Street), L, and LN. This, however, was not all. The systems of the com- 
 panies had outgrown the natural limits of their codes. The Electric Company started 
 with a two letter code. Each letter of the alphabet aflEbrded them 26 permutations 
 thus, AA, AB, AC, &c., and so long as they had not more than 26 stations the proper 
 names of which began with the same initial letter, they had no difficulty in finding 
 code names which were suggestive of the names of the stations represented by them ; 
 but when they got beyond this hmit, and had to form fresh permutations the code 
 names ceased to be suggestive. Thus KB was not suggestive of Cardiff or KX of the 
 Stock Exchange, nor were TJA, YS, BW, KT, ATZ, and VT good and natural represen- 
 tatives of Clapham, Crystal Palace, Derby, Stockport, Margate, and Coventry. 
 
 The Post Office had not merely to assimilate the existing codes, and to simplify 
 them by the extirpation of incongruous names, it had also to provide a code which 
 should include a much larger number of stations than the combined companies had 
 provided for. Mr. Baines, who devised the code now in use, proceeded upon the plan 
 of a two letter code for head post offices, and a three letter code for sub-offices, and 
 succeeded at once in preserving all the best of the then existing names, and providing 
 names for all the offices which we are likely to open for a long time to come. The 
 following extracts from the official code book will show the principle and the com- 
 prehensive nature of the code which he has devised. 
 
 Extract. 
 
 Eemarks for the 
 
 Name of 
 Divisional 
 
 Transmitting 
 Offices 
 
 Hours of Attendance. 
 
 Code 
 Signal. 
 
 Telegraph Offices. 
 
 Head 
 
 guidance of 
 
 
 
 Post Office or 
 
 Ooimter Clerks. 
 
 Engineer. 
 
 
 On Week Days. 
 
 On Sundays. 
 
 
 County. 
 
 
 
 
 A.M. P.M. 
 
 A.M. 
 
 P.M. 
 
 
 
 
 
 Walsh - 
 
 CE 
 
 7.0—8.0 
 
 8.0—10.0 
 
 
 AAA 
 A A C 
 A A E 
 A A C 
 A A 1 
 
 Abbey Town " 
 Abbot's Bromley 
 Abbotsbury 
 Aberavon 
 Aberayron 
 
 Carlisle. 
 
 Rugeleg. 
 
 Dorchester. 
 
 Taibach. 
 
 Cardiganshire. 
 
 
 Graves - 
 
 NE 
 
 8.0—8.0 
 
 8.0—10.0 
 
 
 A A K 
 
 Abercame 
 
 Newport, Mon. 
 
 
 Graves 
 
 CF 
 
 7.0—8.0 
 
 7.0—10.0 
 
 
 A A 
 A A N 
 
 ABEEDAIiE. 
 Aberaman. 
 
 
 When the honrs 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 A A P 
 
 Mill Street. 
 
 
 of attendance are 
 
 Graves - 
 
 AE 
 
 8.0—8.0 
 
 8.0—10.0 
 
 
 A A S 
 
 Aberdovey 
 
 Merionethshire. 
 
 not inserted, the 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 A A U 
 
 Aberford 
 
 South MOford. 
 
 offices are not 
 
 Graves - 
 
 CF.HR 
 
 7.0—8.0 
 
 7.0—10.0 
 
 — 
 
 A C 
 
 ABEEGAVENNr. 
 
 
 yet open. 
 
 Graves - 
 
 CW 
 
 8.0—8.0 
 
 8.0—10.0 
 
 
 A A X 
 
 Abergele 
 
 Denbighshire. 
 
 
 Graves - 
 
 BNP 
 
 8.0—8.0 
 
 8.0—10.0 
 
 — 
 
 A A Z 
 
 Aberkenfig 
 
 Bridgend. it, 
 
 
 Graves 
 
 NE, PP 
 
 8.0—8.0 
 
 8.0—10.0 
 
 
 ABB 
 
 Abersychan 
 
 Pontgpool. 
 
 
 Graves 
 
 NE 
 
 8.0—8.0 
 
 8.0—10.0 
 
 
 A B D 
 
 Abertillery 
 
 Newport, Mon. 
 
 
 Graves - 
 
 ow 
 
 7.0-8.0 
 
 9.0—10.0 
 
 — 
 
 A E 
 
 ABEUYSTWITH. 
 
 
 
 Preece - 
 
 OE, KG 
 
 7.0-10.0 
 
 7.0—10.0 
 
 — 
 
 A 1 
 
 ABINGDON. 
 
 
 
 Walsh - 
 
 LV, ME, PE 
 
 7.0—10.0 
 
 7.0—10.0 
 
 — 
 
 A C 
 
 ACGEINGTON. 
 
 
 
 Walsh 
 
 AW 
 
 7.0—9.30 
 
 8.0—10.0 
 
 •~" 
 
 A K 
 
 ACKLINGTON. 
 
 
 In the foregoing extract some of the permutations appear to be omitted, but they 
 are not really omitted. AB, for instance, appears in the list of Scotch offices as the 
 code name for Aberdeen, and AAB appears in the Metropolitan list as the code name 
 for Abbey Bead, St. John's Wood. That the code names of Abergavenny, Aberyst- 
 with, Abingdon, Accrington, and Acklington do not, though the proper names of those 
 towns do, stand in strict alphabetical order, is attributable to the fact that we have 
 retained the best of the old code names wherever we could do so. 
 
69 
 
 The following extract shows that having retained BM as the code name for Bir- 
 mingham, and being desirous of finding code names for the oflBces on the local system 
 of Birmingham which should not iaterfere with the general scheme, we have taken 
 for the initial of their code names the letter Q which is wanted for scarcely any places. 
 
 _ Beniarks for the 
 Counter Clerks. 
 
 Name of 
 Divisional 
 Engineer. 
 
 Transmitting 
 Offices. 
 
 • 
 
 Hours of Attendance. 
 
 Code 
 Signal. 
 
 Telegraph Offices. 
 
 Head 
 
 On Week Days. 
 
 On Sundays. 
 
 Fost Olnce or 
 County. 
 
 
 
 
 A.M. P.M. A.M. 
 
 P.M. 
 
 
 
 
 
 Graves - 
 
 General 
 
 Open always. 
 
 — 
 
 B M 
 
 BIRMINGHAM (Can- 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 non Street). 
 
 
 
 Graves 
 
 BM 
 
 , 8.0—8.0 
 
 — 
 
 
 
 Q B A 
 
 Aston Street. 
 
 
 
 Graves 
 
 BM 
 
 8.0—8.0 
 
 — 
 
 
 
 Q B B 
 Q B C 
 
 Barker Street. 
 Bloonisbury. 
 
 
 
 Graves •■ 
 
 BM 
 
 8.0—8.0 
 
 — 
 
 
 
 Q B D 
 
 Bristol Road. 
 
 
 
 Graves 
 
 BM 
 
 8.0—8.0 
 
 — 
 
 
 
 QBE 
 
 Conntitution Hill. 
 
 
 
 Graves - 
 
 BM 
 
 8.0—8.0 
 
 — 
 
 
 
 Q B F 
 
 Deritend. 
 
 
 
 Graves 
 
 BM 
 
 9.0—6.0 
 
 
 
 
 
 Q B C 
 
 Exchange. 
 
 
 
 Graves - 
 
 BM 
 
 8.0—8.0 
 
 — 
 
 
 
 Q B H 
 
 Fiveways. 
 
 
 The foU 
 
 awing fu 
 
 rther extra 
 
 ot will probably suffice 
 
 a,s an illustration of the e 
 
 -xi sting 
 
 code. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Eemarks for the 
 
 Name of 
 Divisional 
 
 Transmitting 
 Offices. 
 
 Hours of Attendance. 
 
 Code 
 Signal. 
 
 Telegraph Offices. 
 
 Head 
 Post Office or 
 
 guidance of 
 
 
 
 Counter Clerks. 
 
 Engineer. 
 
 On Week Days. 
 
 On Sundays. 
 
 
 County. 
 
 
 
 
 A.M. P.M. 
 
 A.M. 
 
 P.M. 
 
 C IVI T 
 
 Cottingham 
 
 Hull. 
 
 
 Walsh 
 
 BHK 
 
 7.0—8.0 
 
 8.0—10.0 
 
 
 C M X 
 
 Coundon 
 
 Bishop Auck- 
 land. 
 
 
 Graves - 
 
 BM, LE, TS 
 
 7.0—12.0 
 
 7.0—10.0 
 
 
 C V 
 C N A 
 C N C 
 
 COVENTRY. 
 Chapeljieidst 
 Hill Field. 
 
 
 
 Graves 
 
 CF.SX 
 
 7.0—8.0 
 
 7.0—10.0 
 
 
 
 C N E 
 C N G 
 
 COWBRIDGE. 
 Cowden 
 
 Eden-Bridge. 
 
 
 Preece 
 
 so 
 
 7.0—8.0 
 
 7.30—10.0 
 
 
 
 C N 1 
 C N K 
 
 COWES, Isle of Wight. 
 Cowfold 
 
 Horsham. 
 
 
 Walsh 
 
 FH 
 
 7.0—8.0 
 
 8.0—10.0 
 
 
 
 C N IVI 
 C N O 
 
 Cojdioe 
 Cradley Heath 
 
 FerryhiU. 
 Brierley Hill. 
 
 
 Walsh 
 
 NT 
 
 7.0—8.0 
 
 7.30—10.0 
 
 
 
 CNR 
 
 Cramlington - 
 
 New.-on-Tyne. 
 
 
 Preece - 
 
 SA 
 
 8.0—8.0 
 
 8.0—10.0 
 
 
 C N T 
 
 Cranbonrne 
 
 SjMsbury. 
 
 
 Preece - 
 
 AD 
 
 7.0—9.0 
 
 7.0—10.0 
 
 1 
 J 
 
 C N V 
 C N X 
 C N Z 
 
 Cranhrook 
 Cranleigh 
 Craven Arms 
 
 Staplehurst. 
 
 Guildford. 
 
 Salop. 
 
 
 Preece - 
 
 TS 
 
 7.0—9.0 
 
 r7.0 — 8.0 
 19.0—10.0 
 
 C Y 
 
 CRAWLEY 
 
 
 The preparation of this code was one of the many pieces of work which the Depart- 
 ment was compelled to accomplish, but which could not make any show whatever. 
 
 It was also necessary to prepare complete " Instructions to the persons who were to 
 " be engaged in receiving telegrams from the public, or in transmitting or receiving 
 " these telegrams by wire, or in delivering them, or in bringing to account the charges 
 " for transmission and delivery." These instructions accompany this report. They 
 contain a complete statement of the mode in which I intended the work to be done, 
 and a pattern of every form or book of account which I designed to use. No pains 
 were spared to make them full, but at the same time simple, no*r, though they fill 
 31 quarto pages, was there anything in them that could with propriety be omitted. 
 
 Tliey were followed by a paper of seven pages relative to the inland tariff and the 
 rules for the transmission of inland messages, and by a paper respecting the tariff and 
 regulations for the transmission of Continental and Indian and American messages, 
 which latter paper was accompanied by a list of foreign stations, and filled 48 quarto 
 
 ^ These last papers were intended partly for the guidance of the officers and partly for 
 
 exhibition to the public. ,i_ i 
 
 Some additions to, but scarcely any changes in the rules and regulations thus drawn 
 up have been made since they were issued. The system is conducted as nearly as 
 possible in the manner prescribed before the transfer took place, but as a matter of 
 course some time elapsed before the whole of the regulations were generaUy under- 
 stood and systematically enforced. 
 
 The Transfer. 
 6 Under circumstances such as those which have been described in the foregoing 
 pao-es the general transfer took place on the 5th February. It will be apparent that 
 
 I 3 
 
70 
 
 much of what we hoped to have done prior to that time was unavoidably incomplete 
 when the moment for the transfer arrived, and that it was absolutely impossible that 
 we could start with anything like an approach to a perfect system. - 1 propose now to 
 show what we really have been able to accomplish up to the present time, and what 
 we still have in hand and are about immediately to complete, and I think that I shall 
 best be able to put before you a complete statement of the system as it is and as it,. 
 will be if I give a fuU description of our central station in Telegraph Street, and of "^ 
 the business as it is transacted there. 
 
 I shall be able in the course of the description to show in what respects the London 
 sys1;em differs from or resembles that of our provincial offices, and thus make the 
 description of the system of the central station serve for a description of the entire 
 system of the kingdom. 
 
 The Centeal Station. 
 
 The central station is situated in Telegraph Street, which is a small street opening 
 out of the east side of Moorgate Street. The building was acquired from the Electric 
 and International Company, who had built it on ground leased from the Glothworker's 
 Company. I propose presently to insert diagrams of the second and third floors of the 
 building which are exclusively devoted to the receipt and transmission of messages. 
 Erom these diagrams it will be seen that the buildings consist of a main body and 
 two wings. The erection of the wings was of later date than that of the main body, ' 
 and as a matter of course this piecemeal erection has prevented us from making so 
 satisfactory an arrangement of the work as would have been possible if the building 
 had been erected at one time and with one purpose. The building consists of a 
 basement floor, a ground floor, and a first, a second, and a third floor. Under the 
 Electric Company the basement was set apart for the engine room, the messengers' 
 waiting room and dining room, and the store rooms. The first floor was set apart for 
 the accountants' and engineers' offices ; the second floor for the board room, and the 
 rooms of the Secretariat and the Intelligence Department. The second floor was mainly 
 given up to the dining rooms of the female and male staff. The third floor was devoted 
 to the receipt and transmission of messages. There was some vacant space on each 
 floor in the wings, which were not finished until shortly before the transfer, and on the 
 ground floor and first floor space was found for the Anglo- American Company and the 
 Indo-European Company, who were sub-tenants of the Electric Company. The building 
 has been entirely re-arranged by the Post Office. The whole of the third and second! 
 floors (with the exception of a small room on the second" floor which has been allotted 
 to.Mr. JEaton, who has charge of the lines) has been given up to the work connected 
 with the receipt and transmission of messages. On the first floor, offices for the 
 engineering staff and the superintendent of the station have been retained, but the 
 board room and the rooms of the Secretariat have been converted into a dining room 
 and kitchen for the female staff, and a sitting room for their matron. On the ground 
 floor, space has been found for a " sending out " or delivery room, with a retiring room 
 for the female sending out clerks; for the messengers' dining room, and for the office 
 of their inspectors ; for the dining rooms of the male staff; for a writing room for the. 
 Press ; for the surgbry and consulting room of the medical officer ; for the Intelligence 
 Department, and for the engineers' workshops. The basement has been appropriated 
 to the engines, the batteries, and the stores. The Anglo-American Company and the 
 Indo-European Company still occupy the rooms which they leased from the Electric 
 Company. 
 
 The following diagrams show the arrangement of the instruments and other 
 mechanical appHances in the rooms set apart for the reception and transmission of ' 
 messages. I will proceed first to the description of the work done in what is called 
 •'The Provincial Gallery," which is on the third floor of the building. 
 
a 
 
 The central station is in the main what the Post Office would call a " forwarding" 
 and what_ the Telegraph Companies called a " transmiting " stations, that is to say, its 
 chief business consists in the receipt of messages from one place for re-transmission to 
 some other place. It does receive some messages for delivery within a certain area, 
 and, during the night, it is open for the collection of messages from the public ; but its 
 work is mainly that of re-transmission. It receives and despatches messages by 
 pneumatic tubes and by wires. 
 
 Pneumatic Tubes. 
 
 The position of these tubes, which are arranged immediately opposite to the entrance 
 from the Metropolitan Gallery, is shown on the diagram. The tubes are in a minor 
 degree used to connect the Provincial Gallery with other parts of the central station, 
 but mainly to connect the central station with certain other stations which collect or 
 coUect and deliver more messages than we could conveniently and expeditiously 
 transmit by wire. Two systems of working the pneumatic tubes are in operation in 
 Telegraph Street — the system of Mr. Latimer Clark, which had been adopted by the 
 Electric Company long prior to the transfer, and the system of the Messrs. Siemens, 
 which has been introduced into this country for the first time by this Department. The 
 following statement gives the direction, length, and diameter of each of the tubes 
 worked on Mr. Latimer Clark's system, and the time occupied in the transmission of a 
 carrier through each according as the carriers are propelled or sucked through the 
 tubes. The tubes against the names of which an asterisk has been placed are house 
 tubes. Those which are marked with a dagger have been laid down by the Department. 
 
 Retubn showing the Number of Pneumatic Tubes worked on Oiark's System in 
 London, and the Time occupied in the Transmission of Messa&es, &c. 
 
 
 
 Indicated 
 
 
 
 Time occupied 
 
 From 
 
 To 
 
 Horse 
 
 Length 
 
 Diameter 
 
 in Transmission. 
 
 (Engine Station). 
 
 Power of 
 
 of Tube. 
 
 of Tube. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Engine, 
 
 
 
 Pressure. 
 
 Vacuum. 
 
 
 
 
 Yards. 
 
 Inches. 
 
 Min. sec. 
 
 Min. sec. 
 
 Telegraph Street - 
 
 Fenchurch Street 
 
 40 
 
 980 
 
 2i 
 
 1 5 
 
 1 20 
 
 . 
 
 Leadenhall Street 
 
 
 659 
 
 2J 
 
 35 
 
 38 
 
 t "> 
 
 Baltic Coffee House 
 
 
 590 
 
 H 
 
 35 
 
 38 
 
 
 Gresham House 
 
 
 588 
 
 H 
 
 40 
 
 51 
 
 . . 
 
 Threadneedle Street 
 
 
 566 
 
 H 
 
 34 
 
 481 
 
 ^, . - 
 
 Threadneedle Street 
 
 
 559 
 
 4 
 
 32 
 
 452 
 
 . 
 
 Cornhill 
 
 
 490 
 
 H 
 
 37 
 
 40 
 
 - 
 
 Old Broad Street - 
 
 
 370 
 
 H 
 
 25 
 
 29* 
 
 t » 
 
 Lloyd's 
 
 
 343 
 
 H 
 
 17 
 
 25* 
 
 
 Stock Exchange - 
 
 
 314 
 
 H 
 
 15 
 
 15 
 
 _ 
 
 Founder's Court - - . 
 
 
 223 
 
 li 
 
 13 
 
 14 
 
 ., 
 
 *Anglo- American Office - 
 
 
 62 
 
 2i 
 
 5 
 
 6 
 
 - 
 
 *Indo-European Office 
 
 
 57 
 
 2i 
 
 5 
 
 5 
 
 - . 
 
 •Engineer's Office 
 
 
 50 
 
 H 
 
 4 
 
 5 
 
 . - 
 
 *South Gallery - 
 
 
 50 
 
 2i 
 
 — 
 
 — 
 
 „ - - 
 
 "Intelligence Department 
 
 
 44 
 
 H 
 
 5 
 
 6 
 
 t " - ■ 
 
 •Metropolitan Gallery - 
 
 Total length, yards - 
 
 - 
 
 29 
 
 2\ 
 
 5 
 
 4 
 
 / ; ( 
 
 5,974 
 
 
 It would be impossible to serve the above-named stations properly in any other way 
 than by pneumatic tube. The messages sent from and to those stations are very 
 important as well as very numerous. They are, moreover, crowded into the busy part 
 of the day, between the hours of 11 a.m. and 4 p.m., and they are liable to sudden 
 augmentations when the turn of an important market, or the declaration of a new rate 
 of discount, or a political crisis gives a stimulus to trade or to speculation. It 
 would be impossible in the case of such offices to make such a provision of wires or 
 staff as would enable us to get the T^'ork off promptly, but the tubes which will 
 tranBmit, according to their diameter, from 8 to^ 20 messages in one carrier, give us 
 the facilities which we require. - , .l ^ ^ 
 
 It will be observed that the whole of the above-described tubes work eastwards Irom 
 Telegraph Street. The Electric Company had no tubes to the west, but it was obvious 
 tome before the transfer took place that, looking to the great increase of business 
 which might be expected to foUow the transfer, it would be necessary for the Depart- 
 
 I 4 
 
n 
 
 ment to lay tubes to stations west of Telegraph Street. I felt that it would be absolutely 
 necessary for us to connect Telegraph Street with the General Post Office, and with 
 our offices at Temple Bar, and Charing Cross, and I was very anxious also to connect 
 it with the House of Commons. Other offices in a westerly direction are likely to 
 require a tube service, but to these I need not now refer. More than four years ago, 
 when I was engaged under the direction of Lord Stanley of Alderley in making inquiry 
 as to the soundness of the proposals for the transfer of the telegraphs to Government, 
 the Messrs. Siemens and Halske of London and Berlin, brought under my notice a 
 system of pneumatic tubes which they had devised, and which they had brought into 
 actual operation in Berlin. Their letters to me on this subject were printed in the 
 appendix to my first report (July 1866). 
 
 In the autumn of 1868, Mr. William Page, of this office, was required to visit Berlin 
 on Post Office busiiiess, and was requested to inspect and report upon the working of 
 the system which the Messrs. Siemens had established in that city. His report is 
 contained in the volume of printed papers which accompanies this report. When it 
 became obvious that it was necessary for us to connect Telegraph Street with the 
 westward stations which I have named, it appeared both to Mr. Culley and myself that 
 the time had arrived when it would be well to give the system of Messrs. Siemens a 
 trial. By means of that system the central station and the General Post Office have 
 for some months been connected, and within the last few days the system has been 
 extended to our office at Temple Bar. The extension to Charing Cross is in hand. 
 
 The Central station, the General Post Office, and the Temple Bar office are now 
 connected by a double tube, forming a complete circuit, and having a column of air 
 always passing through it. The air is moved either by pressure or by vacuum, or by 
 pressure and vacuum. The diameter of the tube is 3 inches ; the length of double 
 tube from Telegraph Street to the General Post Office if 852x2 yards; the length 
 from the General Post Office to the Temple Bar office is 1333 x 2 yards. 
 
 The double tube forms what may be called a pneumatic railway, with an up liae 
 and a down line having their termini in Telegraph Street and at Temple Bar, and an 
 intermediate station at the General Post Office. The up and down lines may be open 
 through their entire length, or may be blocked by switch boxes at the intermediate 
 station. The terminal stations can send carriers through to each other without stop at 
 the intermediate station, or can send carriers to be stopped by the switch-box at the 
 intermediate station, and the intermediate station when it knows a through carrier to 
 be coming for one of the termini, can, if it happens to have any messages of its own 
 for that terminus, switch out the through carrier, insert its own messages, and send 
 the carrier on again without any appreciable delay. The tube being of large size the 
 carriers are proportionately large, and each will hold about 50 messages. When 
 pressure and vacuum are employed the distance between Telegraph Street and Temple 
 Bar is traversed in three minutes. When vacuum only is employed five minutes 
 are required for the transmission. The tube is now working much within its power 
 and yet is doing work which fully occupied six wires and 12 clerks. If the extension 
 to Charing Cross be successful, as there is every reason to suppose, the tube wUl take 
 up with ease the work of 12 more clerks.. 
 
 The Hne is worked on the railway block system, being fitted for that purpose with 
 Tyer's patent train signalHng apparatus. The following instructions which have been 
 drawn up for the use of the intermediate station will show the working of the system. 
 
 General Post Office. 
 
 Instructions for working Pneumatic Pipes, 
 
 The Up Pipe is intended for traffic to the City. 
 The Down Pipe „ „ from „ 
 
 The Black indicator records signals last received. 
 The Red „ „ „ sent. 
 
 TuRonGH Carriers. 
 Telegraph Street to Temple Bwr. 
 
 1. Telegraph Street will, in all cases, signal a carrier leaving his station for Temple Bar by giving 
 
 fuor beats on your gong, which you will acknowledge by pressing the plunger marked Train 
 ON Line four times. 
 
 2. On the arrival of the carrier you will acknowledge it by pressing the plunger marked Line 
 
 Clear once, Telegraph Street will acknowledge this signal by ringing your gong once. 
 
 3. You will immediately signal this on to Temple Bar, by pressing the plunger marked Gong four 
 
 times; Temple Bar will acknowledge this by repeatmg your signal on the Bell, and moving 
 your Black indicator to Train on Line. 
 
V3 
 
 4. On the arrival of the carrier at Temple Bar, that station will ring your Beil once, and move 
 your Black indicator to Line Clear. You will acknowledge this signal by pressing the 
 plunger marked Grong once. 
 
 Should a second through carrier reach your station before the acknowledgment of the first 
 has been signalled, you will allow it to proceed, but on receiving the acknowledgment of the 
 arrival of the first, you will immediately signal the second forward. 
 
 If a carrier belonging to another station be stopped in error, it is to be immediately for- 
 warded to its destination. 
 
 Carriers for St. Martin's will be White. 
 „ „ Temple Bar „ Green. 
 
 The arrangements of the tubes are not precisely the same as those which are in use 
 in Berlin, but the systems are alike in principle. 
 
 Mr. Oulley and Mr. Eaton have exerted themselves greatly to perfect the system, 
 and I think it likely that the Messrs. Siemens would gladly hear witness to the value 
 of their exertions. 
 
 In a previous part of this report I have stated that the Department has extended 
 the pneumatic tube system in the large provincial towns. The following statement 
 gives the direction, lecgth, and dimensions, &c. of these tubes. 
 
 ETUEN showing the Ntjmbee of Pneumatic Tubes in Peovincia.l Towns, and the 
 OCCUPIED in the Transmission of Messages, &c. 
 
 (The tubes marked * have been laid since the Transfer."! 
 
 Timb 
 
 Toirn. 
 
 From 
 (Engine Station). 
 
 To 
 
 Indicated 
 
 Horse 
 
 Power of 
 
 Engine. 
 
 Length 
 of Tube. 
 
 Diameter 
 ofTahe. 
 
 Time occupied in 
 Transmission. 
 
 Kemarks. 
 
 
 Pressure. 
 
 Vacumn. 
 
 
 VERPOOI. - 
 
 ♦General Post Office 
 
 * 
 
 * „ Counter 
 
 York Street 
 
 * 
 
 J) 
 
 )) 
 
 Exchange Buildings 
 
 * 
 * 
 
 *General Post Office 
 
 Exchange - 
 Water Street 
 Gallery 
 
 Total length, yar 
 
 Ducie Buildings - 
 Mosley Street 
 Post Office - 
 Counter ... 
 
 Total length, yar 
 
 New Street Ey. Station 
 Cannon Street 
 Post Office - 
 
 Total length, yar 
 Koyal Exchange - 
 
 17 
 
 )? 
 )J 
 
 ds 
 13 
 
 » 
 
 ds - 
 3 
 
 »J 
 
 ds 
 7 
 
 Yards. 
 
 791 
 
 797 
 
 24 
 
 Inches. 
 
 n 
 
 li 
 
 H' 
 
 1* 
 i| 
 i| 
 
 2i 
 
 Min. sec. 
 
 45 
 
 1 5 
 4 
 
 29 
 16 
 8^ 
 2 
 
 6^ 
 11 
 24 
 
 22 
 
 Min. sec. 
 57^- 
 
 30 
 17 
 9 
 2 
 
 30 
 
 
 
 1,612 
 
 
 iNCHESTER 
 
 500 
 300 
 225 
 
 17 
 
 These tubes 
 
 are all 
 
 > worked on 
 
 Clark's 
 
 system. 
 
 
 1,042 
 
 RMINGHAM 
 
 140 
 240 
 318 
 
 
 698 
 
 
 :-ASGOW - 
 
 242 
 
 
 Three tubes, one of 1,530 yards and two of 700 yards each, are being laid down in 
 Dublin. 
 
 SoRTATioN OP Messages. 
 
 , In the Provincial Gallery and immediately in front of the pneumatic tubes are the 
 sating tables at which the sortation of the messages coming through the tubes from 
 the collecting stations, and of the messages going through the tubes to the delivering 
 stations, is effected. Taking first the sortation of the messages coming through the tubes 
 from the collecting stations for re-transmission by Telegraph Street, I may observe that 
 they have to be re-transmitted either to some other part of London, or to some part of 
 the country, or abroad. If they are to be sent to some other part of London, they are 
 sent down to the Metropolitan Gallery. If they are to be sent to America, they are 
 sent to the joint office of the Anglo-American and Prench Atlantic Compames. If 
 they are to be sent to India, they are sent, in accordance with the directions of their 
 senders, either to the Indo-European Company, or to the joint office of the British 
 Indian Submarine Company, and the Falmouth, Malta, and Gibraltar Company. If 
 
 27031. 
 
 K 
 
74 
 
 tli^y are to be Sent to any"pai?t of the Ooiituieiit, except the parts served by the cables 
 of the Great Northern (Danish Norwegian) Telegraph Company, they are sent to the 
 Submarine Telegraph Company in Threadneedle Street, who work the cables between 
 this country and Ei'ance and Belgiumj which are their own property, and also those 
 between this country and SoUaiid, and this country and Nordemey on the coast of 
 Hanover, which are the property of this Department. Messages intended for those 
 parts of the Continent which are served by the cables of the Great Northern Telegraph 
 Company, are sent to the Newcastle and Edinbtitgh circuits. Messages intended for 
 transmission to some provincial place, are sorted to one of the four great divisions ia 
 which the provincial circuits h£lve been arranged. These are : — 
 
 1. Cii'cuits for the west and south-west of England and the Channel Islands ; D. 
 
 2. Circuits for the east and south-east of England ; B. - 
 
 3. Circuits for the north-east and north of England, and for Scotland ; 0. 
 
 4. Circuits for the north-west of England, Ireland, and the Isle of Man. A. 
 
 These divisions are respectively under the control of the under-mentioned female ' 
 clerks in charge : — 
 
 Miss Hayward, 
 . Miss Noakes, 
 Miss Greer, and 
 Miss Ward. 
 
 The sorting table for messages coming through the tubes from the collecting oflSces 
 is therefore thus subdivided : — 
 
 1. Pan for Miss Hayward's division ; 
 
 2. „ Miss Noakes' division ; 
 Miss Greer's division ; 
 Miss Ward's division ; 
 Metropolitan GaUery; 
 Eoreign Parts ; 
 
 3. 
 
 4. 
 6. 
 6. 
 
 7. Spare; 
 
 8. BHnd. 
 
 Each of the four divisions of the provincial gallery is provided with a sorting table 
 similarly arranged, with the slight exception that the seventh pan is appropriated 
 to messages which are to be delivered from Telegraph Street, or from some one of the 
 •offices which are connected with Telegraph Street by tube. The eighth pan is in all 
 cases a " blind " pan, and devoted to messages the circulation of which is doubtful. 
 The term " blind " has long been applied in the Post Office to the sorter who deals with 
 letters of doubtful circulation, or which have been illegibly or imperfectly addressed. 
 
 The following examples will serve still further to illustrate the system of sortation : 
 
 (a.) A message from Eenchurch Street for Glasgow, or for a station to which Glasgow, 
 transmits, is sorted at the tube sorting table to Miss Greer's division, and 
 carried by one of Miss Greer's collectors to the Glasgow circuits. 
 
 (6.) A message coming from Manchester for transmission to Exeter, is taken from 
 the Manchester circuits in Miss Ward's division to the sorting table of her 
 division, and sorted to Miss Hayward's division, and carried by Miss Hayward's 
 collectors to the Exeter circuits. 
 
 (c?.) A message coming from Hull for delivery from Telegraph Street, or from the 
 offices connected by tube with Telegraph Street, is carried from the Hull 
 circuits in Miss Noakes' division to the sorting table of that division, where 
 it is sorted to the delivery pan, and thence carried to the delivery table ia' 
 front of the tubes. Here it is sorted to the tube by which it is to be sent out 
 for delivery. 
 
 The messages passing in and out of the station are recorded and numbered at the 
 sorting tables to which they are carried, and an accurstte numerical account of them 
 is compiled daily. At the delivery table again, an account is kept from hour to hour 
 of the number of messages sent out for delivery in each hour ; so that the superin- 
 tendent of the station may see whether the work is progressing at the proper rate. 
 
 The greatest number of messages which have as yet passed through this station in a 
 day passed on the 18th July 1870 when the war panic was at its height, and 20,595 
 
76 
 
 messages passed. Of those nearly 11,000 came in by wire, and went out by wire, 
 and thus gave rise to two distinct telegraphic operations. 
 
 Fortunately our organization was so complete, and our staif so well trained by this 
 time, that the work was done much better and more expeditiously than at the outset 
 of our undertaking, when the average number of messages passing through the station 
 daily did not exceed 13,000. 
 
 I have nothing to add to this part of my statement but that the Provincial Gallery 
 is connected with the Metropolitan Gallery by a tube and a lift, the position of which 
 is shown on the diagrams, and that both the Provincial and Metropolitan Galleries are 
 connected with the sending out room on the ground floor by shoots. 
 
 Wire Oiecuits. 
 
 The bulk of the work done at the central station consists, as I have already stated, 
 of the receipt of messages by wire for re-transmission by wire. Nearly 300 wire circuits 
 work into and out of the central station. Many of these circuits accommodate more 
 than one station, but on the other hand many stations, as for example Liverpool and 
 Manchester, require much more than one circuit. The result is that the central 
 station is in direct communication with about as many stations as there are circuits 
 working from it, that is with about 115 Metropolitan stations and about 190 provin- 
 cial stations. As I have already shown, the circuits are arranged geographically. In 
 addition to this the circuits serving any one town or district are placed side by side. 
 All the Liverpool circuits are ia one room ; and all the Charing Cross, or all the 
 House of Commons circuits are located together. The advantages of this arrangement 
 are obvious. The clerks in charge can at a glance see whether the wires serving an 
 important town or district are all equally busy, and can make arrangements for feeding 
 all circuits equally with messages. The geographical arrangement of circuits has been 
 carried out in every large town in the kingdom. 
 
 Instruments. 
 
 The Department employs almost every form, if not quite every form, of instrument 
 known to the telegraph companies, but it has made strenuous efforts to discontiaue 
 the use of the less perfect, and to extend the use of the more perfect forms. 
 
 We have considerably extended the use of Wheatstone's A, B, C, iustrument, which 
 was originally designed to work on private wires between offices and factories, but was 
 also used by the Universal Private Telegraph Company for the transmission of public 
 messages on their West Highland lines. This instrument, partly because it is fur- 
 nished with a bell or alarum which enables the sender to engage the attention of the 
 receiver, and partly because on it the messages are spelt out to sender and receiver 
 by the motion of a needle or pointer round a dial on which the letters of the alphabet 
 are printed, is peculiarly suited to our smallest offices, which are kept by persons who 
 cannot watch the instrument continuously, but require to have their iattention called 
 to it from time to time, and who are, moreover, unable to accomplish the manipulation 
 of the more difficult instruments. In Telegraph Street this instrument, as the 
 diagrams show, is used only on quasi-private wires, but we are rapidly extending its 
 employment on rural circuits. 
 
 The Department has introduced very largely an improved form of single needle 
 instrument. Signals on this instrument, as I have abeady stated, are composed of 
 turns (of the top of the needle) to the right or to the left. In the old form of instru- 
 ment the motions of the needle were produced by turning a pendent handle ; in the 
 form introduced by the Department the motions of the needle are produced by depres- 
 sing two tappers or pedals resembling the keys of a piano. This form of single needle 
 instrument can be and is used in circuit with Bright's Bell instrument which is also 
 worked by keys or tappers. 
 
 This last-named instrument, when it is on a good wire, and worked by a thoroughly 
 practised clerk, capable of adjusting it as circumstances require, is one of great value. 
 I have constantly witnessed the transmission by it of 50 messages per wire per hour, 
 for several consecutive hours. But as it is not a recording instrument, as it requires 
 twice as much regulation as an ordinary Morse printing iustrument requires, and as it 
 does not admit of the application of "double current," the best stimulus to weak wires, 
 Mr. CuUey considers that the use of it should be discouraged, and that if we are to, 
 work much with non-recording and acoustic instruments we should have recourse to 
 
 K 2 
 
76 
 
 the American " Sounder," wMcli is at once more easy to regulate and to work than 
 the heU. 
 
 We have also largely extended the use of " douhle current " Morse instruments. 
 Indeed, if we had not done this, some of our wires would scarcely have heen workable 
 up to the present time. 
 
 There are two descriptions of Morse printing instrument, one which indents^ or 
 embosses the dots and dashes on a paper riband, and one which writes them Ayith ink 
 on the riband. The marks made by the embosser are not so easily read, especially by 
 a bad Ught, as those made by the inker. We have extended the use of the inker, and 
 there is a general demand for it from all stations. Mr. Culley, however, remembers 
 the time when there was a strong prejudice agaiast it, and when it was necessary to 
 introduce it by compulsion. Much the same antipathy- was at first exhibited towards 
 the single needles with tappers which we have introduced in preference to the needles 
 with drop handles. 
 
 We propose gradually to transfer the existing Morse embossers to less important 
 stations untU they are worn out ; to convert them, when we can do so, into inkers, and 
 to use some of them as dummies in the instruction of learners. 
 
 I have already alluded to the extended use made by the Department of Varley's 
 undemagnetisable coils. 
 
 We have also paid great attention to the working of the " Hughes type printing 
 instrument." Tbis most beautiful instrument, which prints its messages at both ends 
 of the line in Roman type on a riband of paper, was in use in this country prior to the 
 transfer, by the United Kingdom Company only. The instruments handed over to us 
 by that company were of the oldest form, and in the opinion of Professor Hughes, the 
 inventor, their working had been impeded by certain electrical arrangements which the 
 officers of the company had erroneously thought it necessary to superadd. 
 
 The instruments which we are now using are either quite new, with all the latest 
 improvements, or are repaired instruments, with the latest improvements added. In 
 their re-arrangement we have had the benefit of the advice and assistance of Professor 
 Hughes. Mr. OuUey, who has studied the working of these instruments on the Con- 
 tinent, where they are largely used, thinks it desirable that they should be concentrated 
 in large offices, where there is a staff competent to attend to then* adjustment and 
 regulation — matters of some difficulty. We are accordingly working them now on five 
 circuits between London and Liverpool, and on two between London and Manchester, 
 and we propose shortly to employ them between Manchester and Liverpool. 
 
 We shall extend their use as we can obtain instruments. Unfortunately we have 
 10 locked up in Paris where they were sent for repair ; whilst the manufacture of 
 some new instruments which we ordered from Berlin has been retarded by the scarcity 
 of hands there. In proportion to the staff requhed to work it, this instrument turns 
 out more work than any other. A Hughes cii'cidt with one clerk at each end can 
 turn out 60 messages an hour ready printed for delivery. But it has this additional 
 advantage. The message which it sends is jprinted simultaneously at both ends of the 
 circuit, and whatever is printed at one end must be printed at the other. Thus the 
 sender can see whether he is sending a message in accordance with the copy before 
 him, and if he makes blunders can immediately correct them. Por this reason the 
 instrument is peculiarly adapted for messages in foreign languages, and for code or 
 cipher messages, and where we use it we employ it primarily for such messages. 
 
 We have taken especial pains to extend and improve the working of the Wheat- 
 stone automatic instrument. This instrument consists of two parts. By one part, 
 which is called a puncher or perforator, the signals representing the messages are 
 punched out on a riband of- paper. The punched riband is then passed through 
 the other part which is called the transmitter, and which transmits the signals 
 automatically and with unerring accuracy to the other end of the line. The trans- 
 mitter can work up to 180 words a minute, but the punching, which is done by hand, 
 rarely gets beyond a rate of 40 words a minute. Nor could one clerk at the receiving 
 end write out, as a general rule, more than 40 words a minute. In order, therefore, 
 to get the full value out of the instrument, by equalising the speed of the punchers and 
 writers with that of the transmitters, it is necessary to employ several punchers and 
 writers to every transmitter, to punch the messages in batches, by several hands, and 
 to divide the received riband amongst several writers. By these means the transmitters 
 are fed with the required rapidity. Prior to the transfer, this instrument was in use 
 only between London and Newcastle, London and Ediaburgh, and London and 
 Glasgow, and it did not in practice turn out more than 60 messages per hour on 
 
^? 
 
 any one circuit. Now, however, thanks to the pains which Mr. Culley has bestowed 
 upon the arrangement of the instrument itself, and thanks also to the attention •which 
 Mr. Mscher, the superintendent in Telegraph Street, and some of the leading officers 
 in the country, amongst whom I may especially mention Mr. Beaufort, the postmaster 
 of Manchester, have given to the organisation of the staff, we constantly get 90 
 messages per hour on each of many circuits, and have often done 150 to 160 messages 
 an hour on some circuits. The following return shows the work done by one Man- 
 chester Wheatstone circuit in each hour of the day between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m. on the 
 10th instant. It is rather below the average work of this circuit. 
 
 Manchester — ^Wheatstone. 
 
 January 10th, 1871. 
 
 
 Time. 
 
 Messages 
 forwarded. 
 
 Messages 
 received. 
 
 Total. 
 
 Remarks. 
 
 
 
 10 to 1 1 a.m. 
 
 46 
 
 23 
 
 69 
 
 Clear. 
 
 
 
 11 » 12 „ 
 
 65 
 
 60 
 
 125 
 
 — 
 
 
 
 12 „ 1p.m. 
 
 67 
 
 63 
 
 130 
 
 — 
 
 
 
 1 „ 2 „ 
 
 66 
 
 71 
 
 137 
 
 — 
 
 
 
 2 „ 3 „ 
 
 52 
 
 66 
 
 118 
 
 ■ — 
 
 
 
 3 „ 4 „ 
 
 31 
 
 36 
 
 67 
 
 Clear. 
 
 
 
 4 „ 5 „ 
 
 20 
 
 31 
 
 51 
 
 )j 
 
 
 
 5 „ 6 „ 
 
 18 
 
 24 
 
 42 
 
 jj 
 
 
 
 6 „ 7 „ 
 
 9 
 
 22 
 
 31 
 
 j» 
 
 
 
 7 „ 8 „ 
 
 9 
 
 20 
 
 29 
 
 jj 
 
 
 
 799 
 
 
 The return shows that more than 500 messages were sent on one wire in four hours. 
 With the ordinary Morse instrument not more than 40 messages per hour could be 
 sent regularly on one wire ; so that the automatic instrument may be said to have 
 trebled the power of the wire. In times of great pressure, and when either from a 
 sudden glut of business, or from the breaking down of wires, there is a superabundance 
 of messages to be sent over one wire, we can, by putting on additional staff, and 
 working the instrument at high speed, make one wire do the work of four. 
 
 Some time before the transfer, in anticipation of the increase of business which we 
 expected to accrue, a considerable number of automatic instruments was ordered. It 
 was not imtil after the transfer, however, that the first set was delivered, and they 
 have come in very slowly since, the manufacture having been greatly retarded by the 
 departure of many German workmen from this country. We have, however, brought 
 them into use as fast as we received them, and they are now at work on the following 
 circuits : — 
 
 2 London and Edinburgh. 
 
 2 
 
 Newcastle. 
 
 2 
 
 Liverpool. 
 
 1 
 
 Manchester, 
 
 1 
 
 Glasgow. 
 
 1 
 
 York. 
 
 1 
 
 Hull. 
 
 1 
 
 Leeds. 
 
 1 
 
 Bradford. 
 
 1 
 
 Cardiff. 
 
 1 
 
 Plymouth. 
 
 1 
 
 Exeter. 
 
 1 
 
 Dublin. 
 
 1 
 
 Cork. 
 
 1 Manchester and Glasgow 
 
 1 Liverpool and Glasgow. 
 
 1 
 
 Belfast. 
 
 Our latest application of the instrument has been to the transmission of news. 
 The punched riband can be passed through almost any number of transmitters in 
 turn, and as the news agencies hand in habitually identical news for a large number 
 
 K 3 
 
^78 
 
 ol towns, we can punch that news and pass one and the same riband through as many 
 transmitters as we please. 
 
 The diagram of the Provincial Gallery shows that on one table we have the following 
 express news circuits : 
 
 1. Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool. 
 
 2. Leeds, Nottingham, Newcastle, Sheffield, Edinburgh, Grlasgow. 
 
 3. Bristol, Cardiff, Newport, Plymouth, Exeter, Gloucester. 
 
 The towns on each of these circuits receive their news simultaneously. Eor some 
 time after the transfer the news was sent on these circuits by the bell instrument, but 
 it is now sent by the Wheatstone transmitter, the receiving stations having been fitted 
 with fast-writing Morse instruments for the purpose. The transmitters for the three 
 circuits are placed in line, and the punched riband runs from the first transmitter to 
 the second and thence to the third. The arrangement greatly accelerates the trans- 
 mission, and as the instrument is a recording and automatic instrument the work is 
 much more accurately done than it could be when the beU was employed. 
 
 Mr. Eaton, Mr. Lumsden, and Mr. Johnstone have carried out this arrangement, 
 and have devoted to it great pains and attention. 
 
 To towns not included in the above-named circuits, but which nevertheless 
 are served by Wheatstone circuits ; the news is also sent through the_Wheatstone 
 transmitter. 
 
 The Electric company used the automatic instrument under an agreement with 
 Sir Charles Wheatstone which the Post Office has inherited. We have been able, 
 however, in view of our extended use of the instrument, to make a much more satis- 
 factory arrangement with him, which I will describe when I come to treat of the 
 financial results of the undertaking. 
 
 I do not know that the Metropolitan GaUery caUs for any special comment. The 
 circuits are arranged geographically, as in the Provincial Gallery, and the general 
 arrangements of both galleries are alike. The chronofer, by which Greenwich time is 
 transmitted automatically to about 20 principal towns in the Kingdom, and by which 
 time guns are fired in different parts of the country, is in this gallery. The Metro- 
 politan Gallery during the day is ujider the general superintendence of Miss Saul, who 
 has several able and diligent assistants, and is herself very able. Miss Day has charge 
 of the staff employed in both galleries in numbering and recording messages prior to 
 transmission, and in s(*ting them after transmission for the Message Account Branch 
 of Mr. Chetwynd's office. 
 
 Pemal:e Statt. 
 
 The staff employed in Telegraph Street throughout the day, that is, from 8 a.m. to 
 8 p.m., is mainly, though not entirely, a female staff. The companies employed a 
 female staff, but we have largely extended the employment of female labour. Eor 
 many reasons I think it is desirable that we should contiaue in this course, but looking 
 at the matter from a purely departmental point of view, I think that their employment 
 is desirable on the following grounds : — 
 
 In the first place, they have in an eminent degree the quickness of eye and ear, and the delicacy 
 of touch, which are essential qualifications of a good operator. 
 
 In the second place, they take more kindly than men or boys do to sedentary employment, and are 
 more patient during long confinement to one place. 
 
 In the third place, the wages, which will draw male operators from but an inferior class of the com- 
 munity, will draw female operators from a superior class. 
 
 Female operators thus drawn from a superior class will, as a rule, write better than the male clerks, 
 and spell more correctly ; and, where the Etas' is mixed, the female clerks will raise the tone of the 
 whole staflT. 
 
 They are also less disposed than men are to combine for the purpose of extorting higher wages, and 
 this is by no means an unimporant matter. 
 
 On one other ground it is especially desirable that we should extend the employment of women. 
 Permanently established civil servants invariably expect their remuneration to increase with their years 
 of service, and they look for this increased remuneration even in the cases, necessarily very numerous 
 in which from the very nature of their employment they can be of no more use or value in the 20th 
 than in the fifth year of their service. 
 
 There must always be in the Post Office proper, and not less in postal telegraph offices, an immense 
 number of duties which can be and are just as well performeid by a lad of 18 as by a man of .40 ; but 
 when the same person continues to perform the same duty from his 18th to his 40th, year, it is impos- 
 sible permanently to resist his claim for additional remuneration ; and when he continues to perform it 
 to his 60th year, it becomes equally impossible to resist his claim for a retiring allowance. 
 
^79 
 
 Nor would it be possible for long to maintain a rule under which persons employed on certain 
 classes of duties shoald perforce retire after a short term, say five or seven years of service. 
 
 Women, however, will solve those difficulties for the Department by retiring for the purpose of 
 getting married as soon as they get the chance. 
 
 It is true that we do not, as the companies did, punish marriage by dismissal. It is also true that 
 we encourage married women to return to the service; but as a rule those who marry will retire, and 
 those only will return whose married life is less fortunate and prosperous than they had hoped. 
 
 On the whole it may be stated without fear of contradiction that if we place an equal number of 
 females and males on the same ascending scale of pay, the aggregate pay to the females will always be 
 less than the aggregate pay to the -males ; that within a certain range of duty the work will be better 
 done by the females than by the males, because the females will be drawn from a somewhat superior 
 class ; and further, that there will always be fewer females than males on the pension list. 
 
 The female clerks in Telegraph Street are under the charge of a matron, Mrs. Craig, 
 who acted in that capacity for the Electric Company, following the practice of that 
 company, we provide tea and coflfee and bread and butter for them morning and 
 evening. We also provide them with fuel, light, attendance, and culinary utensils, 
 Unen, and crockery, &c., for their kitchen and dining room, but they themselves 
 provide their dinner. Their conduct since the transfer, under circumstances of great 
 pressure, and occasionally of some annoyance, has been beyond all praise. 
 
 We have extended the employment of female labour in other parts of London, and 
 are extending it, as far as is possible, in the provinces. The following statement 
 will show to what extent females were employed by the companies, and are employed 
 by us. 
 
 Return showing the Number of Female Clerks employed by the Telegraph 
 Companies in Great Britain and Ireland immediately prior to the Transfer of 
 the Telegraphs to the Postmaster-General; and the number of Female Clerks 
 employed by the Department in Great Britain and Ireland on the 30th^ September 
 1870,— Counter Clerks and Counter Clerks employed solely for Postal Purposes 
 being distinguished in the last Section from those employed as Operators. 
 
 
 Female Clerks 
 
 • einployed by 
 
 the Telegraph 
 
 Companies 
 
 prior to the 
 
 Transfer. 
 
 Female Clerks employed by the Post Office 
 30ih September 1870. 
 
 on the 
 
 Difference 
 in favour of 
 
 the 
 Department. 
 
 Place, District, or Country. 
 
 Operators. 
 
 Counter Clerks, 
 excluding 
 
 those employed 
 solely for 
 
 Postal Purposes. 
 
 Counter Clerks 
 
 employed solely 
 
 for Postal 
 
 Purposes. 
 
 Total. 
 
 Central Station 
 
 *267 
 
 46S 
 
 — 
 
 — 
 
 466 
 
 199 
 
 •[Of the Electric Company - 192 
 „ United' Kingdom - 30 
 „ London andTrorincial 45] 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Instructresses at School - 
 
 — 
 
 7 
 
 — 
 
 — 
 
 7 
 
 7 
 
 Eastern Central District - 
 
 29 
 
 30 
 
 35 
 
 9 
 
 74 
 
 45 
 
 Offices in other Districts of 
 
 67 
 
 168 
 
 4 
 
 33 
 
 205 
 
 138 
 
 London. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Total for London - 
 
 363 
 
 671 
 
 39 
 
 42 
 
 752t 
 
 389 
 
 Liverpool - - - 
 
 29 
 
 38 
 
 — 
 
 — 
 
 38 
 
 ] ^ 
 
 Other Towns in England - 
 
 14 
 
 10 
 
 — 
 
 — 
 
 10 
 
 J 
 
 Total for England 
 
 406 
 
 719 
 
 39 
 
 42 
 
 800 
 
 394 
 
 Ireland 
 
 69 
 
 87 
 
 — 
 
 — 
 
 87 _ 
 
 28 
 
 Scotland 
 
 14 
 
 14 
 
 — 
 
 
 14 
 
 
 
 Totals 
 
 479 
 
 820 
 
 39 
 
 42 
 
 901 
 
 422 
 
 t Since the transfer 20 female clerks have left the service, for the purpose of being married, ms would give a tot^l of 30 for 
 the year, and would be at the rate of 4 per cent, per annum. But there is at present an abnormal number of very young girls m 
 the service, so that the rate is at present below the average rate. 
 
 K di 
 
80 
 
 Mbsseng-bbs. 
 The following statement shows the unmher of messengers employed by the company 
 and by us : — 
 
 Statement showing the Ntjmbeb of Messengers employed by the Post Opmce for 
 Telegraph Work on the 31st August 1870, and the Number of Messengers 
 employed by the Telegraph Companies prior to the " Transfer." 
 
 Post Office, 31st Augtjst 1870. 
 
 Telegraph Company prior to 
 ihp. "Transfer." 
 
 Messengeks. 
 
 
 
 
 * 
 
 Employed by the 
 
 Postmasters. (Some are 
 
 only occasionally 
 
 employed.) 
 
 Total Number of 
 
 Kegular and Occasional 
 
 Messengers employed 
 
 on Telegraph Work. 
 
 Messengeks. 
 
 Paid by the Department. 
 (Kegular MesscngeiB). 
 
 
 1,434 
 337 
 213 
 818 
 
 268 
 
 32 
 
 11 
 
 3 
 
 1,702 
 369 
 224 
 821 
 
 1,471 
 
 2,802 
 
 314 
 
 3,116 
 
 1,471 
 
 It was the practice of the companies to pay the messengers at certain stations a rate 
 per message delivered, in. lieu of fixed wages. We have extended this practice where- 
 ever business warrants it, and the following statement wUl show the names of tiie 
 stations at which the practice now prevails, and the rate paid at each. 
 
 A Eeturn showing the Postal Telegraph Opeices in London and the Provinces at 
 which the Messengers are paid a Rate per Message, and the E-ate paid in each case. 
 
 
 Office. 
 
 Rate 
 paid. 
 
 Office. 
 
 Bate 
 paid. 
 
 
 
 London. 
 
 
 
 d. 
 
 
 
 
 d. 
 
 Birmingham - - - ' - 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 Central Station - - - - 
 
 1 
 
 Do. , . . . 
 
 Oi 
 
 
 
 E.C. Leadenhall Street 
 
 Oi 
 
 Farnborough Station ... 
 
 l' 
 
 
 Temple Bar 
 Gresliam House 
 
 1 - 
 
 Hull - - . - . 
 
 Leeds - . . . _ 
 
 Of 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 Fenchurch Street 
 8.E. District Office - 
 
 of 
 
 Liverpool - . . . 
 Do. ... 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 S.\T. District Office 
 
 1 
 
 Manchester - - - 
 
 qI 
 
 
 ; Parliament Street 
 
 Of 
 
 Newcastle-on-Tyne - - . 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 W. District Office - 
 
 0| 
 
 Sunderland 
 
 
 
 W.C. District Office - 
 
 Holborn, Inns of Court - 
 
 1 
 1 
 
 Wolverhampton - . . _ 
 
 1 
 
 
 The organisation of the force of messengers was undertaken by Mr. Taylor, who, un- 
 fortunately, has since left the Department for other and more remunerative employment. 
 Obviously, careful organisation was requked. It would be of little use for the Department 
 to employ the best available means for carrying a message over a distance of 500 miles 
 at the rate of 40 words a minute, if when it left the wu-e it were to be delayed while 
 the messenger played at marbles or jumped over posts. And, again, it is obviously of 
 importa,nce that special pains should bo taken to make the messengers, who, as boys, 
 would, of course, rather be dirty than clean, keep themselves and their clothes in 
 a creditable state. To effect these objects Mr. Taylor prepared the following instruc- 
 tions to the boys. 
 
 Instrijctions for Messengers as to Conduct, 
 
 '• 1. Before being placed on duty as messenger, you will be required — 
 
 " I. To make a declaration before a magistrate. 
 
 " II. To attend four drills, including instruction in cleaning your clothes- 
 " A copy of the declaration you will have to make on appointment will be found at the end of these 
 fule's. 
 
81 
 
 <* 2. As soon as you are placed on duty, you must enter your address or place of residence in a 
 register, which will be kept at the office to which you are attached ; and this address you are not to 
 change without letting your superior officer know, and correcting the entry in the register. 
 
 " 3. You will be supplied with the following articles of uniform, viz., a tunic, a pair of trousers, a 
 cap, great coat, belt and pouch, gaiters and boots. 
 
 "You are never to appear on duty except in uniform. From the 1st of November to the 1st of 
 April, you are to come to the office and to leave it with great coat and gaiters; but, during the day, 
 you may, with the permission of your superior officer, leave your great coat behind you, in a place 
 provided for the purpose. 
 
 " You are strictly prohibited from lending or exchanging any part of your uniform. On your quitting 
 the service it is to be returned to your superior officer ; and, meanwhile, any loss or damage to it will 
 be made good at your own expense. 
 
 "4. On the first Monday in each month you are to attend at the Head Post Office of your district — 
 unless you belong to the Eastern Central District, in which case you are to attend at the Central 
 Telegraph Station — for purposes of inspection. On these occasions you are to appear in full uniform, 
 including great coat, and you are to bring your book of rules with you. 
 
 " 5. You are at all times to keep yourself scrupulously clean, and to have your hair short and 
 neatly cut. 
 
 " 6. You should reach the office 15 minutes before the time appointed for commencing duty. Imme- 
 diately on your arrival, you are to enter your name, and the exact time of your coming, in the attend- 
 ance book; and, after that, you are to "fall in" for inspection by your superior officer. 
 
 " 7. In turn with the other messengers at the same station with yourself, you are to clean the kitchen, 
 or other room set apart for your accommodation. This room must be swept every morning, and 
 scrubbed every Saturday. At every station a canvas suit will be provided for the use of the messenger 
 employed in cleaning. 
 
 " 8. Any damage to the room, or to its contents, will be made good at the expense of the messen- 
 gers employed at the station, yourself, of course, included. 
 
 " 9. If prevented by illness from attending the office, you must let your superior officer know, if 
 possible, before the hour at which the duties commence. You must, at the same time, ask for an 
 order to see the medical officer ; or, if too ill to leave home, that the medical officer may come and see 
 you. In ordinary cases, the hour for seeing the medical officer is between nine and ten in the morn- 
 ing; but, in cases of emergency, you may go or send to him at any hour of the day or night. 
 
 " 10. After you have been one year in the service, you will be allowed a fortnight's leave of absence 
 in the course of the year, without deduction from your wages. In cases of absence from illness, a 
 deduction of one-third will be made. 
 
 " 11. You are strictly prohibited from making any application on official subjects, except through 
 your immediate superior officer. 
 
 As TO Delivery. 
 
 " 1. On receiving a message, you are to start immediately, and deliver it as quickly as you can — 
 after which you are to return to the office. 
 
 " 2. If you have two or more messages, you are to deliver each in its turn ; but if, from any cause, 
 there is difficulty in delivering one of them, you are to hasten on with the others ; after which you are 
 to return to the neighbourhood and make inquiries respecting the message you could not deliver. 
 
 " 3. In the case of a message addressed to a place of business which is closed for the night, i.e., 
 absolutely closed, where you can get no one to answer the bell, you must drop the message into the 
 letter box, if there is one. If there is no letter box, you must fill up one of the red forms which will 
 be given you, and put it under the door. The time af. which you arrive at the place of business must 
 be noted on the cover of the message, which must be given back to the clerk in charge, immediately 
 on your return to the office. 
 
 " 4. If, after full inquirj', you are unable to deliver a message, you are to return with it to the 
 office, and give it back to your superior officer. 
 
 " 5. Having once received a message for delivery, you are strictly forbidden to give it, under any 
 pretence whatever, to another messenger. 
 
 " 6. You are at all times to carry in your pouch some forms on which replies to messages can bo 
 written ; and you must be careful to give one of these forms to every one to whom you may deliver a 
 message, the answer to which has been pre-paid. 
 
 " 7. If the answer has not been pre-paid, you are to charge for it at the rate of Is. for 20 words, 
 and an additional ^d. for every five words, or part of five words ; and the amount, whether received in 
 money or postage stamps, you are to pay to the clerk on duty to whom you deliver the answer. 
 
 " 8. You are, on no account whatever, to write out a message for another person. If the sender of 
 a message declines to comply with the regulations, he must be told that his message cannot be sent. 
 
 " 9. You are, on no account whatever, to divulge any official information you may derive in your 
 capacity of messenger. Any breach of this rule will be visited with the severest punishment. 
 
 " These rules must be signed, in acknowledgment that you have read, and fully understand them. 
 
 On the whole, the messengers, considering their numbers and their youth, have 
 behaved very well, much better indeed than I had expected. Prior to the transfer, 
 they appeared to me to be a set of irreclaimable scamps. The furniture and fittings of 
 the rooms which they occupied were dirty and damaged, and their own appearance was 
 anything but creditable, Now they are orderly, and apparently do not greatly object 
 to being compelled to keep themselves clean. Drill has given them a better mode of 
 
 27031. L 
 
82: 
 
 walkiag, and they look and are sharp and active. Of course some of them have been 
 mischievous, and have amused themselves hy putting blacking into the tea of other boys, 
 or by putting mice into the pneumatic tubes, or by bathing in the water tank at the 
 top of the Central Station on a hot summer's day. But these are mild pastimes after 
 all, and on the whole the boys have been well conducted. 
 
 The Intelligence Department. 
 
 The Intelligence Department of the Telegraph Companies collected and, as it 
 were, edited the news which it transmitted. The Intelligence Department of the Post 
 Office does not collect and edit news, but it makes all the arrangements for transmission, 
 and in this respect it does much more than its predecessor did, as the number of towns 
 to which news has to be sent and the number of subscribers for news in these towns have 
 been largely increased. 
 
 The Press Associations simply collect the news and hand it to the Post Office, which 
 provides for its proper circulation and delivery to their various subscribers. This is 
 not managed by the ordinary method of signalling the names of the addressees, but the 
 Department has made special arrangements whereby the necessity for transmitting the 
 names of the addressees has been obviated. The arrangement now in force is as follows : • 
 the Press Association news is divided into a large number of distinct classes of news, 
 such as Renter's news, General Morning news. Sporting news, Parliamentary. news ; 
 and the Central Press news is classified under 40 distinct numbers. 
 
 Each association furnishes the Department bi-weekly with lists coiitaining the names of 
 any new subscribers thej^ may have obtained, and the different items of news to be 
 supplied to them, alterations in the supply of news to papers already supplied by them, 
 and orders to discontinue the supply of news. The Post Office then instructs the Post- 
 masters of the towns in which the offices of the papers are situated to enter or cancel the 
 names of the papers, as the case may be, under the corresponding headings in the lists 
 which have been supplied to them. In the same manner lists have also been supplied to 
 each station which has to transmit news to other offices. For example, if an order were 
 received from the Press Association to supply the London corn market report to the 
 South Shields Gazette, the Postmaster of Shields would be instructed to enter the name 
 of the Gazette under the heading "London Corn Report" in his list, and the Postmaster 
 of Newcastle would be instructed to enter South Shields under the same heading in his list. 
 The corn report would then simply be sent to Newcastle, headed " Press Association, 
 London Corn," and the Postmaster would find, on reference to his lists, that it had to be 
 transmitted to South Shields ; and in the same manner the Postmaster of South Shields 
 would find from his list that it had to be delivered to the Gazette. 
 
 The reports of the results of great races, the reports of the results of elections, 
 the reports of parliamentary proceedings (which come from the House of Commons 
 by wire), besides market reports, and reports of speeches in the provinces, are written 
 out in manifold at the various instruments on which they are received, and distributed 
 by the Intelligence Department to the circuits over which they are to be sent to the 
 diflPerent parts of the country. The Intelligence Department also looks after the working 
 of the special wires which are leased to certain newspaper proprietors. 
 
 The work of the Intelligence Department is very arduous, as it involves a very con- 
 siderable amount of night duty, is almost always done under pressure, and occasionally 
 necessitates the making of complicated arrangements in distant parts of the country 
 at the shortest possible notice. 1 cannot speak too highly of the manner in which 
 Mr. Patey has organized this department, or of the patience, good temper, and diligence 
 which he displayed in the period immediately after the transfer, when in the midst of 
 our efforts to effect a satisfactory transmission of news we were continuously harassed 
 by angry and violent complaints from many of the subscribers for news. I believe that 
 our mode of performing the work is now satisfactory to the subscribers. 
 
 The Medical Officer. 
 
 The medical officer, Mr. Steet, attends daily for two or three hours, to see any members 
 of the male or female staff who may desire to consult him. He also attends those who, 
 are absent through illness at their own houses ; he exercises a wholesome check upon 
 absentees on the plea of ill heath, and he pays especial attention to the sanitary arrange- 
 ments of the station. 
 
83 
 
 The Workshops. 
 
 In the workshops the repair and adjustment of instruments is carried on to some 
 extent ; but as the bulk of this work is done at the stores in Gloucester Road, which will 
 be hereafter described, I shall defer my remarlis on this part of the work for the present. 
 In the workshops are two lathes, by which the ribands of paper for the VVheatstone auto- 
 matic and Morse printing instruments are cut. These lathes, working nine hours per 
 day, cut 750 coils of Wheatstone and 3,390 coils of Morse printing riband per week. Of 
 this supply the central station consumes 150 coils of Wheatstone and 1,390 coils of Morse , 
 riband per week. The two lathes can supply the whole kingdom. 
 
 The Battehy Room and Engine Room. 
 
 Little need be said of the Battery Room, but that it contams nearly 1,000 batteries of 
 nearly 10,000 calls. 
 
 We inherited one engine from the Electric Company ; but it was not sufficiently 
 
 powerful for all the work which we wished to impose on it ; it also required some 
 
 repairs. We have therefore erected another, and having got it into full work, have put 
 
 in hand the repairs of the old engine, which are expected to be completed in a few 
 
 , weeks. 
 
 The foregoing remarks will show, I think, that we have utilised every available inch • 
 of space in the Central Station. It is too crowded ; and we are now considering whether 
 it is possible to enlarge it, or whether we can arrange for the reniovalof the tenants, the 
 Anglo-American and Indio-European Companies. It is not desirable that we should 
 incur any great outlay upon it, as when the new Post Office buildings in St. Martins-le- 
 Grand are completed the Telegraphs are to be removed to very spacious rooms in those 
 buildings. Neverthieless, though the building is too crowded, and though the arrange- 
 ments of the work are on that account, and on account of the peculiar structure of the 
 building, not quite what we could wish, I am told by those who have seen the instrument 
 rooms of foreign telegraphic administrations, that ours are in every way superior. 
 Certainly the scene in the Provincial Gallery during the business hours of a busy day, 
 when the messages are pouring in from every station, when every instrument is at work, 
 when the call bells of the tubes are in constant motion, when the collectors are moving 
 rapidly but systematically from table to table, and when the clerks in charge are passing 
 to and fro, regulating the distribution of the messages, and keeping all the operators to 
 their work, is a scene so full of organised activity and regulated motion that no one could 
 witness it without pleasure. 
 
 The System Generally. 
 
 The following statement will convey a fair idea of the extent of the system which we 
 have established, as compared with that which was in existence prior to the transfer. I 
 am not as yet able to give an exact statement of the mileage of wire now and the 
 mileage of wire prior to the transfer ; but it will readily be seen that the increase in the 
 number of instruments presupposes an increased mileage of wire. 
 
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 But lafge as the system now is, it will be far larger and afford far more accommodation 
 when the new circmts now in course of formation are completed. The following schedule 
 shows what these circuits are. It includes the additional circuits for Ireland, which will 
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 In forming these new circuits, advantage has been taken of the concentration in the hands 
 of the Department of the independent systems of the different telegraph companies. This 
 concentration has admitted of such a re-arrangraent of the wires that circuits which have 
 hitherto followed very roundabout routes, in consequence of the companies having but 
 one, or at the utmost two, trunk routes available, will now be carried by direct routes, 
 with a very considerable economy in mileage, and a corresponding iipprovement in 
 working. The extent of wire thus set free will be 2,540 miles ; but in order to set this 
 extent of wire free 1,331 miles of wire will have had to be erected, so that the' net 
 saving of wire from the strengthening of routes will be only 1,209 miles. This, however, 
 is an important result of concentration. 
 
 The accompanying diagrams will show the routes of the circuits which will be diverted, 
 the wires which will be set free by the diversion, and the wires which are being erected 
 to effect the diversion. As I have already stated, this scheme has been elaborated with 
 great care by Mr. Winter, the assistant engineer-in-chief. 
 
 While these more important works of re-anangement and reconstruction have been 
 going on attention has been given to the consolidation of the system in other directions. 
 The telegraphic system of this country has been constructed mainly with a view to afford 
 the means of communication between Londdn and the provinces. In some special cases 
 pains have been taken to afford cross-country communication, but as a rule the system 
 has been framed to bring London and the country together. This is only the natural 
 commencement of such a business. Those wlio are familiar with the history of the Post 
 Office know that it began by establiishing communication between London and certain 
 provinciaL towns, and that cross-country communication was devised by a private indi- 
 vidual, who farmed the cross-country posts. for upwards of forty years. 
 
 The Telegraph Companies naturally thought first of bringing London into communi- 
 cation with the country. 
 
 Between the great provincial towns also direct communication has been established-; 
 but there are many second and very many more third late provincial towns having much 
 social and commercial intercourse with each other which have no such direct communica- 
 tion. 
 
 There are many instances of this in Mr. Preece's district. My own local knowledge 
 enables me to say that the business relations of Maidstone with Ashford and with Canter- 
 bury are such that it certainly ought to have direct communication with those towns. So 
 also should Rochester and Chatham have direct communication with Maidstone on the 
 one side and Sheerness on the other. So also should Canterbury have direct communi- 
 cation with Dover. So also should Maidstone with Tunbridge, Tunbridge with Reigate, 
 and Reigate with Guildford. 
 
 I am sure that the establishment of direct communication between the towns which I 
 have named would pay commercially. 
 
 Again, we are considering whether it naay not be possible in some cases, by the erection 
 of short lengths of wire, to connect circuits which are at present sepairatied, so as to give 
 the stations on them two outlets instead of one, and an alternative route in case of inter- 
 ruption. 
 
 This has already been done in some few cases withgood effect, but the great majority 
 of the circuits are merely radiating lines, and can afford no help to each other. 
 
 A very trifling outlay will enable us to introduce circular instead of radiating routes in 
 a large number of cases. 
 
 The submarine system worked by the Department comprises three cables laid 
 between Great Britain and Ireland, and a fourth in course of construction, which wiH 
 be laid in- the course of next month ; a cable between England and the Isle of Man, 
 a cable connecting England with Jersey, (juernsey, and Alderney, a supplementary 
 cable between Jersey and Guernsey, and a cable between England and the Isle of 
 Wight. There are also some smaller cables in lakes and rivers. 
 
 One of the existing Irish cables was laid in the course of last year, and new shore 
 ends were given to another. When the cable now in course of construction is laid, 
 and the land wires are brought into connexion with it, there will be 21 wires in opera* 
 tion between Great Britain and Ireland. Two of these, however, are allotted by 
 agreement to the American Cable Companies, for the despatch of messages between 
 London and Valencia. 
 
87 
 
 When all the improvements which are in progress have been completed, and they are 
 advancing fast towards completion, 1 believe that the Telegraph system of tbis country 
 will be as perfect as it can be made. 
 
 ThU GrLOTJCESTER EoAD STORES AND WORKSHOPS. 
 
 Prior to the transfer, and immediately after it had taken place, we wcire compelled 
 by the urgency and magnitude of our requirements to entrust much work to manufac- 
 turers which Mr. OuUey would have preferred to have given to our own workshops. 
 We inherited from the Electric and International Company an extensive factory in 
 Gloucester Road, Camden Town, and in that factory we now carry on a great variety 
 of operations which make us to a great extent independent of manufacturers. The 
 following description of the work done at the Grloucester Road Stores has been pre- 
 pared for me by Mr. Johnston. 
 
 " The work cai-ried on there may be divided into two classes, viz., that relating to all kinds of 
 apparatus in use in our telegraph offices, and that relating to all kinds of line and construction work. 
 The former is carried on by skilled mechanics, of whom there are about 70, including apprentices, 
 employed ; and the latter by workmen especially trained for it, and by ordinary telegraph labourers, 
 of whom the number at present employed is 105. In the first class of work the following are the most 
 important items, viz., the remaking and repair of all kinds of instruments, the manufacturie of translator 
 boards, the winding of coils, and the examination and testing of all apparatus supplied by manu- 
 facturers under contract with the Department. As regards the repair of instruments, it frequently 
 happens that apparatus which might otherwise have fallen into disuse from wear and tear, or from 
 some electrical defect or other, is made equal to new on being sent into the factory ; and there is this 
 important advantage of having an establishment of the kind under the immediate eye cf the Depart- 
 ment, that the improvements in apparatus which practical worhing has shown to be necessary or 
 desirable can be tested and carried out with the least possible delay, and at the least possible cost. 
 For instance, on a recent occasion it was found necessary to have a number of Morse printing instru- 
 ments adapted for fast speed, in order to apply the automatic arrangement to the transmission of news 
 over the more important press wires. Under ordinary circumstances new instruments would have had 
 to be supplied: but through the ingenuity of the superintending mechanic in the factory, a fast-speed 
 arrangement was devised applicable to any Morse instrument, and in this way a number of compara- 
 tively old instruments were adapted and brought into use for a most important service. In the matter 
 of keys, also, many very important improvemfents have been effected by the persons connected with 
 these works, which could only have been done by persons having the means of watching the practical 
 defects of existing apparatus. Since the Department acquired the telegraphs, there has been added 
 to the work carried on at the factory the repairs of the Hughes' type printing instrument. Hitherto, 
 it had not been considered jM-acticable to repair these instruments in this country. Now, however, it 
 is found possible not only to repair, but to improve in some of the mechanical details, this class of 
 instrument ; and thus a considerable expense is avoided, as compared with sending them abroad for 
 repair. The manufacture of ' translator boards,' i.e., an arrangement for relaying the current at an 
 intermediate station on to more distant stations, is a kind of work which could not well be done else- 
 where than at a departmental factory, seeing that the different arrangements of translators are 
 determined by peculiar circumstances connected with the circuits to be dealt with, and that the whole 
 operation from beginning to end requires the careful inspection of one of the practical officers of the 
 Department. The winding of coils is one. of the most important operations connected with telegraphic 
 manufacture. So important is it, indeed, that we do not trust any manufacturer of instruments with this 
 part of the process, and all single needle instruments are therefore supplied with the coils unwound. 
 The object is to have the best quality of wire, or, at aU events, wire that has been carefully tested by 
 our own standard, and to have the winding operation performed with such care and regularity that the 
 requisite quantity can be got on the coil; and this object, we find, can only be aecomphshed by having 
 the work done under our own eye, so to speak. It is important, and it may be interesting to state here 
 that the wire is, as far as possible, drawn from the copper deposited in the ' Daniell's ' batteries, by 
 which means we not only secure the use 'of a metal as nearly as possible absolutely pure, but are 
 enabled to utilize in a most important branch of the work what we might otherwise be compelled to 
 dispose of at a great disadvantage. The examination and testing of apparatus supplied by manu- 
 facturers under contract with the Department, and, indeed, the examination and testing of all kinds of 
 apparatus either made or repaired at the factory itself, is of the utmost importance for the well-working 
 
 of the system. . , . . 
 
 " The second class of work carried on at the factory embraces the testing and Iittmg ot msulators ; 
 the preparing of arms ; the taping of new, and the re-taping of old gutta percha wire ; the making up of 
 cables for street and tunnel work, ; the manufacture of solder; the fitting of new, and the cleaning and 
 re-fitting of old batteries, and the manufacture of ' carriers ' for the pneumatic tubes. The brown earthen- 
 ware insulator is suppUed by the manufacturer in separate pieces, so as to facilitate the process of testing, 
 and to admit of its being put together in the most approved and electrically perfect manner. The most 
 severe electrical tests are applied before putting together, and any piece which does not give the neces- 
 sary insulation is at once thrown out, the total number of defective pieces in each consignment being 
 afterwards written off the manufacturer's invoice and the price disallowed. In this way, about two per 
 cent, of defective insulators, which might otherwise have been put into use, to the great detriment of 
 the working of the lines, are thrown out, while the putting together of the sound and otherwise perfect 
 pieces is eiffected in the manner best adapted for the particular kind of work for which they are intended, , 
 andwith' those improvements which experience has suggested from time to time. There are employed 
 
 L 4 
 
88 
 
 at this particular kind of work from 12 to 20 men, and 2,000 insulators a day can be regularly tested 
 and fitted in the manner described. In the gutta percha wire department we employ about 30 people, 
 23 men and seven boys, and some idea of the amount of work done may be formed from the statement 
 that there have been made up into cables for street and tunnel work during the past year no less than 
 from 2,500 to 3,000 miles of wire. Our operations in this department are not confined to new wire 
 simply, but all kinds of old wire are sent here for examination, and, if possible, for repair, with a view 
 to further utilisation. For instance wires, which have had to be removed from certain street cables 
 owing to bad working are tested here, the faulty parts cut out, and after being carefully jointed, are 
 made almost as good as new. By this means we make the very utmost of every available inch of wire, and 
 the item of ' old stores ' in this particular branch is reduced to a minimum. Next in importance is the 
 battery shop, where we employ from 18 to 20 men. The operations carried on here embrace everything 
 connected with the manufacture of batteries, except the making of the mere wooden trough in which 
 the plates and solution are contained. Nothing but the utmost care in every stage of the manufacture 
 will ensure a good working battery ; and as a good working battery means a good working instrument 
 and a good working line, no pains should be spared to perfect the manufacture in this department. 
 Contract batteries were a source of great complaint in the earlier stages of our experience, and thus 
 we have taken to making nearly all our own. We do the coating with marine glue, we cast our own 
 plates, make our own fittings, and in fact do everything, as I have already said, but make the wooden 
 trough. With our present arrangements we can turn out as many as 250 batteries a week when 
 required, and it may be interesting to state that there have passed through this department during the 
 past year over 11,000 batteries. In addition to the manufacture of new batteries, there is carried on 
 here the cleaning and re-fitting of old ones, and the making up of fresh troughs of the wood of such 
 as have become in other respects useless. The preparing of arms occupies about 15 men, who turn out 
 among them somewhere about 1,500 a day ; while in the manufacture of testing boxes, and in the 
 general work of the factory, we employ from six to eight carpenters and joiners. We also manufacture 
 our own solder, apparently a small matter, but one which, in telegraphy at least, is really of very great 
 importance, considering how much the goodness of a wire may be impaired by bad joints here and there, 
 a thing of very fi'equent occurrence. Amongst the miscellaneous items are the manufacture of ' carriers ' 
 for the pneumatic tubes, the forging of light ironwork for the various departments of manufacture, and 
 the distribution of tools and implements of all kinds in use for the purposes of telegraph construction 
 and maintenance. The packing department occupies four or five men constantly, while two coopers 
 are kept fully employed in making old casks into new, and in ' heading ' those which are about to be 
 despatched to distant points with stores of different kinds. 
 
 " These works, as I have already stated, were occupied for similar purposes by the Electric and 
 International Telegraph Company. They were built in 1858, and, together with a large open yard in 
 the centre of the buildings, cover an area of nearly half an acre. The buildings at the back, adjoining 
 the Camden Depot of the London and North-western Railway, are of two storeys high, and embrace 
 the mechanics and carpenters shops, instrument stores, insulator, battery, and wire-fitting shops, and 
 packing shed. Those at the front are of one storey only, and embrace the lacquering shop, testing 
 room, tool store, and general offices connected with the works. Arrangements are being made by 
 the Office of Works for the erection of a three-storey building and basement in place of the present 
 one storey range, to give additional space for mechanics, and for the general purposes of the depot. 
 The permanent staff consists of a storekeeper, one principal assistant, and five clerks, a superintendent 
 mechanic, foreman of the yard, and foremen of the various other branches of manufacture and repair, 
 the majority of the men being temporarily employed as occasion requires. The storekeeper, Mr. Bell, 
 has a residence on the premises. 
 
 " There is a branch depot at Bolton, formerly in the occupation of the late Magnetic Telegraph 
 Company, and held on lease for some years. The work carried on there is chiefly confined to the 
 testing and fitting of insulators on the plan already described as in operation at Gloucester Road, the 
 preparing of arms, and the cleaning and re-fitting of batteries. Stores of various kinds are also kept 
 at Bolton, especially those of the heavier description, iron wire and the like, in order to their more 
 convenient and economical distribution in the northern and north-western divisions of the system., 
 It only remains to add that there are various depots throughout the country, such as at Hai-tlepooli' 
 Grimsby, and the like, for the storing and preparing of poles, and that each divisional engineer has one 
 or more local depots at the most central and convenient spots in his district for the rapid and economical 
 distribution of stores of the kinds in more general use and demand." 
 
 Royal Engineers. 
 By the desire of tlie Secretary of State for "War it has been arranged : 
 
 1st. That a body of about 50 men under a commanding officer and two subalterns shall 
 be employed in the construction of the Post Office Telegraphs, and that the subaltern 
 in command of each portion of this force shall be immediately under the control of the 
 Engineer of the Postal Division in which his duty shall from time to time lie, but shall 
 not be under the control of any officer of the Postal Service of a lower grade than that of 
 Divisional Engineer. 
 
 2nd. That a further body of about ten men shall be employed as linemen in the 
 maintenance of the Postal Telegraphs, and shall be stationed at such places as may be 
 convenient to the Department. They shall be under the immediate control of the 
 Inspector in charge, under the same conditions as if they were civilians. 
 
 3rd, That a body of about 20 men shall be employed as signallers at such Postal 
 Telegraph Offices as may be convenient to the Department, and under the immediate 
 
89 
 
 control of the postmasters of such offices, under the same conditions as if they were 
 civilians. 
 
 .4th. The commanding officer will have military control of the whole force, whether 
 employed in construction, in maintenance, or in signalling, and may remove any man 
 whose removal shall be desirable for military reasons. He shall also remove any man, 
 whose removal may be required by the Surveyor or Divisional Engineer of the 
 Department because of his inefficiency or insubordination, sufficient notice being given 
 on either side to provide for the performance of the duty entrusted to the man so 
 removed. 
 
 5th. That so long as it may be conyenient to the Department, the maintenance of the 
 Postal Telegraphs in a certain district shall be entrusted entirely to the Royal Engineer 
 under the immediate control of the Engineer-in-Chief of the Department. A month's 
 notice shall be given on either side, if it is desired by either party, to alter or to put an 
 end to this arrangement. 
 
 6th. That the commanding officer shall be himself under the immediate control of the 
 Engineer-in-Chief, as if he were a Divisional Engineer of the Postal service. 
 
 .7th. That the number of men to be employed, with the manner of their employment, 
 shall be subject to a revision at the commencement of each year, and that the arrange- 
 ment itself shall be terminable at any time at a month's notice from either side. 
 
 8th. That as the Department will not be able to employ a larger force than has been 
 detailed in the preceding paragraphs, after the more urgent works shall be completed, the 
 number of men now engaged shall be reduced, from time to time, as the Engineer- 
 in-Chief may decide, due notice being given to the commanding officer until the limit 
 already fixed has been reached. , 
 
 The motive for this arrangement and its desirability will be apparent. 
 
 Spare Offices. 
 
 We acquired from the telegraph companies a large number of offices, some of which 
 we desired to keep, but many of which were useless to us. I forward herewith a paper 
 marked E., showing in detail what we have done with regard to every office thus 
 acquired, and giving the situation of each office, the gross and net rent paid by the 
 telegraph companies for each office, the term of years for which each office held on 
 lease was held, the terms on which each office with which we have parted has been 
 got rid of, and what is being done in the case of any office which we still retain. This 
 paper which fills 50 printed foHo pages has been prepared by Mr. Ardron, who has 
 had charge of the duty of disposing of the spare offices, and who has conducted it 
 with great pains and skill. 
 
 It will be seen from the abstract of the detailed schedule of buildings and offices 
 which the Departnf6nt inherited from the late telegraph companies that, exclusive of 
 the numerous stations at which the telegraph companies (more especially the United 
 Kingdom Telegraph Company) transacted their business under an agency or commis- 
 sion arrangement, the, number of offices so acquit-ed was 554, and that the nett rent 
 which the companies paid for those offices was 23,726^. 7^. Od. a year, and the gross 
 rent 30,752^. 19*. Od. a year. 
 
 Of the above number the Department has retained 172, either as telegraph offices or 
 for purposes connected with the engineering department, and for these a nett rent (a 
 portion of the premises being in some cases let) of 9,148?. 10*. 6d. a year is paid. This 
 sum win perhaps appear a large one, but it must be borne in mind that in the larger 
 towns, where the rents are high, we have retained the most important stations of the 
 companies, and heavy rents are in many cases paid for them. 
 
 As regards the remaining 382 offices, 320 have been entirely got rid of; 32 have 
 been sub-let either wholly or in part, or the leases have been assigned ; 6 are offices 
 which were formerly worked by the Electric Company, but are now stations of the 
 Admiralty, &c. ; and there remains an undisposed of balance of 24 only, which owing 
 to the restrictive nature of the leases or because the rents paid by the companies 
 under a competitive system were more than the premises are now worth, or from other 
 causes, we have not yet succeeded in sub-letting or otherwise disposing of, although 
 efforts'have continually been made to accomplish those ends. The rents paid for the 
 23 undisposed of offices amotmt to 1,715^. a year. 
 
 The nett rent now paid by the Department in respect of the offices acquu-ed from the 
 telegraph companies is 11,686?. 11*. Od„ showing a nett reduction as compared with 
 the payment of rent by the telegraph companies of 12,038?. 16*. a year. 
 
 27031. M 
 
90 
 
 To Mr. Axdiron has also fallen the duty of ascertaining and recording in a metho- 
 dical manner our liabilities in regard to iasuranoes, and rates on buildings, and on 
 wires; and ia respect of pole rents and way-leave tents, with respect to which latter 
 liabilities we obtained very little clear information from the companies. Of his labours 
 in this respect I shaU have hereafter to treat. 
 
 Complaints. 
 
 As a matter of course, we receive complaints from the public. They are not 
 numerous in proportion to the business done, for if every complaint which we receive 
 were weU-founded, and this of course is not the case, we have but one complaint; to 
 every 600 messages. 
 
 ' I have no means of knowing how many complaints the companies received, but I 
 d.aresay that we have more than they had. "We have a larger system, a larger staff, a 
 much larger nmnber of messages, and it is but reasonable to suppose that we are more 
 liable than they to the faults which arise out of the fallibility of plant and staff. Not 
 above one half of the complaiats which we receive are well-founded as against us. 
 In the Other half, the fault is proved to be either with railway stations acting for us, or 
 with foreign lines to which we hand over the messages, or with the public themselves. 
 As we collect for and deliver for aU the foreign Hues, the public charge upou. us an 
 immense number of delays and blunders not our own. The war has disarranged the 
 entire telegraph system of the Continent; but complainants are mostly foirgetful' of 
 this, and constantly ascribe the delays and blunders which quite unavoidably take place 
 on the Continent to the transfer of the English telegraphs to Government. T pointed 
 out to a complainant the other day, that in sis out of seven cases the fault had 
 occurred after or before the message left or reached the Government lines. In acknow- 
 ledging my letter he expressed a hope that Parliament would put an end to such crying 
 abiises as soon as it met. 
 
 There is a class of errors which are due not so much to the clerk as to the instrument 
 which he uses. In signalling letters are represented by groups of dots and dashes, and 
 if the instrument faUs to convey a dot or a dash, as it sometimes will, or substitutes a 
 dot for a dash, or vice versa, as it sometimes wiU, it may materially alter the message. 
 A gentleman telegraphed from London to his brother in the country to send a hach to 
 meet him at a station. The signal for h is four dots, and the instrument sent only three 
 dots, which form the signal for *. When the gentleman arrived at the station he found 
 a sach waiting for him. In this case, however, if he had asked for a horse instead of for 
 a AfflcA, the blunder would have been corrected, as the receiving clerk would have been 
 able to make nothing of the word sorse. Again, a firm in London telegraphed " Send rails 
 ten foot lengths." The signals for t and e are a dash and a dot, but the instrument, sent two 
 dots, which form the signal for * ; so that the message was delivered thus, " Send rails m 
 foot lengths." In this case, if the senders had been less chary of their words, and had 
 written, " Send rails in ten foot lengths," which would have cost them no more, the blim- 
 der would probably have been corrected. The public would help themselves and us very 
 much if they more often wrote legibly, if they used only plain words of ordinary.accepta- 
 tion, and if they were careful always to use the full number of words required to give 
 a grammatical construction to their messages. Taking all these things into account, 
 however, I am forced to admit that we do too frequently commit most annoying and 
 irritating blunders. Telegraph clerks do their work in a very mechanical fashion, and 
 too often have little more care for the messages which they are writing out than a 
 compositor has for the phrases which he puts into type. 
 
 On this head I can only say that I am always glad to examine specific complaints, 
 that we spare no pains in investigating them, or in punishing those who are in^ fault ; 
 and that those who have real cause for complaint serve themselves, the general pubhc, 
 and us by stating their complaints specifically. Since the transfer Mr. Brown has had 
 charge of the complaint duty, and has worked at it with much diligence and tact. 
 
 It is probable and not remarkable that the complaints in the newspapers against us 
 have been more numerous than those against the telegraph companieis. It was useless 
 to complain to the newspapers of the conduct of a joint stock company which was proof 
 against any such attack. A Government Department is more vulnerable and. therefore 
 more often assailed, though the assailants have not always more reason. 
 
91 
 
 Work in the Telegraph Branch of the Secretart's Ot'fioe. 
 
 It is not to be supposed that such a mass of work as that which has been describecl 
 in. the foregoing pages can have been got through without a vast addition to the work 
 of the conteoUing office. The following statement will give some notion of that work ; 
 
 A Statement of Papers dealt with ia the Telegraph Branch of the Secretary's 
 
 OrFiCE during a week in November 1870, 
 
 
 Papers 
 registered and 
 unregistered. 
 
 Letters written to the PubUc. 
 
 LithograpW 
 
 
 Numtier. 
 
 ■ 
 
 Forms. 
 
 Papers dealt -witli specially - - - - . 
 
 Papers dealt with in the — 
 
 Extensions Section . - - . . 
 .General Correspondence Section - . - 
 Irregularities Section . . - - - 
 News Section ------ 
 
 Private Wires Section . - - - - 
 
 Racing Instruction and Schools Section 
 
 Eates, Rents, Taxes Section , - - - 
 
 Staff (appointment, pay, and discipline) Section 
 
 917 
 
 358 
 1,692 
 555 
 384 
 208 
 288 
 389 
 787 
 
 38 
 
 42 
 
 559 
 
 5 
 
 48 
 
 15 
 
 3 
 
 24 
 
 52 
 
 75 
 
 62 
 839 
 11 
 91 
 38 
 3 
 73 
 80 
 
 
 
 19 
 
 672 
 
 
 
 62 
 
 16 ■ 
 
 272 
 
 17 
 
 7 
 
 
 5,578 
 
 786 
 
 1,272 
 
 1,065 
 
 Total number of papers dealt with in the Branch 
 On which the number of letters written was 
 Containing folio pages 
 
 5,578 
 
 786 
 
 1,272 
 
 Note. — Work not classified : — Keeping hooks of record, preparing statistical and other returns, drawing of 
 maps and plans, and taking shorthand notes. 
 
 I am sure that we should not have got through the work ia the Secretary's office if 
 I had not even before the transfer introduced shorthand writers. No ordinary staff 
 could have enabled me and the gentlemen who have chiefly assisted me to get through 
 the work in the way in which we have got through it by the help of shorthand writers. 
 It is my firm belief that the aid of shorthand writers quadruples the working power of 
 the chief of a Department. This is, I am sure, a fair estimate. I can compose very 
 rapidly, but I cannot write at the rate of above 30 words a minute. I can dictate at 
 the rate of 140 to 160 words a minute. I had the good fortune to find in the service 
 of the Post Office (which has within its wide fold people who know something of every- 
 thing) three excellent shorthand writers, Mr. Hyde, Mr. Tapp, and Mr. Denman, and 
 for a long time we relied on them only ; but other officers, finding that a knowledge of 
 shorthand was useful, have voluntarily acquired it, and we have also brought some 
 fresh shorthand writers into the service. At fij"st heads of branches took somewhat 
 nervously to the task of dictation, which is a little like speaking in public without the 
 stimulus of publicity, but now they have thoroughly faUen into it. 
 
 The following statement shows the work done for us by only four of our shorthand 
 writers in sis months of last year. 
 
 Eettirn of Shorthand Work performed in the Telegraph Branch of the 
 Secretary's Office during six months from the date of the Transfer. 
 
 From February to July ' 
 Average per Week 
 
 Number of Cases 
 
 for the treatment of which 
 
 Notes were taken in 
 
 Shorthand. 
 
 17,147 
 659 
 
 Number of Pages 
 
 of Foolscap written half 
 
 margin covered by the 
 
 transcribed Notes. 
 
 16,088 
 618 
 
 Number of Words. 
 
 981,140 
 37,736 
 
 November 30th, 1870. 
 
 M 2 
 
92 
 
 In the course of this long account of the work which we were expected to do, of 
 that which we have done, and of the manner in. which we have done it, I have 
 endeavoured from time to time to name those who have mainly assisted me. "When I 
 come to descrihe the financial results of the undertaking I shall have to caU attention 
 to the assistance which Mr. Chetwynd has rendered in the management of the accoimts, 
 and to the valuable labours of both Mr. Chetwynd and Mr. Ashurst (the solicitor to 
 the Department) in regard to our negotiations and arrangements with telegraph and 
 railway companies. On Mr. Ashurst the transfer of the telegraphs to Government 
 has thrown a xety large amount of difficult work, and his patience, tact, and profes- 
 sional ability have greatly aided us in the prosecution of our task. 
 
 I ought to state here, too, that not only those whom I have named, but many others 
 have in their degree and as they had opportunity, rendered valuable assistance. The 
 officers of the Post Office generaUy, of all grades, have exerted themselves to carry out 
 the plans of the Department with the wiUingness and alacrity of which in many 
 previous years I had had abundant" experience. The surveyors and the postmasters 
 generally have done all in their power to conciliate the officers transferred from the 
 telegraph companios, and to facilitate the amalgamation of the two services. Nor 
 must I omit to state that the principal officers; of the telegraph companies have shown 
 equal alacrity and the same good will.,. To these gentlemen, I think that peculiar 
 praise is due. They were turned over from one service to another in block, and by no 
 effort of their own. Had they been indifferent to their work, or unwilUng to exert 
 themselves, my want of experience of their peculiar duties would have made my 
 position most difficult and painful. They have, however, assisted me in the most loyal, 
 cordial, and friendly manner. They have been led to take this course, partly by their 
 own good feeling, and partly, I doubt not, by the conspicuous example set them by 
 Mr. OuUey, who has from the first shown himself to be determined that the Depart- 
 ment shall have the full value of his great talents and long experience, and that 
 nothing shall be wanting on his part to make the telegraphic system of this country 
 the most perfect system in the' world. ' ' 
 
 FRANK IVES SCUDAMORE, 
 
 Second Secretary. 
 
POST OFFICE TELEGRAPHS. 
 
 SPECIFICATION— OFFICES. 
 Form No. 49. 
 
 } 
 
 Specification of Additions and Alterations to be made to the 
 Post Office at 
 in adapting it to Telegraphic purposes. 
 
 BRICKLAYER. 
 
 1. Take down and rebuild part of wall dividing Post Office, &c., from the Alteration of Waii. 
 public lobby, according to Plan, and make good plaster, &c. 
 
 2. Remove present external or internal window, or doorway, and frame, Bemove or block up 
 and fin up space with inch brickwork in mortar, as shown on Plan, and make ^"^"'^ °^ doorway. 
 good external or internal face. 
 
 .3. Take down brickwork and provide new brickwork, and prepare for Remove brickwork 
 refixing window or door frame in position, shown upon Plan. Make good In'd^reparefo^re-' 
 
 plaster, &C. > fixing the same. 
 
 4. Take down brickwork, as shown upon Plan, and provide new brick- New window or door- 
 work ; prepare for fixing new window or door frame, and make good &c. (as ^^^' 
 
 per 2nd clause). 
 
 5. Remove necessary brickwork, and provide and fix wood-brick, or other provide for fixing 
 fastening, for fixing wall-desks or partitions, and ground work. waii-desks. 
 
 CARPENTER. 
 
 6. Take down part of partition, shown upon Plan, and make good floor and Take down part of 
 
 walls, &C. existing partition. 
 
 7. Refix part of partition, as shown upon Plan, and make good, &c. Refix part of existing 
 
 8. Provide and fix part of new partition, as shown upon Plan, to correspond provide part new 
 with existing work, and make good old work. partitipn. 
 
 Q. Remove desk, table, stamping board, sorting table, &c., and make good Rfmove desk, table, 
 
 „ " 7 7 i a >^ '-' stamping board, sort- 
 
 nOOr. ing table, &c. 
 
 10. Refix part of desk, table, stamping board, sorting table, &c. Refix part of desk, &c. 
 
 11. Provide part new desk, &c., to match existing work. deX'&V'"^''^ 
 
 12. Provide and fix (and, where practicable, use old materials) a panelled screen off enclosure 
 screen, 5 ft. high (shown upon Plan), the upper panels to be glazed with for instrument room. 
 oz. horticultural glass, and fitted with door where necessary. 
 
 13 Provide and fix within instrument enclosure an instrument counter, Provide and fix in- 
 2 ft. wide, as shown on Plan, and 2 ft. 6 ins. high from floor, with shelves or ;*^Sl~nt 
 cupboard under for battery and stores, &c., according to mstructions of enclosure. 
 Surveyor. 
 
 14. Screen off, with glazed screen (the upper edge to be 6 ft. at least from Screen off part of 
 the floor of the office) ft. ins. of present counter, as shown upon Plan, and Ms"ra;SenfcoX. 
 provide 
 
 1.5 Remove Dart of counter, and lengthen same, to form an instrument Remove part of 
 
 iu. j..v.iuvr ■^ f 7 u counter, &c. 
 
 counter. 
 
 16. Provide and fix in position (shown upon Plan)^ wall-desks, 2 ft Provide and fix w^^^^ 
 
 or 2 ft, 4 ins. wide, and 1 ft. 6 ins. deep, and 3 ft. 6 ms. from the ground, of « 
 
 li stuff, and divide by means of screens (glazed with rough thick glass proper 
 for the purpose), made of mahogany or stained deal frames, as directed by the 
 Surveyor, with rounded uprights, as per sketch annexed. 
 
 M 3 
 
94 
 
 awstras*'' °°""*** 17. Provide and fix No. screens, glazed with rough thick glass proper 
 for the purpose, to be placed 2 ft. or 2 ft. 4 ins. apart,' to be made of round 
 mahogany or stained deal uprights, terminated by ornamental knobs, with 
 frame connected with same, as per sketch annexed. 
 
 Provide counter flap. 18. Providc ncw counter flap of same material and make as existing 
 counter, in every way to correspond with same. 
 
 Provide Battery Back, IQ. Providc and fix in a rack or open cupboard 
 
 for batteries, with shelvfes or racks of inch pine 18 inches apart and of the 
 following dimensions, 
 
 PLASTERER. 
 
 Make good all walls, 20. Make good all faces of walls, or ceilings, that have been disturbed, to 
 
 p& ^" "^^ correspond with existing work. 
 
 Lime or whitewash 21. Lime Or whitewash ceilings, walls, &c., where required, according to 
 
 S^^'x^d.*^"' instructions of Surveyor. 
 
 PAINTER AND GLAZIER. 
 
 Paint and varnish 22. All countcrs , dcsks, wall-dcsks, tables, benches, cupboards, instrument 
 
 Munter, desks, parti- countcrs, partitions, scrccns, doors, windows, &c. &c., shown upon the Plan, 
 
 are to be pamted or grained colour, to match existing work, m three 
 
 coats of best oil-colour, and varnished. 
 
 Glazed windows, &c. 23. ,A11 wiudows, doors, &c., shown upon the Plan, are to be glazed where 
 necessary. 
 
 Prost windows. 24, Whcrevcr necessary, windows, doors, partitions, screens, Sec, are to be 
 
 frosted to a height required bv the Surveyor. 
 
 GAS FITTER. 
 
 New fittings. 25. Provide and fix necessary new fittings in the following rooms :- 
 
 Eefix old fittings, 26. Refix existing (or part of existing) fittings, as follows : — 
 
 Stools. 
 
 27. Provide No. 
 
 GENERALLY. 
 
 stools for the following room 
 
 Chairs. 
 
 Benches. 
 
 Miscellaneous. 
 
 at the value of s, d. each. 
 
 28. Also, No. Windsor chairs, for 
 room, of value of 2*. 6d, each, or thereabouts. 
 
 29. Also, No. yellow deal benches, for 
 room, ft. -ins. long, and ft. wide, and 
 
 30. Also the following miscellaneous items : — 
 
 ft. high. 
 
 NoTE.^ — The whole of the above works are to be executed with the very best materials, and in 
 the most substantial and workmahUke manner, and to the entire satisfaction of the Surveyor ; and 
 it is to be distinctly understood that no .claim for extra work done by the Contractor, above what is 
 included in this Specification, will be entertained, except accompanied by the written order of the 
 Surveyor. ' ' , , 
 
95 
 
 ESTIMATE for Alterations and Additions to be made according 
 to the foregoing Specification and Drawings, and to the satis- 
 faction of the Surveyor. 
 
 do hereby undertake to make necessary additions and alterations to the Post Office at 
 
 , according to the foregoing Specification 
 and the plans therein referred to, for the sum of £ s. d.; and I hereby 
 
 agree to execute the said works with the best materials, and in the most substantial and 
 workmanlike manner, and to the satisfaction of the Surveyor of the Post Office. 
 
 Name. 
 
 Address 
 
 In the presence of - « 
 
 Date_ 187_ 
 
 Surveyor. 
 
 M 4 
 
96 
 
 JN INVENTORY of the Fittings supplied under the foregoing 
 Estimate, and which Fittings remain the property of the Post- 
 master-General. 
 
 Surveyor to the Post Office. 
 
 Postmaster. 
 .187 . 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 Printed by Geobge £. Eybb and Wiujah Sfottibwoode, 
 
 Printers to the Queen's most Excellent Migesty, 
 
 For Her Mq'es^s Stationety Office. 
 
DIAGRA 
 
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 2 
 
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 liK 
 
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 3 
 
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 4 
 
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 70 
 
 It 
 
 5 
 
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 71 
 
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 6 
 
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 72 
 
 .. 
 
 7 
 
 
 73 
 
 ^. 
 
 8 
 
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 74 
 
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 9 
 
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 75 
 
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 10 
 
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 11 
 
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 12 
 
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 13 
 
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 79 
 
 
 14 
 
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 15 
 
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 81 
 
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 l(i 
 
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 17 
 
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 90 
 
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 91 
 
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 92 
 
 
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 93 
 
 
 28 
 
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 94 
 
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 29 
 
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 30 
 
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 9li 
 
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 31 Norwich. 
 
 97 
 
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 98 
 
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 33 
 
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 99 
 
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 34 
 
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 101 
 
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 36 (Tloucester. 
 
 102 
 
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 37 Karn borough. 
 
 103 
 
 
 38 Newport. 
 
 104 
 
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 39 Falmouth. 
 
 105 
 
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 41 , 
 
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 107 ) 
 
 
 42 
 
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 108 ) 
 109 
 
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 43 
 
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 44 
 
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 110 
 
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 111 
 
 
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 112 
 
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 48 
 
 
 114 
 
 
 49 
 
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 20 
 21 
 22 
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 25 i 
 
 2t; 
 
 27 
 
 28 
 
 29 
 
 30 
 
 31 
 
 32 
 
 33 
 
 34 
 
 35 
 
 36 
 
 37 
 
 38 
 
 39 
 
 40 
 
 41 
 
 42 
 
 43 
 
 44 
 
 45""] 
 
 4t) J> 
 
 47 j 
 
 48 
 
 49 
 
 50 
 
 51 
 
 52 
 
 53 
 
 54 
 
 55 
 
 56 
 
 57 
 
 58 
 
 59 
 
 60 
 
 61 
 
 62 
 
 63 
 
 64 
 
 65 
 
 66 
 
 2 
 3 
 4 
 5 
 
 6 
 
 Kly. 
 NorwicVi. 
 
 Brighton 
 
 Southampton. 
 
 Portsmouth. 
 
 Lynn. 
 
 Newmarket. 
 
 Lowestoft. 
 
 Yarmouth. 
 
 Norwich. 
 
 Southampton. 
 
 Swansea. 
 
 Cardiff. 
 
 Reading. 
 
 (iloucester. 
 
 Karn borough. 
 
 Newport. 
 
 Falmouth. 
 
 Keading. 
 
 Nottingham. 
 
 ljeiceat<ir. 
 Bedford. 
 
 Bristol. 
 
 Bristol. 
 Kxeteir. 
 Plymouth. 
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 Peterborough. 
 
 Newmarket. 
 
 Hertford. 
 
 Maigate. 
 
 Ashford. 
 
 Dover. 
 
 FaverHham. 
 Chelmsford. 
 St. Ives. 
 York. 
 Sunderland. 
 
 M4 
 
 H5 
 
 86 
 
 K7 
 
 88 
 
 89 
 
 90 
 
 91 
 
 92 
 
 93 
 
 94 
 
 95 
 
 91i 
 
 97 
 
 98 
 
 99 
 100 
 101 
 102 
 103 
 104 
 105 
 106 
 107 
 108 
 109 
 1 10 
 111 
 1 12 
 1 13 
 I 14 
 115 
 1 l« 
 117 
 118 
 I 19 
 120 
 121 
 122 
 123 
 124 
 125 
 126 
 127x 
 128 
 
 129 \ 
 130 
 
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 Liverpool. 
 
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 Dublin. 
 St. Albani-. 
 
 Leeds. 
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 Liverpool. 
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 Lloyds. 
 
 Baltic. 
 
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 9 
 10 
 11 
 12 
 
 14 
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 16 
 
 Br!ult<»rd. 
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 Sheffield. 
 
 Derby. 
 
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 I'xbridge. 
 
 Worcester and Hereford. 
 
 Kiviniiigliam 
 
 rUBKS. 
 
 Submarine Co''''' Office. 
 I Jjeadenliall Street. 
 I Fenchiircli Street. 
 
 Cornhill. 
 
 Stock Exchange. 
 
 Loth bury. 
 
 fjrreshani House. 
 
 Brit. Indian Co' ^ Office, 
 
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 52 
 
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 64 
 
 63 
 
 64 
 
 66 
 
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 68 
 
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 4 
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 EX PRESS 
 
 NEWS 
 
 W 1 
 
 RES 
 
 B M. MR. LV. 
 
 GR.C F. Cfr". N E. 
 
 
 NG.SF. LS. NT. 
 
 SO 
 
 BS- EX. ' ■;. 
 81 
 
 E H. G W. 
 8Z 
 
 96 
 
 97 
 
 98 
 
 W4 
 
 CLfrk in. 
 Chargre's Desk 
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 106 
 
 ^. 
 
 1 
 
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1 
 
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 5^2 
 
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 4 
 
 TELECRAFH STRii 
 
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 PROMX CI AL GALLl :R\ , Till RD 
 
 mm 
 
 1C6 
 
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TELEGRAPH! ST i^. E E T , 
 
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 91 
 
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 Suf-vcye/I J^. Drawn h\' R. MACKIK, 
 C, P. O. Jaiiuwv. AS'77. 
 

 REFERENCE. 
 
 
 
 * 
 
 1 
 
 Victoria Docks. 
 
 90 
 
 ; Chancery Lane. 
 
 2 
 
 Shoredit-cli. 
 
 91 
 
 I.,incoln's Inn. 
 
 3 
 
 Do. 
 
 92 J. 
 
 
 
 
 Somerset Hon^^e. 
 
 1 -t 
 
 Stratford, 
 
 93* j 
 
 i 5 
 
 Southeud. 
 
 94 1 i 
 
 '. ■ .N. 1). <lt»irf. 1 
 
 
 
 fi 
 
 
 9.-.S : : 
 
 7 
 
 Eppiug. 
 
 96 
 
 King's < TO.-..--. 
 
 8 
 
 Mile End. 
 
 97 
 
 St. Pancras. 
 
 y 
 
 St. Kutherine's Dock>. 
 
 9H 
 
 Highgat<^. 
 
 10 
 
 Lower Clapton. 
 
 99 
 
 Islingti.iii. : 
 
 11 
 
 Columbia Market. 
 
 KMJ 
 
 Highbury. 
 
 12 
 
 Victoria Docks. 
 
 101 
 
 Poplar. 
 
 13 
 
 
 102 
 
 Dalston. 
 
 14 
 
 Ludgate Hill. 
 
 103 
 
 Cranboiirne Street. 
 
 ■ 1 5 
 
 Coal Exchange. 
 
 104 
 
 Long Ac.'-.'. 
 
 16 
 
 Do. 
 
 1115 i 
 
 17 
 
 101, Cannon Street. 
 
 lot; Barnet. | 
 
 18 
 
 Do. 
 
 107 Islington. ! 
 
 1 19 
 
 Leadenhall Street. 
 
 108 ^ 
 
 20 
 
 Upper Thames vStreet. 
 
 Il09 
 
 Metropolitan Cattl. 
 
 i 21 
 
 Clerkenwell (Trpcn. 
 
 f 
 
 Market. 
 
 22 
 
 AldKate. 
 
 11(1 
 
 Spring Strt et . 
 
 23 
 
 K. D. Office. 
 
 111 
 
 Archer Street. 
 
 24 
 
 Do. 
 
 112 
 
 Foubert's Plact-. 
 
 25 
 
 Poplar. 
 
 113 
 
 Oxford Street. 
 
 2fi 
 
 Beckenham. 
 
 114 
 
 Ha' raersmitli. ' 
 
 27 
 
 Smithfield Market. 
 
 115 
 
 Sh. pherd* Busli. 
 
 28 
 
 Co vent (farden. 
 
 1 I r, War Office. i 
 
 2S 
 
 Bishopsgate St. Without. 
 
 117 
 
 Trea.sury, ' 
 
 1 
 
 ! 30 
 
 Fleet Street. 
 
 118 
 
 Trea^urv, 
 
 31 
 
 Store .Street. 
 
 119 
 
 Admiralty. ! 
 
 32) 
 33 > 
 
 
 120 
 
 B'jckinfham Valac- 
 
 Lombard .St. News Kooms, 
 
 121-, 
 
 ■ 1 
 
 34 
 
 Little Tower Street. 
 
 122 1. 
 
 1 
 
 Picoadillv Circiit-, 
 
 , 35 
 
 London Bridge. 
 
 123 ) 1 
 
 ! 
 
 3(; 
 
 Hop Market. 
 
 124 ■ (\u7A,n Street. 1 
 
 37 
 
 Ep.-;0Tri. 
 
 12^ Langham Hotel. 
 
 ' 3H 
 
 Dorkiiiii. 
 
 12*^ Kensington High Stre.i 
 
 39 
 
 Croydoii. 
 
 127 Cliarles Streel. 
 
 40 
 
 Holborii Viadn.-t. W. 
 
 12!> J'.'VT.-down Terrac"'-. 
 
 41 
 
 Bloomsbury 
 
 12!i X..ttiuu Hil! (riir, . 
 
 43^ 
 
 Temple Bar, 
 
 '^"r is. W. D. Office. 1 
 
 131 ^ : ! 
 
 44 
 
 T.onduii Bridge. 
 
 132 ! Knightbbridge. : 
 
 45 
 
 J^oroiigli. 
 
 133 ' F'dhanj Road. i 
 
 1 
 
 4^; 
 
 Do. 
 
 i.'*,-; : I'Hii Mail. j 
 
 47 
 
 1 
 ( 'roydon. j 
 
 Holborn V^iariuct. 
 
 135 |i 
 
 i ■ 
 
 48 
 
 13<< ^! I'^rliaioeiii r^tn-i'i. 
 
 49 
 
 HolborD fnns of Comt 
 
 137 '1 
 
 50 
 
 Hoib<»m 
 
 138 ! Fi.M-lt;-!. Ottir.- ; 
 
 'ji 
 
 
 139 ; • : 
 
 I 
 52 5 
 
 Temple Har. 
 
 140 ! i 
 
 
 
 \ ! 
 
 W. D. Offic.^. 
 
 53. 
 
 54 5 
 
 Mark Lane. j 
 
 141 ^1 
 
 142 1 t 
 
 '< 
 
 55 
 
 Corn Exchange. 
 
 143 ■ I'addsngton Railway. 
 
 , 5fi 
 
 Eastoheap. 
 
 144 iVldington. 
 
 57 
 
 Do. j 
 
 145 Edge ware Road. j 
 
 j 58 
 
 Gresbam Street. i 
 
 14fi Oxford (.'irciiis. j 
 
 59 
 
 Finsbtiry Square. 
 
 147 Westbotirne Cxrov-. ' 
 
 60 
 
 Camberwell anrl \'au.KbalI. 
 
 148) „, , 
 
 > i>t. .lames s street 
 
 fil 
 
 Woolwich. 
 
 149' , 
 
 
 EXPLANATK 
 
 Murse Printers 
 Single Needles 
 Hright's Bells 
 
 A a C.s 
 Dt'iilile Needle 
 
 ■"V 
 
 £i*ri 
 
 LAVATORY 
 
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 METROPOLITAN GALLKRA; SEGOXD 
 
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 1 
 
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 /\*^ 
 
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 )POLITAN GALLEin;. SECOND F(X)OR 
 
 Scale 4, Feet to an Inch 
 
>n 
 
 ! 
 
 mHuopsgaw ,^t. Yviinoin, ■ 
 
 
 ■'' i 
 
 30 
 
 Fleet Street. | 
 
 118 
 
 Treasury, 
 
 31 
 
 Store Street. 
 
 119 
 
 Admiralty. 
 
 32, 
 1 33 > 
 
 
 120 
 
 Buckingfbatn Palac 
 
 LomVjjird St. New.s Rooms. 
 
 121 1 
 
 
 34 1 
 
 i 
 Little Tower Street. 
 
 122 I 
 
 ( 
 
 Ficradillv Circiit-. 
 
 35 
 
 Lonrlon Bridge. 
 
 i 23 1 
 
 
 1 3(i 
 
 Hop Market. 
 
 124 j 
 
 ( 'nrzon Street. 
 
 ! 37 i 
 
 Epsom. 
 
 Wf 
 
 Langham Hotel. 
 
 ' as i 
 
 Dorkiiiii. 
 
 i-r, \ 
 
 Kensington High Stre.^i 
 
 39 
 
 <'Toyfloii. 
 
 127 i 
 
 ( 'liarles Street . 
 
 4(1 
 
 Ilolborii Viarhi.t. W. 
 
 12S 
 
 I'oi t.^-down Trirac'v 
 
 1 
 
 ; 41 ! 
 
 Bloomsl)ury 
 
 12!» 
 
 Nr.ttiuL; Hil! (.Mf. . 1 
 
 1 ^'^i 
 
 : 43 > 
 
 Temple K;ir. 
 
 13(»^ 
 131 ^ i 
 
 S. W. ]>. ^)WH■v. 
 
 : 44 ! 
 
 London Bridge. 
 
 132 i 
 
 I 
 Knigbtsbndj^e. 
 
 1 
 45 
 
 J-Soroii^li. 
 
 133 ' 
 
 Knlbanj Road. 
 
 -K> 
 
 ]>o. i 
 
 13.i 
 
 l':d! Mail. 
 
 ; 47 
 
 1 
 
 Croydon. 
 
 1 35 
 
 
 ! 48 
 
 Jfolboni VkiiIikI,. 
 
 1 3(; ^ 
 
 r;irliuiiii-ii! Strc.-r. 
 
 49 
 
 Holliorn [Titis of Conil 
 
 137 i 
 
 i 
 
 50 
 
 Holboni, 
 
 l3^< 
 
 Ki.t.'ign dtth'.- ; 
 
 • 51 , 
 
 
 139 ; 
 
 i 
 
 I 
 
 Tempif" Bar. 
 
 140 i 
 
 
 [ 52 5 
 
 
 W. I). Off^<p. i 
 
 i 53^ 
 : 54^ 
 
 
 141 ,'■ 
 
 
 Mark Lane. 
 
 1 
 142 1 
 
 
 i 55 
 
 Corn Exchange. 
 
 143 
 
 I'addington Kailway. 
 
 i 56 
 
 Eastcheap. 
 
 144 
 
 Paddington. 
 
 ! ■>'? 
 
 Do, 
 
 145 
 
 Kdgeware Road. 
 
 1 58 
 
 Gresbam Street. 
 
 14B 
 
 Oxford Circns. 
 
 59 
 
 Finsbiiry Square. 
 
 147 
 
 Westbonrne Grov> . i 
 
 I 
 
 60 
 
 Caraberwell and Vaiixhall. 
 
 148) 
 149' 
 
 St. .Iame,s's Strei-t , 
 
 61 
 
 Woolwich. 
 
 i 
 
 62 
 
 '. Rotberhitbe. 
 
 150 
 
 Hfiuse of ( 'omnion>. j 
 
 63 
 
 Blackfriars Road. 
 
 151 
 
 Do. Do 
 
 64 i 
 
 65 S 
 
 
 1.52 
 
 Cliurton Street. 
 
 Private Wires. 
 
 L53 
 
 Putney. 
 
 66 
 
 Forest Hill. 
 
 1.54 
 
 \'irtoria Station ( L t 
 
 1 67 
 
 Deptford. 
 
 
 & D. Ry. ) 
 
 68 
 
 Crystal Palace. 
 
 1 55 
 
 \'ictoria Station ( L P. 
 & S. (' Ry ) 
 
 69 
 
 Lambeth and Kennington. 
 
 156 
 
 Waterloo 
 
 70 
 
 S. E. D. Office 
 
 
 
 
 
 157 
 
 Windsor 
 
 71 
 
 Po. 
 
 
 
 
 
 L58 
 
 Slough. 
 
 72 
 
 PrcRB Association 
 
 
 
 
 
 159 
 
 Eversholt Street 
 
 73^ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 160 
 
 Stanmore 
 
 ; 74 
 
 y 
 
 75 
 
 i West Strand. 
 
 IHl 
 
 f 'am den Road. 
 
 1 
 
 1 
 
 162 
 
 >faver«toek Hill 
 
 76. 
 
 
 163> 
 164' 
 
 
 77 
 
 DoctorB Commons. 
 
 N W I) Office 
 
 78 
 
 Coleman Street. 
 
 165 
 
 l.Tpper Glo'ster Place 
 
 79 
 
 ' Seething Lane. 
 
 166 
 
 Marylebone Road. 
 
 80 
 
 33, Cannon Street, W. 
 
 167 
 
 Swiss (,Vittage 
 
 81 
 
 Wormwood Street. 
 
 168 
 
 Hampstead 
 
 82 
 
 ! Moorgate Street. 
 
 169 
 
 Horse Guards 
 
 83 
 
 1 Wood Street. 
 
 170 
 
 Fulham Road 
 
 84 
 
 Barbican. 
 
 171 
 
 Westminster Broadway. | 
 
 85 
 
 Goswell Road. 
 
 1 
 
 172 
 
 Westminster Palace Hotel 
 
 86 
 
 Red Lion Street. 
 
 173 
 
 Clapham Junction. 
 
 H7 1 
 
 1 
 
 
 174 
 
 ( 'ambridge Street. 
 
 88 > 
 89, 
 
 W. (;. I). Ofti.'p. 
 
 175 
 
 Stockwell Pbice 
 
 
 176 
 
 Staines. 
 
 rWT 
 
 f^ 
 
 LAVATORY 
 
 O 
 
A 
 
 
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 05 
 
 
 06 
 
 .97 
 
 
 C 
 
 O 
 
 
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 Table i'or' SnrtJnq find 
 jVuju/jcruiif Mcfropolilan 
 
 
 
 
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 Tablv For 
 
 \acr 
 
 
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 Clerk, in Ouwi, 
 
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 726 
 
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 104 
 
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 \li>)) ^i 
 
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 ME'FROPOLrrAN CALiJvin;. Sivc 'ond 
 
 Scale 4, Feet to an Inch. 
 
 I 
 
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 110 
 
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 Ctioj'gggJDesk 
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 705 
 
 7.16 
 
 A3 7 
 
 7,3^ 
 
 1 
 
 74<S 
 
 JfcHxse o/' GoTTzrrton^ 
 H9 760 757 7S1 
 
fELE GRAPH! STREET. 
 
 ^iJ&il V: 
 
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 O F 
 
 ^OLIIWN GALI.lvin;. SlCCOND FLOOR. 
 
 Scale 4, Feet to an Inch. 
 
 1 
 
 © 
 
 I] 
 
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 ice 
 
 7/7 
 IjrQOuSVLry 
 
 118 
 
 119 TiO 
 
 Adrnu-altY Jiia-kJiixjharri/ 
 
 J30 
 
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 /J^7 
 
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 1 1 i 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 
 
 
 Sm^vvvKd «fc Brwwn^ by iV! MOPS, 
 
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MEW wimi 
 
 %(pmii 
 
 mm 
 
 DIAGRAM, 1. 
 
 M' />/y)/)0.v(y/ /p r/a'erl fii' mo/T c/i/cct roii//i9. 
 
 ncir(us-( 
 
 GLASGOW 
 
GLASGOtV 
 
 EDINBURGH 
 
 Zpc^erb, 
 
 le^ 
 
 J)ii 
 
 Newer M-t/e oji Tvne 
 
 Caj'li^slo 
 
 Port/ J'at/'ic/i^ 
 
 . ii/zfu/cj^lajtd/ 
 
 Pj'estow^ 
 
 l)oneast*ir 
 

 1 1 
 
 • I 
 
 DUBLIN 
 
 LIVERPOOL 
 
 H'c//i/i<f/('/i Briz/^/f 
 
 Cardz/r 
 
 ^ 
 
P/'e,sif>w 
 
 Eiill 
 
 J)onvaA-ier 
 
 LIVERPOOL 
 
 Cardi/f' 
 
 CumZiT'i^l^e^ 
 
 Wncent Brooks Da)' &• Son.Lith 
 
MEW Wll 
 
 c? 
 
 (TC 
 
 €111 II IE 
 
 DIAGRAM, 2. 
 
 S/ieu^i/u/ f/te 77 Orcui/^', cliyerted as proposed , die ne^r^ wires /o 6e 
 eree/ed for the purpose deirf^ (hioured Red 
 
 Belfast'. 
 
 GLASGOW 
 
 Strafircw^t 
 
 'f 
 
 ifi^- 
 
 ^ 
 
 ^ 
 
 DUBLIN 
 
 PresU 
 
EDINBURGH 
 
 New <xtstl& an/iyne/. 
 
 S^underCand/. 
 
 Hull. 
 
DUBLIN. 
 
 ^"^- 
 
 WUm<_jtvn ISTulne 
 
 LiMERPOL 
 
 Sin 
 
 Cardz/'f. 
 
 
Currvbi 
 
 rCcU/e. 
 
 Coorcbi/'f. 
 
 Viiicrnl-BiuoU." Day)!: .'uu li'b 
 
1865. 
 
 NEW SOUTH WALES, 
 
 ELECTRIC TELEGRAPHS 
 
 (REPORT TROM SUPERINTENDENT.) 
 
 PtesnitEti to iat]i pauses of ^arlfammt, bg Commantr, 
 
 BHPOST of the Superintendent of Electric Telegraphs, on the progress and general con- 
 dition of Electric Telegraphs in New South Wales, for the years 1863 amd ISG*. 
 
 Department of Public Works. 
 
 Electric Telegraph Branch, 
 
 Office of Superintendent, 
 
 Sydney, 18 Felnmry, 1865. 
 Sib, 
 
 I have the honor to forward, for the information of the Honorable the 
 Secretary for Public "Works, a Eeport shewing the progress and financial condition of the 
 Electric Telegraph Department to the end of the year 1864. 
 
 EXTEIfSIONS COMPLETED. 
 
 The extension of the "Western line from Orange to Eorbes, Young, and "Wagga 
 "Wagga, was completed and handed over to the Grovernment, May the 5th, 1863, and has 
 since worked satisfactorily — having proved a valuable addition to the Southern inter- 
 colonial lines— and' has reduced the interruptions between Sydney and Victoria to a 
 minimum, in all only amounting to six hours during the year 1864. 
 
 Prom Deniliquin to Hay, eighty-one and a half miles ; contract price, £43 per 
 mile, and £15 per mUe for wire on existing posts from Deniliquin to Conago, a distance 
 of twenty miles ; total cost, £3,367 2s. lOd. The station at Hay was opened, 7th May, 
 1864. 
 
 Prom Braidwood to Queanbeyan, thirty-six and a half miles ; contract price, £37 
 per mile ; total cost, £1,991 6a. lOd. Queanbeyan station opened, 13th August, 1864. 
 
 From "Wellington to Dubbo, thirty and a half miles ; contract price, £41 10s. per 
 mile ; total cost, £1,471 10s. 9d. Dubbo station opened, 12th November, 1864. 
 
 The additional wire between Sydney and Newcastle was completed and opened 
 1st January, 1864 ; since which, the receipts at the principal stations on the Northern 
 Line have considerably increased. 
 
 The extension from Braidwood to Araluen, fifteen and a half miles, contract price 
 £34 per mile, is completed, and will be opened in a few days. 
 
 Lutes iif pkooeess. 
 The line from Murrurundi to Mudgee, 130 miles, the contract price for which was 
 accepted at £37 per mile, is rapidly progressing, and will be completed about the end of 
 February, 1865. This very necessary work will connect the northern with the western 
 circuits, and insure more regular cotnmunication with the northern stations in this 
 Colony and those in Queensland. 
 
 8— A • A 
 
ELECTEIC TELEaEAPHS. 
 
 A contract has also been entered into for a line from Queanbeyan to Cooma, a 
 distance of seventy miles, at £37 15s. per mile, to be completed in four months. 
 
 The South Australian Government having, after considerable delay, at length 
 agreed to the division of receipts originally proposed by me, viz., two-thirds to accrue to 
 New South Wales, and one-third to South Australia, on telegrams between Sydney and 
 Adelaide, a contract has been entered into for the construction of the direct line from 
 DeniKquin to our western boundary, at £S6 10s. per mile, to be completed in eight 
 months, by whiph time the South Australian section will also be ready. 
 
 When in operation, this line will relieve the Victorian lines of the whole of the 
 business between New South Wales and South Australia, and will greatly facilitate the 
 transmission of messages between the two latter Colonies, as one repetition only will be 
 necessajjy, instead of three as at present. I have every reason to believe that there will 
 also be a tolerable and increasing business with the several stations on the Edward and 
 Murray Eivers ; but in the mean time, the annual amount now paid to Victoria for business 
 which this line will take, will almost cover the working expenses of the new stations, 
 independent of their own receipts. , 
 
 Peoposed Extensions. 
 
 The Select Committee of the Legislative Council on Light-houses, in 1863, recom- 
 mended that lines of Electric Telegraph shoidd be extended to the several light-houses 
 along the coast of the Colony. With a view to the accomplishment of so desirable an 
 object, it Tyill be necessary to carry the present lines to the nearest convenient townships, 
 where permanent telegraph stations, worked on the Morse system, should be established, 
 and from which points the light-house lines might branch ; for which latter, alphabetical 
 instruments, for the sake of economy and easy manipulation, should be used. 
 
 To connect the Gra^o Island light, a line from Cooma to Eden, a distance of eighty 
 miles, via Merrimbula and Panbula, would be required ; the estimated cost of which 
 •?fpnld be £3,750, thence to Gabo Island, thirty-five miles, about £2,000. 
 
 The Jervis Bay Hght could be connected by extending the present line from Kiama 
 to Shoalhaven, with an alphabetical line from Shoalhaven to the light j the distance would 
 be about forty miles, and the cost about £2,000. 
 
 Port St^phens light could be reached from Newcastle, at a cost of about £1,500. 
 
 The above lines would prove of the utmost value in cases of shipwreck, or vessels 
 in distress ; also, for the purpose of transmitting warning signals during severe gales or 
 storms, and more particularly in the event of war, when iminediate information could be 
 transmitted throughout the Colonies on the approach of an enemy's vessels. 
 
 A line from Bathurst or Orange to Carcoar and Cowra might be carried out, and 
 prove a great boon to the inhabitants of that district. I also feel satisfied that, if the 
 residents in the neighbourhoods interested would give the usual guarantee, the sum to 
 be made up in order to indemnify the Government would be but trifling to commence 
 with, and in a short time would cease altogether, 
 
 GlJAEANTEED LiNES. 
 
 The lines guaranteed by individuals against loss to the Government have so far 
 proved a success, and there is little doubt that, in a short time, they will cease in any 
 degree to be a burthen on those whose public spirit induced them to become responsible. 
 The following table wiU shew the amounts required to cover the loss in the qase of each 
 guaranteed line :t^ 
 
 Wellington to Dubbo line £19 16 6 
 
 Deniliquin to Hay line ... 20 4 2 
 
 Braidwood to Queanbeyan 261 
 
 £42 6 9 
 
 Beanch 
 
ELECTEIC TELEGEAPHS. 
 
 Bbanch Lines poe Pbivate Eiems. 
 No additional lines have been erected for private firms or companies, to connect 
 the nearest line stations with business establishments, since 1862, although several 
 applications have been received; it having been considered necessary to amend the 
 Telegraph Act, in order to empower the Government to undertake such works— which 
 amendment it is proposed to submit to Parliament during the present session— when 
 there is every reason to believe the public will avail themselves of the fasilities for com- 
 municating between their several places of business and the nearest Government 
 Telegraph Office. The Coal Companies near Newcastle and in Illawarra will derive 
 important advantages from the connection of their collieries with their principal offices, 
 which win be efiected on the payment of a small annual rental. 
 
 COITDITION OF THE LiNES. 
 
 The Southern Liaes have worked very satisfactorily since 1862. The Main 
 Southern Lines have been put in thorough repair, a gang of men having travelled through 
 from Sydney, and are now at work in the neighbourhood of Gundagai. Considering that 
 these lines have been nearly seven years in operation, the repairs required have been 
 trifling, beyond the clearing of overgrown scrub. 
 
 On the Western Line, between Penrith and Hartley, considerable damage has been 
 done by ihe railway works ; with this exception, the "Western Lines have required 
 nothing beyond the ordinary repairs. 
 
 The Northern Line, since the alterations on the southern portion, has not been 
 so troublesome, the interruptions between Sydney and Queensland having been less 
 frequent. On the completion of the Junction Line between Mudgee and Murrurundij 
 the public wiU seldom feel the inconvenience of delay, as there will not be more than 
 275 miles to the Queensland Boundary which will not be duplicated by a separate route. 
 
 The several branch lines are in good working order, and have seldom required 
 more than the line-men have been able to manage in keeping them in repair, except the 
 Grafton Branch, which has been washed away by the tipper Clarence at Tabulam, neces- 
 sitating the removal of the line to a less dangerous crossing-place. 
 
 The lines in this Colony during the summer months appear to be much more 
 afi'ected by lightning than those in the neighbouring Colonies ; and it frequently occurs 
 that not only the lightning conductors, but the relay coils, are fused by the intensity of 
 the atmospheric charges. To guard against this wholesale destructiorl, I have arranged 
 a simple cutting-out switch, which completely disconnects the conductors and instruments 
 from the line, leaving only the main battery in circuit. This plan has been found to 
 work very satisfactorily, and has saved the destruction of many instruments, and the 
 consequent delay of business at the several stations so visited. The following is a sketch 
 of the cutting-out switch : — 
 
 WIflIN BftTTERY 
 
 fflNB^^-^H 
 
 -^Cg; 
 
 •it. 
 
 UP fflm. 
 
 When 
 
ELECTEIC TELEG-EAPHS. 
 
 When the station is cut out and the line switched through, a plug is inserted at 1 : 
 when the instrument is in circuit, plug 1 is removed, and two plugs inserted at 2' 2'. 
 
 Length of Lines at peesent in "Woek. 
 
 Sydney to Albiiry 
 
 Do. to Xiama... 
 
 Do. to South Head ... 
 
 Do. to Picton... 
 Groulbum to Braid wood . . . 
 'Gundagai to Kiandra 
 
 Do. to Moama 
 Braidwood to Queanbeyan 
 
 Do. to Araluen ... 
 Deniliquin to Hay 
 
 SoTTTHEEN Lines. 
 
 Westeen Lines. 
 
 Sydney to Penrith 
 
 Do. to Wagga Wagga 
 Bathurst to "Wellington ... 
 "Wellington to Dubbo 
 Mudgee to Murrurundi 
 
 NOETHEEN 
 
 Sydney to Queensland Boundary 
 Maitland to Newcastle ... 
 
 Do. to Morpeth 
 
 Newcastle to Singleton ... 
 Muswellbrook to Scone ... 
 Tenterfield to Grafton ... 
 
 Lines. 
 
 Number of 
 
 Number of 
 
 Miles of 
 
 MUesof 
 
 Line. 
 
 Wire. 
 
 365 
 
 730 
 
 94 
 
 94 
 
 7 
 
 7 
 
 53 
 
 53 
 
 54 
 
 54 
 
 99 
 
 99 
 
 271 
 
 271 
 
 36 
 
 36 
 
 16 
 
 16 
 
 81 
 
 81 
 
 34 
 
 34 
 
 387 
 
 387 
 
 146 
 
 146 
 
 30 
 
 30 
 
 130 
 
 130 
 
 517 
 
 679 
 
 20 
 
 20 
 
 4 
 
 4 
 
 48- 
 
 48 
 
 16 
 
 16 
 
 112 
 
 112 
 
 2,520 
 
 3,047 
 
 Making a total of 2,520 miles of line, and 3,047 miles of wire, which, on the com- 
 pletion. of the lines in progress, wiU be increased to 2,990 miles of line, and 3,517 miles 
 of wire. 
 
 Eeceipts and Expeniitfee. 
 The receipts stUl shew a fair profit, although several branch lines have been con- 
 structed which, at present, do not return sufficient to cover their working expenses ; but 
 as the trade and importance of the districts which they connect with the main lines are 
 undergoing a steady development, the Unes in question are becoming remunerative. 
 
 The effects of the failure of crops, disastrous floods, and general depression of 
 business during the last two years, are perceptible in this as well as in other branches of 
 the public revenue. 
 
 Table shewing number of Messages and Eeceipts in 1863 and 1864. 
 
 STATIONS. 
 
 1863. 
 
 1864. 
 
 No. of 
 Messages. 
 
 Receipts. 
 
 No. of 
 Messages. 
 
 Receipts. 
 
 
 
 £ s. d. 
 
 
 £ s. d. 
 
 Sydney 
 
 40,743 
 
 13,215 12 9 
 
 43,980 
 
 13,865 10 9 
 
 Eedfem 
 
 1,345 
 
 179 19 11 
 
 1,065 
 
 150 15 2 
 
 Parramatta 
 
 1,798 
 
 179 3 10 
 
 1,386 
 
 128 17 2 
 
 Liverpool 
 
 434 
 
 58 18 5 
 
 297 
 
 36 12 2 
 
 Campbelltown 
 
 1,242 
 
 175 3 2 
 
 803 
 
 103 2 5 
 
 "WoUongong 
 
 1,289 
 
 206 7 3 
 
 1,230 
 
 187 10 8 
 
 Kiama 
 
 621 
 
 107 8 2 
 
 509 
 
 85 6 3 
 
 Picton 
 
 627 
 
 88 2 8 
 
 747 
 
 89 6 
 
 Berrima 
 
 511 
 
 85 12 
 
 440 
 
 75 12 7 
 
 G-oulbum 
 
 2,742 
 
 757 7 7 
 
 2,521 
 
 646- 6 11 
 
 Braidwood 
 
 1,209 
 
 380 2 7 
 
 1,487 
 
 445 5 1 
 
 Yass 
 
 1,901 
 
 474 6 9 
 
 1,690 
 
 M8 5 
 
 G-undagai 
 
 1,032 
 
 234 11 10 
 
 1,266 
 
 343 11 5 
 
 Kyamba 
 
 80 
 
 17 17 11 
 
 199 
 
 43 1 8 
 
ELECTiBIC TELEGRAPHS. 
 
 Messages and Eeceipts — continued. 
 
 1863. 
 
 STATIONS. 
 
 No. of 
 
 Messages. 
 
 Albury 
 
 Tumut 
 
 Kiandra 
 
 "Wagga "Wagga 
 
 Tirana 
 
 Deniliquin ... 
 
 South Head... 
 
 Penritli 
 
 Hartley 
 
 Bathurst 
 
 Grange 
 
 Forbes 
 
 Toung 
 
 Sofala 
 
 Tamtaroora ... 
 
 Windeyer ... 
 
 Mudgee 
 
 "Wellington ... 
 "Windsor 
 
 AVollombi 
 
 Maitland 
 Morpeth 
 Newcastle ... 
 
 Singleton 
 
 Muswellbrook 
 
 Scone 
 
 Murrurundi. . . 
 
 Tamworth 
 
 Bendemeer ... 
 
 Armidale 
 
 Grlen Innes ... 
 
 Tenterfield ... ... 
 
 Grafton 
 
 East Maitland 
 
 Hay 
 
 Queaaibeyan 
 
 Moama 
 
 Dubbo 
 
 Eent of Bellambi Branch 
 Line 
 
 Balances due from other 
 Colonies on business 
 
 Due on Guaranteed Lines 
 
 15,826 
 900 
 266 
 1,514 
 490 
 1,923 
 237 
 1,480 
 509 
 5,461 
 1,610 
 3,850 
 2,077 
 936 
 1,087 
 409 
 2,770 
 733 
 1,107 
 115 
 5,008 
 1,390 
 4,600 
 1,940 
 1,010 
 443 
 875 
 1,054 
 298 
 3,300 
 459 
 4,197 
 1,132 
 58 
 
 124,638 
 
 Keceipt3. 
 
 £ 
 
 540 
 
 274 
 
 88 
 
 434 
 
 192 
 
 755 
 
 14 
 
 203 
 
 88 
 
 1,537 
 
 353 
 
 1,124 
 
 846 
 
 158 
 
 207 
 
 96 
 
 771 
 
 196 
 
 202 
 
 23 
 
 1,174 
 
 252 
 
 1,084 
 
 360 
 
 170 
 
 84 
 
 261 
 
 287 
 
 61 
 
 459 
 
 113 
 
 301 
 
 320 
 
 12 
 
 s. d. 
 
 17 8 
 
 11 9 
 
 9 2 
 
 18 8 
 
 17 6 
 13 11 
 ■ 7 
 
 13 7 
 
 12 1 
 11 8 
 
 18 8 
 
 1 4 
 11 
 
 2 10 
 17 6 
 
 8 
 
 6 
 
 19 4 
 2 1 
 
 19 
 
 15 
 4 7 
 2 6 
 4 10 
 2 5 
 
 16 11 
 
 10 6 
 
 3 
 
 16 
 
 15 
 
 3 
 
 2 
 9 
 
 12 10 
 370 11 8 
 
 29,599 
 
 1864. 
 
 No. of 
 
 Messages. 
 
 18,030 
 874 
 305 
 1,924 
 422 
 2,346 
 180 
 1,350 
 425 
 4,162 
 1,619 
 1,840 
 1,665 
 640 
 939 
 298 
 2,261 
 759 
 976 
 117 
 5,823 
 1,327 
 6,685 
 1,976 
 1,158 
 386 
 695 
 842 
 471 
 1,509 
 555 
 7,554 
 1,089 
 431 
 669 
 353 
 103 
 122 
 
 130,500 
 
 Eesttlts of Year ending 31 December, 1863. 
 
 Total cost of construction to 31st December 1863 
 (not including Expenditure by Colonial Architect) 
 
 HaK-salaries of Superintendent and Accountant, 
 chargeable to construction 
 
 Eevenue coUected during the year 1863, viz. :- 
 
 "Value of Messages transmitted 
 
 Eent, Bellambi Line 
 
 Intercolonial Balances 
 
 £ 
 
 Eeceipts. 
 
 £ 
 
 590 
 
 234 
 
 105 
 
 582 
 
 132 
 
 860 
 
 8 
 184 
 79 
 949 
 376 
 563 
 570 
 ]03 
 193 
 
 65 
 552 
 200 
 137 
 
 20 
 
 1,282 
 
 216 
 
 1,657 
 
 344 
 
 178 
 
 74 
 173 
 235 
 117 
 397 
 135 
 278 
 292 
 
 93 
 245 
 
 95 
 
 20 
 
 27 
 
 B. d, 
 
 3 11 
 
 12 
 
 7 9 
 
 17 4 
 
 10 11 
 19 2 
 19 3 
 15 3 
 
 1 
 
 11 9 
 14 10 
 
 5 
 
 7 5 
 
 6 9 
 
 7 3 
 
 5 4 
 
 18 10 
 
 6 10 ■ 
 
 17 5 
 
 14 5 
 
 15 1 
 13 7 
 
 1 11 
 5 8 
 
 19 8 
 10 3 
 
 1 
 
 13 10 
 2 
 
 18 8 
 9 5 
 
 14 11 
 
 10 8 
 
 7 1 
 17 1 
 17 10 
 
 11 2 
 14 
 
 12 10 
 
 593 10 9 
 42 6 9 
 
 29,678 8 4 
 
 £ B. d. 
 118,440 12 2 
 
 500 
 
 118,940 12 2 
 
 29,215 18 4 
 
 12 10 
 
 370 11 8 
 
 ie«a— working expenses 
 Net profit, 7f per cent. 
 
 £ 
 
 29,599 
 20,449 3 9 
 
 9,149 16 3 
 
 EeSXJIiI 
 
ELECTEIC TELEGEAPHS. 
 
 Kesttm' of Year ending 31st December, 1864. 
 
 Total Cost of Lines in operation oil 31st December, 1864, not including 
 Expenditure by Colonial Architect 
 
 Sevfenue collected during 1864 
 
 Contract for Bellambi Line 
 
 Balances of 5 per cent. Gruarantees on cdnditional 
 Lines, viz. : — 
 
 Dubbo 19 16 6 
 
 Hay 20 4 2 
 
 (^ueanbeyan ... ... ... 2 6 1 
 
 29,623 11 
 12 10 
 
 42 6 9 
 
 Working Expenses, same period ... 
 
 Net Eevenue 
 
 £ a. d. 
 132,025 18 3 
 
 29,678 8 4 
 22,085 1 7 
 
 7,593 6 9 
 
 Being net profit on cost of cbnstructioti of 6 per cent, per annum. 
 
 Note. — There was a considerable diminution in the number and value of Government 
 
 « 
 
 messages transmitted, but an increase in private business, during the year. 
 
 It has been frequently asserted that the present rates of charge for telegrams are 
 too high, and that a reduction woidd induce an increase of business and revenue. It is 
 natural, of course, that those who are interested in obtaining a reduction should advocate a 
 lower charge ; but, as I have shewn in a previous Eeport, there is nothing to warrant 
 the assuinption that the result would justify the anticipation. In further support of my 
 opinion, I may here qubte the fact that, induced by the force of competition, the English 
 Companies reduced their scale of charges to a minimum, in the belief that they would 
 thereby increase their receipts ; but although they have the advantage of a large popula- 
 tion to operate upon, the dividends of the leading Companies have, in consequence, been 
 reduced from 12^ to 7^ per cent.j and some Companies now pay no dividend at all. 
 
 In proportion to the population, the Hues in this Colony contrast well with those 
 in more populous countries ; and it is a self-evident fact, confirmed by experience, that it 
 is impossible to force a telegraph busiuess Where the population is limited, and where 
 their business transactions are not of an urgent nature. Eeduetions have been made in 
 their tariff by a neighbouring Colony, which resulted in considerable loss of revenue ; 
 and I feel assured it would prove suicidal to the best interests of the department, if a 
 similar step were at present adopted here. 
 
 CoMPABATivE Table, shewing the number of Telegrams transmitted by the following 
 Countries, in proportion to their Population ; also, the number of Stations, and 
 average number of Messages from each. 
 
 Countries. 
 
 Population. 
 
 Telegrams 
 per Annum. 
 
 Telegrams 
 
 in proportion to 
 
 Population. 
 
 Length 
 Wire. 
 
 Number 
 
 of 
 Stations. 
 
 Average 
 Messages 
 
 per 
 Station. 
 
 United KiDgdom 
 
 36,000,000 
 
 38,000,000 
 
 379.000 
 
 »3,000,000 
 
 *2,500,000 
 
 130,500 
 
 1 to every 12 
 1 „ IS 
 X „ 3 
 
 53,000 
 
 64,300 
 
 3,047 
 
 1,375 
 1.301 
 
 52 
 
 2,182 
 1,921 
 2,384 
 
 New South Wales 
 
 * Including foreign and continental messages. 
 
 It will be seen by the above table, that in New South Wales one message is sent 
 by every three persons, whereas in England and Prance it is one to twelve, and one to 
 fifteen, respectively. The average number of messages from each station in this Colony 
 is also gif^ate* than in either of the kingdoms above mentioned. 
 
 It 
 
ELECTRIC TELEGRAPHS. 
 
 It has been sometimes urged that the Telegraph Service should be more immediately 
 eounected with the Post Office. This I consider quite unnecessarj-, and has been tried 
 in Europe and failed. In Prance, Russia, Prussia, Austria, Spain, Belgium, and Switzer- 
 land, the Telegraph and Postal Services are under the respective Grovemments, but are 
 in no way connected. 
 
 In Spain and Prance the telegraphs are under the Minister for the Interior. In 
 Russia, Prussia, Italy, Belgium, and Switzerland, they are under the Minister for Public 
 Works. In Austria the Administrations of the Telegraphs and Post Office were for a 
 time u^nited, but it was found expedient to separate them. 
 
 A great deal of jealousy has already shewn itself in this Colony, through the 
 Country Post Offices forming portions of tlie telegraph buildings ; and claims have 
 actually been made by the Country Postmasters to an equal share of the stations, which, 
 if complied mth, would have been clearly unjust to the officers of this department, as 
 not only is the ma,jor part of the cost of erection defrayed by the Telegraph Service, but 
 the accommodation supplied (four rooms only) is calculated as part of the Station 
 Master's salary. 
 
 I see no objection to the same number of rooms being provided for the Postmasters 
 on the telegraph allotments, and would recommend that a sum be placed on the Estinjatesi 
 for that purpose, a.s I feel convinced that disagreements of a serious nature wiU occur as 
 long as the same buildings are used by both departments. 
 
 LINES IN OTHER COLONIES. 
 
 Through the courtesy of Mr. M'Growan, the Grenerg,l Superintendent of Telegraphs 
 in Yictoria, who has kindly supplied me with the following information, I am able to shew 
 the progress of the Telegraph Depa.rtment in that Colony, to the end of 1864. 
 
 The following new Offices have been opened for business in Victoria : — 
 
 SwanHiU 14 April, 1863. 
 
 Smythesdale 18 June, 1863. 
 
 Moonambal 25 June, 1863. 
 
 BaUarat RaUway. . 13 July, 1863. 
 Sandhurst Railway 22 July, 1863. 
 
 RedBank 22 Dec, 1863. 
 
 Sale 22 Sept., 1864. 
 
 Castlemaine Railway, 23 July, 1863. 
 
 Kerang 6 Aug., 1863. 
 
 Golac 27 Aug., 1863. 
 
 Camperdown 6 Oct., 1863. 
 
 Newstead 29 Oct., 1863. 
 
 Mortlake ..17 June, 1864. 
 
 Port Albert 1 Dec, 1864. 
 
 St. Arnand 21 Jan., 1865. 
 
 Lines rsr peogbess. 
 
 A line is being carried from Hamilton to Casterton, from which place it is, I believe, 
 intended to extend the line to the South Australian boundary, to join the lines in 
 that Colony, which will form another loop-line which wiU be available in the event of 
 interruptions. 
 
 Another line is in progress, from Benalla, on the North-eastern Line, to "Wood's 
 Point — a new gold field in the north of Gipps Land. 
 
 A Statement of Receipts, Expenditure, and number of Messages, for the years 
 1863 and 1864, is shewn, page 10. 
 
 In South ArsTEAMA. 
 
 Erom Mr. Todd's voluminous and valuable Report for 1863, I find that the 
 following Extensions were completed during the year:— Prom Kadina to Wallaroo, 
 rather more than seven miles, opened, 23rd March,— total cost, £416 13s. 7d. ; from 
 Penola to Kincraig, 31 miles,— costing £1,496 lis. 5d. ; Kincraig was opened on the 
 20th July ; a station was also opened at Wellington, on l7th March ; Riverton was 
 opened in March, and Halendorf in April, 1864. 
 
 Mr. Todd appears to be unable to procure suitable timber in South Australia for 
 durable telegraph poles, and recommends that the lines which require repairs should be 
 
 re-poled 
 
8 ELECTEIC TELE&EAPHS. 
 
 re-poled with Swan Eiver mahogany, as the local timber will not last, on an average, 
 more than six or seven years in the ground. Contracts, I have since been informed, have 
 been accepted for this purpose, at 17s. lOd. per pole 23 feet long. 
 
 The long-talked-of direct line between South Australia and New South "Wales is 
 at last fairly started ; and the first section, between Gawler Town and Blanch Town, on 
 the Murray, is luider construction. Prom Blanch Town to the boundary it is intended 
 to carry the line direct to Overland Corner, where it will cross the river ; the high cliiTs 
 on one side being made available to give sufficient elevation to the wire, so as not to 
 interfere with the traffic on the river during floods. The length of line from Crawler Town 
 to the boundary near the Salt Creek, will be about 160 miles. 
 
 The receipts on the South Australian lines shew a steady increase, which can be 
 referred to at page 10. 
 
 In QUEEM-SIAND. 
 
 The lines in operation previous to 1863 were from Brisbane to the New South 
 Wales boundary at Maryland, a distance of 157 miles ; also, a short line to Lytton, near 
 the mouth of the Brisbane Eiver ; since which date, the following extensions have been 
 added : — 
 
 Brisbane trf Cape Moreton, 89J miles ; opened, August 2nd, 1864-. 
 Dalby to Eockhampton, 4555 miles ; opened, January 5th, 1865. 
 Eockhampton to Gladstone, 90 mUes ; opened, January 14th, 1865. 
 Total number of miles, 792. 
 
 Lines in Pbogeess. 
 Broad Sound to Port Denison. — A branch line to Clermont, and a line from 
 Hawkwood to Taroom. 
 
 I have not been favoured with any information respecting the receipts and 
 expenditure of the lines in the above Colony, so am unable to give a detailed account, 
 but I believe they about cover their working expenses. 
 
 In New Zealand. 
 I have been favoured with a report from the Telegraph Engineer in this Colony, 
 from which it appears that the Southland Provincial Government have erected a line from 
 the Bluff to Invercargill ; which line, it is recommended, should be purchased by the 
 General Government, to form a portion of their Main Trunk Line. 
 
 Prom Invercargill to the Mataura Eiver, the whole of the posts have been erected. 
 
 Erom Mataura to Molyneaux the contractor is busily engaged erecting poles ; and 
 between the latter place and Dunedin, the posts have been erected under a contract 
 entered into with Mr. James M'Kenzie, by the Otago Provincial Government, which is 
 now to be transferred to the General Government. 
 
 Erom Dunedin to Waitaki the posts have been erected under contracts entered 
 into with the Otago Provincial Government ; but some difficulty appears to have arisen 
 which necessitated the transfer of nearly the whole of the poles, which had been erected 
 in the midst of bush, and so mixed up with the poles of the private line of Telegraphs to 
 Port Chalmers, as to render the working of either line a matter of impossibility. 
 
 "Waitaki and Timaru. Posts have been deposited at points marked out by 
 telegraph surveyor. 
 
 Timaru to Christchurch. — Most of the posts for this section have been laid along 
 the line, and are ready for erection. 
 
 The section between Christchurch and Nelson does not appear at present to be 
 in a very forward state, but the whole of the contracts have been let for the supply and 
 delivery of the poles. 
 
 The distances are not enumerated in the report, and at present I am unable to 
 state the total length of the lines in this island. 
 
 From Auckland I have little or no information, beyond the fact that there exists 
 a military telegraph from Auckland to Drury, a distance of about forty miles. 
 
 *~~ LIST 
 
ELECTEIC TELEG-EAPHS. 
 
 
 LIST OP stat: 
 
 Ne-w 
 
 [ONS IN EACH COLONY. 
 
 
 South "Wales. 
 
 
 Sydney. 
 
 Tumut. 
 
 Wellington. 
 
 Araluen. 
 
 Eedfern. 
 
 Kiandra. 
 
 Morpeth. 
 
 Moama. 
 
 Parramatta. 
 
 Wagga "Wagga. 
 
 Newcastle. 
 
 Hay. 
 
 Liverpool. 
 
 Urana. 
 
 Singleton. 
 
 South Head. 
 
 Campbelltowh. 
 
 Deniliq^uin. 
 
 Muswellbrook. 
 
 Penrith. 
 
 Wollongong. 
 
 Hartley. 
 
 Scone. 
 
 Dubbo. 
 
 Kiama. 
 
 Batburst. 
 
 Murrurundi. 
 
 "Windsor. 
 
 Picton. 
 
 Orange. 
 
 Tamworth. 
 
 "Wollombi. 
 
 Berrima. 
 
 Porbes. . 
 
 Bendemeer. 
 
 Maitland. 
 
 Tass. 
 
 Young. 
 
 Armidale. 
 
 Glen Tnnes. 
 
 Grundagai. 
 
 Sofala. 
 
 G-oulbum. 
 
 Tenterfield. 
 
 Kyamba. 
 
 Tambaroora. 
 
 Braidwood. 
 
 Grafton. 
 
 Albury. 
 
 Mudgee. 
 
 Queanbeyan. 
 
 East Maitland. 
 
 
 Length 
 
 ofline— 3,047 miles. 
 
 ViCIOEIA. 
 
 
 Melbourne. 
 
 Beaufort. 
 
 Inglewood. 
 
 Pootscray. 
 
 "Williamstown. 
 
 Streatham. 
 
 Kerang. 
 
 Mortlake. 
 
 G-eelong. 
 
 Hexham. 
 
 Swan HiU. 
 
 Chiltern. 
 
 Queenscliff. 
 
 Otway. 
 
 Gisbome. 
 
 "Woodend. 
 
 Point Londsdale. 
 
 Creswick. 
 
 Kyneton. 
 
 Taradale. 
 
 Sandridge. 
 
 Daylesford. 
 
 Castlemaine. 
 
 "Werribee. 
 
 Schnapper Point. 
 
 Maiden. 
 
 Sandhurst. 
 
 Buninyong. 
 
 Cape Schanck. 
 
 Dunolly. 
 
 Echuca. 
 
 Hamilton. 
 
 Portland. 
 
 Carisbrook. 
 
 Kilmore. 
 
 Smythesdale. 
 
 Belfast. 
 
 Maryborough. 
 
 Longwood. 
 
 Ararat. 
 
 "Wamambool. 
 
 Avoca. 
 
 Benalla. 
 
 Stawell. 
 
 Camperdown. 
 
 Moonambel. 
 
 "Wangaratta. 
 
 Talbot. 
 
 Colac. 
 
 Eed Bank. 
 
 Beechworth. 
 
 Heathcote. 
 
 Port Albert. 
 
 Clunes. 
 
 Yackandah. 
 
 Newstead. 
 
 Ballarat. 
 
 Wahgunyah. 
 
 Eutherglen. 
 
 Sale. 
 
 St. Amand. 
 
 Tarangulla. 
 
 Belvoir. 
 
 
 
 Length 
 
 ofline— 2,826^ miles. 
 
 
 
 SorTH Atjstealia. 
 
 
 Adelaide. 
 
 G-awlertown. 
 
 Mount Barker. 
 
 Guichen Bay. 
 
 Bowden. 
 
 Eoseworthy. 
 
 Nairne. 
 
 Mount Gambler. 
 
 Alberton. 
 
 Preeling. 
 
 "Woodside. 
 
 Penola. 
 
 Port Adelaide. 
 
 Kapunda. 
 
 Strathalbyn. 
 
 M'Donnell Bay. 
 
 Peninsula. 
 
 Clare. 
 
 "Willunga. 
 
 Kadina. 
 
 Dry Creek. 
 
 Burra. 
 
 Port Elliott. 
 
 Wallaroo. 
 
 Salisbury. 
 
 Gumaracka. 
 
 Yankalilla. 
 
 Auburn. 
 
 Smithfield. 
 
 Glenelg. 
 
 Goolwa. 
 
 Wellington. 
 
 Habndorf. 
 
 M'G-rath's Plat. 
 
 Kincraigs. 
 
 Eiverton. 
 
 
 Length 
 
 ofline— 1,074 miles. 
 
 QuEENSlAirD. 
 
 
 Brisbane. 
 
 Durah. 
 
 Eockhampton. 
 
 Moreton Island. 
 
 Lytton. 
 
 Maryborough. 
 
 Towoomba. 
 
 Banana. 
 
 Dunwick. 
 
 Hawkwood. 
 
 "Warwick. 
 
 
 Ipswich. 
 
 Dalby. 
 
 Gladstone. 
 
 
 
 Length of line — 792 miles. 
 
 
 Comparative 
 
 8— B 
 
10 
 
 ELECTEIC TELEGEAPHS. 
 
 CoMPABATiVE Statemest of Heceipts and Expenditure in New South Wales, "Victoria, and South Australia. 
 
 1863. 
 
 NEW SOUTH WALES. 
 
 VICTORIA. 
 
 SOUTH AUSTRALIA. 
 
 Capital— £118,940 12s. 2d. 
 
 Capital— £222,846 5s. lid. 
 
 
 Messas:es, 
 124,638; 
 
 Cash receipts 
 
 Working expenses 
 Net revenue 
 
 \ £ ». d. 
 29,699 
 
 20,449 3 9 
 
 9,149 16 3 
 
 Messages, 
 156,4S2.« 
 
 Cash receipts" 
 
 Working expenses 
 
 £ s. d. 
 26,768 15 "8 
 35,646 11 9 
 9,876 16 1 
 
 Messages, 
 86,411. 
 
 Cash receipts 
 
 WorkiBg expenses 
 Net loss 
 
 £ ». d. 
 8,429 19 1 
 
 9,108 8 
 
 678 1 7 
 
 
 
 1864. 
 
 NEW SOUTH WALES. 
 
 VICTORIA. 
 
 SOUTH AUSTRALIA. 
 
 Capital— £132,025 18s. 8d. 
 
 Capital— £238,696 5s. lid. • 
 
 
 Messages, 
 130,500. 
 
 Cash receipts 
 
 Working expenses 
 Net revenue 
 
 £ ». d. 
 29,678 8 4 
 
 22,058 1 7 
 
 7,693 6 9 
 
 Messages, 
 184,441.* 
 
 Cash receipts* 
 
 Worldng expenses 
 Net loss 
 
 £ 3. d. 
 29,121 18 I 
 
 36,978 6 3 
 
 6,856 8 2 
 
 Messages, 
 106,874. 
 
 Cash receipts 
 
 Worldng expenses 
 Net revenue 
 
 £ s. d. 
 10,994 13 S 
 
 9,500 
 
 1,494 13 8 
 
 
 • Exclusive of O.H.M.S. business, which is not paid for in Victoria. 
 
 THE ANaLO-AUSTEALIAN TELEGEAPH. 
 
 Since my last report on tHe Anglo-Australian Telegraph, in March, 1863, 
 nothing of a definite character has been done towards the realization of this important 
 object. The lines are gradually stretching down from the northward towards India, and 
 appearances warrant the assumption that, with so many Imperial iaterests urging on the 
 undertaking, they will soon be extended to Singapore, on their way to China and these 
 countries respectively. Arrangements made by the Dutch Government, leave no doubt 
 that the continuation from Singapore to Batavia wUl be a matter of early accomplish- 
 ment. Erom Java to tliis continent, the extension of the line may be said to be the 
 special business of those Colonies which, by geographical position, are immediately 
 interested in this gxeat question. 
 
 ' With the view of connecting the Indo- Australian cable, the Queensland lines are 
 now steadily extending northward ; and that Government, I have no doubt, wiU at once 
 complete their system to the Gulf of Carpentaria ; more particularly, should the South 
 Australian Government agree to carry on the work from thence to their northern settle- 
 ment at Adams Bay, Adelaide Eiver, which would be of the greatest importance to the 
 latter Colony. 
 
 The Queensland lines are now open as far north as Eockhampton, and are in 
 progress of construction from thence to Port Denison, so that considerably less than 700 
 miles of hne would place the head of the Gulf of Carpentaria in communication with 
 the rest of Australia, leaving about 800 miles, which would cost perhaps £50,000, to be 
 provided for by the South Australian Government, in which line they would have a 
 double interest. The question, therefore, becomes reduced to that of the sub-marine 
 cable from Adams Bay to. Java; and as this point is one which involves no risk, either 
 as to the security of the cable or the remunerativeness of the outlay, I would strongly 
 recommend that (even should the South Australian Government decline to form their 
 land portion of the line to Adams Bay, and thus shut itself out from a participation in 
 the extension) this Colony should join with Queensland in assuming the whole interest 
 in the construction of the line from the Albert Eiver to its connection with the Dutch 
 portion. 
 
 Even if formed by a Company, it will be recollected that a subsidy must be 
 guaranteed, representing a certain return on the outlay for the Hne, while experience 
 warrants the assertion that the undertaking would yield a magnificent return, which has 
 hitherto been the case with all main trunk hues, so much so, that I have no doubt there 
 would be little or no difficulty in obtaining contractors who would manufacture and lay 
 the cable, and undertake the working, for a fixed annual subsidy, in the same manner as 
 Messrs. Glass and Company are working and maintaining the Malta and Alexandria 
 line. Should 
 
ELECTEIC TELEGEAPHS. 11 
 
 Should the proposition be entertained, that the three Colonies most interested at 
 once enter into preliminary arrangements for starting the project, it wiU be borne in 
 mind that not only will a large profit accrue from the sub-marine portion, but that an 
 increased business will also be necessarily thrown upon the existing lines, which business 
 wiU prove an indirect source of revenue of no smaU magnitude, as the proposed line 
 will form the sole telegraphic channel of communication between Australia and nearly 
 the whole of the World. 
 
 The Persian Gulf cable has proved a success ; and it is now time for active measures 
 to be taken, to secure to these Colonies one of the greatest boons which mankind possess, 
 which can be accomplished without serious risk or outlay ; as I am satisfied that a subsidy, 
 after the first year, would not be req[uired, and that the entire scheme would be self- 
 supporting. 
 
 There is one other matter which should not be passed over, that is, the immense 
 saving which would be effected in freights and insurance by manufacturing the cable in 
 Australia. Instead of steam-vessels being required, provided with tanks and other 
 expensive fittings, for the bringing out and protection of so delicate a freight, the whole 
 of the material could be shipped in its unmanufactured state at ordiuary rates in England. 
 Of course, in such case, experienced engineers and artisans would be required, who could 
 be sent from Europe with the material. The difference in the expense saved by these 
 means would be at least 20 per cent, on the entire contract. 
 
 It may be urged that steam-vessels fitted up with water-tight tanks will be 
 required, and must be brought out from England, to lay the cable : this is quite 
 unnecessary, as there would not be the slightest dii&culty in procuring suitable vessels 
 for the purpose in this country, at a far less expense ; the time occupied iu coming out and 
 returning home being saved. The tanks, payiug-out machinery, and all the necessary 
 fittings, could also be put on board in the Colony, at a very trifling additional cost. 
 
 I am stiU of opinion that the only satisfactory mode of initiating the preliminaries 
 for carrying out this imdertaking would, as previously recommended by me, be by a 
 meeting of representatives from the several Colonies interested, to take place in Sydney 
 or some other convenient place, to ftilly discuss the subject and bring up a joint report, 
 recommending the best route, and the most economical plan, for the accomplishment of so- 
 desirable an object as the completion of an unbrol:en liue of Telegraph between England 
 and Australia. 
 
 E. C. CEACKNELL, 
 
 Superintendent of Telegraphs. 
 
 APPENDIX, 
 
 Shewiug the capital investetl, number of messages and receipts, from the opening of the first linea 
 in New South Wales, in 1858, to the end of the year 1864. 
 
 1858. £ s. d. 
 
 Capital invested— £17,253 12s. Hd. 
 
 No. of messages— 9,141. Cash receipts 1,932 19 9 
 
 Working expenses 2,087 8 6 
 
 Net loss 154 18 9 
 
 Number of stations — 11. 
 
 1869. 
 
 Capital— £23,816 19s. 9d. 
 
 No. of messages— 36,867. Cash receipts 7,826 10 
 
 "Working expenses 4,C46 9 9 
 
 Net profit 3,179 10 1 
 
 Number of stations — 12. 
 
 1860. 
 
 Capital— £48,454 2s. 2d. 
 
 No. of messages— 53,951. Cash receipts 12,136 13 2 
 
 Working expenses 9,408 12 4 
 
 Net profit 2,728 10 
 
 Number of stations— 23. 
 
12 
 
 ELECTEIC TELEaEAPHS. 
 
 No. of meaaages^— 71,224. 
 
 No. of messagaa— 104,060. 
 
 No. of messages— 124,038. 
 
 No. of messages— 130,500. 
 
 1801. 
 
 Capital— £00,015 13s. 3d. £ a. d. 
 
 Cash receipts 16,542 8 9 
 
 Working expenses 12,915 16 4 
 
 Net profit 3,626 13 5 
 
 Number of stations — 36. 
 
 1862. 
 Capital invested— £116,234 lis. 7d. 
 
 Cash receipts 25,513 9 8 
 
 Working expenses 16,780 7 5 
 
 Netprofit 8,733 2 3 
 
 Number of stations — 47. 
 
 1863. 
 
 Capital invested— £118,940 12s. 2d. 
 
 Cash receipts 29,599 
 
 Working expenses 20,449 3 9 
 
 Netprofit 9,149 16 3 
 
 Number of stations — 18. 
 
 1864. 
 
 Capital invested— £132,025 18a. 3d. 
 
 Cash receipts 29,678 8 4 
 
 Working expenses . . . . . . 22,085 1 7 
 
 Netprofit 7,593 6 9 
 
 Number of stations — 51. 
 
 Sj'iinc^' : Thomas Eichai-ds, Oovenunent Printer, — 18C5. 
 
 XPrice, Is.] 
 
CuUin^ out Switdi 
 
 'Litacaraphed at- tjic^ ovn/e^or GeneraJ/S Ofitoe^ Si/dney OctJSSS 
 
 Ph^ 
 
 (Si^.8.) 
 
ATLANTIC TELEGEAPH COMPANY, LIMITED. 
 
 KEPORTS AND OPINIONS 
 
 IN REFERKNOE TO THE 
 
 SELECTION OE THE BEST POINT EOR LA.YING THE OABLE. 
 
 JULY, 1857, 
 
 H.M.S. "Agamemnon," 
 
 Greenwich, July 6. 
 
 Sir, . 
 
 Considering the principal matter for discussion on Wednesday next will be 
 the advantages or disadvantages of commencing to lay the Telegraphic Cable from Ireland, 
 I have reduced my ideas on that important point to writing, considering it will assist the 
 maturity of the deliberations if they are previously discussed by those more able than myself 
 to form a correct estimate of their weakness or strength. I therefore enclose them with this 
 intent. ' • ■ 
 
 I am. Sir, 
 
 Your obedient Servant, 
 
 C. NoDDALL, Master Commanding. 
 To George Saward, Esq. 
 
 ADVANTAGES OF COMMENCING TO LAY THE TELEGRAPHIC CABLE] 
 
 FROM IRELAND. 
 
 The almost .certainty of passing over that portion of the track between 10° and 15° in 
 fine weather — Maury stating that " there is scarcely a liability of a gale in the month of 
 August in any year, until you approach the Irish Coast, when the chances of encountering 
 one are about three in thirty." 
 
 The chances in case of a gale or strong breeze of it, coming from the westward, more 
 particularly as we have already had a continuance of easterly winds in May and June, as 
 also at all times the prevalence of westerly winds in those seas. 
 
 As the cable as coiled in "Agamemnon " .now affords greater facilities for paying out than 
 the "Niagara," if any diificulties should arise in laying down the first half — which are not 
 yet foreseen or anticipated — such as there not being sufficient spare cable to -complete the 
 distance, &c., such experience will save the Niagara's half, as well as what may remain in 
 Agamemnon. 
 
 The 600 miles of spare cable would be available for the entire route. "Whereas, when 
 the ships are laying each half down simultaneously, one vessel having had fine weather, may 
 
perform her task and land her end with 100 or more miles to spare, while the other, 
 encountering bad weather, miglit not. hsive enoj^gh to, reacii, the land. 
 
 Should this plan be adopted, and all go right, and the cable as to distance be laid satis- 
 factorily, till 1,100 miles, or thereabouts, is paid out, and then a favourable state of the 
 weather ensue, the splicing of the' Niagsir^'s e»d might be imnaetJiately undertaken, the 
 Agamemnon following her consort on to the American shore with the remaining portion, to 
 assist, if necessarJ^ 
 
 If an extreme case should occur, such as both Niagara and Susquehana breaking down, 
 there- wwld be ^he Leepard, sm^ Cyolopjs to as^t, even, if tlie Agaaiemaon shouild Bot f<i)lt«w 
 after her portion is laid out. 
 
 The exact knowledge that if coniijiiiiuity e^ ijnsulation is destroyed the portion paid out 
 must be recovered, to try back and find the cause ; if both vessels are at work, it may not be 
 know which end is in fault. 
 
 Only the Niagara's portion of the steel wire rope need be used. 
 
 I propose the splice be effected while Niagara tows Agamemnon, about 50 fathoms apart 
 slowly westward'. 
 
 The- Company in Ijondon would be hourly advised of the progress of the work, and in 
 case it should be required we could secure their opinions on a knotty point. 
 
 Majiry states that, withput a douibt,. the, most propitious tioje is, about the end of July 
 and beginning e/i August.,, w,0¥e' pactic.ularly as regards, the Irish, coast,? if the iwe he laid 
 doiwn, ^multaaieo,usly, the Irish coast will be approached abou.t the 20tLo.f August,, supposing 
 we lea,ve Qork. on the 1 st of thatt ijioftth. — if loiev,, the argument, befio.nies, wore forcible for 
 adoptJRg this pla.u. 
 
 Disadvantages of commencing to lay the telegraphic cable from Ireland. 
 
 The time employed in submerging the cable would, under the most favourable circum- 
 stances, be double. 
 
 The difficulties and dangers of uniting the Cable in mid-ocean under the chauL-es of bad 
 weather. 
 
 The chances of parting company with Niagara in thick weather, and that weather con- 
 tinuing so as to prevent her finding Agamemnon when the latter vessel's portion of cable 
 was nearly or wholly expended^ though. Maury gives the- relative frequency of fogs between 
 
 30h. and 35h. as 0. 
 
 C. NO.DDALL, 
 
 Master Commanding H.M.S. Agamemnon. 
 Greenwich, July 6. 
 
 EEASONS FOE PREFERRING TO COMMENCE THE LAYING DOWN OF THE 
 ROPE BY FASTENING THE EASTERN END TO IRELAND. 
 
 1. The securing of the end" to the shore before the ship leaves the coast. 
 
 3". The advantage of starting fi-om comparatively shoal water into deep water. 
 
 3. The prevalence of winds, having West in them, between Ireland and Newfoundland 
 nine montlis in the year, and especially between the middle of May and the ejxd of Septembei; 
 
 4. The d'esirability and advantage of proceeding against tjie wind, which may be 
 expected to blow with moderate f6rce from the westward during the greater, part of August. 
 
 5. The- difficulty of reguMiiig the speed of the ship in the event of a strong^ breeze or 
 gale oi fair wind. 
 
 6. Power of comBapuJpating from the ship to the shore as, often, as may be necessary or 
 diesi^ahlie dixring the process of' passing out. 
 
7. The advantage of having within speaking or signal distance the officers in command 
 of the several ships employed, also of the engineer and electrician and their assistants, like- 
 wise of Professor Morse, who intends to proceed with the expedition. 
 
 8. The probahility of weather affording favourable opportunity to splice the ends of the 
 ^'ope before the eastern half shall have been paid out. 
 
 9. In order to provide for emergency in case the state of the weather should be unpro- 
 pitiouSj buoys (such as are already in course of preparation) or a large boat to serve as a 
 buoy and beacon might be used, the boat of course to be decked all over, and made perfectly 
 tight, two masts should be placed in her, one having a flag at the head, the other a mirror 
 (at the top), contrived so as to reflect in all directions ; these will he discernible at a consi- 
 derable distance in clear weather in the event of the necessity of buoying the end of the rope 
 during heavy weather, and temporarily losing sight of the buoy or beacon. 
 
 10. Presuming this course of proceeding to be pursued, there is every probability of the 
 ship carrying the Western half, having a considerable excess of rope after reaching the land 
 in Trinity Bay, which might be required for extending communication by submarine telegraph 
 on that side, and be readily disposed of to advantage for the benefit of the Company. 
 
 I would suggest that all the ships (assuming, of course, that some part of the rope would 
 remain after splicing on board the ship that carries the Eastern end) should proceed to 
 Trinity Baj', and (if required) assist in securing the Westein end to the American shore. 
 
 THOMAS H. BROOKING. 
 
 July 7, 1857. 
 
 Sii', 
 
 I havh: been requested to give my opinion in regard to the proposed change 
 in tlie plan of laying out the Atlantic Telegraph Cable. Instead of proceeding with the 
 two Cable ships on the plan originally projected, to mid-ocean, joining there the two halves 
 of the Cable, and parting the one ship towards Ireland, and the other towards Newfound- 
 land, it is now proposed to commence from the shore end on the western coast of Ireland 
 and from the Niagara at once to lay out the Cable to mid-ocean, accampa nied by the other 
 ships, and there joining with the part on board the Agamemnon, proceed thence to New- 
 foundland. 
 
 My first impression was adverse to the new plan, solely, however, on the ground that it 
 involved an additional delay of several days at a period when every hour is of immense 
 importance to bring the operation of laying out the cable, within the limits of the moderate 
 weather of the year upon the Atlantic. But on further reflection, weighing the advantages 
 and disadvantages of the proposed change, my opinion is in favour of the new plan. 
 
 The disadvantages are : 
 
 First. A prolongation of the time employed in laying out the cable, and consequently the 
 incurring of additional risks apparently, of stormy weather upon the ocean. Assuming 
 that the Telegraph squadron sails from the Cove of Cork on the 1st of August, to commence 
 operations from mid-ocean, (the original plan,) five days may be allowed the ships witli 
 their free use of sails and steam to reach mid-ocean. To this time add eight days for 
 each of the cable ships to reach their respective destinations, and by the 13th of August, 
 the cable will have been fastened to the American and European shores. But if the new- 
 plan is adopted, the squadron leaving Cork on the 1st of August, the Niagara can scarcely 
 commence laying the cable from the Irish shore before the ^nd of August. Commencing 
 then from the 3nd of August, the whole squadron must proceed towards mid -ocean at the 
 paying out speed of the Niagara. Hence, eight days must be allowed to reach the point 
 where the two parts of the cable are to be joined, and to lay the remaining half the 
 
Agamemnon consumes eight days more.J making in all eighteen ' days, instead of thirteen 
 days, of exposure to the risk of gales. 
 
 Second. The second disadvantage of the new plan is the risk of encountering uu- 
 favourahle weather at the critical moment when the two halves of the cable are to be joined. 
 The necessity for proceeding to pay out at a certain definite speed from the time the ships 
 leave the Irish coast will bring the period for joining the cables, at a certain definite time as 
 to day or hour, but at an uncertain time as to the state of the weather. The joining of the 
 two halves of the cable^ however, must be made when mid-ocean is reached, whatever may 
 be the state of the weather ; and should the weather be stormy, it is argued that the safety of 
 the cable would be endangered. 
 
 I think I have fairly stated the prominent disadvantages which at first blush are 
 adverse to the new plan. The first disadvantage (that of prolonging the time at the risk of 
 longer exposure to the risks of unfavourable weather), yields, when other circumstances are 
 taken in connection with prolonged time. It is well known to nautical men, that in the early 
 part of August uniform fine, calm weather prevails on the Atlantic in the pathway from New- 
 foundland to Ireland ; but from the middle to the latter part of August gales may be expected, 
 but they are sure to be upon the coast of Ireland, while milder weather prevails on the 
 American side of the water. Gales at that season seldom or never occur on the Newfound- 
 land coast. This fact, of great importance, not only removes the disadvantage from the new 
 plan, but turns it over in its full force against the old plan. The risks of unfavourable 
 weather are all on that side. For it is very certain that should the ships commence laying 
 out from mid-ocean, the work cannot be commenced before the 6th or 7th of August, bringing 
 upon tlie Irish coast, the ship which is to land the European end of the cable just in the 
 season when a gale may be expected to occur on that coast. Should the ships on the 
 contrary commence from Ireland, they commence in good weather, and, if the experience of 
 good observers is correct, they will take fine weather with them through the whole operation 
 from land to land, leaving the region where gales may be expected, long before the season of 
 their occurrence. Thus, although a few days longer may be expended on the ocean, they 
 will be jjassed in a region where the operations will be undisturbed by gales. 
 
 As to the second disadvantage, the chance of bad weather when it becomes necessary 
 to connect the two halves of the cable, I would speak with great deference to the skill and 
 experience of the engineers. I will yet venture respectfully to suggest, that having at least, 
 as we will hope, some two or even three days of surplus cable on each ship, there are at least 
 two days of choice of weather for connecting the cables. If, when the first half is paid out, 
 up to within two or three hundred miles of the end of it, good weather should occur for 
 connecting, might not the joining be then made with perfect success; and is it at all 
 probable that weather unfavourable to such an operation can continue two days ? 
 
 In this view of the case, the advantages of security to the integrity of the cable is 
 on the side of the ulw plan. 
 
 Aside from other advantages of tlie new plan, I may briefly touch upon some that occur 
 to me. 
 
 A principal one is the lessening the risks of embarrassment in the electrical testings which 
 will be carried on without a moment's intermission, day and night, during the whole operation. 
 By the first plan, two corps or staffs of operators will commence communicating with each 
 other from each ship. It is obvious that instruments on ship board will at the best work to 
 much disadvantage as compared with instruments on the land. These disadvantages are 
 doubled by dividing the staff' and instruments into the tvvo ships, but they are lessened one 
 half, if one station is on shore, as would be the case if the new plan is adopted, and the other 
 on the ship which, for the time being, is paying out the cable. It may also be urged as an 
 jmportant advantage, that the whole strength of the scientific staff" (which, on the old plan, is 
 ^ivided), M'ill, oh the new plan, be concentrated in the ship which is paying out 
 
Not among the least of the advautag-es wMcli the new plan presents over the old, is that of 
 out' ability in this case of communicating with the Company's head-quarters in London _ every 
 moment from the time we leave the shores of Ireland until we arrive in Newfoundland, and can 
 thus report every step of our progress. 
 
 These few hasty remarks are respectfully presented, 
 
 By your obedient servant, 
 
 SAML. F. T. MORSE. 
 To the Chairman of the Board of Directors of 
 the Atlantic Telegraph Company, 
 22, Old Broad-street. 
 
 Greenwich, 8th July, 18-57. 
 
 No. 8, Ashburnham Terrace, Greenwich, 
 
 July 9th, 1857. 
 Sir, 
 
 On reflection since the meeting yesterday, and the exchange of views of the gentlemen < 
 present, upon the best plan for laying out the cable to insure success in every department of 
 the enterprise, it appears to me that tlie reconciliation of the engineer's and the electrician's 
 labours, is the point to which our attention is directed. All else is literally plain sailing. 
 These are the Scylla and Charybdis between which we desire safely to steer. 
 
 If the plan of mid-ocean commencement is adopted, the engineer's labours are compara- 
 tively easy, while difficulties of a most serious nature are then devolved upon the electricians- 
 
 If the plan of commencing from the Irish shore is adopted, the electrician's labours are 
 comparatively easj', while the difficulties of the engineer's department it is alleged are in- 
 creased. 
 
 In this dilemma let us examine each of these categories with care. 
 
 If one must yield to the other, which can yield with the least risk to the success of the 
 whole enterprise? 
 
 It must strike all, that the difference of the time in which the peculiar difficulties of the 
 two departments of labour will operate is vastly disproportionate The additional difficulties 
 of the engineer's department in consequence of adopting the new plan, supposing them to be 
 as great as the most unfavourable aspect in which they are viewed, can present, are so short 
 in duration that they become as nothing in comparison with the duration of those that must 
 devolve upon the electricians, should the original plan be adhered to. 
 
 The new engineering difificnlties (supposing them to be real difficulties), do not begin 
 until within a day or two at the utmost, of reaching mid ocean ; an lioiir or tiro then termi- 
 nates them favourably or unfavourably. 
 
 The electrical difficulties in the old plan, on the, contraiy, commence from mid-ocean, 
 and continue with increasing perplexity and complication to the end of the voyage. In this 
 view of the matter it would seem but reasonable that the engineers, rather tlum the elec- 
 tricians, should endeavour to meet and overcome any new difficulties which this change froni 
 tlie original plan may produce. 
 
 My friend, the electrician of the company will state to you and with great clearness, the 
 insurmountable nature of the difficulties we shall have to encounter, if the old plan is adhered 
 to. No possible means now known to science can assure to each ship that confidence which 
 is absolutely necessary, that it is proceeding judiciously in its work, and witli certainty. tliirt- 
 it is not wasting the property of the company in paying out the cable when it should stpp 
 and perhaps reel back. 
 
 In that direction, I confess I see nothing but uncertninty, and a weiglit of i'esponsibi]it\' 
 
and anxiety sufl&cient to break down the strongest nerves. From this weight, so far as is 
 possible, we ought to be I'elieved. 
 
 , It ought to be taken into consideration, also, that as yet we have had no opportunity of 
 testing in one continuous length the entire cable. From the fact that the two halves of it 
 have been manufactured so far from each other as to preclude the possibility (under existing 
 circumstances) of uniting them till both cable ships are side by side in the Cove of Cork, 
 we shall have, at the utmost, but two days to make all the experiments to ascertain if we have 
 the apparatus and appliances necessary to meet and overcome all tlie difficulties which this 
 new and untried condition of things may manifest. 
 
 Let me suggest, therefore, to our good friends, the engineers, whether the plan of a 
 series of buoys attached to the last two or three miles of cable before reaching mid-ocean, 
 is not in reality a most feasible, safe, and easy mode ? I would spealc with all deference to 
 their superior skill and experience, but I cannot but think it perfectly practicable (whatever 
 may he the state of the weather) to attach to the cable, at any desirable distances, small 
 buoys, say at every hundred feet, which, acting like the hands of those who coil the cable in 
 the tanks of the manufactory, or like the sheve poles which steady it and guide it into the 
 ship, will each sustain its portion of the weight so far that when the end is arrived at, this 
 end, if necessary, may be attached to a larger buoy, and without any risk whatever, may 
 even be thrown overboard, and left to be picked up at leisure by the other ship after the 
 gale has subsided. 
 
 I confess my convictions are so strong that this mode would accomplish the safe union 
 of the cable, even in a gale of wind, that I am curious to learn what objections can be raised 
 against it. 
 
 Certainly, if this difficulty can be overcome by this or any other mode, the other risks 
 of the electrical department will, in a great measure, be overcome. 
 
 With great respect. 
 
 Your ohedient servant, 
 
 SAMUEL F. B. MORSE. 
 To the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the 
 
 Atlantic Telegraph Company, 
 
 22, Old Broad Street, London. 
 
 I take it that the means of assuring ourselves of the electrical safety of the whole extent 
 of our cable is a matter of paramount importance during the entire process of paying out, and 
 this equally so whether it be done by the two ships consecutively or simultaneously. 
 
 If all go well, and signals are at no time interrupted during the voyage, either mode may he 
 adopted with almost equal facility, so far as the electrical element is concerned ; but if any 
 accident occur to either end, the first thing that will inevitably arise will be the total interrup- 
 tion of all electrical communication. 
 
 Thus, then, our signals cease at the very moment when intercommunication is more than 
 ever necessary for the guidance of the engineers. 
 
 It would seem to me to be scarcely justifiable to place our great undertaking in such a 
 position as that one end of the cable having been irretrievably lost from either of the ships, the 
 other vessel should still deliberately continue to throw away the whole of her remaining cargo 
 of 1,000 miles or upwards into the sea. 
 
 I propose, thereforej to lay before you the possible occui'rence of certain casualties as 
 contingencies against which we ought to provide. And on the occurrence of any one of 
 which we must be armed with such, remedies and resources as nautical engineering and 
 electrical science can furnish. 
 
 Under each of these circumstances, the paying out from two ships simultaneously. 
 
seems greatly to increase the risk and the amomit of loss; in the event of an accident 
 occurring it deprives, the electrician on board each vessel of the counsel and co-operation 
 of his coadjutor in the other ship, while it leaves him to bear the onus, during^ the whole 
 period of the voyage without repose for a single hour ; his anxieties are unrelieved even 
 for an interval, and he may thus be rendered unfit for any emergency that may arise. 
 
 The new plan, on the other hand, though it prolong the time, yet gives the advantage 
 o-fiftutraal counsel and support, while it affords also the opportmiity of obtaining necessary 
 rest at intervals. 
 
 FIRST CONTINGENCY,. 
 
 The Temporary Cessation of Signals from Occurrence of lioss of Insulation — Ufmvards of 
 
 500' Miles paid out. 
 
 Original Plan — The vessel, over the stern of which it has occurred, readily detects the 
 
 accident, repairs it, and continues her journey : this may have occurred six to thirty-six 
 hours. Not so the other vessel, who detects the accident only by receiving no signals ; she 
 tests and finds " dead earth," but cannot possibly ascertain whether the insulation is merely 
 temporarily destroyed by the conductor having been laid bare to some extent, or whether the 
 end may not have been lost altogether. 
 
 What is she to do ? and how long to wait ? She cannot stop, for by doing so she would 
 necessarily endanger the safety of her own cable. If she knew the other end of the cable 
 were lost, of course she would pay out no more ; if she thought the injury capable of repair, 
 she might continue her voyage without hesitation. 
 
 New Plan — No such hesitation or difficulty could be, encountered, iiaasmuch as the 
 accident speaks for itself on board the one ship to which it. has occurred, and the course to 
 be pursued is clear. The other end of the cable: is. known to be resting safely and free from 
 such risks. 
 
 SECOND CONTINGENCY. 
 
 Temporary Cessation of Signals from Loss of Continuity — Insulation remaining perfect 
 upwards of 1000 miles paid out — Weather fine. 
 
 Oirigijval Plan. — The vessel over the stern^ of which it has occurred, detects it readily, 
 andbfigins.to haul up, examine, test,, and repair. This may occupy several hours; mean- 
 time the. other vessel knows of the accident only by getting no signa/ls, and the same difficulty 
 and doubt arises as in the previous case. 
 
 New Plan. — Ihe only vessel employedt detects; lihe accident readily, raises the cable, and 
 takes such measures as enable her to repair it, without, undue hastie; conscious that there is no 
 vessel at, the otlier end anxiously awaiting signals. for the guidance of her future movements. 
 
 THIRD CONTINGENCY. 
 
 All having gone well for a certain time, the vessels being from 1,200 to 1,500 miles 
 apart,, one of them, meets wirii' bad weather, and the instruments get damaged, or the bat- 
 teries are rendered for a time unserviceable; she may possibly receive signals, but can send 
 none ; the bad weather lasts several days, during which she continues to pay out her cable 
 slowly and safely. 
 
 Original Plan. — The first vessel continues her course as soon as the gale permits, and 
 may finish laying her portion successfully ; meantime the other vessel may have been three 
 days without any signals, and is unable by testing to ascertain the cause. 
 
What course is she to pursue ? Is she to assume, without any evidence, that all is right 
 with the other vessel, and therefore to continue her course ? or is she to suppose that the 
 cable has been lost, and that it is her duty to save what may remain on board ? 
 
 Nexv Plan. — No such difficulty could arise. 
 
 FOUETH CONTINGENCY. 
 
 On the second or third day after commencing operations, 40,500 miles having been 
 paid out, the weather becomes bad, the ship begins to pitch heavily if the wind be contrary^ 
 or if the wind be fair, she runs so fast that a kink may come up out of the hold, and the 
 insulation of the cable be injured ; — signals fail; she determines to "lay to," and the storm 
 increasing, it is not deemed safe to attempt to raise the cable lest it should end in total loss ; 
 it is therefore carefully and safely buoyed, the rough weather continues for three or four days, 
 the buoy is lost sight of, but found again on the fourth or fifth day, and the cable, on exami- 
 nation, found to be all right, after hauling in a mile or two. 
 
 Old Plan. — The other ship not being able to ascertain whether the cable is totally lost or 
 buoyed, must either go on hoping against hope, finding by her testing that there is entire loss of 
 insulation, and having had no signals for five or six days ; or on the other hand she must begin 
 to haul up the cable, thus throwing away what might otherwise have been a success. 
 
 New Plan. — No such uncertainty could arise, the one vessel employed finding the cable 
 all right at the buoy, would resume her operations. 
 
 FIFTH CONTINGENCY. 
 
 Two days after parting in mid-ocean, one vessel, either from being overtaken by foul 
 weather, or from some other accident, loses her end of the cable ; the other ship receiving 
 no signals, but being unable to assure herself of the cause, continues her voyage, not being 
 able to be overtaken, and thus sails on deliberately, throwing the whole of her cable into 
 the sea, under a blind belief that, probably, all may yet be right with the other vessel. 
 
 SIXTH CONTINGENCY. 
 
 The very probable occurrence of terrestrial induced currents, of considerable force; in 
 our wire when laid. 
 
 This anay for some time embarrass the working of our instruments, and though this 
 difficulty can. ultimately be met by the resources of electrical science, yet it must be remem- 
 bered that electric resources are necessarily limited on ship-board ; and that until time has 
 been given for such resources to be tried, each vessel must necessarily remain without signals 
 from, and therefore be in ignorance of, the state of the other end of our cable. 
 
 Finally, let it be distinctly understood that when a distance of eleven or twelve hundred 
 miles or upwards intervenes between the ends of the cable, I believe it to be impossible by 
 any of the highest resources of electrical testing, or, indeed, by anything short of the 
 receipt ofactual signals frpm the distance, to assure ourselves of the condition of the 
 remote end ofthe cable. 
 
 WILDMAN WHITEHOUSE, 
 
 Greenwich, July %th, 1857. 
 
United Service Club, Pall Mall, 
 July 9th, 1857. 
 
 Sir, 
 
 In accordance with the wish expressed by the Chairman of the Meeting yesterday, I 
 proceed to give a written bpinion on the question, whether it would be preferable to commence laying down 
 the Atlantic Cable from tnid-ocean or from the coast of Ireland. 
 
 The prmcipal risk in the first case appears to be, that it is not impossible that the Agamemnon mafy 
 be driven by a heavy gale from the westward, so fast as to endanger the Cable. 
 
 Should the gale be extremely violent, I can conceive little difficulty in tlie ship's lying to, when her 
 drifts would be of course in the direction in which the Cable is to be laid, but since examining, the 
 Agamemnon yesterday, and her arrangements I feel convinced, that should she even scud at the rate of ten 
 miles an hour, 'there is little danger of the cable fouling. 
 
 The principal risks in the other case seems to be in the passing the end of the Cable from one ship to 
 the other, splicing it, and then bringing the weight and strain gradually, and without jerk on the new 
 Cable ; and all this to be done in a gale of wind (for as we have supposed a gale in the one case, it is but fair 
 to have one in the other), and in the deepest water, where the Cable would have the greatest tendency to run 
 out with speed. 
 
 I think the difficulties and the risks of injuring the Cable at this point, under these circumstances, 
 would be v6ry great, and if it were here to break, 1,200 miles of it would at once be lost. 
 
 These considerations, combined with the fact, that by starting from mid-ocean the time and con- 
 sequently the risks in laying down the Cable will be reduced to one-half ; that fine weather would be ensured 
 for lowering the most tender part (the splice) to the bottom ; that there is little chance at this time of the 
 year of a gale of wind so violent as to affect a powerful ship like the Agamemnon ; that supposing the ship 
 bring her end to within twenty or thirty miles of the coast, it would be so much easier to buoy it (the water 
 t)eina stoaler) in case of fog or storm, rendering a nearer approach unadvisable, have brought me to the 
 conclusion, after bestowing my best judgment upon it, that it will be preferable to commence laying down 
 the Cable from mid-ocean. 
 
 I have the honor to be. Sir, your obedient Servant, 
 
 J. F. B. WAINWRIGHT, Captain, R.N. 
 
 H.M.S. Leopard. 
 
 H.M.S. Agamemnon, 
 
 Greenwich, 9th July, 1857. 
 
 Sir, 
 
 Having heard with attention the discussion yesterday relative to the merits of the 
 plans proposed for connecting the Atlantic Telegraphic Cable with Ireland and Newfoundland, I am of opinion 
 that the nautical advantages of starting with the end secured to Ireland, and connecting with the other ship's 
 Cable when the first half is paid out, are greater than the plan of proceeding to mid-ocean and primarily 
 connecting there ; but in either case, the difficulties, as far as we sailors are concerned, can be met with 
 comparative ease. 
 
 Mr. Bright and his able coadjutors in the Engineers' Staff, who have been practically engaged in laying 
 down Submarine Cables, having all expressed such decided opinions as to the positive danger likely to accrue 
 in uniting the Cable when one half is submerged, and they having devoted their attention to this question for 
 BO long a period, I should, if Mr. Whitehouse's objections can be satisfactorily met, bow to their judgment. 
 
 I am. Sir, your obedient Servant, 
 
 C. NODDALL, Matter, 
 
 Commanding Agamemnon, 
 
To the Chairman 
 
 Atlantic Telegraph Company, 
 
 2, Hanover Square, 
 
 July 7th, 1857. 
 
 Our CO- Director, Mr. Brooking, having called the attention of the Directors to a consideration of 
 the question, whether it would be preferable, in paying out the Atlantic Cable, to commence from the 
 Coast of Ireland rather than in Mid-ocean, I promised to lay before you the result of my own reflections 
 on this question. 
 
 My attention was, I believe, first called to this subject by our co-Director, Mr. Samuel Gurney, 
 many months since, (when our Company was first started,) since then I have thought seriously upon the 
 matter, although I had not entered into any discussion upon it before it was proposed for consideration 
 by Mr. Brooking, at our last meeting ; these views therefore, as the result of my own reflections only, 
 may be considered as crude and open to discussion. 
 
 First, as to the union in Mid-ocean and paying out the cable from two vessels starting from the 
 same point in opposite directions ; I am at a loss to conceive any real advantage from this mode of pro- 
 ceeding, except such as may arise from the probability of fine weather being limited to but a few davs 
 continuance from the commencement of the operation, and even this it appears to me may be over balanced 
 by the chances of starting with fine weather from the coast where all such probabilities may be calmly 
 discussed ; on the other hand, if we should not meet with fair weather at mid-ocean, we may lose much 
 more time and incur greater risks in effecting a junction of the cables. 
 
 Starting with one end of our cable from land, we should have one junction less to effect at sea, and 
 test our machinery near to shore, thus proceeding with encouragement, moreover we should proceed in 
 unison to mid-ocean with our whole experienced staff united ; and there, should it be decided for the 
 Agamemnon to return, we should be enabled to draw off our most experienced hands from that ship, to 
 unite with those on board the Niagara, to proceed onward to Newfoundland. 
 
 Once at mid-ocean proceeding as I have described, the joining the end of the unlaid portion 
 from the Niagara to the end of that already laid down, would in fact be only a continuation of the 
 act of paying out, which appears to me in every way preferable to commencing in mid-ocean, 
 where the junction or centre of a curved line has to be dropped to a depth of upwards of two miles. 
 In fact, I here see considerable difficulty, even supposing fine weather to exist in getting this down^^ 
 straight, from the tendency of the centre to imtwine itself and form kinks in descending. That it may be 
 possible to obviate this by passing large balls of heavy wood, or a tube threaded on the centre I admit, but 
 in the junction of the end of the portion on board the Niagara to the end of the portion already laid down 
 from the Agamemnon, no such difificulty would arise (the junction once effected), it would only be a 
 continuation of paying out ; and suppose the weather on our arriving at mid-ocean too unfavorable for uniting 
 the Cable, it wUl only be necessary to buoy the end of the Cable, and lay by for a few days; a 
 small attendant steamer could keep a look-out for the buoy, to which I would suggest (if approved by 
 nautical men) a lighter, with a mast should be attached ; and supposing several buoys to be attached, the 
 lighter to ride by the outermost, to prevent a strain upon the Cable. 
 
 These views therefore resolve themselves into the following considerations in favor of commencing at 
 the coast of Ireland : — 
 
 1st — The assurance of fine weather for a start. 
 
 2nd — The reducing of three junctions of the Cable to be effected at sea to two. 
 
 3rd — The advantage of saving the whole experienced staff united throughout the operation, instead of 
 being divided ; and especially the fact, that in the event of an accident, the whole force would be on the spot 
 and acquainted with its causes ; whereas, supposing a rupture of one portion of the Cable, or the electric 
 current to occur when the vessels are one hundred, or say, a thousand miles distant, the vessel whose portion 
 might be perfect would be paralized, she could neither move forward or backward, tmtil she had learnt the 
 cause. Thus supposing each vessel to have paid out 500 miles, which would place them 1000 miles apart, it 
 would be almost impossible to communicate by a messenger steamer in time to be of utility, this in fact 
 appears to me the gravest question against the opinion for commencing at Mid-Ocean> 
 
 As to the vessels losing sight of each other, it appears to me, as the speed would not exceed five to six 
 
 knots per hour, and that there would be a convoy of four vessels instead of two, this would not be likely to 
 
 occur ; but the eminent nautical opinions, we have to aid us, will be able to satisfy us on these and other 
 
 nautical questions. 
 
 I remain, my dear Sir, yours very truly, 
 
 JOHN W. BRETT, 
 Wm. Brown, Esq., M.P. 
 
London, July 10th, 1857. 
 To the Directors of 
 
 The Atlantic Telegraph Company. 
 
 Gentlemen, 
 
 I beg to lay before you my views in regard to the proposition for altering the original plan 
 of laying the Atlantic Telegraph Cable, by starting from the Irish Coast instead of commencing from the centre as 
 previously determined upon. 
 
 It is urged that from the possibility of a westerly gale arising during the progress of the Agamemnon from 
 the centre to the eastern terminus of the Cable at Valentia, there is some risk of the lowest speed at which under 
 such circumstances, she could make being so great as to endanger the successful laying of the line, and that it 
 might be difficult, if not impossible, in unfavorable weather to bring her with safety so near to the coast of Ireland 
 as to land the shore end of the Cable at Valentia. 
 
 It is further advanced that the adoption of the new plan would be more desirable in the electrical depart- 
 ment, on account of the difficulty which would exist under the original plan in ascertaining the nature of the 
 fault in the event of any interruption of communication between the two vessels. 
 
 I have considered the former objections (which may be called the nautical difficulties), before, and have 
 discussed them carefully with the Engineers who will assist me in laying the Cable, but I have not been able so 
 maturely to weigh the importance of the electrical points as compared with the danger which I and my colleagues 
 see in other respects in a change at this late period from the original plan, having only heard them suggested for 
 the first time at the conference on Wednesday. 
 
 I think from what passed at the Meeting that the nautical difficulty may be overcome, at all events I 
 consider that the risk which will be encountered by laying the Cable from the Irish Coast, instead of commencing 
 midway between Ireland and Newfoundland is of infinitely greater importance. 
 
 By reversing the Propeller of the " Agamemnon," and by using some Drag, such as that suggested by 
 Sir Baldwin Walker, or by employing the Leopard in the manner proposed by Captain Wainwright, or by 
 heaving-too the ship and allowing her to drift, the rate of the " Agamemnon " would be retarded sufficiently to 
 deliver the Cable into the sea with safety ; and in this we should be assisted by having the largest and most 
 complete coU which has ever yet been made for such a purpose, and by the improved machinery fitted for paying 
 out this hne. 
 
 The difficulty of making Valentia, should the weather on the Irish Coast be unfavorable, is not of great 
 consequence, for should it be necessary to part with the Cable on approaching land, the comparative shallowness 
 of the water would allow of its being easily buoyed, and connected with the shore at a more suitable time. 
 Sub-marine Cables are continually buoyed in the North Sea, at distances varying from ten to fifteen miles from 
 land, where they are frequently left for weeks, and are then taken up and joined to the shore. 
 
 On the other hand by starting from Ireland, we encounter the probability of losing the rope in the attempt 
 to join it in the middle of the Atlantic, with a strain of two thousand fathoms upon it, for it must be remembered 
 that we have been compelled, in order to keep down the bulk and weight of the Cable, to make its proportions 
 and materials such, that we cannot rely upon its sustaining a greater strain than would arise from supporting a 
 weight of three tons and a half. 
 
 When we have to change from one ship to another, the egress of the Cable must be stopped for a time, and 
 even in fine weather this would be an operation of considerable risk; and should there be the least wind or current, 
 the drifting of the ships would bear upon the Cable in a manner that would, to say the least, be very dangerous. 
 
 But it should be borne in mind that the occurrence of bad weather at the time when the splice must be made, 
 would make the loss of the line an absolute certainty. 
 
 Lieutenant Maury, whose data as to the frequency of gales in the North Atlantic have been generally accepted, 
 gives the average of gales in the month of August, between 35° and 30° long, (the part where the splice must be 
 made) as 2, and between 30° and 25° as 1. The other parts of our route, except those next to the shores of Ireland 
 and Newfoundland, are estimated by comparison as 0. 
 
 Thus the 5' of longitude in the central portion of our line, where iine weather is of the most vital consequence, 
 present almost the greatest liability to gales of the entire route. In addition to this we are informed that the 
 probability of fogs occuring in the five degrees immediately preceding the above (that is to say, between 30° and 25° 
 long,) may be estimated at 6, which, as will be seen from the scale below, is greater than at any other pomt except 
 on approaching the coast of Newfoundland. 
 
 55 50 45 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 
 
 , , I 1 I I 1 Ireland 
 
 Newfoundland.... I I I I I ' ^__,_^ \,-.^— . ^— v— ^ 
 
 Gales ^l T ^T^ ^T^ 1 "^ 4 
 
 Fogs 6 8 8 2 6 10 3 
 
So that just before we enter the region where the splice luust be made we run considerable risk of parting company, 
 which would involve the danger of holding on by the Cable until the vessels could meet again. 
 
 By commencing from Ireland we should double the time occupied in laying the Cable, and proportionately 
 increase the risk of losing it by meeting with bad weather. 
 
 It has been put forward as an argument in favor of the new method, that 'half the Cable wdrild be ^aved in 
 the event of any accident arising in effecting the junction ; but under the original plan we meet with our 
 greatest difficulty at the outset by sta"rting midway in the deepest water. If we lay the first 100 miles-^50 from 
 each ship — safely, we have eveij reason to rely upon the expedition being crowned with success. If the Cable 
 is lost it will probably be in the deep water, and nearly the whole of the line will then be brought home. 
 
 Under the original plan we are sure of the junction being well made : we proceed to the centre, itsA, 
 should not the weather be propitibiis, we can wait as long as may be necessary, and if any fHilure should occur 
 in making the first joint, -We can rejjeat the operation again and again, with the lo^s of few'miles'oidy of the Cable 
 
 In the new plan the failure of passing the bight overboard in changing from the Agamemnon to the Niagara, 
 which would be attended under the mast favourable circumstances with Very great risk, would at once lose 1,'260 
 miles of Cable, and any plan of buoying the Cable to relieve the strain, smih as proposed at the conference 
 yesterday, would add to the complication of the work, trhidh, it must be remembered, might have to be attempted at 
 night or in bad weather. 
 
 The mode of effecting the splice in itself presents a serious difficulty in the new 'plan. The ends of the 'Cable 
 being different in the direction of their lay, each would have a tendency to unwind, and the gutta jiefcha covered 
 copper wire would then be twisted and broken off. 
 
 This must be met by serving wires reverse to the lay of each rope for at least two miles to form a neutral 
 leiigth at the Splice. 
 
 This would nearly double the weight of the Cable in the neighbourhood of the junction, briUgteg a tension 
 ■ivh'en the o'rdiiia'ry Cable again parses from the vessel, more than it is cajfable of beariing. 
 
 For the '^oVe reasons I am in an engiiieering point of view most strongly in favor of adhering to ttie plan 
 originally adopted for commencing in nud-ocean, and in this opinion I am supported %y the Engineers who are 
 co-operating with me. 
 
 With tegard to tlie electrical reasons ^w^hich have now been suggested, for attfering our previous arrange- 
 ments, I must say, that I have been completely taken by surprise at this new source 'of objection. 
 
 Of course, if the communication is suddenly stopped, although it is easy for the Electrician to tell whether 
 the fault is near to his ship, or remote from it, and therefore, probably oecunirig withiii two or three miles 'fisom 
 the other ship, still he will be unable to know what steps are being taken to remedy the defect. 
 
 This difficfulty must have existed from the first, and it is peculiarly embarrassing to me that the discussion 
 'of its importance as compared with the other conditions necessary to success shonld have been deferred until a 
 fortnight previous to our departure, when we are ulider so great a pressure for time, if the undertaking is to b'e 
 tarried out this year. 
 
 Should any defect arise between the shore and the vessel, in the new plan, the same electrical difficulty 
 would arise if the paying-out ship, not knowing the nature of the fault, biit supposing it to be oil the shore, 
 should proceed on her voyage, continuing to pay out the Cable. It is true that the chances of such an emergeney 
 do not appear so great, but we are to a certain extent trying an experiment, and although we believe from the 
 soundings taken from 30 to 50 miles apart, that the bottom is soft and Kvel, there may yet be sharp rocky points 
 where the Cable may be destroyed. 
 
 In conclusion, the points which have to be decided by you, appear to me to resolve themselves into the choice 
 between the almost certain loss of 1,200 miles of the Cable by commencing from the coast of Ireland or by keepingto 
 the original plan : the possibility of paying out some additional length of Cable at one end, should it happen that 
 the other end is altogether lost. 
 
 I am, Gentlemen, yours faithfully, 
 
 CHARLES T. BRIGHT, Engineer. 
 

 
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