The Dumfries Post Office, 1642-1910. lOt) 



for certain circuits. The duplex system lias also been success- 

 fully applied to the automatic apparatus." 



The Dumfries Office is well-equipped with convenient 

 apparatus for undertaking the usual telegraph work, but on 

 special occasions, as for example important political demonstra- 

 tions, or on the occasion of the Highland and Agricultural 

 Society's Show, additional apparatus and special working 

 arrangements are rendered necessary. At the time of writing 

 telegraphic communication is maintained between Dumfries and 

 the offices named by means of the following apparatus : — To 

 Glasgow by means of a "Quad;" to Carlisle, Polarised Sounder 

 B; to Stranraer, Newton-Stewart, Castle-Douglas, and Dalbeattie 

 by a Double Current ; to Auldgirth and Thornhill by a Double 

 Current ; to Annan by a Double Current ; to Dumfries Rail by a 

 Double Plate Sounder ; and to Crichton Ro}al Institution (Private 

 Wire), Southwick, Kirkbean, and Newabbey by A. B.C. Com- 

 municators. 



In September, 1876, the Telephone was first introduced by 

 Sir William Thompson, and numerous companies sprang into 

 existence. Becoming alive to the possibilities of the new system, 

 the Government, on 20th December, 1880, decided that the Tele- 

 phone Companies were an infraction of the State's Electric Tele- 

 graph Monopoly bought by Act of 1869, and legal arrangements 

 with the Companies were completed on 11th April, 1881, a 

 license being granted to them by the Postmaster-General on pay- 

 ment of an annual royalty. 



A few years later public dissatisfaction at the want of 

 development of the telephonic system forced the subject upon the 

 attention of the Government, and as a result an Act was passed 

 on 28th June, 1892, authorising the purchase by the Govern- 

 ment of the Trunk Lines of the Telephone Union. The transfer 

 was commenced on 4th April, 1896, and completed on 6th Feb- 

 ruary, 1897, the only Telephone Company left in existence being 

 the National, whose business was restricted within defined local 

 areas. 



Dumfries has had the advantage of the telephone since 1888. 

 On the 31st of August of that year the Dumfries and Maxwelltown 

 Telephone Exchange was opened by the National Telephone 

 Company at 113 High Street, under the management of Mr R. 

 Bryson. In September of the same year the service was extended 



