UNDERGROUND ELECTRICAL WIRES. 659 



making if it can be avoided, and from this I think it follows that 

 any system which requires a wire to be cut and jointed every time 

 a fresh subscriber is added to a telephone exchange must be prac- 

 tically unworkable. 



Now, what are the alleged reasons for wanting to place 

 wires underground 1 Chiefly that wires on poles are unsightly 

 and likely to interfere with the use of fire escapes. I cannot find 

 any well authenticated case of interference with fire escapes, so 

 that such interference cannot, I think, have occurred often. As 

 to unsightliness, that is undoubted, but I think it could easily be 

 lessened by suspending the wires more regularly, and by making 

 the posts more ornamental than the great hideous wooden structures 

 used among us all. 



And would there be no inconveniences connected with an 

 underground system ? I think we should find plenty connected 

 not only with the electrical difficulties but also with those con- 

 nected ^\^th the continued tearing up of the streets and consequent 

 interference with the traffic. Indeed, I believe the nuisance would 

 be found to be much greater than any caused by overhead wires. 



Taking all things into consideration, I do not think it is a 

 matter for surpi'ise that Telegraph Engineers have always preferred 

 overhead to underground wires. They have felt that faults in the 

 former could be set right much more speedily and easily, that the 

 life of such wires is much longer, that the speed of signalling is 

 greater, and that finally overhead is enormously less costly both 

 to construct and maintain. 



I think that perhaps large street-sewers like the Paris sewers 

 would be best where practicable aud I have been inclined to view 

 with much favour a plan like that of Mr. Seitz, by which the wires 

 would be always underground excepting where being distributed 

 into buildings. The poles at street corners could be made use of 

 for various purposes, such as Post Office pillars aud lamp posts, as 

 well as wire distributing posts. They could be made ornamental 

 too, and from them the wires could be taken along the buildings, 

 as is done in Edinburgh, or across the streets ; in any case these 

 wires would be fine wires of copper which would hardly be seen. 



Finally, there can be no doubt as to the fact that wires can 

 be placed underground. It is simply a question of expense, but 

 if the expense of a system be out of proportion to the benefits 

 received from it, then it is prohibitive. 



Speaking as a Telegraph Engineer who has had to do w^ith the 

 construction and maintenance of all kinds of electrical applications 

 for thirty years, my experience tells me to place my wires over- 

 head where I can see them ; but if I cannot do so, then I must 

 find a way, or make one, to place them underground. 





