TELEGRAPHS. 



cate) wires of ten thousand miles in length. 

 The first in operation was that from Dover to 

 Calais, which has been in use twenty years. 

 Assuming the cost of these at one thousand 

 dollars per mile, the aggregate capital invested 

 in submarine cables is about fifty million dol- 

 lars in gold. The following is a list of cables 

 constructed and in operation to the opening of 

 the year 1870 : 



Submarine Telegraph Cables 1870. 



A return has been presented to the British 



House of Commons, respecting the financial re- 

 sults of the transfer of the telegraphs to the 

 Government. It shows that the transfer of 

 the telegraphs to the Government has been 

 productive of most satisfactory results. As- 

 suming the capital expenditure up to the pres- 

 ent time to be 7,500,000, the Government is 

 earning a gross annual revenue upon it of 10 

 per cent., i. e., 750,000, and it is equally cer- 

 tain that the working expenses are not moro 

 than 58 per cent, of the revenue. This result 

 has been arrived at after an enormous increase 

 in the facilities afforded to the public, and after 

 a reduction of tariff, which on the present 

 number of messages is equivalent to a reduc- 

 tion in the total sum paid by the senders and 

 receivers of messages of 300,000 per annum. 

 The statement of telegraph revenue collected, 

 from the commencement up to March 31, 

 1871, shows the amount received to have been 

 1,068,585. This leaves a revenue of 798,580. 

 The sums already paid to companies and for 

 improvements, etc., amount to 6,719,025 0. 

 11<2. ; the sums which have yet to be paid 

 amount to 234,882 17*. Sd. 



The progress in telegraphy generally has 

 been, as usual, more in submarine work than 

 otherwise ; but there has been a great falling 

 off between the past and the previous year. 

 During 1870 there were 14,568 knots of cable 

 manufactured, and 11,300.5 knots submerged; 

 against 4,072 and 8,869 knots respectively in 

 1871, showing a general falling off of 10,496 

 knots manufactured, and 2,431.5 knots sub- 

 merged. 



In 1869 and the early part of 1870 telegraphic 

 extension was at its highest, and the demand 

 for submarine cables at its full extent. The 

 demand was more than 1870 could fulfil, and 

 the balance was left for the past year to carry 

 out, as will be seen from the amount of cable 

 submerged. 



Among the cables brought to a completion 

 in 1871 are the China cables. These were 

 first from Singapore to Saigon and Hong- Kong, 

 and again from Hong-Kong to Shanghai, from 

 Shanghai to Nagasaki, and from there to Wla- 

 diwostock, where the company's lines join the 

 Russian system. By these extensions there 

 are two routes to China the one by the Great 

 Northern line through Russia, and the other 

 by the various cables and lines to India, thence 

 to Singapore and China. 



The completion of the submarine cable from 

 Java to Port Darwin, in Australia, has been 

 too recent to admit of obtaining details. 



Among the other completions are the Holy- 

 head and the several West India cables. The 

 majority of the islands have been connected, 

 and are now in telegraphic working order, but 

 the largest extension, that from Jamaica to 

 Panama, is still incomplete. In the attempt 

 to lay this section the cable broke, and, after 

 some time spent in grappling, the cable was 

 temporarily abandoned, while the further ex- 

 tensions were proceeded with. 



