.s/A' WILLIAM S //:.}/ K\S I'.R.S. 131 



The iron posts above described were first erected by my firm in 

 in, South Africa, and other places, in the year 1863, and have 

 n n mined in perfect working condition ever since. Since 1863 

 upwards of 180,000 of these posts, representing more than 9,000 

 miles of telegraph line, have been erected in New Zealand, Ceylon, 

 Egypt, India, Persia, Russia, Mexico, Brazil, River Plate, Chili, 

 and other parts of South America, with the same satisfactory results. 



The height and dimensions of these posts vary according to 

 circumstances. If only one or two wires are to be carried and 

 cheapness is an object, posts of a total length of 19 feet 8 inches 

 are used, standing 17 feet above ground when erected, it being 

 usual to place the post 2 feet 8 inches in the ground. The total 

 weight of this post is 184 Ibs., and as it can be carried in three 

 separate parts the weight of the heaviest one will be less than 

 100 Ibs. Such a post will support a dead weight of 560 Ibs. sus- 

 pended horizontally from its upper extremity over a pulley, without 

 breaking. In other cases posts which weigh 254 Ibs., and bear a 

 testing strain of 900 Ibs., have been adopted. At all points where 

 the line is exposed to an extraordinary strain, heavier poles are 

 introduced, and usually for the first-mentioned kind poles which 

 weigh 295 Ibs., and bear a strain of 1,120 Ibs., and in the latter 

 case poles of a weight of 340 Ibs., and 1,350 Ibs. breaking strain. 

 The cost of these iron posts has varied from 22s. 6d. to 3 16s., 

 according to their dimensions, and the fluctuating price of iron. 



As a rule, they may be taken to be from two to three times 

 -dearer than ordinary wooden posts of the same strength. In 

 many countries, however, where both timber and iron posts would 

 have to be carried over great distances, and by such means of 

 transport as are available in half -civilized countries, iron becomes 

 as cheap as wooden posts at the point of erection, owing to their 

 less weight and the facility of transport resulting from their being 

 carried in pieces of convenient weight and bulk. 



But, considering their greater durability and consequently 

 reduced cost of maintenance, they would be, I believe, the cheaper 

 material even in this country. 



In southern countries, where wood is subject to dry rot, and 

 "where wooden posts have to be renewed every two or three years, 

 the relative advantages of iron posts of this description have proved 

 to be very great indeed. 



K 2 



