68 THE ADDRESSES, LECTURES, ETC., OF 



tions which at a later period it is to be hoped men of high position 

 will have pleasure in accepting. 



On the other hand it is most desirable to secure for the young 

 society the support and cooperation of men occupying influential 

 positions as directors and engineers of the great telegraphic systems 

 of the world. The great network of international telegraphy 

 extends already to every portion of the civilised and semi-civilised 

 world ; it traverses deserts and mountain chains, it passes over the 

 deep plateau of the Atlantic and over the more dangerous bottom 

 of tropical seas : what would be good practice in one country or 

 under one order of climatic influences would be objectionable, 

 insufficient, or wholly impracticable under another ; but all these 

 systems are intimately linked together, and the knowledge of the 

 telegraph engineer must apply equally to all. In order, however, 

 to combine the knowledge of these diverse circumstances, and of 

 the diverse practice resulting therefrom, it is necessary for a 

 Society of Telegraph Engineers to be a cosmopolitan institution, 

 to be a focus into which the thoughts and observations of all 

 countries flow, in order to be again radiated in every direction 

 for the general advancement of this important branch of applied 

 science. 



Tn order to bring about such a result, the council have agreed 

 to the creation of another class of members, " the foreign mem- 

 bers," who, while receiving the transactions of the society, and 

 enjoying other privileges of membership, so far as distance will 

 permit them to do so, will be called upon to pay only an annual 

 subscription of 25 francs, or 1, instead of the 2 2s. payable by 

 members residing in England. The council authorised me to 

 invite the representatives of the telegraphic administrations of the 

 world lately assembled in Congress at Kome to join our society 

 under this special title, and I am happy to state that my appeal 

 has been most cordially responded to by the directors-general and 

 representatives of several of the most important telegraphic sys- 

 tems of the continent. 



My application was conceived in the following terms : 



" Monsieur, J'ai Phonneur de vous adresser par la presente 

 les Statuts de la ' Society of Telegraph Engineers,' de laquelle pour 

 1'annee courante j'ai etc elu le President, et qui s'est constituted 



