THE ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH. 



again carried by diverging (branch) wires into a dozen neigh- 

 bouring towns " of less magnitude and importance.* 



Besides this organisation for the general transmission of des- 

 patches from one quarter of the great metropolis to another, there 

 are some curious special arrangements made for the satisfaction of 

 the wants of particular classes. Thus a wire is exclusively appro- 

 priated to communications between the Octagon Hall of the 

 Houses of Parliament and the telegraphic station in St. James- 

 street, the centre of the "West-end clubs. This particular wire 

 should be called the " ' whipper-in ' of the House, for it is nothing 

 more than a call-wire for members. The company employ 

 reporters during the sitting of Parliament to make an abstract 

 from the gallery of the business of the two Houses as it proceeds, 

 and this abstract is forwarded at very short intervals to the office 

 in St. James's-street, where it is set up and printed, additions 

 being made to the sheet issued as the MS. comes in. This flying 

 sheet is sent half-hourly to the following clubs and establish- 

 ments : Arthur's ; Carlton ; Oxford and Cambridge ; Brookes's ; 

 Conservative ; United Service ; Athenaeum ; Reform ; Travellers' ; 

 United University; Union; and White's. Hourly to Boodle's 

 Club and Prince's Club ; and half-hourly to the Royal Italian 

 Opera. The shortest possible abstract is of course supplied, just 

 sufficient in fact to enable the after-dinner M.P. so to economise 

 his proceedings as to be able to finish his claret and yet be in time 

 for the ministerial statement, or to count in the division. The 

 following, for instance, is a fac-simile of the printed abstract of 

 the debate on the Address to her Majesty on the declaration 

 of war : 



THE ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH COMPANY. 

 (INCORPORATED 1846.) 



HOUSE OP COMMONS, FRIDAY, MARCH Slsr, 1854. 



* Quarterly Review, No. CLXXXIX., p. 138. 

 86 



