FKENCH TELEGRAPHIC LINES. 



Eastern Europe beyond the Rhine, as well as the north-eastern 

 part of Italy. 



The tariff for single messages crossing the channel/ by the Ostend 

 submarine cable, is 8s. For these charges, however, they are 

 transmitted, if required, to London. 



295. At the chief stations on the Belgian lines, the double 

 needle instruments, as used in England, the French State instru- 

 ments, and the Morse telegraph, as used in the German States, 

 are provided. By the first the telegraphic correspondence with 

 England, by the second with France, and by the third with the 

 German States, is carried on. 



296. It is intended generally to receive and transmit despatches 

 written at the option of the sender, either in French, German, or 

 English, at all the Belgian stations ; but for the present this is 

 only clone at Brussels, Antwerp, and Ostend. 



Despatches transmitted between Holland and Belgium can be 

 transmitted and received in Dutch, and all despatches between 

 Belgian stations may be sent in Flemish. At all stations despatches 

 are transmitted and received in French. 



If the place to which a despatch is addressed be not a telegraphic 

 station, the despatch will be forwarded to its destination either by 

 post or by a special messenger, at the option of the sender. If 

 the former, the postage is 10^., if the place be within the State 

 where the telegraphic station at which the despatch arrives is 

 situate, and 2(M., if in another State. If the latter, a charge of 

 Wd. is made for a distance of a kilometre (five furlongs), and 5cl. 

 for every additional kilometre. 



FRENCH TELEGRAPHIC LINES. 



297. Although late in the adoption of this improved agency of 

 intercommunication, France, having once commenced, has prose- 

 cuted the work with great vigour, and the country is now over- 

 spread with a net- work, the extent of which, in actual operation 

 at the close of the present year, 1854, will not be less than 6000 

 miles. This system is everywhere erected upon posts chemically 

 injected to insure their durability, and there are nowhere less 

 than two conducting wires ; but a greater number between all 

 stations where an active correspondence is maintained. 



298. The instruments used for the transmission of all home 

 despatches, that is, all despatches transmitted between any two- 

 French stations, are the French State telegraphs, explained in 

 (183). For international dispatches, the double needle and 

 Morse's instruments are used. These instruments are provided 

 at the central station, in the Ministry of the Interior at Paris. 

 The double needle instruments are provided also at Calais, and 



139 



