Introduction 3 



low rates are twt inclusive will be found, for the purposes of their 

 argument, to be untrue and delusive. The fact is that practice in 

 this respect varies, even in the same countries, as in Norway and 

 Denmark, some of the rates being inclusive and others not. 

 Full particulars are given of these variations under the headings of 

 the several countries, but it may be as well to state definitely here 

 that inclusive rates, covering the supply and maintenance of all 

 wires, instruments and accessories, of 2/. 105-., 2/. 15^. 7^., and 

 3/. 6s. %d. exist in Norway ; of 2.1. 155-. id. and 3/. 6s. 8d. in 

 Denmark ; of 2/. qs. ^d. and 2.1. ifs. tod. in Holland ; of 3/. ^s. 

 in Finland ; and of 2/. i6s. and 3/. i2s. in Italy ; while rates of 4/. 

 and 5/. are of frequent occurrence elsewhere. In refutation of 

 the assertion that low rates mean bad workmanship, the author 

 would direct special attention to the installation at Zutphen, a 

 town of 1 7,000 inhabitants (where the Zutphen Telephone Com- 

 pany applies an inclusive rate of 2/. ijs. 10^.), which is fitted 

 throughout with metallic circuits of stouter bronze wire than the 

 National Telephone Company habitually uses in this country ; with 

 the very best of transmitters, receivers, and instruments, together 

 with an expensive switch-board by one of the leading manufac- 

 turers, and all the usual complement of lightning-guards, cross- 

 connecting apparatus, and testing instruments. The outside con- 

 struction consists of standards, poles, insulators, and general 

 fittings of the best description, the work through out being thought- 

 fully designed and well carried out. An all-night service is 

 provided, and the company pays 4-2 per cent, on the capital 

 invested. In proof of this a translation of the last balance-sheet, 

 dated February 1895, is given. A translation of the last accounts 

 of the Co-operative Company at Aarhus, which has an inclusive 

 rate of 4/. 3^. 3^. for local connections and of 5/. 16*. 7^. for those 

 who wish to speak to the other towns within a radius of about 

 20 kilometers, will also be found in the Danish section. Finally, 

 in order to dispose of the assertion that low rates are only appli- 

 cable to small towns, the accounts of the Christiania Telephone 

 Company for 1893 are printed at the end of the Norwegian section. 

 This company, operating in a capital city, has nearly 5,000 sub- 

 scribers, and has regularly paid dividends of from 5 to 5^ per cent, 

 since 1885, besides keeping its system up to date, providing 



B 2 



