Belgium 73 



communication during part of the year only. In view of the fact 

 that metallic circuits are given everywhere and that the subscription 

 covers, not a single town, but an area of many square miles, often 

 comprising several towns, these rates are unquestionably liberal. 



Half-yearly subscriptions, taken for three consecutive years, 

 are charged : 



s. <i. 

 In Mons area . . . . . . . . 3 12 o 



In Charleroy and La Louviere areas . . . .4160 



In all other areas taken over by the State, three-fifths of the annual rate. 



In Antwerp, Brussels, Charleroy, Ghent, Verviers, and La 

 Louviere a reduction of 2/. is made when more than one line is 

 subscribed for by the same person or firm ; in Louvain and Mons 

 the reduction is only 10 per cent. 



Subscribers may have double wires instead of single, to enable 

 them to obtain better communication over the long-distance 

 trunks, 1 for 50 per cent, above the normal rate. Thus a metallic 

 circuit would cost in Liege io/. IQS. if one and a half kilometers long, 

 and i3/. los. if three kilometers long ; in Brussels and Antwerp, 157. 

 for three kilometers or any shorter distance ; while in Louvain the 

 same length of double line would cost only y/. ios., just the half; 

 and in Mons only 9/. 



It will be seen that the retention of the old tariffs leads to 

 considerable want of uniformity in practice, the subscription, for 

 instance, in Charleroy being higher than in the far more important 

 towns of Lie"ge, Ghent, and Verviers. But having applied still 

 lower rates in areas quite as extensive, and, moreover, provided 

 therein double wires without extra charge, the State can scarcely 

 hope to maintain the old companies' tariffs permanently. The 

 subscriptions in every case cover the supply and maintenance of 

 wires and apparatus. 



2. Rates for internal trunk lines. Here the liberality of the 

 Belgian Government becomes conspicuous, for there is only one 

 trunk rate throughout the country. A subscriber in one area can 



1 The number of subscribers taking advantage of this arrangement was, in 

 December 1894, in Brussels, 91 ; Antwerp, 37 ; Lige, 13 ; Ghent, 5 ; Verviers, 

 9 ; Mons, 13 ; and Charleroy, i. 



