France 173 



PAYMENT OF WORKMEN 



The workmen are divided into ' commissioned ' and ' non- 

 commissioned,' the former class being retained in the service 

 under all circumstances, the latter only while sufficient work exists. 

 The two classes do not differ materially in skill and experience. 

 In Paris (where the rates of pay are higher than in the country) 

 foremen receive from 927. to ii2/. per annum, with 467. extra for 

 expenses. Commissioned wiremen get from 567. to 88/. per 

 annum, with 327. extra for expenses. Non-commissioned men 

 are paid by the week at the rate of from 4*. ^\d. to 65-. per day, 

 according to skill. In the provinces these rates are reduced by 

 10 per cent, to 20 per cent., according to locality. 



PAYMENT OF OPERATORS 



After successfully passing a probationary period, during which 

 nothing is paid, girls, who must not be younger than seventeen, 

 receive is. \\\d. per day, with <)'6d. for luncheon. The next step 

 is to 507. per annum in Paris and 407. in the country, also with a 

 luncheon allowance of y6d. Subsequently they rise by incre- 

 ments of 87. every three years to a maximum (in Paris) of 747. 

 per annum. Lady superintendents are selected for ability, not by 

 seniority. The working hours are eight per day, out of which 

 one is allowed for luncheon and recreation. 



STATISTICS 



The latest detailed return of the number of centres and sub- 

 scribers in France is dated as far back as the end of 1891, but a 

 return of the collective numbers up to the end of 1892 has been 

 issued. The only figures obtainable for 1893 and 1894 are the 

 budget estimates for those years. This is a pity, since the de- 

 velopment prior to 1893 was insignificant compared with the pro- 

 gress made since, especially in the provinces. At the end of 1892 

 the number of exchanges in operation was 207, with a total of 

 220 switch-rooms, 201 public stations, and 22,918 subscribers' 

 instruments. The length of the local routes was, underground 

 7,585 kilometers, and aerial 4,415 kilometers ; and of the local 



