288 Telephone Systems of the Continent of Europe 



definitely resolved to convert its system to metallic circuit, and the 

 alteration will be commenced as soon as the new switch -board 

 has been installed. 



As being by far the most important and at the same time 

 typical of all, the system of the Christiania Telephone Company 

 is particularly referred to (unless otherwise stated) in the following 

 description. The concessions of all the companies are much on 

 the same lines, and the services rendered to the public, except 

 when modified by special local conditions (as the fishing wires 

 already mentioned), are essentially of the same nature. They all 

 have the right to telephone telegrams, to open public telephone 

 stations, and to use trunk lines ; but the international line to 

 Sweden is at present only available from Christiania and towns 

 which, like Drammen, are joined to it by metallic circuit trunks ; 

 and Kongsvinger, where the Norwegian Post Office has opened 

 a public station. 



SERVICES RENDERED TO THE PUBLIC BY THE 

 CHRISTIANIA TELEPHONE COMPANY 



1. Intercourse between the subscribers and public tel: phone 

 stations of the same town or district. 



2. Internal trunk communication. There are several groups of 

 trunk lines, at present unconnected with each other, but the only 

 one of importance is that having Christiania for its centre. This 

 is, however, very extensive. Not a town, and scarcely a village, 

 on both coasts of the Christiania fjord, down to Sarpsborg and 

 Fredrikshald on the one side and to Skien and Fredriksvsern on 

 the other, but has its trunk ; while to the north of the capital five 

 main routes exist, embracing Gjovik, Hamar, Elverum, and Lille- 

 hammer, with every place of importance for some 400 kilometers, 

 making a total distance of about 500 kilometers (284 miles) that 

 may be spoken over from south to north. The trunks are erected 

 under agreement between the companies concerned, each asso- 

 ciation sharing in the traffic of a particular trunk contributing 

 equal proportions to the cost of erecting and maintaining it, 

 irrespective of the mileage within its own specific area. Each 

 company retains the whole of its receipts for trunk talks, but may 

 not demand two consecutive connections if another partner com- 



