Sweden 343 



6. State exchange. Local message set vice rates. A sub- 

 scriber may telephone a message of not more than forty words 

 to a telegraph office, where it is written down and delivered by 

 messenger ; or any person may hand in a written message of 

 similar length at a telegraph or public telephone station and have 

 it telephoned to a subscriber for 3*3^. 



7. State exchange. Messenger service rates. A non-sub- 

 scriber may be called by messenger to a public station for 3-3^. 



8. State exchange. Public telephone stations rates. 



Within Stockholm ........ i -^d. 



Beyond Stockholm, but within 7O-kilometer radius . . I 'f)^i. 



Time unit, three minutes. Subscribers have to pay equally with 

 non-subscribers. The trunk rates are the same as from the sub- 

 scribers' offices. When a General Company's subscriber is called 

 from a State public station the charge is doubled. 



BELL TELEPHONE COMPANY 



This company has but one rate, which is identical with the 

 General Telephone Company's Class IV. It covers free com- 

 munication with the latter company's subscribers. 



WAY-LEAVES 



The Government enjoys no special advantages except in 

 respect to the State railways and the State lands, which, however, 

 are very extensive. With private owners and with municipalities 

 agreements have to be negotiated. In 1892 the Stockholm Town 

 Council, owing to a difference of opinion about the laying of the 

 State underground mains, withdrew a previously granted permission 

 to open the streets, and the Government had to submit pending 

 adjustment of the dispute. The Town Council has recently 

 granted a corresponding way-leave for underground conduits to 

 the General Company. The companies may not even cross the 

 State railways and lands with their wires without permission ; in 

 other respects they enjoy equal facilities. When the number of 

 wires fixed is small, a nominal acknowledgment only is paid ; 

 when large standards carrying one hundred wires or over are 



