3QO Telephone Systems of the Continent of Europe 



cost of the reference. Trouble was caused by the railway com- 

 panies objecting to Article 6 of the law, and it was found advisable 

 to pay them to watch the telephone lines and report faults. The 

 State also pays full carriage and fares for all material and work- 

 men, so that the railways do not suffer appreciably after all. The 

 right to go along the railways is a most important one in connec- 

 tion with the extension of the trunk line system. 



SWITCHING ARRANGEMENTS 



The most recent switch-board in Switzerland is that lately 

 installed at Zurich. It is an American-made (Western Electric 

 Company) metallic- circuit, parallel-jack, multiple board w r ith an 

 ultimate capacity of 5,400 lines, but fitted at present for 3,400 



only. Including the cross-connecting and lightning-guard boards 

 it has cost 9,6oo/., or 2/. i6s. 6d. per subscriber. The parallel 

 connection of the jacks presents several advantages, such as the 

 avoidance of multiple contacts, which are apt to become dirty, in 

 the speaking circuit ; the reduction in number of soldered joints ; 

 and the saving in length of the connecting wires. The scheme 

 of the Zurich jacks is shown in fig. 134. A ; s a brass ring, in con- 



