A FUTURE FOR THE GLEBE 337 



number of messages sent by its means, at a charge, 

 mider the then prevaiHng tariff, of four or five 

 shillings SL-piece, was about 1 million. 



In 1875, the average cost of a postal telegram being 

 only one shilling and twopence, and private wires, 

 for use outside the telegraph system proper, coming 

 into vogue, the number of public and private tele- 

 graphic communications was probably as many as 

 40 millions. 



In 1895, the average cost of a telegram having been 

 reduced some years previously from one shilling and 

 twopence to about sevenpence halfpenny, the number 

 of postal telegrams alone has risen to 7^ millions. 



The Post -Office having also private telephone 

 systems, telephone companies being in active opera- 

 tion, and one company claiming to have transmited 

 279 millions of messages, it is reasonable to estimate 

 the total number of electrical communications for the 

 year at not fewer than 460 millions. 



But this figure, so far from exhausting the probable 

 capacity of the telephone, is but a fraction of the 

 possible total. If, in the United Kingdom, the number 

 of adults who, had thev the chance, would use the 

 telephone at least once in each day be put as low as 

 five millions, then the total for the year of their 

 transactions with it would figure at 1,825 millions. 



To give rein to a reasonable enthusiasm, and 

 assume that ten millions of adults would, if they 

 could, use the telephone twice a day for professional 



22 



