TRANSATLANTIC TELEPHONY 191 



both London and New York are on a daylight saving schedule in 

 the summer months has required some shifting of the hours of service 

 as these time rearrangements are effected on the two sides of the water. 



The operating arrangements set up for the handling of this business 

 provide traffic control operation at the New York and London long 

 distance offices. These offices have direct access to the radio channel 

 via the radio stations at Rocky Point and Houlton and at Rugby 

 and Cupar where technical operators have the transatlantic channel 

 under constant supervision and control. The New York and London 

 long distance offices have special equipment arrangements necessary 

 for connecting the radio channel and the land lines. On calls terminal 

 at New York or London, the operation is similar to that on other 

 terminal calls. On calls involving points beyond New York and 

 London, the New York and London operators assume control, holding 

 the land lines in readiness for prompt connection to the transatlantic 

 channel, supervising the connection and fixing the amount of charge- 

 able time, special measures being provided to protect the user from 

 overcharges that might result from conversations being longer than 

 otherwise necessary because of static and other atmospheric dis- 

 turbances. The operating method is set up to require a minimum of 

 time on the transatlantic channel for passing calls back and forth 

 and preparing connections. 



The personnel necessary to operate the transatlantic circuit is 

 probably not generally appreciated. While two operators in London 

 and two in New York can readily handle the calls themselves, there 

 are six stations, three in each country, for operating and controlling 

 the radio channel and from 35 to 40 men are needed for this work. 

 This force could, of course, handle much more business than is now 

 offered. 



Just as the experience with special long distance operating problems 

 and with the development of long distance usage had been largely on 

 this side of the water, so in the matter of international telephone 

 arrangements the experience had been largely with the British Post 

 Office. We have had connection with Canada for many years, but 

 in none of our interchange of business with Canadian companies 

 have we encountered the problems incident to European international 

 communication. The British Post Office, on the other hand, has com- 

 munication with many countries on the continent and has played 

 its part in the various European conventions and conferences looking 

 to the betterment of international telephone agreements and com- 

 munication in Europe. So their experience was particularly helpful 

 in shaping up the contract arrangements. In general, the contract 



