ANNIVEESARY ADDBESS. 21 



Another work that was carried out during the past year was 

 the establishing of a trunk telephone line between Sydney and 

 Newcastle, a distance of about one hundred miles. A special 

 line of thirty feet ironbark poles has been erected between 

 McMahon's Point, North Sydney and Newcastle, for the most 

 part following the railway line. Hard drawn copper four hundred 

 pounds per mile has been used as a metallic circuit, with trans- 

 positions or crossings of the wires on the American system at 

 every quarter of a mile. This is working most satisfactorily and 

 is a great public convenience. The work of connecting Sydney 

 and Bathurst by telephone has been started, and a communication 

 between Sydney and Goulburn is also contemplated. 



Whilst dealing with the matter of telephone lines generally it 

 may be of interest to point out the fact, that a large number of 

 wire fences in the country districts are being used by squatters 

 and others for telephonic purposes. Thousands of miles of wire 

 fences are connected chiefly for the purpose of giving communica- 

 tion between homesteads and out-stations on the various runs, and 

 also connecting homesteads with the local post offices. These 

 communications have been found to work very well in dry weather, 

 but in wet weather the working is much impaired in consequence 

 of the defective insulation. 



The total number of telephones at present in use by the Postal 

 and Electric Telegraph Department in New South Wales is 7,514, 

 being an increase since the reduction of rates to subscribers on 

 the 1st May 1896 of 4,100 telephones. The total number of 

 miles of telegraph line is 12,745, and the total number of miles of 

 wire erected 33,072. 



As the use of electricity is likely to form so important a feature 

 in the progress of the colony, it will be interesting to know some- 

 thing of the advance that has taken place throughout the world. 

 Mr. Elwell has kindly pointed out to me that the following are 

 the principal lines of progress in traction and lighting during the 

 past year: — 



