COMMUNICATIONS
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Manila, increasing the total number of phototelegram ser-
vices to five.
Traffic Figures for 1956 were :
Telegrams transmitted
1,059,052
Telegrams received
1,135,879
Telegrams in transit
410,799
Telegrams transmitted by Teleprinter
500,002
Radiophone mins. transmitted
559,371
Radiophone mins. received
710,172
Radio pictures transmitted (217 Pictures)
64,651 sq. cms.
Radio pictures received (24 Pictures)
5,384 sq. cms.
Press broadcasts (words handled)
58,813,000
555,000
99,000
Meteorological broadcasts (words handled)
Harborfone calls to ships in harbour
Telephones. The Hong Kong Telephone Company, Ltd., provides and operates the Colony's internal public telephone service. In co-operation with Cable & Wireless Ltd. the service is extended by radio-telephone and is available to most parts of the world.
The number of direct exchange lines working on the Company's system is approximately 45,000 and the number of extensions is approximately 18,500, making an approximate total of 63,500.
The system is fully automatic and is provided by four main Exchanges and a number of satellite Exchanges.
A new main Exchange of 12,000 lines, with an ultimate capacity of 19,000 lines, for the Western District of Victoria will be completed towards the end of 1957-
METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES
The Royal Observatory, which is the sole source of weather information in Hong Kong, provides forecasts for the general public, shipping, aviation and the Armed Forces. In addition