CO885-(6-7) — Page 343

127

348

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference -

1.C.O. 885

6

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-

COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

26 November 1896.) The Marquess of TWEEDDALE, Mr. H. A. C. SAUNDERS,

and Mr. F. E. HESSE.

Mr. Murray-continued, the Eastern from Suez. (Mr. Hesse, Between England and Aden the system is quadrupled, and between Aden and Bombay triplicated, and beyond, either duplicated or triplicated through- out. (Marquess of Tweeddale. And from Aden, Egypt, and England it is difficult to say We have gone on how many lines there are. that principle of spending our surplus revenue in triplications and duplications. Mr. Hess The Australasian Governments would not have granted the subsidy of 32,000% a year had it not been for the improved communication that we gave them by having a duplicate ling. (Marquess of Tireoddale. And even that was not sufficient. (Mr. Hesse, It was not sufficient a we had to put down a third.

1969. What is your forecast for the immediate future of Australian traffic; do you think it is likely to increase?—We are afraid that it will decrease. Some of the gold-mine traffic may disappear.

1970. Do you happen to have the 1896 figures with you?—No, we cannot get them out until a few months after the close of the year.

1971. You have not got them out for the first half-year?—No, we only make them out for the year. I should say there is, roughly, an increase over 1895 in 1896 wholly due to West Austra- lian traffic; 1895 shows a very large increase over 1894.

1972. About 40 per cent over 1894 ?—-Forty seven per cent.: but the West Australian traflie increased 700 per cent, over 1894.

1973. Is the whole mcrease attributable to West Australia practically ? —No, not the whole, but the bulk of the increase,

1974. And you think that it has arrived at pretty nearly high-water mark ?—Many of the se gold mining companies are believed to be what they call pocket “ companies, and if that is so we think we shall see a great falling off in the traffic. (Marques, of Tweeddale, » l ́do not think our opinion on that is worth anything.

1975. What I was coming to was this: ds. you contemplate on your own account having to increase the number of your cables in the inme- diate future?-We do not think there is any necessity.

1976. In how many years do you think, as far as you can see, would it be necessary to do something in that direction? —Our attention, to say the truth, is more directed to the African traffic.

suggestion? route?

Mr. Murray-continued.

Continued.

26 November 1896. |

The Marquess of TweenDate, Mr. H. A. C. SAUNDERS,

and Mr. F. E. HESSE.

Marquess of Tworddale.) Of the

1980. As to the route.--(Mr. Hesse.) This is on a smaller scale, but it shows the whole system (producing map).

1981. Suppose an additional line to Australia was wanted, would you lay it across the Pacific We do not at all 4.1 some other route? like this idea of laying it across the proposed ronte. joining it up the manner suggested. Mr. Saunders ) 11 is very deep water. (Mar- quess of Tweeddah,). And very bad weather. (Mr. Hesse.) Iwo Almost always bad weather. went across the Pacific we should try to connect all the commercial places we could en route, such as Honolulu, Samoa, Fiji, and so on.

1982. But you would not add to the cables un Australian route ?--We might, of your own course, if we found a treessity for it, but we have not contemplated it.

1983. No: I was assuming the necessity of laying another cable, somehow or other, to Connect Australia with the United Kingdom?- Marquess of Tweedule. For instance, with the (Mr. Hesse, i Cap or something of that sort, That is an alternate route,

1984. Is that practicable at all?—I believe so. Mr. Saunders,) A very long stretch, that is an enormous stretch, that, running into 4,000 miles. (Mr. Hessey I think there is an island some- where here that might be used as a landing place. 1t is not shown on the map.

1983. Your experience is, that if you have a theoretical raparity of 145 letters a minute, that is netically equivalent to about 36 paying letters Mr. Saunders, To the fourth." (ME. Hesse About one-fourth about 36.

:

1986. That means about four paying words a minute! About four paying words a minute.

Mr. Giles,

1986. That is the duplication? - speaking of the Pacific cable?

Mr. Murray.

Are you

A- YOUT

1987. No, I was rather speaking of your own experience. I think you gave us average theoretical speed 145 letters a minute?

- one cable; ves.

1988, I thought that was your mean for the We gave whole - Well, it is a fair mean. 3455: 145 theoretical gave 34 (call it) actuai paying letters per minute,

1989. Nearly four paying words?--Four pay- Simplex 1990. That is simplex working?— working.

1991. Duplex working would be about seven? About seven.

1977. Are you now speaking as the Eastern Extension Company or the Eastern and South African!--No; I am speaking generally on our policy, because it really is one: we considering words: yes, Africa our weak point. There there is an un- doubted necessity for an increase of accommoda- tion, but we do not contemplate any in the far East. (Mr. Hesse) The Eastern Extension Company have a large reserve at present equal to an enormous increase of traffic.

1978. In cable power, you meat?—In cable power.

1979. Then, if it was thought necessary for reasons unconnected with traffic to lay an additional line to Australia, what would be your

1992. Then your figure of 9 letters to a word, I think, was arrived at by converting all werds into what I may call four-and-ninepenny words ?--Four-und-ninepenny words; yes, the carning capacity of the cable,

1993. After taking into account press and Government work? Yes,

Mr. Murray continued. 1991. I should like to ask you why is it thought necessary to give so much lower rates for the press? Because their messages are in plain language, and one of the conditions is that they are published as they are sent.

1995. That is the condition, is it? That is the condition, and consequently many small word- have to be sent as well as the plain language.

It takes so much longer to send a code message than a plain-word message.

1996. Die vou mean that, as a matter of fact, a telegram that appears in The Times" from Australia is sent in that form? Well, it should be sent in that form, but they ** skeletonise more than they should do. They rather evade the conditions, and we could insist upon every word that appears in the paper being telegraphed, but We are always generous towards the press,

1997. In fact you give them that reared rate on certain conditions which they do not fulfil - Not strictly. Marquess of Tivoodiale, There was the famous case not long ago.

1998. The Central News" ease? We deal leniently with the press. Mr. Hesse, It is much easier to transmit a press message, as you will readily understand where there are so many familiar words, instead of those long, strange, rode words. The clerks are not accustomed to them, and they cannot transmit them so quickly. (Marquess of Tweeddale › In a press message they know what is coming.

Chairman.

1999. You mean it is a better-paying business than contuercial business if they keep to their bargain?--; Mr. Hesse) At equal rates they would be, of course, much more remunerative, but at the reduced rates that is not arrived at.

2000. But is it quite fair to convert the term twice; you, first of all, eonsent to a reduction of the rates, because, at equal rates, it would pay better, and then you re-convert it for the purpose of this calculation / W. take the number of actual paying letters,

Mr. Murray. 2001. The number of four and ninepences, in

fact: that is what it comes to? The number of four and ninepences. Of course the press mess Rages are a very small proportion of the whole trate: I have the actual percentage here; the press is 10 per cent, of the whole traffic; the Government 2 per cent. Another condition was that we might send them after the ordinary traffic.

2002. In each direction ?---In each direction It is a condition with the press people that their messages might be delayed, but in practice we generally send them in their turn.

2003. Out of each 48, 9d, you told us that you got 3s. -The shillings and sevenpence, ves. Of the remainder, id. groes to South Australia, 147. to Jaya, 34d, to India, and 24. to the European administrations,

2004. Does the 3μd, to India include the rate for the Persian Gulf ?—No; that is simply for

Continued.

Mr. Murray-continued.

the tran-it across India. The Persian Gulf Department of the Indian Goverument is one of the four pooled administrations.

2005. Then the Indian Government comes in in two ways?-In two ways.

2006. In its own busines and the Persian Gulf business? Indo-European or Persian Gulf. Either term would apply, and through the Indian Government Felegraph Department proper.

2007. And where does the 2d. in Europe go Partly to treat Britain, the Telegraph Department here, the French Government, the German Government, and other European Governments: the average is about 2d. per

word.

2008. You the nnt pay the Telegraph Depart- men in this country anything for messages which you deal with yourselves, I suppose?— Oh, yes, we pay them a small amount which averages that 2d.

2009. For a message coming into your offiec and delivered from there?—We have land line arrangements with the Post Offic

2010. Yes, but you rent the land lines, do you not, out and out --Some of them, yes.

2011. Do you pay the Post Office on those?— Yes, there is a small payment which works out, taking the average, at 24.

2012. I do not want to ask the question if you would rather not answer it, but can you tell us how muck of the 3s. 74. goes to the Eastern and how much to the Extension The Extension Company take the largest amount, 200,0007, of the whole trattic last year.

2013, Out of − → Out of 310,000l. The Eastern Company lave 850002, the Indo-Euro- pean 13,9007, and the Gulf Department a little ayer 8,000f, Recording to the proportion of tariff,

Mr. Gillies,

2014. Is it according to the proportion that each line earns That each line cars. There is a certain tariff over each section on the through line, and of course the Extension Company's ebarge is higher than the Eastern's,

2015. Then they take their own charge, do they? -Each takes its own charge from the pool; all this money is put into a common purse, and cach company or administration takes its share according to is tariff out of that purse.

Sir Donald Suth,

2016. It is not pro rată then as to mileage? Not strictly.

Mr. Murray,

2017. Is that on European traffic only?—On Emopean only.

gojs, The 200,0007, is the share of the Ex- tension Company? These figures are based on the European tra·lic. European-Australasian.

2019. Do you notice that the interruptions on your cables increase very much with their age?— ¡Mr. Saunders. Oh, yes.

Q4

12X