OUR TELEPHONES AND TELEGRAPHS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIII, Issue 214, 6 September 1912, Page 8

OUR TELEPHONES AND TELEGRAPHS.

UHPBOTEMENTS SUGGESTED. AUTOMATIC TELEPHONE* i '/Tiro TSiPEWIUTEK TELEGRAPH. (IHIKt. , ELECTRICIAN'S INVESTIGATIONS. tßy "^Cdegrapk.Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, Thursday. The report of the chief electrical engineer of the Post and Telegraph Department, on the subject of automatic, semi-automatic, and manual telephony, as the result of his recent visit to America and Europe, for the purpose of studying the different systems, contains some interesting information and a number of important recommendations. Mr. Buckley observes that the 8,250,000 tele- , phones in use in the United States are mostly manual of the common battery system, the magneto systems being considered obsolete. SAVINGS WITH THE AUTOMATIC. The automatic system would meet the requirements of this country satisfactorily, and would possibly permit of the extension of the area within which the minimum residential rate might be charged. A saving of over £2,000 a year might be expected at each of the four cities in this Dominion after allowing for interest, etc., on increased cost of equipment. The system might be employed advantageously for exchanges ranging from about 500 subscribers, and the night-service would be available, practically free of cost. PRINTING TELEGRAPHS. It was found that the United States methods generally did net compare with those in Great Britain. Machine telegraphy was receiving more attention in Britain and on the Continent than in the States. With the Wright and. the Morkrum systems messages are typewritten at the originating end, and come out typewritten in page form at the distant end. A pair of operators can handle 60 to 70 average telegrams an hour. These should be useful for many circuits in our country. In Britain, France, and Germany the Baudot system •was seen in operation. Messages are Bent direct from a keyboard, and received in Roman characters on tape which is gummed to the form. Each pair of operators can deal with about 60 messages an hour. This system is flexible, as it permits of being worked by four channels on one wire, an, all channels • in eithe direction according to which end of the circuffc the work is. This system would serve well on our circuits between the large centres, and would practically double the quantity of work which can be done on each end, and increase the output of each pair of operators. WIRELESS IMPROVEMENTS. In wireless telegraphy considerable development of the Poulson system was seen in San Francisco and Denmark. Long distances wifti comparatively small power were being attained in daylight. The Telefunken system was found to be considerably used in the United States navy, and was well reported of. The high-power station of the Marconi Company at Clifden in Galway was visited, and signals were heard across the Atlantic, and from a new station just then opened at Coltano in Italy. These signals were loud and strong. The impression gathered generally from what was seen, and from the statements of those who used and knew the system, was that the Telefunken system of wireless telegraphy attained distances and gave results that were highly satisfactory. RECOMMENDATIONS. "; As the result of his investigations, Mr. Buckley recommended that the full auto-ma-tic system of giving telephone service be adopted lor Auckland, Chris tchurch, Dunedin and Wellington; that the full automatic system be adopted also for any exchanges at smaller places that may 1$ requiring new equipment; that the Western Electric Company, London, Messrs Siemens Bros., London (who supply the Siemens system), and the Automatic Electric Co., Chicago (who supply the Strowger system), be invited to tender for a full automatic equipment for Wellington; that studies be made for the four large cities to obtain some idea of what may be the expected development in each. He recommended the postponement of the uestion of rates until development has been considered, so that it may be seen whether a scale of rates may be drawn up that will promote development. TYPEWRITER TELEGRAPH APPARATUS. Respecting our telegraph, Mr. Buckley recommends that negotiations be opened with the representatives in the United States of the Wright and of the Morkrum typewriter telegraph apparatus, to judge of their suitability for oar condi- • tions. (These ineinnnents axe leased "

the United States, they are not sold.) To " »t quadruple Baudot apparatus be con_>red for use on the main circuits of rite Department throughout the Dominion, and that two sets each for Auckland and Wellington be obtained for nse over the circuit between those cities. (The cost will be about £ 1,400 for apparatus.) That accumulators be installed for line batteries at the four large centres, and a. few other places where large numbers of primary cells are now in use. (This would be more economical than, present methods, and would improve work cousiderably.) That the technical staff be increased as may be necessary, to give effect to the foregoing, and to cope with expected developments.