CABLE V. RADIO.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 19251, 5 March 1928, Page 2

CABLE V. RADIO.

—♦ ! EMPIRE PRESS STATEMENT. (FRO!! OGS OWN CORKESrOXDENT.) LONDON, January 25. "The Empire Press Union regards with deep concern the possibility, now apparent,- of cessation of all competition between wireless telegraphy and the cable systems," states a memorandum by the Empire Press-Union to the Imperial Wireless and Cable Conference, which has been sitting for the past week. The memorandum points out that the knowledge that the average inhabitant of one part of the Empire has of conditions of life and national development in another part is primarily due to the Press, which exercises its influence in face of a relatively small public demand for Empire news and a very high cost of production. "After years of comparatively slow and costly cable communications (the memorandum proceeds), 'slow by reason of congestion and out-of-date equipment, the Empire has suddenly acquired a multiplicity of channels, | affording much quicker transmission and at the same time lower charges, j "The Empire Press Union has no preference for any particular system of telegraphy, but it is evident that the improvements that have lately occurred in long-distance telegraphy are entirely due to wireless* Before the threat- of wireless competition the cables showed' practically no sign of development. "Research and enterprise by the cable administrations should have resulted in the 'loaded' cable and 'regenerator' long before wireless appeared as a serious competitor, and rates could have gradually reduced in step with increasing traffic, and the present 'glut' of telegraphic facilities would not have happened." Apart from the traffic they have secured from the cables, it is contended that the wireless services already testify to the soundness of the union's contention that lower rates create new traffic. So far as Press traffic is concerned, the increase due to I lower .rates is slow, because it is not possible suddenly to increase the consumption of oversea news by newspaper readers. .But Press traffic is increasing by reason of the reduced cost of transmission, and would continue to do so at an increasing rate of progress.

The union reiterates its belief that it is essential to retain an effective element of competition between wirelesa and cable. "During the cables' monopoTv,"'' says the memorandum, "there was complete stagnation, and, until the Australian 'beam' opened, a message from London to Australia occupied four to five hours in transit. Xow a similar message is often delivered (by the same cable system) in twenty minutes. Competition is the onlv explanation <?f this improvement. ''