CABLE MERGER

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 50, 22 November 1928, Page 9

CABLE MERGER

INTER-EMPIRE WIRELESS TELEPHONY

POST OFFICE TO RETAIN CONTROL COMMUNICATION WITH AUSTRALIA (United Press Association.—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) (Australian Press Association.) London, November 20. Although it is not mentioned in the Imperial Telegraphs Bill, the Australian Press Association has obtained official confirmation that inter-Empire wireless telephony will be reserved to the control of the Post Office, and not be handed over to the merger company. The fact emerges that the introduction of wireless telephony to Australia is at least twelve months distant. The British Post Office, after observation of the working of beam telegraphy, is convinced that telephony to Australia should be separate from the beam, with lower aerials and generally cheaper. It has a trial transmitter ready and awaits Australia’s preparedness to experiment. If this is successful it will take nearly a year after that to manufacture a permanent plant of transmitters. No device hitherto has been discovered to overcome fading, on the face of which there is a big doubt if telephony will have a commercial appeal to Australia. THE BEAM STATIONS (“Times” Cables.) (Rec. November 21, 7.20 p.m.) Loudon, November 21. “The Times” urges that before the Government committs itself to a telephone service working from Rugby independently of the existing beam stations, the possibilities of the latter should be thoroughly examined. Experiments with them have proved them equal to, if not better than, the Post Office service. The economy resulting therefrom is likely to appeal to the Dominions Governments. FRENCH NEGOTIATING A MERGER (Australian Press Association.) (Rec. November 21, 7.20 p.m.) Paris, -November 21. Officials of Radio de France, and the French Cable Companies, admit that they are negotiating with a view to a merger similar to Britain’s. Agreement has not yet been reached. Radio de France controls radio communications with Britain, Austria, Spain, Rumania, Norway, and Czecho-Slovakia. The cable com? pany controls the former German cable to New York, which was awarded to France under the Treaty of Versailles.