NOVEL “AIRGRAPH” SERVICE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 76, 22 April 1941, Page 5

NOVEL “AIRGRAPH” SERVICE

LETTERS REDUCED BY PHOTOGRAPHY SPEEDING UP COMMUNICATION [British Official Wireless] (Rec. 10.20 p.m.) Rugby, Apl. 21. The adoption of a photographic process to the postal services is a novel feature of the “airgraph” service which the Postmaster-General announced will shortly be introduced to cheapen and expedite communication with the Middle East forces. The sender will write a message on a special form which will then be reduced many times from the original size by photography on to a , very small film. When the film arrives at its destination an enlargement will be made and delivered in an envelope. Under this system, which is the first of its kind in the world, a letter will take less than a fortnight in transit and will cost threepence. The weight of 4500 film negatives will be a pound, compared with liewt for the equivalent of ordinary letters, which at present owing to the weight involved have to be carried part of the way by sea. The homeward service from the Middle East forces will start at once, while the outward service will begin as soon as technical arrangements are completed. The Post Office explains that the loss of secrecy of the method is no more than that of telegrams.