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'Memorandum on the Indo-European Telegraph Department and Narrative of Events to the end of 1898' [8v] (16/20)
The record is made up of 1 file (10 folios). It was created in 24 Jul 1899. It was written in English. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .
Transcription
This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.
Appendix II.
Tariffs between Europe and India.
From the commencement of 1865 to the end of 1868 the tariff vid Turkey
was 51. for 20 words, and 41. 2s. 6d. via Russia. The Turkish route was
very defective, and messages took from five to 17 days in transit. The
route via Russia was even worse, and scarcely any of the traffic went that
way.
In 1869 the tariff was lowered to 21. 17s. for 20 words and 1/. 10s for
10 words. The monopoly vid Turkey and the bad state of communication
continued, and it will be seen from Statement 1 that the reduction in tariff
resulted only in a large falling off in receipts.
In 1871 the tariff via Russia and the Red Sea was raised to 41. 10s. for
20 words and to 3Z. 10s. for 10 words, while vid Turkey it remained at
It. 17s. and 11. Ivs. The Eastern and Indo-European Companies had now
commenced operations, and cables had been laid beyond India which
increased the total amount of traffic, but the receipts of this Department
tell oft owing to the opposition route vid the Red Sea.
The earnings of the chief feeder of our Department, the Indo-European
Company during 1870 and 1871 having not only been too little to pay any
dividend, but insufficient for the maintenance of the line, to save the
Company from collapse, the Turkish tariff was, in 1872, raised by pressure
to the level of the other rates, that is, it was made 41. 10s. and half messages
were suppressed. °
'^ ro . n , 1 r pY ^ le f^iff via the Red Sea and Russia was reduced to 41
and via Turkey to 3Z. 15s. ’
From 15th November 1873 the tariff was again reduced to Fes. 50 for
10 words messages, and Fes. 5 for each additional word between London and
India only.
At the St. Petersburg Conference in 1875 a mean rate of Fes. 5*50 Was
introduced between India and Europe vid Russia and the Red Sea and
.res. 5 via Turkey.
At the London Conference of 1879 the rate was raised to Fes. 5-60 per
word in consequence of an increase of 10 centimes in the Indian terminal
rate, and Fes. o • 10 vid Turkey.
At the Berim. Conference of 1885 the rate was again reduced to Fes 5
per word via Russia and the Red Sea, and Fes. 4*50 vid Turkey, and this
rate has remained in force ever since.
At the Rome Conference of 1872 the system was first adopted of charffinff
a lower rate between Europe and India on messages destined for places
beyond India, and this procedure has been maintained ever since at each
succeeding Conference. At first the rate was graduated according to the
distance beyond India for which the message was destined, and it was not
until the St. Petersburg Conference of 1875 that one rate was adopted for
all places beyond India. r
. attached Statement No. Ill shows the various tariffs which have been
m force since the opening of the lines, and the division between the different
Governments and Administrations. It also shows the Russian and Turkish
transit rates on messages for India, and the rate charged for messages
transiting the same frontiers, but not going as far as India
About this item
- Content
The memorandum concerns telegraphic communication between Britain and India, with a particular focus on the telegraph lines routed via the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. region, and therefore the Indo-European Telegraph Company. It was authored by Benjamin Traill Ffinch, Director-in-Chief of the Indo-European Telegraph Department; a department of the Government of India.
It outlines how the telegraph lines through the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. developed over time, and the concessions granted by various governments to permit their establishment. It also notes how charges have varied over time, and how various international telegraph conferences have affected them. It also explains the rise of competition — over traffic to India — between the Indo-European Telegraph and the Eastern Telegraph companies, and how this led to the signing of the Joint Purse Agreement between them. It also explains that the interests of the Indo-European Telegraph Company and the Indo-European Telegraph Department have diverged. It therefore claims that the prevailing circumstances make it very difficult for the Government of India to push down prices.
An appendices section is included with the following content:
- 'No. 1 Convention between Great Britain and Turkey for the establishment of Telegraphic communication between India and the Ottoman Territory'. 3 September 1864, ff 7-8;
- 'No. 2 Memorandum on Tariffs between Europe and India', f 8v;
- 'No. 3 Tariffs to India and beyond from 1863 to present time', f 9;
- 'No. 4 Statement showing Traffic Receipts of Departments from October 1864 to 31st March 1898', ff 9v-10.
- Extent and format
- 1 file (10 folios)
- Arrangement
The main body of the memorandum is located on folios 1 to 6, and the appendix follows on folios 7 to 10.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the foliation sequence commences at the first folio and terminates at the last folio; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio.
Pagination: the file also contains an original pagination sequence.
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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- Reference
- IOR/L/PS/18/D148
- Title
- 'Memorandum on the Indo-European Telegraph Department and Narrative of Events to the end of 1898'
- Pages
- 1r:10v
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence