SPAIN'S NEW 'PHONES.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 18898, 13 January 1927, Page 10

SPAIN'S NEW 'PHONES.

LONG DISTANCE RECORD. At a preliminary ceremony to the formal opening of Madrid's new automatic telephone exchange, King Alfonso, with General Primo de Rivera and about two hundred diplomats, officials, and prominent citizens, took part on December 29th in establishing a new European long-distance telephone record. A conversation was conducted over a distance of 3800 kilometres — according to a cable from the International Telephone and Telegraph Corporation. A nation-wide system has been built by the Compania Telefonica de Espana in the last 18 months, and it is to be extended during the next three years to supersede completely the old manual system in nineteen Spanish cities. Madrid is the second of these in which the automatic service has been completed. The long-distance test was conducted over a distance equal to that between Madrid and Moscow, though the circuit did not leave Spanish soil, except to cross the Straits of Gibraltar and bring in the Spanish Protectorate of Morocco. The line ran from Madrid, through San Sebastian, Barcelona, Algeciras, beneath the sea to Ceuta (Morocco), back to Spain and ended at Coruna. Sixteen stations answered the roll call, and greetings were exchanged with the four corners of Spain. The Marquis de Urquijo. President o! the Company, described the work, and General de Rivera replied for the Government. King Alfonso addressed the sixteen stations, expressing gratification at this important development in the telephone service of the country. The Madrid change in service came into action simultaneously throughout ihe Capital, and was loudly acclaimed by the public, who welcomed this advance in civilisation, which ends many vears of inadequate telephonic service