TELEGRAPHS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.

Southland Times, Issue 947, 8 May 1868, Page 2

TELEGRAPHS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.

It may be interesting to our readers to 1 know the total length, approximately at least, of the telegraphic lines throughout the world, and the proportion which exists in each of the several countries in which this agency of correspondence haa been adopted. The total length of telegraphic lines in the world is 178,086 miles. In 1866 there were in Germany 28,347 miles of telegraphs; in Eussia, 22,992; in "France, 18,694; in Great Britain and Ireland, 16,297 ; in Turkey, 8665 ; in Italy, 8216 ; in Sweden, 3507 ; in Belgium, 1089 ; in Switzerland, 2160 ; in Canada, 5050; and in the United States, 52,957. Besides these, there are the Atlantic cables, which moasure 4369 English, or 3755 nautical miles. The total length of the other submarine cables is nearly 6000 miles. One of the most marvellous examples of the value of telegraphic communications was afforded on the recent occasion of Mr Gladstone's tour. The address delivered at Southport and Ormskirk contained 16,882 words. The report of the speeches reached Liverpool by train at 11.25 p.m. The transmission to London by telegraph began at 11.30 plm., and^was completed at 1.40 — that is to say, in little more than two hours, The last slips were delivered at the offices of the daily papers before 2.30. Mr Gladstone's speech on the following day at Oldham contained 30,745 words, and was transmitted with corresponding rapidity. At the speed with which messages are usually transmitted through the Sew Zealand wires, Mr Gladstone's addresses at Southport and Ormskirk, would have occupied about 68 hours.