A.—3

60

Financial Result. Even a preliminary report, such as this, would not be complete without some statement as to the amount of business passing over the line, and the following tabular statement, showing the number of messages and gross receipts since cable communication was restored on October 21st up to the end of the year, is not without interest.

TABLE showing the Number of Cable Messages, the Gross Receipts thereon, and the net Proportion due to South Australia, between October 21st and December 31st, 1872.

So that the revenue accruing to South Australia on cable messages in the above period (October 21st to December 31st) was £2,274 Is. Od., or at the rate of nearly £12,000 a year; to which must be added the revenue on local messages, which, since the line has been opened, has averaged over £300 a month—the receipts from this source in October and November (which were less than the previous month of September) being £634 ss. sd. ; besides which we find that the opening of the line has largely increased the Intercolonial and general traffic on other lines. Jotbney Overland. With regard to my own movements, it may be well just formally to mention that I finally left the Roper, after having visited Port Darwin, on June 13th, and rode overland, arriving at Beltana on the 19th October. On my way I carefully examined the portions of the line in course of construction, and inspected it generally all through, completing the necessary organizations at the different stations. Having communication with Mr. Patterson and the several working parties, I was enabled to give final instructions with reference to the embarkation from the Roper, establishment of depot, and many other matters which I need not specify. Conclusion. In conclusion, it affords me much pleasure to acknowledge my obligations to the energetic officers and men who have with so much credit to themselves, and in the face of difficulties not easily realized, carried out their part of the work intrusted to them ; and I cannot close without making special reference to Mr. R. C. Burton, by whom some of the best sections of the line in the Northern Territory were constructed. There are those, too, whose duties in the office have been most arduous, though their names have not had so much prominence, to whom my thanks are equally due, and are here most cordially given. I have, &c, Charles Todd, Postmaster-General and Superintendent of Telegraphs. To the Honorable the Chief Secretary. Sir,— Adelaide, 30th November, 1872. I have the honor to submit herewith, my final report upon that portion of the Overland Telegraph constructed by the officers and men under my command. I purpose confining myself to a general statement of the route of the line, and a brief description of the country passed through, together with some remarks upon the question of water supply for maintenance purposes. The line was surveyed to the King, by Mr. McMinn previous to his return to Adelaide, and the country from Port Darwin to that point has doubtless been described by that officer. The line after crossing the watershed of the King, 225 miles from Port Darwin, follows the general direction of the Roper Creek, S.E. by E., passing two miles to the westward of Bitter Springs, after which it takes a generally southerly direction, crossing the Elsey at 281 miles, and following the Birdum throughout its course for 112 miles, passing Stuart's Camp at Daly Waters at a distance of 370 miles from Palmerston. At 392 miles the watershed changes to the south, all the waters flowing towards the interior; up to this point the watershed had been to the north, towards the Roper. The line passes six miles to tl;e eastward of King's Ponds, thence still in a southerly direction, passing two miles to the east of Frew's Ironstone Ponds, acrosß Sturt's Plains to the north end of the Ashburton Range, distant from Port Darwin 442 miles. The line then passes between the Ashburton Range and the Newcastle Waters, crossing the Lawson at 480 miles; the range is entered at the Watson Powell's Creek, crossed at 505 miles, and the creek followed up to the summit of the range, from which point the watershed again

1872. Number of Messages. Cash Receipts in Australia. | Cash Receipts ' Proportion of e ls owhere P From To 'Australia. : Australia. Week ending October 26 „ November 2 ,, 9 ... 16 „ 23 ... „ 30 ... „ December 7 „ 14 ... „ 21 ... „ 28 ... Three days ending December 31 153 87 86 66 58 83 96 44 74 62 30 148 137 98 98 75 110 91 69 69 86 27 £ s. d. 1,662 17 5 1,043 10 6 985 7 3 865 10 0 566 12 9 748 4 9 1,093 1 0 499 15 3 820 14 9 675 3 9 271 10 0 £ s. d. 1,405 3 8 1,347 13 9 1,023 2 6 715 16 5 920 10 9 1,342 2 6 969 15 9 856 0 6 790 14 9 1,091 13 0 358 10 3 £ 8. d. 353 5 0 269 0 0 226 10 0 197 16 6 166 10 0 235 10 0 229 0 0 116 10 0 181 0 0 198 9 3 70 10 3 Totals 835 1,008 9,232 7 5 10,821 3 10 j 2,274 1 0