The Cable and Wireless Communications of the World: a Survey of Present Day Means of International Communication by Cable and Wireless; containing Chapters on Cable and Wireless Finance

THIS book appears at a timely moment, as the question of the future of international communication is one that must soon be settled. Great Britain has always taken the lead in submarine communication. It still possesses nearly half the total mileage of submarine cables in the world. The price of cabling to New York was originally £20 per message consisting of 20 words and one pound for each additional word averaging five letters. It is now ninepence a word. This can be greatly reduced by the use of codes or by sending deferred messages. Letter telegrams are also coming into use, the communication being sent by post to the sending end of the submarine cable and being sent by post from the receiving end. In the beam radio service between Britain and Canada a post-radio-letter telegram system is used at a charge of 1½d. per word. We see no reason to doubt that the prices will be still further reduced.The Cable and Wireless Communications of the World: a Survey of Present Day Means of International Communication by Cable and Wireless; containing Chapters on Cable and Wireless Finance.By F. J. Brown. Pp. ix + 148. (London: Sir Isaac Pitman and Sons, Ltd., 1927.) 7s. 6d. net.