Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1921.djvu/134

 82

THE BRITISH EMPIRE: — UNITED KINGDOM

The telegraphs were transferred to the State on February 5, 1870 ; on March 31, 1920, mileage used for telegraph purposes was 272,845. The total mileage of Post Office wires, Telegraph, Telephone, and spare wires, was 3,738,933 miles. Of this total, 1,036,510 miles were aerial, 2,683,204 underground, and 19,219 submarine.

The total number of telegraph offices (including those at railway stations which transact public business) open on March 31, 1920, was 13,967. In 1909-10 the Post Office acquired from the Marconi Company and Lloyd's their wireless telegraphy stations on the coast of the United Kingdom, except certain long-distance Marconi stations. The Post Office has since provided additional stations (long-distance and others). On March 31, 1921, there were 12 Post Office wireless stations in operation and 5 under construction, and a number of " standby" stations exist for emergency purposes. The Marconi Company are working certain stations under licence.

On March 31, 1920, the trunk telephone service had 1,163 exchanges open for business; there were 6,829 circuits containing 441,406 miles of wire ; the number of calls during the year 1919-20 was 53,796,000. The London local exchange system had 81 exchanges, 1,172,872 miles of working wire, and 304,931 telephones. The provincial local exchange system had 3,158 exchanges, 1,632,696 miles of working wire, and 582,590 telephones. The approximate number of originated effective calls in 1919-20 was S48 millions, lor private wires the rentals amounted to 246,4301. in 1919-20.

The receipts and expenditure of the Post Office : —

1913-14

1917-18

191S-19

1919-201

Total postal receipts. Expenditure

£

21,935,326 15,264,076

£

29,507,138 22,135,539

£ 34,867,776 25,975,194

£ 35, 278,310 30,571,456

Net postal revenue ....

Total telegraph receipts Expenditure

6,671,250

3,126,281 4,207,133

7,371,599

5,916,321 6,297,451

8,892,582

6,274,174

6,732,474

4, 706, £54

5,796,934 8,027,604

Net telegraph deficit

Total telephone receipts Total telephone expenditure.

-1,0S0,852

6,627,663 5,S86,536

-381,130

10,424,686 10,515,606 1

- 458,300

10,780,540 11,819,215

- 2,230,670

9,326,494 10,7'.'

Net telephone deficit or revenue. Net revenue

741,127 6,331,525

- 90,9:20 0,S99,549

-1,038,675 7,395,607

- 1,466,086 1,010,098

1 Final figures not available. Figures furnished are approximate.

Money and Credit.

Value of money issued from the Royal Mint and of imports and export* of British gold and silver coin : —

Tear

Gold

Money issued

1913 27,

1915 21,

1916 - 1,

1917 1, 1918 1919 19:20

£ 638,789 301,000 554,000! 014,000

nil

nil

nil

Silver Bronze

Money Money issued issued

£ £

1,934,354 314,625 7,598,923 248,415 8,192,381 452,800 4,137,032 548,365 8,885,325 418,845 3,876,175 586,590 r., 1:55,515 599,780

British Gold Coin British Silver Coin

Imported j Exported Imported Ex]

£ £

11,946,74419,741, 360

2,453,331 518,081 l l

876,288 s

32,199,580 18, 87'-', 2212

2,572,180*

£

438,400 409,486 527,301

128,021- 133,400

£

691,860 350,180 740,265

1 Information not available.

a Six months ended Deceiubn, l-'l' 1