BELGIAN TELEGRAMS DELIVERED BY POST.
In reply to this flattering picture of the Belgian system of telegraphy we quote the following from a recent English publication:[[15]]—
[15]. Government and the Telegraphs. London, 1868.
“The government of Belgium not only have a monopoly of the telegraphs and post-office, but also of most of the railways of the country. They work the system as a whole. In the case of ordinary half-franc telegrams, the messages are not uniformly despatched by messenger from the office at which they arrive, but are sent to the residence of the receiver by post!
“The administration of the Belgian telegraph in no respect holds itself responsible for the delivery of a message, unless it is specially insured and additionally paid for. They decline all responsibility on account of delay in the transmission or non-arrival of a half-franc telegram. They will not even inquire into the cause of delay of a half-franc telegram! No matter how long a message has taken in delivery, or whatever may be the errors in it, the government will make no compensation to the sender or receiver, except under very exceptional circumstances. Moreover, the twenty words forwarded for half a franc includes addresses both of sender and receiver, ‘all of which is free in this country.’”
For further particulars relative to the Belgian telegraph service reference is made to pages [5], [7], [8], [13], [16]–24.