One line on the north shore from Murray Bay to Belle Isle is over 1,000 miles in length and there are over 200 miles on the Island of Anticosti connecting the various lighthouses. Extensions are constantly being made as necessity arises.
In the Northwest territory 607 miles of line connect Selkirk with Edmonton with intermediate stations and from Ashcroft to Dawson 1,826 miles, from Hazleton to Port Sampson, B.C., 200 miles.
At the end of 1902 there were 222 Government Telegraph Stations, 89,400 messages transmitted and a revenue of $114,266 derived. The expenditure was $208,968.
All signal and meteorological messages are sent without charge.
The Government Telegraph System is under the jurisdiction of the Department of Public Works.
Remarks.
The commercial telegraph business of the Dominion is carried on, and has been for many years, by the Great North-Western, the Canadian Pacific and the Western Union Telegraph Companies—the latter in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.
The Anglo-American Telegraph Company has the monopoly in Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland.
The Canadian Government Telegraphs operate in territory where it would not be profitable for commercial telegraph companies to enter. The competing companies each get a fair share of patronage by exercising care and promptitude in handling the business placed in their hands. The Canadian public have every reason to feel satisfied with the telegraphic facilities provided by these companies and can take pride in the fact that no better exists anywhere, or in any country.
The rates are reasonable when the great distances covered are taken into account.