We quote from Mr. Hubbard:—
“There is no uniformity in the rates. They are often less to a distant station than to an intermediate one on the same line. An estimate of the average rates, and of the annual number of messages transmitted has been made by ascertaining the rates to seventy-one stations at different distances from Boston, and arranging them in four different classes.”
Mr. Hubbard groups his American distances into classes of 500, 1,000, 1,500, and 2,000 miles; while his English classes embrace those of 100 and under, 200 and under; over 200, and to Ireland.
The average rates he gives for America for
| Class A, | 500 miles and under, | $0.41 |
| Class B, over | 500, and under 1,000, | 1.43 |
| Class C, over | 1,000, and under 1,500, | 2.46 |
| Class D, over | 1,500, and under 2,000, | 3.36 |
The English rate for
| Class A, less than 100 miles, one shilling, equal to | $0.33 | U. S. currency. |
| Class B, between 100 and 200 miles, one shilling and sixpence, equal to | 0.50 | U. S. currency. |
| Class C, over 200 miles, two shillings, equal to | 0.66 | U. S. currency. |
| Class D, to Ireland, three to four shillings, equal to | 1.00 | to 1.33 U. S. currency. |
Mr. Hubbard says:—
“As rates are higher in America, a greater proportion of messages are sent to stations in class A than in England, and a smaller proportion to class D. The average receipt per message, at these rates, is $1.00. The gross receipts of the Western Union Company, for the year ending the 30th of June, 1868, were $6,952,273.[[16]] This sum, divided by the average receipts, gives the whole number of messages transmitted, viz. 6,952,000.
[16]. This amount embraces the total revenue of the Western Union Telegraph Company for that year, and includes the receipts for telegrams, press reports, and from all other sources.