Genre:

News-Commentary

Subjects:

Telegraphy, Commerce, Language

    Begins by agreeing with the opinion of The Times that the government purchase of telegraph lines will reduce the cost of telegrams and thus diminish the burden of letter writing. Suggests that letter-writing might be altogether superseded by telegrams, with lovers exchanging messages by the 'sixpenny wire' rather than the 'penny post'. Warns that this will also mean a 'condensation' of messages and demonstrates, using a prosaic love-letter recently read in a court at Reading, how letters could be abridged for telegraphic purposes. Discusses how other communications including 'Erotic telegrams' and the 'Germanised telegram' will be worded.