To the Editor of the "Norra-Caixa Dairy News."
Sir,—Referring to your leaderette of the 4th instant on the subject of the telephone, it would well repay a representative of your paper to visit the operating room on the top floor of the Mutual Telephone Company's building im Kiangse Road. Recently I had occasion to call on Mr. Cole, who asked me if I would care to have a look round the installation. Reaching the top of the stairs, the first thing that struck me was the silence that reigned in the big room, yet there were 80 or 90 Chinese operators at work, answering calls and making connexions at top speed.
As to your remark, Mr. Editor, "Gt ought not to be necessary to ring twice, thrice or even more times to attract the operator's attention," I can assure you it is not; no bell rings at the other end, and one tinkle is as effective as 500 turns of the bell handle, for with the very first tinkle, a little lever belonging to your phone solety, falls, and a tiny lamp lights up, also a big "pilot light" for the benefit of the mysterious "499." The operator may have to reach out four or five Teet to make the connexion desired, but he does it silently by plugging the number called for.
Standing behind the row of operators, their voices as they speak into their mouthpieces, can scarcely be heard. The "ring off" is also indicated by a tiny light. People often wonder how it is that "line engaged" comes through so quickly, but this again is simplicity itself. If the line is occupied the operator "gets it in his ear" directly the plug touches the outer rim of the hole he wishes to stop; consequently in plugging there is a momentary pause, as the operator taps the rim with the plug and if all is silent the pin is pressed in and out goes the pilot light.
The moral of this is, do not allow yourself to get excited and heated when making a telephone call, the operator does not hear your' bell and he may have to move five or six plugs before your turn comes, I feel that that visit to the switch room has greatly increased my chances for Paradise.
I am, ete., Shanghai, Aug. 6.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.