The institution of the new service fellows closely on the heels of the opening of and. interchanire between the native cities of Shanghai and the foreign concessions, This was inaugurated about four or five months ago and last month the number of calls between the exchanges numbered about 60,000. Bot it was not until after negotiations and proceeded for many years that it was possible to call outside of Shanghai, This seemingly impossible bit of diplomacy on the part of both side has now been followed with an extension of the service into the interior.
Not only docs the new service mark the opening of closer communication between the foreign and Chinese districts, but it emphasizes that both Chinese and foreigners have come to acknowledge the vital riged of friendly relations. It. is alto noteworthy "that the new scheme was concluded between a British company and a department the Chinese Government, thus drawing closer the bonds of friend. chip between business interests of these two countries in this part of world.
To defray the expenses of erecting 5 and Keeping them in repair, a system of tolls has been arranged, to be paid according to units of time (one unit being three minutes length from the moment of reply). To Nanziang one unit of conversation will cost five cents, to 'Woosung 10 cents, to Soochow' 40 cents and to Wusih 70 cents, These tolls_are applicable to telephones "under the control of the Chinese Telephone Adminstration. For con. nexion between the phones of the "Shanghai Mutual Telephone Ca., La,, and the four cities, an. avdiz tional five cents per unit will be charged. The maximum time allowed for each call will be three units, nine minutes. Charges are pay: ble by the subscriber's telephone.
The Modus Operandi will be granted only ribers who. register for the toll service and pay a registration fee of $10, which will be refunded when the telephone is disconnected, or toll service continued, Registered subscribers wishing to make a toll call must first tell the ¢perator that toll service is wanted. "They will then be connected with the recording operator and the Jatter will ask for their name and telephone number and the name and number of the subscriber wanted. After this the subscriber must hang up his, receiver and wait to be called by the operator when the called party answers. Registered subscribers must pay their toll charges monthly at the company's faces, The toll charges will be [paid by the subscriber originating the call and he is responsible for all alle. made over his telephone iehether by himself or any other "person.
Although the four above-mention-ied, cities are the only ones at pre-it which may be called by long-
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.