In 1862, the inland messages, at 1½ francs, numbered 105,274
In 1865, the inland messages, at 1 franc, numbered 332,718
In 1867, the inland messages, at ½ franc, numbered 819,668
Total receipts in 1866, 961,112 francs.
Total expenses in 1866, 839,000 „
Estimated profits for 1866 on the entire business, if
no reduction had been made, 198,499 „
Actual profits for 1866, under the reduced rates, 122,112 „
———————
Actual loss by reducing the rates on inland messages
one half, 76,387 „
By an examination of Table H, page 96, it will be seen that the total
receipts of the Belgian telegraphs for 1866 were 962,213 francs;
expenditures, 1,217,496 francs; loss, 255,283 francs. Of the receipts
only 407,532 francs were for inland messages, of which there were
transmitted 692,536, while 553,580 francs were received for 435,469
international and transit messages. As before stated, the expense of
service upon transit messages is merely nominal. They simply pass
through the kingdom, and require no labor in receiving, transmitting, or
delivery. The greater part of the expense, therefore, was incurred upon
the inland messages; and, had not the Belgian administration imposed a
tax upon neighboring nations of 553,580 francs for messages coming from
or going to other countries, there would have been a deficit of 809,964
francs on the year’s business instead of 255,283 francs.