“A system of railroads is also owned and operated by the government,
and the telegraph is connected with both the railroad and the post.
A large proportion of the offices are at the railway stations, but
every post-office is an office of deposit, from which messages are
despatched at once, free of charge, to the nearest telegraph office,
when in the same district; otherwise, by the first messenger or by
special carrier, on payment of an extra rate for porterage. This
union of the telegraph with the post and railroad reduces the
expenses for operators, clerks, general management, rent and office
expenses, and brings the system into close connection with every
citizen.
“The rates are prepaid by stamps, and are uniform and low. The rate
for all inland messages by telegraph, or by telegraph and post where
the place of deposit or delivery is not on the line of the
telegraph, is one half-franc [or thirteen and a half cents
currency].”