The Sound of Winged Words. October 12, 1895.

*THE WORKER*

BRISBANE, OCTOBER 12, 1895.

“The Sound of Winged Words.”

The London Daily Chronicle gives us an account of a new invention, now a’ la mode in Budapest and Vienna, which reads like a chapter from utopia, in a mechanical sense, like Edward Bellamy, realised. You know in Bellamy’s work, which has done so much good for Socialism in a popular way, how by manipulating some contrivance our hero turns on the news of the day or a comic opera or organ recital as his fancy pleases. Something like this is now being done over in Hungary, and and the quick fulfilment of his mechanical prophecy will no doubt come as much in the nature of a surprise to Bellamy himself as to the readers of his charming work. Well now, in Budapest two years ago an engineer named Albert Taskas started to run what he called a telephone newspaper, which from the first was successful, although it had to run the gauntlet of opposition from the printing press. Four weeks after its inception he died, but his invention lived and is now, much improved by recent experience, in full working order throughout several towns contiguous to Budapest.

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The apparatus is simple in the extreme. It consists merely of two receivers attached to long cords which are placed to the ears, where upon one hears the news of the day spoken in a clear, strong voice, just as if one employed an ideal reader. Just imagine one’s idle self lounging luxuriously with a receiver at each ear getting the news of the day without the trouble of poring over the paper, ruining one’s eyes, losing one’s temper in a vain endeavour to find what one wants, and making profane remarks when your pipe goes out during the process, as I know all you weak man do. Listen now to what the scribe saith about the wonderful newspaper (if that is not a bull): “It speaks all day but does not give the news in a chaotic jumble, but minute by minute. They are imparted in strict accordance with the program received by each subscriber. In this way each person knows when the turn will come for the news most interesting to him. It was precisely half-past 8 when I put the receivers to my ears, and the day’s work commenced for the newspaper. It began by transmitting the telegrams received in the night from Europe and America in a clear, sonorous tone, quite free from nasal twang of the ordinary telephone (thank heaven). This went on until a quarter to 9, after which followed the daily calendar with with metropolitan news and the list of strangers who had arrived in Budapest up to the previous night. At 9, official news, contents of the official “Gazette” are given. From a quarter to 10 till a quarter past came a review of Vienna and Budapest morning papers; from a quarter-past 10 to 11, local and ecclesiastical news, with theatricals, art, and science notices. A quarter-past 11 to half-past 11 brought foreign, provincial, and sporting information; and from half-past 11 till a quarter to 12 reports arrived from the Vienna stock and corn exchanges, with all kinds of military, court, and political items. Early in theafternoon, when the sitting of the Reichstag commences, the parliamentary report is supplied every 10 minutes. The office is in telephonic communication with the Reichstag, and it often happens that important speeches from Ministers and members are known to the public while the Speaker is still addressing the House.” By-the-way, the brokers resent with much indignation the interference with their particular end of private enterprise by the rapid transmission of stock exchange news, which gives their clients an awful “pull” on them.

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But hear the scribe a little further, he is very interesting: Music, art and literature play important roles on this telephonic organ. Towards evening, when news is growing scarcer, the subscribers, are entertained with vocal and instrumental concerts, quartets and solos-the latter given by the most talented artists of the capital. At firs these concerts were held at the editorial buildings in rooms specially adapted to the purpose, but arrangements are now made to connect the opera house and some music halls with the office, so that operas and concerts given by military and gypsy bands in different parts of the town are transmitted to the subscribers (happy subscribers!). The Budapest concerts are sometimes listened to throughout the whole dual monarchy (meaning Austria and Hungary). The National Theatre is now within the circuit of the Telephone Herald, so that during the season subscribers can, on alternate evenings, regale themselves with a play or an opera. The organism is interesting in the case of an opera at another theatre. The musical critic telephones his opinions to the office after the first two acts, and the office transmits the criticism to the subscribers,
accompanying it with a repetition of the best and choicest parts of the composition. Once a week a children’s concert with recitations is given. No leaders are given, but original articles on literature, &c,. are heard from the pens of popular authors.” All these benefits are showered upon the public for one penny a day. Both wire and apparatus are conveyed to one’s house free of charge. One is only compelled to subscribe for one year. What a truly ideal production!