According to a Philadelphia paper, which has just reached me, the tolls on the Atlantic cable are reduced (from last Tuesday) to the rate of a dollar a word. Many people think that we might hear a good deal more by this telegraph than we do; but they forget that it is costly work. We shall in time get into the way of using the wires freely, which few folk do, except mercantile men. It is a sort of business with anybody else to send a message; he sits down at home, studies to be brief, and eliminates as many words as possible from his message—an operation. The Americans, as I think I once before said, laugh at Englishmen, so free-handed in all other matters, but so niggardly with telegrams. The cheap and accurate system of the United States makes its citizens use the wires as matter of habit instead of exceptionally, and they write messages with a noble heedlessness of cost. No American, having suddenly to excuse himself to a hostess, would send, "Cannot come. Will write." He would begin, "My dear Madam,—I much regret," and so on, with all the politeness in full. Undoubtedly, the Republicans are more civilised than we are in this matter, and in some others. But when Government shall have acquired the telegraphs it will become a patriot's duty to flash messages all over the kingdom, and ladies will in time learn to see the telegram brought in without turning pale, and feeling certain that something has happened. I suppose they felt so about letters in the old days.
Source: The Illustrated London News, Vol. LIV, June 5, 1869, p.578