'Cable' vs 'Telegram'

Question

On many older letter headings, you can see an address for both 'cables' and 'telegrams'.
I had thought that one was another name for the other, but it appears that they are different animals. What is the difference ? I have checked various telegraph history web sites but not found enlightenment.

Usenet · Accepted Answer

[nq:1]On many older letter headings, you can see an address for both 'cables' and 'telegrams'. I had thought that one ... are different animals. What is the difference ? I have checked various telegraph history web sites but not found enlightenment.[/nq]
In British-influenced places a cable was overseas, while a telegram was inland. I believe, though others may know better, that this was because the Transatlantic link was known as "the Transatlantic cable", and I suppose other international cables followed the pattern. Internal telephone and telegraph links were usually just called "wires", and "wire" was common as both noun and verb for both telegrams and cables.
From the British end, international communication was provided by a separate organization under the Post Office called "Cable and Wireless", which still exists as an independent commercial company.

Mike.

Usenet · Answer

If this is not true, then it should be. All sounds about right.

The other entry which one sees next to these headings was, for examples,
CODES: BENTLEYS
which seems to indicate the type of commercial abbreviation codes which the company can read.
The other mystery I have never been able to fathom is the use of ENDIT rather than ENDS to terminate telegrams. Ian Fleming uses it in the telegrams he uses in his novels. I know the ' ++ ' at the end of the telegram indicates the end of the transmission, but why ENDIT instead of ENDS ?

Usenet · Answer

~~snip~~
[nq:1]The other mystery I have never been able to fathom is the use of ENDIT rather than ENDS to terminate ... ' at the end of the telegram indicates the end of the transmission, but why ENDIT instead of ENDS ?[/nq]
I'd guess it was because "ends" could easily appear as a word in its own right in the body of a message, whereas "endit" was an unambiguous finishing word.

Cheers, Harvey
Ottawa/Toronto/Edmonton for 30 years;
Southern England for the past 22 years.
(for e-mail, change harvey.news to harvey.van)

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]On 31 Jan 2005, hedjazrail wrote ~~snip~~[/nq]
[nq:2]The other mystery I have never been able to fathom ... of the transmission, but why ENDIT instead of ENDS ?[/nq]
[nq:1]I'd guess it was because "ends" could easily appear as a word in its own right in the body of a message, whereas "endit" was an unambiguous finishing word.[/nq]
At one time, when newspaper copy was typed or written on paper, you were supposed to write -30- at the end to indicate that there were no more pages. (There were variations like #30#)
I've always wondered about a piece written on the subject of an error made where the writer's last line was "How many times must we try this before we learn that it doesn't work?" -30-

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]On many older letter headings, you can see an address for both 'cables' and 'telegrams'. I had thought that one ... are different animals. What is the difference ? I have checked various telegraph history web sites but not found enlightenment.[/nq]
I don't disagree with any other answer. And I'm not sure of my own answer.

But to add, there was also a system of addresses of major customers, sort of like email addresses today, but even shorter. I can't remember any but HILTONHOT or CUNARD or NYTIMES could have been one. And I forget the name of these addresses but it was the word CABLE with one or two or three other letters.

OTOH, afaik a telegram was sent to the same sort of addresses that mail was sent to. With a city, a state, a street and street number, and a name.
The last place I saw a Cabladdress or CABLEX (or whatever it's called) was on the receipts my father saved from hotels, from his trip in 1936 through several European countries and Israel.
If I find the picture album before this thread is gone, I'll give some real examples.
s/ meirman If you are emailing me please
say if you are posting the same response.
Born west of Pittsburgh Pa. 10 years
Indianapolis, 7 years
Chicago, 6 years
Brooklyn NY 12 years
now in Baltimore 20 years

Usenet · Answer

[nq:2]On many older letter headings, you can see an address ... checked various telegraph history web sites but not found enlightenment.[/nq]
[nq:1]I don't disagree with any other answer. And I'm not sure of my own answer.

But to add, there ... forget the name of these addresses but it was the word CABLE with one or two or three other letters.[/nq]
Here are two examples of entries on English letter headings:

The Austin Motor Company Ltd, at its London addresses:

TELEGRAMS: AUSTINETTE , LONDON
The Austin Motor Company Ltd, at its Longbridge Birmingham address:

TELEGRAMS: SPEEDILY , NORTHFIELD
CABLES: SEEDILY , BIRMINGHAM , ENGLAND
CODES: BENTLEYS
The British Racing Drivers' Club
12 Queen's Gate Terrace , London

Telephones: Western 0092-3
Telegrams: Speedmen, Southkens, London
Cables: Speedmen, London
[nq:1]OTOH, afaik a telegram was sent to the same sort of addresses that mail was sent to. With a city, ... European countries and Israel. If I find the picture album before this thread is gone, I'll give some real examples.[/nq]
I would be very very interested in these indeed. Most kind of you.

Usenet · Answer

[nq:1]The British Racing Drivers' Club 12 Queen's Gate Terrace , London Telephones: Western 0092-3 Telegrams: Speedmen, Southkens, London Cables: Speedmen, London[/nq]
And Percy Pilbeam's Argus Detective Agency had "Pilgus, Piccy, London".
Mike.

Usenet · Answer

Looks like this may be correct:
http://www.atlantic-cable.com/

Usenet · Answer

[nq:2]On many older letter headings, you can see an address ... checked various telegraph history web sites but not found enlightenment.[/nq]
[nq:1]I don't disagree with any other answer. And I'm not sure of my own answer.

But to add, there ... forget the name of these addresses but it was the word CABLE with one or two or three other letters.[/nq]
It appears we are discussing something called a
'Registered Telegraphic Address' (RTA)
or
'cable address'
An interesting letter on this page:
http://www.mycopper.net/dial-up-numbers-msn.html

#
#From: Mike Riddle
#Organization: Solitary, Poor, Nasty, Brutish & Short #Subject: Cable Addresses?
#Date: Sun, 29 Aug 2004 12:59:49 -0500
#
#
#"To Reply Replace the Obvious 'mriddle'"
#
#
#
#I believe you have missed the point about the reason for "cable #addresses", which were used for both cablegrams and radiograms. #
#For cablegrams and radiograms, the "to" address was charged for at the
#full rate per word at the same rate as words in the text. And the #cost per word was often considerable. An address like "Engineering #Department, Detroit Diesel Division of General Motors Corporations, #000 Whatever Street, LaGrange, Illinois" would be pretty expensive for
#the sender (or, if collect, to the receiver). So the cable address #was not like a vanity address ... it was a significant cost saver. #"Locomotives LaGrange" was a whole bunch cheaper than all the words in
#a full address. (The country of address was free.) #
#Incidentally, I don't believe Western Union recognized cable addresses
#in domestic telegrams ... only cablegrams and radiograms. And Western #Union was not the dominant international record carrier; there were #many competing cable and radio carriers, both U.S. and foreign. #
#A cable address had to be registered with each carrier, and I believe #there was a monthly or annual fee charged by each carrier. Often #besides the "cable address" there would be information as to what #carriers it was registered with.
#
#
#Wes Leatherock
#wesrock @ aol. com.xyz

'Cable' vs 'Telegram'

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