Telegraph Act 1885
Encyclopedia
The Telegraph Act 1885 (48 & 49 Vict. c.58) was an Act
of the Parliament
of the United Kingdom
. It became law on August 14, 1885.
It was considered to be read as one with the previous Acts of 1863-1878, and cited with them as the Telegraph Acts; it was also considered a Post Office Act
with regard to the Post Office (Offences) Act 1837.
It repealed Section 15 of the Telegraph Act 1868
, and substituted for it provisions enabling the Postmaster-General
, with the consent of the Commissioners of the Treasury, to make regulations about the hours and general conduct of business at telegraph offices, the conditions of use of telegraphic services, and the fees for those services. However, it laid down maximum charges for the most common uses of the service.
It stipulated that charges throughout the United Kingdom were to be at a fixed rate regardless of distance, not exceeding 6d for the first twelve words or ½d per additional word, inclusive of addresses. This charge was to include delivery on foot within one mile of the telegraph office, or to the town postal boundaries; if the message was to travel further, it would be delivered with the next standard postal delivery from that office, at no additional charge, or optionally by foot messenger at no more than 6d per two miles.
All regulations made under this Act were to be laid before Parliament, and have statutory force; any regulations made under the 1868 Act were to remain in force until repealed by the Postmaster-General or superseded by new regulations. The Act extended to the Isle of Man
and the Channel Islands
.
Act of Parliament
An Act of Parliament is a statute enacted as primary legislation by a national or sub-national parliament. In the Republic of Ireland the term Act of the Oireachtas is used, and in the United States the term Act of Congress is used.In Commonwealth countries, the term is used both in a narrow...
of the Parliament
Parliament
A parliament is a legislature, especially in those countries whose system of government is based on the Westminster system modeled after that of the United Kingdom. The name is derived from the French , the action of parler : a parlement is a discussion. The term came to mean a meeting at which...
of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. It became law on August 14, 1885.
It was considered to be read as one with the previous Acts of 1863-1878, and cited with them as the Telegraph Acts; it was also considered a Post Office Act
Post Office Act
The Post Office Act, , enacted June 8, 1872, formally incorporated the United States Post Office Department into the United States Cabinet. It is also notable for §148 which made it illegal to send any obscene or disloyal materials through the mail, similar to the later Comstock Act of 1873....
with regard to the Post Office (Offences) Act 1837.
It repealed Section 15 of the Telegraph Act 1868
Telegraph Act 1868
The Telegraph Act 1868 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland...
, and substituted for it provisions enabling the Postmaster-General
United Kingdom Postmaster General
The Postmaster General of the United Kingdom is a defunct Cabinet-level ministerial position in HM Government. Aside from maintaining the postal system, the Telegraph Act of 1868 established the Postmaster General's right to exclusively maintain electric telegraphs...
, with the consent of the Commissioners of the Treasury, to make regulations about the hours and general conduct of business at telegraph offices, the conditions of use of telegraphic services, and the fees for those services. However, it laid down maximum charges for the most common uses of the service.
It stipulated that charges throughout the United Kingdom were to be at a fixed rate regardless of distance, not exceeding 6d for the first twelve words or ½d per additional word, inclusive of addresses. This charge was to include delivery on foot within one mile of the telegraph office, or to the town postal boundaries; if the message was to travel further, it would be delivered with the next standard postal delivery from that office, at no additional charge, or optionally by foot messenger at no more than 6d per two miles.
All regulations made under this Act were to be laid before Parliament, and have statutory force; any regulations made under the 1868 Act were to remain in force until repealed by the Postmaster-General or superseded by new regulations. The Act extended to the Isle of Man
Isle of Man
The Isle of Man , otherwise known simply as Mann , is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is...
and the Channel Islands
Channel Islands
The Channel Islands are an archipelago of British Crown Dependencies in the English Channel, off the French coast of Normandy. They include two separate bailiwicks: the Bailiwick of Guernsey and the Bailiwick of Jersey...
.