Here is a reply to an exporter from a shipping company telling him that a vessel is available, and quoting rates. See 11.4.1/2.
13.7
Telex
Telegrams and cables can, of course, be sent from the Post Office or telephoned, which means that this form of communication is available for twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. But there can be short delays between sending the message and its arrival. Telex, on the other hand, is as direct as using the telephone.
The telex has all the advantages of sending a cable and in addition it is available in the office and offers a direct line, with immediate reply. It is available twenty-four hours a day, and can send cables as well as telex messages; moreover, the message can be corrected immediately if there is an error.
As with the telephone, there is a subscribers' directory listing telex users' numbers. There are more than 70,000 UK and 900,000 worldwide lines.
The word telex can be used as a verb, noun or adjective:
Please telex us as soon as you have the information.
I will send you a telex.
We have received a telexed reply.
13,7.1
Layout of telexes
Answerback
Message
Sender's name
Collation
C194381 FL NT Q
CONSIGNMENT PL 1350 ONLY ACCEPTABLE AT 33 O/O TRADE 1-DISC NOT THE 25 O/O OFFERED PLEASE CONFIRM
TRACER LONDON
PL 1350 33 O/O + ?
13.7.2
Operating the telex
The telex is a machine like a typewriter, but with a dial on its casing. You can send messages by dialing the receiver's number, or by dialing and using the keyboard for some countries, or by asking the operator at the exchange to connect you.
Once the telex operator has dialed the code, an answerback code will appear on the teleprinter indicating that the sender is through. If the wrong code appears, the sender merely dials again. The message is typed, as with a normal typewriter, and will appear on the receiver's machine.
Corrections are made by typing five Xs: WE ARE SEDXXXXX SNEDIXXXXX SENDING THE ORDER. (Sometimes E space E space is used: WE ARE SEDE ÅÅ SENDING THE ORDER.)
Each telex message is finished with a + sign, if the end is not clear, and a + + sign is used after the last message. The sign + ? at the end of a message means either reply, confirm, or a further message will be sent, so that a new call does not have to be made.
Figures or unusual words are sometimes repeated at the end of the message. This is known as collation.
13.7.3
Abbreviations
In addition to the abbreviations mentioned at 13.5.4, telex operators also use the following abbreviations which are recognized internationally.
ABS Absent subscriber, office
closed
Â Ê I cut off
CFM Please confirm/I confirm
COIL Collation please/1 collate
CRV Do you receive well? L receive well
DER Out of order
DF You are in communication with the called subscriber
E E E Error
FIN I have finished my message(s)
GA You may transmit/may I transmit?
IN F Subscriber temporarily unobtainable, call the Information (Enquiry) Service
MNS Minutes
MOM Wait/waiting
MUT Mutilated
NA Correspondence to this subscriber is not admitted
NC No circuits
NCH Subscriber's number has been changed
N P The called party is not, or is no longer, a subscriber
N R Indicate your call number/ my call number is.,.
OCC Subscriber is engaged
Î Ê Agreed/do you agree ?
P*(or
Figure (J) Stop your transmission
PPR Paper
R Received
RAP I shall call you back
RPT Repeat/repeat
SVP Please
TAX What is the charge?/the charge is...
TEST MSG Please send a test message
THRU You are in communication with a Telex position
TPR Teleprinter
W Words
WRU Who is there?
XXXXX Error
'Repeat until transmission is stopped
13.7.4
Telex details
All the points about brevity and clarity in sending cabled messages are relevant to telexing. But there are a number of other points:
Fractions should be typed with a 'shilling stroke': 1/2 for 1/2; 1/4 for 1/t; 15/16for1Vie; 21-1/3 for211/3.
Figures, especially large sums, should be repeated in words: 60,000 SIXTY THOUSAND.
Symbols should be written in words: FIFTY ONE POUNDS STERLING for £51.00; AT for @; 0 0 or PER CENT FOR 13.8