Tasmania - Colonial period: 1857-1900.
Transmission form: TC-TO-3.

  
General characteristics:

Heading and notes: No form number.
Heading is ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH below a
38 mm crest.
Message area: 7 lines.
Reverse side: Scale of charges on later printings.
Colours (text & form): Black on white or blue paper.
Size of form overall: 171 × 220 mm.
Distinctive characteristics of this form:
 
TC-TO-3Aa
Printed in February 1873.		 TC-TO-3Aa.

Longford to Launceston.
21 March 1873.

Characteristics:

  • printed on white paper;
  • no letters in either top corner;
  • the printing details in the lower left corner begin under the "r" of "Operator's";
  • no line of text at the base;
  • reverse side is blank.
TC-TO-3AbPrinted September 1873. TC-TO-3Ab.

Bothwell to Hobart.
18 September 1873.

Extremely quick usage as print date is September 1873.

Characteristics:

  • printed on white paper;
  • no letters in either top corner;
  • the printing details begin to the left of the"O" of "Operator's".
  • no line of text at the base;
  • reverse is blank.
TC-TO-3B
Printed August 1874.		 TC-TO-3B.

Greenponds to St Helens.
21 December 1874.

Characteristics:

  • printed on white paper;
  • no letters in either top corner;
  • note about "Messages ..." after address details added for first time;
  • the printing details begin to the left of the"O" of "Operator's";
  • line of text at the base;
  • charges printed on the reverse.
TC-TO-3B

TC-TO-3B (reverse).

Reverse side of the above transmission form showing the various telegram charges in effect in August 1874.

This printing had the column heading BETWEEN TASMANIAN STATIONS.
TC-TO-3CPrinted December 1874.
TC-TO-3C.

Green Ponds to Hobart Town.
11 January 1875.

Characteristics:

  • has inclusion of "No.___" in the top right corner;
  • note about "Messages ..." after the address details;
  • the same charges as are shown for the above TO-3B form are also printed on the reverse side of this form.
TC-TO-3DPrint date not recorded. TC-TO-3D.

To Launceston (date not decipherable).

Characteristics:

  • same format and details as for
    TC-TO-3B;
  • note about "Messages ..." after address details;
  • no printing details in the lower left corner;
  • reverse has new rate details with heading "Inter-Tasmanian Telegrams" -see below.
Rates 1874 New table of rates
TC-DO-3EPrint date not recorded. TC-TO-3E.

Green Ponds to Hobart
26 November 1883.

Characteristics:

  • printed on blue paper;
  • note about "Messages ..." after address details;
  • no printing details in the lower left corner;
  • no rates on reverse side.

Details of use and rarity.

Form
sub-number		 Schedule number Earliest recorded date Rarity rating
TO-3A 10,000 |2 | 73. 21 March 1873 at Longford. RR
  10,000 | 9 | 73. 18 September 1873 at Bothwell. NC
  25,000 | 1 | 74. 18 May 1874 at Green Ponds. NC
TO-3B 10,000 | 8 | 74. 4 November 1874 at Green Ponds. NC
TO-3C 20,000 | 12 | 74. 11 January 1875 at Green Ponds. NC
  20,440 | 3 | 75. 6 October 1875 at Green Ponds. NC
TO-3D None 22 January 1879 to Hamilton. RR
TO-3E None 31 May 1883 at Macquarie Plains. NC