file which includes the original illustrations4 ,see #ejhfd-;h4htm or #ejhfd-;h4zip3 7https3_/_/www4gutenberg4org_/cache_/epu b_/#ejhfd_/pg#ejhfd-;images4html7 or 7https3_/_/www4gutenberg4org_/files_/#ej hfd_/ejhfd-;h4zip7 ,images of the original pages are available through ,internet ,archive4 ,see https3_/_/archive4org_/details_/storyoft elegraph#jjmurr ,illustration3 ,a ,,story ,,of ,,the ,,telegraph ,a ,,story ,,of ,,the ,,telegraph by ,,john ,,murray ,montreal ,illustration ,montreal3 ,printed by ,john ,lovell ,son1 ,ltd4 #aije ,entered according to ,act of ,parliament1 in the year one thousand nine hundred and five1 by ,,john ,,murray1 in the office of the ,minister of ,agriculture and ,statistics1 at ,ottawa4 ,,preface4 ,the compiler of this little compendium of ,telegraph ,history places it in the hands of the public in the hope that it may be received with favor4 ,the historical data is taken from leading standard authorities4 ,the biographical sketches of eminent scientists and inventors will enable the reader to form his own conclusions as to the merits of each4 ,the sketches of prominent pioneer telegraph men in ,canada should be especially interesting to ,canadians4 ,many names worthy of mention have been reluctantly omitted1 as it was thought desirable to confine this initial work into as narrow a compass as possible4 ,a more extended edition may be forthcoming later should this venture prove successful4 ,the few reminiscent incidents in the ,canadian section will lend a spice of variety to the narrative4 ,,introduction4 ,the ,electric ,telegraph is unquestionably one of our most valuable public utilities4 ,in commercial life the telegraph has revolutionized business methods4 ,transactions are now effected between ,new ,york1 ,london and other financial centres in minutes1 which formerly occupied weeks1 and even months1 to accomplish4 ,in social life the advantages of telegraph communication are equally apparent2 travel where we may1 we are always within reach of friends or kindred at a distance by means of the telegraph wires4 ,the daily ,press is now enabled to record the moving accidents on flood and field in all parts of the world1 a few hours or even minutes after their occurrence4 ,the dreadful catastrophe at ,martinique1 with the loss of thousands of human lives2 the fire in a ,chicago theatre1 and the loss of hundreds of women and children through culpable negligence2 the shocking loss of life on the excursion steamer 8,general ,slocum0 through lack of life-saving appliances is gruesome reading1 but the public demand it2 the more pleasing event of ,king ,edward's visit to ,president ,loubet1 on his mission of ,peace1 and the return visit of the latter to ,london are a few examples of news carried over the wires1 all within the purview of the humblest reader4 ,there are few who cannot afford the price of a daily paper1 and thus keep in touch with current events1 but no very long time ago a daily newspaper was beyond the reach of all but the comparatively wealthy4 ,the advent of the telegraph with its multifarious budget of news from every quarter of the ,globe caused a large increase in circulation1 and a decrease in price naturally followed4 ,during the ,crimean war1 when telegraph communication had been established with the army headquarters1 the working men of a manufacturing concern near ,glasgow1 in which the writer was employed1 clubbed together to defray the cost of a daily newspaper1 the price then being four pence halfpenny1 much beyond the means of a single individual4 ,during the dinner hour he read to an interested and attentive audience the latest despatches from the seat of war1 many of whom would forego dinner rather than miss the daily pabulum of war news4 ,now all this is changed1 the poorest laboring man can afford the price of a daily paper1 formerly only enjoyed by his more opulent countrymen4 ,still earlier1 ,macaulay1 in his ,history of ,england1 tells us of the news letter1 the predecessor of the modern newspaper1 wherein he says3 8,the news letter within a week after its arrival had been thumbed over by twenty families1 and furnished the neighboring squires with matter for talk over their ,october1 and the ,rector with topics for sharp sermons40 ,the news letters were collated in ,london1 for the benefit of provincial readers4 ,the price was no doubt high1 and the contents probably consisted of gossip or scandal in high life1 details of a cocking main1 an affair between my ,lord ,tomnoddy and a ,captain of the ,blues1 or affairs of ,church and ,state4 ,now the four quarters of the earth is ransacked daily and news collected at immense labor and enormous cost by the associated press1 and retransmitted to all points of the compass4 ,wireless telegraphy1 the latest marvel in applied science1 is surely and steadily forging ahead1 and will cover areas of land and sea1 where the land and cable wires do not operate4 ,the writer feels that no apology is necessary in publishing the following brief outline of telegraph history1 a subject which he believes will interest both the old as well as younger readers4 ,the data of ,english telegraph history is largely derived from an early edition of the ,encyclopaedia ,brittanica1 while that of the ,american is taken from a voluminous work published about a quarter of a century ago1 by ,james ,d4 ,reid1 a friend and associate of ,professor ,morse4 ,the facts relating to ,canadian history are taken from original records1 while that of submarine and wireless telegraphy is from numerous sources of contemporary literature and personal knowledge4 ,while admitting there is nothing strikingly original in the work1 the writer ventures to hope that the style will commend itself to those who prefer brevity to wearisome detail4 ,the ,telegraph in ,england4 ,,contents ,,of ,,section ,,one4 ,,page ,,explanatory #aj ,,telegraph1 ,,electric #aa ,,the ,,needle ,,telegraph #bb ,,british ,,government ,,acquires ,,telegraphs #bi ,,telegraph ,,development #cf ,,sir ,,william ,,fothergill ,,cooke #cg ,,sir ,,charles ,,wheatstone #ci ,the ,telegraph in the ,united ,states4 ,,contents ,,of ,,section ,,two4 ,,origin ,,of ,,the ,,telegraph #dd ,,the ,,magnetic ,,telegraph ,,co4 #fj ,,the ,,western ,,union ,,telegraph ,,co4 #fa ,,the ,,postal ,,telegraph ,,cable ,,co4 #gd ,,the ,,associated ,,press ,,of ,,america #ha ,,prof4 ,s4 ,f4 ,b4 ,,morse #hi ,the ,telegraph in ,canada4 ,,contents ,,of ,,section ,,three4 ,,the ,,origin ,,of ,,the ,,montreal ,,telegraph ,,company #ajh ,,the ,,great ,,north-,,western ,,telegraph ,,company #aaf ,,the ,,canadian ,,pacific ,,telegraphs #abj ,,canadian ,,government ,,telegraphs #abc ,,remarks #abe ,,reminiscent ,,stories #abf ,,some ,,prominent ,,telegraphists #afe ,submarine ,telegraphy4 ,,contents ,,of ,,section ,,four4 ,,origin ,,deep ,,sea ,,telegraphy #aih ,,first ,,cable ,,company #bjg ,,first ,,atlantic ,,cable #baj ,,cable ,,repairs #bac ,,cable ,,instruments #bah ,,cyrus ,w4 ,,field #bbc ,,michael ,,faraday #bbh ,,lord ,,kelvin #bbi ,,john ,w4 ,,brett #bcb ,wireless ,telegraphy4 ,,contents ,,of ,,section ,,five4 ,,sketch ,,of ,,signor ,,guiglielmo ,,marconi #bcc ,,genesis ,,of ,,wireless ,,telegraphy #bce ,,evolution ,,of ,,wireless ,,telegraphy #bcg ,,the ,,marconi ,,telegraph ,,company #bci ,,wireless ,,telegraph ,,apparatus #bdc ,,opinion ,,of ,,thos4 ,a4 ,,edison #bde ,a ,,cable ,,manager',s ,,views #bdf ,,an ,,interview ,,with ,,marconi #bdh ,,trip ,,of ,,ss4 8,,minneapolis0 #beb ,,the ,,disabled ,,ss4 8,,kroonland0 #bec ,,uses ,,of ,,wireless ,,telegraphy #bee ,a ,,newspaper ,,opinion #bef ,,wireless ,,telegraphy ,,on ,,the ,,ss4 8,,parisian0 #bfj ,,future ,,of ,,wireless ,,telegraphy #bfd ,,dominion ,,wireless ,,telegraph ,,company #bfg ,,illustrations4 ,,page ,,frontispiece #a ,,prof ,s4 ,f4 ,b4 ,,morse #hi ,o4 ,s4 ,,wood #afe ,,sir ,,hugh ,,allan #afg ,,james ,,dakers #afi ,h4 ,p4 ,,dwight #agb ,,wm4 ,,cassils #agd ,,james ,,poustie #agf ,,charles ,r4 ,,hosmer #agh ,,hon4 ,,geo4 ,a4 ,,cox #ahj ,,sir ,w4 ,c4 ,,van ,,horne #ahb ,,andrew ,,carnegie #ahd ,,sir ,,sandford ,,fleming #ahf ,f4 ,n4 ,,gisborne #aij ,,thos4 ,a4 ,,edison #aib ,,isaac ,d4 ,,purkis #aie ,,cyrus ,w4 ,,field #bbc ,,michael ,,faraday #bbf ,,lord ,,kelvin #bbi ,,signor ,,marconi #bcc ,,ss4 ,,parisian #bfj ,a ,story of ,the ,telegraph ,telegraph ,history ,telegraph1 a machine for communicating intelligence to a distance1 usually by means of preconcerted signals to which some convenient meaning is attached4 ,the name ,semiphore was also applied to some of the machines used for effecting telegraphic communication1 which in an extended sense may be considered to embrace every means of conveying intelligence by gestures and visible signs1 as flags1 lanterns1 rockets1 blue lights1 beacon fires1 etc41 or by audible signals as the firing of guns1 the blowing of trumpets1 the beating of drums or gongs1 as well as by the machine specially provided for the purpose4 ,although telegraph communication as a means of conveying any required intelligence is an invention of recent date1 the use of signals for the speedy transmission of messages as might be previously arranged between persons is a practice derived from the most remote antiquity4 ,the use of beacon fires for example1 as a means of giving warning of the approach of an enemy1 is alluded to by the ,prophet ,jeremiah1 who wrote about six centuries before the ,christian era1 and who warns the ,benjamites to set up a sign of fire in ,beth-,haccerem1 for evil appeareth out of the north and great destruction 7,jeremiah ,,vi41 #a74 ,the fine description given by ,acchylus in his ,agamemnon1 of the application of a line of fire signals to communicate the intelligence of the fall of ,troy is often referred to as an early instance of this kind of telegraphic dispatch4 ,this simple means of spreading an alarm1 or communicating intelligence1 is described by ,scott in the 8,lay of the ,last ,minstrel10 and in a note he refers to an act of the ,scottish ,parliament in #adee1 c4 #dh1 which directs that one bale or faggot shall be the warning of the approach of the ,english in any manner1 two bales1 that they are coming indeed1 and four bales blazing beside each other that the enemy are in great force4 ,such signals though best adapted to give information by night1 were also available in day time1 when they appeared as dense columns of smoke4 ,torches held in the hand and moved in any particular manner1 or alternately displayed and hidden behind a screen1 were also used in ancient times as signals4 ,a night telegraph contrived by the ,rev4 ,james ,bremner1 of the ,shetland ,islands1 and rewarded by the ,society of ,arts in #ahaf4 ,a single light constitutes the whole apparatus and the whole operation consists in its alternate exhibition and concealment4 ,this plan had been found suitable for distances of twenty miles and upwards1 and had been successfully put in operation between the light-house on ,copeland ,island and ,port ,patrick1 on the opposite side of the ,irish ,channel4 ,telegraph ,electric ,the attempts to render one or other of the phenomena of electricity subservient to the purposes of telegraphy have been numerous4 ,from the earliest date1 which we can assign to the existence of an electric telegraph1 its essential parts have been the same4 ,there are3 #ast1 the source of electrical power2 #bnd1 the conducting material by which this power is enabled to travel to the required locality2 and1 #crd1 the apparatus by which at the distant end of the line the existence of this power1 its amount or the direction of its action is made known to the observer4 ,in the earlier stages of the invention1 the investigations of its promoters were confined to the last of these three essentials1 and1 so long as the illustration of the idea was confined to the lecture table1 this part claimed pre-eminence1 but with the proposed application to purposes of general utility there arose the necessity for an equal degree of attention to the two former requisites4 ,the experiments of ,dr4 ,watson1 in ,england1 in #agdg1 and of ,franklin1 in #agdh1 on the banks of the ,schuylkill river may have suggested the conveyance of information by means of electricity4 ,the earliest authenticated instance of any attempt to reduce this to practice appears to have been that of ,lesage1 of ,geneva1 in #aggd1 and of ,lomond1 in ,france1 in #aghg1 they employed as an indicator a pair of pith balls suspended from one end of an insulated wire1 and at the other end of which was the operator provided with an electric machine1 on charging the wire with electricity1 the pith balls would exercise mutual repulsion and divergence from one another1 but on removing the electrical charge from the wire by the contact of some conductor the balls would collapse4 ,it is evident that certain numbers of successive divergences might be made to denote particular preconcerted signals4 ,subsequently to this the phenomena of the spark1 as seen on the passage of electricity through an uninterrupted conductor1 was used for the transmission of signals1 were the various letters of the alphabet formed in this manner upon a table and connected with each one with a distinct and insulated wire and a particular letter might be rendered visible in a darkened room by passing an electric charge through the appropriate wire1 this in fact constituted the telegraph of ,reusser or ,reiser invented in #agid4 ,retancourt and ,dr4 ,salva1 in #agih1 appear to have made experiments on the transmission of the charge through wires of great length4 ,a somewhat similar form of apparatus involving the same principle was constructed by arranging the several wires in succession with a single break in each4 ,the various wires bore the names of the different letters or figures1 and any required signal was indicated by passing the charge through the proper wire1 when the spark visible at the interruption of the circuit would denote the letter to the observer at the farther end4 ,this was the point to which invention had advanced at the commencement of the nineteenth century4 ,the discovery of ,volta in #ahjj1 of the ,pile1 which bears his name forms the commencement of a new era in electric telegraphs4 ,although there was no immediate application of the phenomena of the galvanic current to the purpose1 indeed several important discoveries had to be made before an electric telegraph of any value was possible4 ,in #ahjg ,sommering1 at ,munich1 proposed to construct an electric telegraph on the principle of the decomposition of water1 by the ,voltaic current discovered in #ahjj1 by ,nicholson and ,carlisle4 ,the form of apparatus was the following3 ,in a glass trough containing water1 thirty-five gold pegs or pins were arranged vertically1 this number of pegs corresponding to the letters of the alphabet together with the nine digits2 each of those pins was connected by a wire which extended to the place whence the signal was to be transmitted2 at this point they terminated in brass strips arranged in a frame side by side1 but like the wires and pins insulated from each other1 each brass strip bore the name of the letter or figure which belonged to the pin to which it was connected4 ,the operator1 when wishing to send any communication1 connected the two poles of the battery with the brass strips bearing the names of the two first letters required--decomposition of the water in the trough at the distant end was instantly indicated by the evolution of bubbles of gas from the two gold pins which thus became the two electrodes or poles of the battery4 ,the letters forming any communication were to be in this manner denoted in pairs1 the inventor ingeniously availing himself of the different quantities of the two gases1 evolved to point out the relative position of the letters in each pair1 the hydrogen being employed to indicate the first letter4 ,schweigger proposed to add to this system a plan for calling the attention of the correspondent at the distant station by the discharge by the current of a pistol charged with the mixed gases4 ,in #ahaf ,mr4 ,ronalds1 of ,hammersmith1 invented an electric telegraph in which the use of frictional electricity was recurred to4 ,this telegraph1 which was shown to several scientific men at the date above given1 was fully described by the inventor by a work published by him in #ahbc4 ,mr4 ,ronalds employed the divergence and collapse of a pair of pith balls as the telegraphic indication in which respect the principle was the same as that adopted by ,mr4 ,lomond1 but to this simple apparatus a distinct contrivance was appended in order to render the communication more rapid and easy4 ,a single wire1 perfectly insulated by being suspended by silken strings1 or buried in glass tubes1 surrounded by pitch and protected by wooden troughs1 was extended between the stations2 from the end of this wire was suspended in front of the dial of a clock1 a pair of pith balls so that whilst the wire was charged the balls would remain divergent1 but would instantly collapse when the wire by contact with the earth1 or with the hand of the operator was discharged4 ,a person at one end having1 therefore1 an electrical machine1 by which he could maintain the wire in an electrified state and the pith balls at the other extremity1 consequently1 in a state of divergence1 had it1 of course1 in his power to give an instantaneous indication to the observer at that farther extremity by touching the wire with the hand1 which1 discharging the electricity1 would allow the balls to collapse for an instant2 but instead of merely employing the successive movements of the pith balls to denote the various signals1 ,mr4 ,ronalds added another apparatus for the purpose4 ,two clocks1 very accurately adjusted to the same rate of going1 carried1 instead of the ordinary seconds hands1 light discs1 on which the various letters of the alphabet1 the figures and other required signals were engraved4 ,these discs turned with a regular step-by-step movement behind a screen of metal in which was made a small opening1 sufficient to allow one letter at a time being seen4 ,as the discs turned round each letter in succession would be visible through this space1 and it is evident that if the clocks started with the same signal visible1 the movement of the discs would bring similar signals into view at the same time4 ,one of these instruments was situated at each end of the communicating wire4 ,the operator who was about to transmit any communication watched the dial of his clock until the letter he required was visible and at that instant discharged the wire2 the momentary collapse of the balls at the distant end would then warn the observer to note the letter visible on his instrument which would form a part of the intelligence to be received1 the successive letters or signals constituting any messages were denoted in this manner1 as the clock dials continued to turn round4 ,in order to avoid the constant attention on the part of the observer an arrangement was adopted by which a pistol could be fired by the spark of the further end to summon the attendant to his instrument4 ,various signals were also concerted before hand1 by the use of which the time necessary for the transmission of any intelligence was lessened4 ,these experiments of ,mr4 ,ronalds were made with the intervention of several miles of wire carried backward and forward across his grounds4 ,in #ahai ,professor ,oersted1 of ,copenhagen1 made his great discovery of the action of the galvanic current upon a magnetic needle2 he observed that when a current is passed along a wire placed parallel and near a magnetic needle free to turn on its centre1 the needle is deflected to one side or the other according to the direction in which the current is transmitted4 ,he further noticed that the position of the wire1 whether above or below the needle1 had an equal influence with the direction of the current in determining the side to which the deflection took place4 ,the power of a single wire in causing this deviation of a needle is but small1 but this was remedied by the invention of the multiplier or galvanometer by ,prof4 ,schweigger1 in which the needle being surrounded with many successive coils of insulated wire1 is acted upon by the joint force of all4 ,under a somewhat different form this discovery now forms the basis of the needle electric telegraph4 ,very shortly after this important discovery had been made1 ,arago and ,ampre1 in ,france1 and ,seebeck1 in ,berlin1 succeeded in rendering iron magnetic by the passage of a galvanic current through a wire coiled around the iron1 and ,sturgeon1 in ,england1 produced the first electro-magnet4 ,it was found that provided the iron to be magnetized were perfectly soft and pure1 the magnetic property remained only during the actual transmission of the electricity1 and was lost immediately on the interruption of the electric current4 ,if the iron which was exposed to the influence of the galvanic current were combined with sulphur1 carbon or phosphorus1 the magnetic power became to a greater or less extent permanent in it4 ,the invention of the ,voltaic battery1 of the deflection of the needle1 and of the magnetization of soft iron1 formed the three great steps in the history of the electric telegraph4 ,m4 ,ampre suggested the employment of the discovery of ,oersted as early as #ahcj1 and this suggestion was acted upon by ,prof4 ,ritchie1 in a model telegraph exhibited by him at the ,royal ,institution4 ,ampre's plan1 however1 was far from possessing the simplicity so essential to an instrument designed for practical use2 not less than thirty pairs of conducting wires were necessary according to his scheme for maintaining a telegraph communication4 ,baron ,schilling in #ahcb and #ahcc1 following the idea originated by ,ampre1 proposed a similar form of telegraph in which there were as many of these galvanometers1 each with its appropriate circuit1 as there were letters or signs to be used in the various communications1 in fact1 there were #cj needles and #gb wires4 ,in #ahcc ,gauss and ,weber proposed to employ the separate movements of a suspended bar as signals1 but its indication must have been feeble as they had to be observed through a telescope placed at some distance from the oscillating bar4 ,in #ahcg ,m4 ,alexander exhibited a model of a proposed form of telegraph containing twenty-five needles to be acted upon as in ,ampre's arrangement4 ,in this instrument a distinct needle was employed for the indication of each letter1 these needles bearing at one end light screens of paper which concealed from view a letter or figure until by the deflection of the needle the screen was removed1 and the letter brought into sight4 ,m4 ,alexander1 however1 effected one great improvement in substituting a single wire to which one end of all the coils was joined for the several return wires existing in the previous invention of ,m4 ,schilling4 ,at a later period this gentleman undertook a series of experiments with a view to the establishment of a communication by means of a single wire1 but some mechanical difficulties appear to have arrested his progress4 ,in both of these telegraphs1 all that was required in addition to the indicating apparatus and conducting wires1 was a contrivance by which the connection of the ,voltaic batteries could be made with any pair of wires1 in the former1 and with any single wire and the return conductor in the latter of the two inventions4 ,one pole of the battery being connected to the return or common wire1 the other pole of the battery was joined to a plate of metal1 or to a trough of mercury1 extending beneath all the keys4 ,on depressing any key the wire belonging to it1 which was continued to the end over the battery connection1 was brought into contact with this bar or trough4 ,the current would then flow along the conducting wire1 around the multiplier coil in the distant instrument1 and return by the common wire to the ,voltaic battery4 ,the keys bore the same letters as the needles to which they were connected1 so that the operator communicated any letter by pressing down the corresponding key4 ,in these two instruments1 no use was made of the power which exists of determining the deflection of the needle to either side by merely reversing the connections of the battery4 ,we have thus traced the history of the telegraph up to the point at which it first assumed the practical form of ,cooke and ,wheatstone's inventions1 but what had been accomplished remained either unknown1 or was known only to a few leading men of science1 until the unexpected development of the electric telegraph in the hands of these gentlemen led each one who was in possession of any title to the merit of having believed in and experimented upon the possibility to produce his title1 or to have it eagerly put forward by his friends and fellow countrymen4 ,although the principal facts necessary to the construction of an electric telegraph had been known ever since #ahba1 yet it was not until the general establishment of railways that telegraph wires could be safely carried to any great distance4 ,moreover1 the importance of the invention was by no means understood4 ,in #ahcg the experiments of ,cooke and ,wheatstone1 which had been progressing for more than a twelvemonth1 appeared so far successful as to induce them to apply for a patent for their inventions4 ,the instrument which was brought into use on the ,great ,western ,railway shortly after the date of the patent1 contained five needles1 arranged with their axis in a horizontal line4 ,the needles when at rest hung vertically1 by reason of a slight preponderence given to the lower ends1 each coil was connected with one of the long conducting wires at one end1 and was united at the other1 with a rod of metal1 which joined together the similar ends of all the coils4 ,the current was transmitted from the opposite end of the wires where a set of five pair of finger keys for making the connections with the battery was placed through two of the wires at once1 that is to say1 of the wire of which one key was pressed down1 served to convey the current from one pole of the battery to the distant instrument1 while the key of a second wire being brought into contact with the other pole1 the current returned by the rod of metal connecting the coils1 and the second wire to the battery again4 ,two needles were in this manner deflected at once1 and it will be obvious1 that the current would pass in opposite directions around their coils1 and1 consequently1 that the deflection must be in contrary directions4 ,the needles would1 therefore1 converge either above or below their line of centre as one or other of the pair of keys belonging to each wire was depressed1 fixed stops were so placed on each side of the needles1 as to limit their motion and when resting against them the needles were parallel to two converging lines1 at the point of intersection of movement of the needles4 ,in a similar manner as lines were drawn diverging from the centre of each axis mutually crossing one another1 a number of points of intersection were formed at each of which was a letter or signal4 ,any of these letters could be indicated by the simultaneous movement of two needles1 so that a communication could be carried on with certainty and tolerable rapidity1 at the same time a plan was recognized by which the number of wires requisite for maintaining a communication might be reduced by using one of them at times as a return wire only1 there being no needle in connection with this one4 ,one needle could1 by the use of this wire1 be deflected by itself1 either to the right1 or to the left1 and thus1 of course1 each would furnish two signals in addition to those formed by its simultaneous deflection by any other4 ,the instruments at the two stations were always rendered reciprocating2 that is1 at each end of the line were placed at each instrument a set of finger keys and a ,voltaic battery1 so that either station could transmit1 or receive a signal by an ingenious arrangement4 ,the keys on being released after depression1 were made to resume by themselves the position necessary to enable that which had been the signalling station to become the recipient2 by this means messages and answers or words and their acknowledgment could follow one another without the necessity for any intervening adjustment of the instruments4 ,the bell or alarum which was to be rung1 when the attention of the clerk at the distant end was required1 was either direct or indirect in its action4 ,in the first case1 the attraction exercised by a horseshoe-shaped piece of soft iron1 rendered temporarily magnetic by the galvanic current1 was made to draw an armature likewise of soft iron towards it1 and by this action impel a small hammer against a bell4 ,in the second form of alarum the movement of the armature merely released a detent or catch from a train of clock work driven by a spring or weight4 ,this clock work by the intervention of a scape wheel and pallets rang the bell as in a common alarum4 ,in ,april1 #ahch1 ,mr4 ,cooke obtained a patent for some further improvements in this apparatus4 ,the electric telegraph invented by ,prof4 ,morse1 of the ,united ,states1 has led to a large amount of controversy1 a claim having been put in for him as the first actual invention of a practical electric telegraph in #ahcb1 while on board the packetship 8,sully40 ,the ,abbe ,moigne states that a ,mr4 ,jackson wrote to the ,academie ,franaise1 affirming that he had in #ahcb communicated the plan to ,mr4 ,morse while returning together from ,europe to ,america on board the 8,sully40 ,even admitting1 however1 the claim of either party1 it would only show that they did not think sufficiently well of their scheme to enter upon it until nearly three months after the first ,english patent for an electric telegraph had been sealed and the practicability of such an apparatus had been demonstrated in ,england4 ,the first really official letter on the subject from ,prof4 ,morse is dated ,september #bg1 #ahcg4 ,cooke and ,wheatstone's first patent for an electric telegraph was sealed three months before this1 namely1 on ,june #ab1 #ahcg4 ,the difference between this telegraph and the preceding1 in suggestions and contrivances1 was very great4 ,the experiments of these gentlemen had been proceeding for a long time previously1 so that when in ,june1 #ahcg1 their patent was obtained1 it was not for an arrangement of doubtful practicability1 or of a form to be perfected only after repeated trial2 on the contrary1 it was within a few months after the date of the patent put up and brought into actual and daily use4 ,some of its details have since been simplified1 and the modes in which the electric needles are made to give the required indications have been greatly varied1 but the great features and principles of their first invention remain unchanged1 and not only so1 but they form an essential part of nearly1 if not quite all1 the later telegraphs of other inventors4 ,the invention of an electric telegraph should have attracted the immediate attention of railway managers1 one would naturally suppose2 on the contrary1 railway directors looked upon it as a new-fangled invention1 and the public was not yet alive to its innumerable advantages4 ,one fact1 however1 must be insisted on and is now a matter of history--that to ,england belongs the honor of this great invention2 that in the year #ahcg1 a needle telegraph had been invented so complete1 and at the same time so simple in its operations1 that it could be worked by any one who knew how to read2 that in ,june of that year the patent for this telegraph had been sealed1 and a month later the wires were laid down between ,euston ,square and ,camdentown ,stations of the ,north ,western ,railway1 a distance of a mile and a quarter1 and that on the #beth of ,july messages were actually sent between these two stations1 ,prof4 ,wheatstone being in the ,euston ,square ,station1 and ,mr4 ,cooke being in that at ,camdentown1 the witnesses being the engineers1 ,messrs4 ,fox and ,stephenson4 ,now1 it is quite true that ,arago claimed before the ,french ,academy of ,sciences for ,mr4 ,steinheil the precedence in this matter1 inasmuch as he had his telegraph in operation on the #aith of ,july1 #ahcg2 but it must be remembered that ,wheatstone's patent was taken out in ,june of that year1 and was publicly shown on numerous previous experiments1 all of which were successful1 whereas ,mr4 ,steinheil published no description of his instrument until ,august1 #ahch1 and it is admitted that in the interval he had altered and amended his instrument and soon after abandoned it for a modification of one by ,morse4 ,in ,september1 #ahcg1 he exhibited an imperfect instrument1 although he afterwards succeeded in producing one of first rate excellence1 which is still largely used in the ,united ,states4 ,cooke and ,wheatstone received notice to quit the ,london and ,birmingham line1 but ,mr4 ,brunel gave them permission1 in #ahci1 to lay it down on the ,great ,western ,railway4 ,this was first done as far as ,west ,drayton1 #ac miles1 and afterwards extended to ,slough1 #ah miles1 the wires in both of these preliminary trials being enclosed in iron tubes laid on the ground4 ,on proposing to extend this line to ,bristol much opposition was offered by the directors1 and the telegraph again had notice to quit1 but on the proposal of ,mr4 ,cooke to retain the wires at his own expense1 he was permitted to do so on condition of transmitting the ,railway signals free of charge1 and of extending the line to ,slough4 ,in return for this favor1 he was allowed to transmit messages for the public1 which was accordingly done1 one shilling being charged for a message1 but the public did not avail themselves of the new instrument1 and its value was scarcely appreciated until the #crd of ,january1 #ahde1 when it was used to convey a message to ,london police1 directing them to arrest one ,towell1 on a charge of murder4 ,the message flashed past the criminal while he was travelling express to escape the consequence of his crime4 ,by the end of #ahde upwards of #ejj miles of line were in operation in ,england4 ,in #ahdf the ,electric ,telegraph ,company commenced its operations with a considerable capital1 a large portion of which was expended in the purchase of ,wheatstone and ,cooke's patents1 and the system which they had introduced became rapidly extended4 ,in due time other telegraph companies were competing with the original company1 namely1 the ,electric ,international ,telegraph ,company1 and the ,london ,provincial ,telegraph ,co4 ,the system spread over ,europe and soon no railway was deemed complete without its telegraph wires4 ,on the #eth of ,february1 #ahgj1 the ,monopoly conferred upon the postmaster general1 by the telegraph act of the previous year1 took effect when the ,post-,office assumed control of telegraph communication within the ,united ,kingdom1 and it then became possible to send telegrams throughout the country at a uniform charge irrespective of locality or distance4 ,the purchase money paid to the telegraph companies1 compensation to railway companies for their interest in the telegraph business and the expense of new lines amounted to upwards of ten millions sterling4 ,on the day of the transfer a thousand post-offices and nineteen hundred railway stations were opened as telegraph offices4 ,the public at once showed their appreciation of the change4 ,in the year #ahfi but seven millions of telegrams passed on the companies wires2 in #ahgj the postmaster general transmitted ten millions4 ,in #ahhe the sixpenny telegrams were introduced4 ,the charge for a written telegram1 which came into force in #ahgj1 was one shilling for the first twenty words1 and threepence for every additional five words1 the addresses of sender and receiver being sent free4 ,in #ahhe the charge was reduced to a half-penny a word throughout including addresses 7a system of abbreviated addresses1 which could be registered on payment of a guinea a year1 was introduced71 with a minimum charge of sixpence2 the effect of this reduction was to run the number of telegrams in two years from thirty-three to fifty millions4 ,during the first six months the number of telegrams increased by #dh per cent41 while the gross telegraph revenue fell off to the extent of #dj1bcc though #ah1abd had been received in respect to abbreviated addresses4 ,in ,april1 #ahhf1 the telegrams in excess of #ahhe amounted to #dj per cent41 but the revenue was #aa1hjj less4 ,in ,may the increase in telegrams was #ea per cent4 and the revenue #d1ajj less than the previous ,may4 ,in ,june the increase was #fa per cent4 and the revenue #b1hjj less4 ,the working expenses were thus increased1 while the receipts were diminished4 ,in ,london alone the receipts fell off by as much as #gd per cent4 ,the principal reasons for the unfavorable financial results of the working of the telegraph are3 the large price #aj1acj1jjj expended as purchase money1 an argument of little weight so long as working expenses are not paid2 the right accorded to railway companies at the time of the transfer of sending postal telegrams free of all charge4 ,the number of these telegrams1 at first insignificant1 reached a total of #a1fjj1jjj in #ahia1 with an average length of #be words1 representing a value of #hj1jjj a year4 ,arrangements were afterwards made under which the companies would surrender this privilege in return for permission to send a fixed number of free telegrams in the course of the year4 ,the loss on press telegrams1 to quote the forty-first report of the postmaster general3 8,a still more serious burden is caused by the loss on press telegrams40 ,the charge specified in the ,telegraph ,act of #ahfh for press telegrams is one shilling for #ge words during the day1 or one hundred words at night1 but a proviso was added that for copies only #b;d per #ge words in the day or #ajj at night1 and no condition was laid down as to the copy being for the same town as the original2 the newspaper1 accordingly1 combined to receive from the news associations messages in identical terms1 and by dividing the cost they are enabled to get the benefit of a rate which comes nearer #b;d than a shilling1 the average charge being in fact about four pence half-penny per #ajj words4 ,notwithstanding the economical arrangements which have been made for the transmission of press telegrams1 #e1djj1jjj in number containing #fej1jjj1jjj words1 the loss incurred by the ,post-,office in dealing with them is estimated to amount to #cjj1jjj per annum4 ,the reductions in the tariff1 especially in #ahhe and #ahig1 and the competition of the telephone 7upwards of #dej1jjj1jjj messages a year1 transmitted by the ,national ,telephone ,company alone71 though it must be remembered that the ,royalties of the companies exceeded #ajj1jjj per annum1 which figure among the receipts of the ,post-,office telegraph service4 ,the increased wages paid to telegraphists in #ahhj and #ahha1 the wages and salaries represented #dd per cent4 of the total revenue2 they now exceed #ff per cent4 ,the real success of the state administration of the telegraph lies not in any contribution to the revenue1 but in cheap telegrams and a large use of the service4 ,the average price of the ordinary inland telegram is sevenpence1 three farthings1 and there are more telegrams sent in the ,united ,kingdom1 both positively and relatively than in any other country1 with the possible exception of the ,united ,states4 ,for every #ajj persons there are sent in the ,united ,kingdom #ahd telegrams1 while in ,france there are but #ajh and in ,germany #ff4 ,in #aija the gross revenue was #c1chj1ehi4 ,the pay of a telegraphist in ,london rises to #afj a year1 with the prospect of promotion to higher positions4 ,the number of telegrams transmitted in #aijj-a was #hi1egf1jjj4 ,in small towns and villages where the traffic is light1 and a skilled telegraphist is unnecessary1 the ,wheatstone ,a4 ,b4 ,c4 instrument is used2 in this apparatus electric currents are generated by turning a handle 7placed in front of the instrument7 which is geared to a ,siemens shuttle armature placed between the two arms of a powerful horseshoe magnet2 when one of a series of keys 7each corresponding to a letter71 arranged around a pointer1 is depressed1 motion of the pointer which is geared to the shuttle armature is arrested on coming opposite that particular key and the transmission of the currents to line is stopped1 though the armature itself can continue to rotate4 ,the depression of a second key causes the first key to be raised1 the currents actuate a ratchet wheel mechanism at the receiving station1 whereby the hand on a small dial is moved on letter by letter4 ,at offices where the work is heavier than can be dealt with by the ,a4,b4,c4 apparatus1 the single needle instrument is very largely used4 ,it has the advantage of slight liability to derangement and of requiring very little adjustment4 ,a fairly skilled operator can signal with it at the rate of twenty words a minute4 ,the needle 7in the modern pattern7 is of soft iron and is kept magnetized inductively by the action of two permanent steel magnets4 ,the coils are wound with copper wire 7covered with silk7 to a total resistance of #bjj ohms4 ,the actual current required to work the instrument is #c-c milliampres equivalent approximately to the current given by one ,daniel cell through #c1cjj ohms1 but in practice a current of #aj milliampres is allowed4 ,a single but important addition to enable the reading from the instrument to be effected by sound1 in this arrangement the needle strikes against small tubes formed of tin plate and by this means the movement of the needle to the right or left is quite audible4 ,the ,wheatstone automatic apparatus is largely used1 especially for press matter2 through it a speed of #fjj letters per minute can be obtained4 ,in the ,rowland multiple method1 the transmitter consists of a mechanical key board1 provided with a series of levers which effect certain combinations of positive and negative currents for each letter3 these currents are furnished by an alternator1 which transmits sine currents over the line1 both machines running in synchronism4 ,at the receiving end of the circuit a shaft is coupled to the motor2 this is provided with gearing which rotates four combining commutators and four type wheels1 which print the letters on the band of paper4 ,there are four transmitters and four receivers1 which are operated independently by means of an adaptation of the multiplex system of working1 and each circuit is provided with a number of segments set apart for its own use4 ,each transmitter is1 therefore1 able to transmit a separate series of positive and negative currents in different combinations2 these are distributed by suitably arranged distributors and relays at the receiving end of the line into their respective receivers4 ,the function of the 8combiner0 in each receiving instrument is to group the received combinations of positive and negative currents that they operate polarized relays in such a manner that the position of the tongues corresponds with the operation of the levers in the transmitter1 since each letter is represented by a specific combination of positive and negative currents4 ,it is possible by means of the combinations to close a local circuit at any given interval and so cause the paper to be pressed against the periphery of the type wheel at the time when the letter required is opposite4 ,the paper is also caused to advance automatically for each letter1 start a first line1 and also to commence a fresh form at the completion of each message4 ,the ,delaney ,multiples ,system1 which has been adopted to a limited extent in ,great ,britain1 enables a large amount of work to be done on one wire4 ,between ,london and ,manchester four sets of the apparatus can be worked1 but between ,london and ,birmingham1 a shorter distance1 six sets 7the maximum for which the system is adopted7 may be used4 ,sir ,william ,fothergill ,cooke1 #ahjf-ahgi4 ,son of ,william ,cooke1 ,m4,d41 ,durham1 was born at ,ealing1 ,middlesex1 and having received his education at ,durham1 was appointed in #ahbf to the ,east ,indian army1 in which he held various staff appointments till #ahca4 ,on his return home he devoted his time to the study of anatomy and physiology at ,paris and ,heidleberg and to modelling anatomical dissections for the illustration of his father's lectures at ,durham ,university4 ,in ,march1 #ahcf1 he began to direct his attention to the electric telegraph1 with which he occupied himself exclusively for many years4 ,he entered into partnership with ,prof4 ,wheatstone1 and formed in conjunction with ,mr4 ,ricardo1 ,m4,p41 the first telegraph company of which he became a director4 ,the first telegraph line in ,england was constructed by ,mr4 ,cooke1 from ,paddington to ,west ,drayton1 on the ,great ,western ,railway in #ahcg4 ,in #ahdj he established the telegraph on the ,blackwall ,railway1 and in #ahda a short line from the ,queen ,street station1 at ,glasgow1 through the tunnel to the engine house at ,cowlairs on the railway to ,edinburgh4 ,in #ahdb the line from ,west ,drayton was continued to ,slough1 and in #ahdc two short lines were made in ,ireland and in ,england1 one of considerable length from ,london to ,portsmouth for ,government4 ,in #ahfg he received the fourth ,royal ,albert medal1 his name being preceded by ,faraday's1 for the first introduction of a practical electric telegraph4 ,her ,majesty conferred on him the honor of ,knighthood1 ,november #aa1 #ahfi1 as a recognition of his great and special services in connection with the electric telegraph1 and on ,july #be1 #ahga1 conferred on him a civil pension of #ajj4 ,sir ,charles ,wheatstone1 ,f4,r4,s41 ,d4,c4,l41 ,,ll4,d4 #ahjb-ahge ,who1 together with ,sir ,w4 ,f4 ,cooke1 introduced and carried out practical electric telegraphy1 was the son of ,mr4 ,wheatstone1 of ,gloucester1 at which place he was born4 ,he was educated at a private school and brought up to the business of making musical instruments1 which turned his attention to acoustics4 ,he published his first work in #ahbc1 8,new ,experiments in ,sound10 and having studied ,young's theory of light1 the results of his investigations were communicated to the ,royal ,society through ,faraday1 in #ahcc4 ,in the following year he was appointed ,professor of ,experimental ,philosophy1 at ,king's ,college1 ,london4 ,he was made ,f4 ,r4 ,s4 in #ahcf1 and two years later described the stereoscope1 which he had invented1 in a paper which he read before the ,society4 ,mr4 ,cooke 7later ,sir ,w4 ,f4 ,cooke71 was introduced to ,professor ,wheatstone1 and they decided to unite their efforts to introduce the use of the telegraph on a large scale in ,england4 ,they took out their first patent for the electric telegraph laid on the ,blackwall ,railway in #ahcg4 ,wheatstone received the ,royal ,medal in #ahdj1 the ,copley ,medal in #ahdc1 was one of the ,jurors at the ,paris ,exhibition 7#ahee71 when he received the decoration of the ,legion of ,honor1 and was knighted in #ahfh4 ,he was corresponding member of the principal academies of science in ,europe4 ,it was by his skill in turning knowledge to practical account that ,wheatstone gave the electric telegraph the character which it now possesses4 ,though his inventions in other branches of science are as numerous as they are various1 yet it is in connection with the electric telegraph that the name of ,wheatstone will live4 ,he was the inventor of the telegraph1 indeed4 ,no one else can lay claim to that title4 ,stephen ,gray1 in #ahbg1 suspended a wire1 seven hundred feet long1 on silk threads1 and on applying an excited glass tube to one end1 electrification was observed at the other1 but he did not send messages4 ,advances were made from that time by many men of science1 who saw more or less clearly the great possibilities before them4 ,omitting the pioneer claims of ,sommering1 ,lomond and others of the last century1 the names connected with the early development of the practical telegraph are ,froment in ,france1 ,gauss1 ,weber and ,steinheil1 in ,germany1 ,sir ,francis ,ronalds and ,edward ,davy1 in ,england1 ,morse and ,vail1 in ,america4 ,but to ,wheatstone and his co-adjutor ,sir ,william ,fothergill ,cooke is due the merit of having been the first to render it available for the public transmission of messages4 ,in #ahcd1 shortly after being appointed ,professor of ,experimental ,physics at ,king's ,college1 ,london1 ,wheatstone began experimenting on rate of transmission electricity along wires4 ,for this purpose about half a mile of copper wire was insulated by suspension in the vaults under the college1 and three interruptions of this circuit was made by three parts of brass knobs with a small interval between them1 one of these interruptions was in the middle point of the conductor and the other two near the ends4 ,a leyden jar was discharged through the wire and the interval of time between the occurrence of the sparks at the ends and occurrence of the spark at the middle was measured by noting the displacement of the image of the middle spark in a mirror revolving at a known speed4 ,it was calculated from results of this experiment that the velocity of an electric disturbance along a wire was about two hundred and fifty thousand miles per second1 a result differing from the true speed of one hundred and eighty-six thousand miles per second2 not very widely1 considering the difficulties of observation in an experiment of this kind4 ,from this research he passed on to the transmission of messages by electricity1 and in conjunction with ,cooke he elaborated the five needle telegraph1 the first that came into general use4 ,wheatstone's fertility of scientific resource led the partners on to many new developments4 ,the letter showing dial telegraph in #ahda and the magneto-electro dial telegraph1 a subsequent extension of the same to type embossing1 and lastly the automatic transmitting and receiving instruments by which messages are sent with such great rapidity4 ,he was the first to appreciate the importance of reducing to a minimum the amount of work to be done by the current at the receiving station by diminishing as far as practicable the mass and therefore the inertia of the moving parts4 ,this was beautifully exemplified in that marvel of ingenuity1 the magneto-electro letter showing telegraph1 which was particularly applicable for private telegraph uses4 ,from #ahcg ,wheatstone appears to have devoted a good deal of time to submarine telegraphy1 and in #ahdd experiments were made in ,swansea bay with the assistance of ,mr4 ,j4 ,d4 ,llewellyn4 ,wheatstone also had a share in the perfecting of the magneto-electric machines which have culminated in the modern dynamo4 ,in #ahcg he devised a method of combining several armatures on one shaft so as to generate currents which were continuous instead of intermittent1 and in #ahfg he described to the ,royal ,society a method of making such machines self-exciting as to their magnetism by the use of a shunt circuit4 ,the use of a main circuit for the purpose had been described by ,werner ,siemens one month earlier1 but the machine described by ,wheatstone had been constructed for him by ,mr4 ,stroh in the preceding summer4 ,wheatstone was also the inventor of electro-magnetic clocks for indicating time at any number of different places united on a circuit4 ,it was he who called attention to ,christy's combination of wires1 now commonly known as ,wheatstone's bridge--in which an electric balancing of the currents is obtained and worked out in its applications to electrical measurements4 ,he was one of the first in ,great ,britain to appreciate the importance of ohms simple law of the relation between electro-motive force resistance of conductors and resulting current--the law which is to-day the foundation of all electrical engineering4 ,wheatstone contributed to numerous scientific journals and publications4 ,all his published papers were collected in #ahgi by the ,physical ,society of ,london4 ,the ,telegraph in ,america ,mr4 ,morse1 the inventor of the telegraph system which bears his name1 first conceived the idea on board the packet ship 8,sully0 on which he was a passenger4 ,he sailed from ,havre for ,new ,york on the first day of ,october1 #ahcb4 ,he was accompanied by a number of others1 the whole company being unusually intelligent and agreeable4 ,there was a long voyage before them1 and each amiably undertook to relieve the tedium of the journey by the many pleasant devices indulged in by companionable travellers4 ,at an early period of the voyage1 the conversation around the evening table turned upon the subject of electricity and magnetism which was then a popular topic of discussion and general interest4 ,one of the passengers 7a ,doctor ,jackson7 introduced the subject by reference to lectures to which he had recently attended while in ,paris1 in which interesting illustrations of the more recent discoveries in electro-magnetism had been given4 ,he also referred to the experiments of ,ampre with the electro magnet2 the subject excited very general interest into which ,morse entered with great spirit4 ,hitherto he had felt no other concern in electrical matters than that of a lively and attentive curiosity4 ,dr4 ,jackson had in his trunk an electro-magnet1 which he described1 and during the conversation alluded to the length of the wire in the coils4 ,this led one of the company to enquire 8if the velocity of the current was retarded by the length of the wire80 ,dr4 ,jackson replied that electricity passed instantaneously over any known length of wire4 ,this aroused the interest of ,morse who was struck with the idea that electricity might be made the medium of conveying intelligence4 ,the conversation went on but he left them4 ,as he paced the deck the idea rapidly took form in his mind that1 either by electro-chemical or electro-magnetic effects of a current1 marks might be made at distances so great and in such variety as to render possible the easy communication of and record of an intelligible language4 ,this was1 so far as he knew at the time1 a new thought4 ,gradually the conception took shape and system until at last it had assumed such a form that next morning1 at the breakfast table1 he communicated the plan by which he believed a recording telegraph could be serviceable4 ,later on as the voyage was nearing its end1 ,mr4 ,morse1 addressing the ,captain1 said 8,well1 ,captain1 should you hear of the telegraph one of these days as the wonder of the world1 remember the discovery was made on board the good ship 8,sully40 ,he would now have devoted himself entirely to the elaboration of this new thought1 but he had to betake himself to his work as an artist4 ,he was poor and for three or four years following his return he had to travel much of the time to meet engagements in connection with his profession4 ,meanwhile1 he devoted every spare moment to the perfecting of his apparatus4 ,in a letter to a friend ,mr4 ,morse wrote3 8,up to the autumn of #ahcg1 my telegraphic apparatus existed in so crude a form that ,i felt reluctant to have it seen4 ,my means were very limited--so limited as to preclude the possibility of constructing an apparatus of such mechanical finish as to warrant my success in venturing upon its public exhibition4 ,i had no wish to expose to ridicule the representative of so many hours of laborious thought4 ,prior to the summer of #ahcg1 at which time ,mr4 ,alfred ,vail's attention became attracted to my telegraph1 ,i depended upon my pencil for my subsistence4 ,indeed1 so straightened were my circumstances1 that in order to save time to carry out my invention1 and to economize my scanty means1 ,i had for months lodged and eaten in my studio1 procuring my food in small quantities from some grocery1 and preparing it myself to conceal from my friends the stinted manner in which ,i lived4 ,i was in the habit of bringing my food to my room in the evenings1 and this was my mode of life for many years40 ,under these distressing circumstances1 ,mr4 ,morse labored in perfecting his apparatus in which he finally succeeded4 ,his caveat was filed in the patent office in ,washington on ,october #f1 #ahcg1 but a patent was not obtained until #ahdj4 ,on the #hth of ,february1 #ahch1 in response to an invitation from the ,franklin ,institute of ,philadelphia1 ,prof4 ,morse exhibited the new telegraph before the ,committee of ,science and ,arts of that institution1 who reported their gratification and expressed their desire that government would give the means of testing it on an extensive scale4 ,mr4 ,morse1 shortly after this1 exhibited his apparatus before the ,president and his cabinet1 and which gave great satisfaction1 in reference to which he wrote his friend and partner ,mr4 ,alfred ,vail1 as follows3 8,everything looks encouraging1 but ,i need not say to you that in this world a continued course of prosperity is not a rational expectation4 ,we shall doubtless find troubles and difficulties in store for us1 and it is part of true wisdom to be prepared for whatever may await us4 ,if our hearts are right1 we shall not be taken by surprise4 ,i see nothing now but an unclouded prospect1 for which let us pay to ,him who shows it to us1 the homage of grateful and obedient hearts1 with most earnest prayers for grace to use prosperity aright40 ,morse now determined to ask ,congress for aid to make a thorough test of his apparatus on an actual line to show its capacity and practicability2 in this he was encouraged by his friends4 ,on ,december #f1 #ahdb1 he wrote an exhaustive letter to the ,hon4 ,c4 ,g4 ,ferris1 an influential member of the ,house ,committee on ,commerce1 in which he gave a minute history of the invention1 stated fully the basis of his claims as the inventor1 and asked that through his committee an appeal might be made to ,congress for the means to erect an experimental line to prove its value4 ,in response to this the ,hon4 ,john ,p4 ,kennedy1 ,february #bc1 #ahdc1 offered a resolution 8,that the ,bill appropriating thirty thousand dollars to be expended under the direction of the ,secretary of the ,treasury1 in a series of experiments to test the expediency of the telegraph projected by ,professor ,morse should be passed40 ,mr4 ,morse sat in the gallery during the discussion which followed1 a quiet but intensively anxious observer4 ,for a time the project was made the subject of ridicule4 ,irritated perhaps because the committee passed him in the control of the experiment1 the ,postmaster proposed to give half the sum appropriated by the bill to mesmeric experiments4 ,another proposed that millerism have a share4 ,the bill seemed doomed to failure by their ridicule4 ,the debate became sharp and vigorous when1 at length1 the vote was taken with the result that the ,bill passed by a majority of eight4 ,the bill1 however1 had yet to pass the ,senate1 and its temper respecting it was unknown4 ,it had much unfinished business4 ,day after day passed1 but the bill had not been reached4 ,finally the last hours of the session arrived4 ,morse watched them as they passed with an anxious solicitude4 ,it was getting late1 ten o'clock had already struck1 two hours only remained before the final adjournment4 ,just then the ,hon4 ,fernando ,wood1 one of the ,senators1 came to ,mr4 ,morse and advised him to go home4 8,the ,senate is not in sympathy with your project4 ,i advise you to give it up4 ,return home and think no more of it40 ,morse1 feeling it useless to remain longer1 with a heavy heart went to his hotel1 paid his bill1 procured a ticket for ,new ,york and retired to his room for the night4 ,he there knelt down1 opened his heart to ,god and committed his affairs to ,him4 ,he had done all that he could and could do more4 ,he counted his money and found after paying his bill and ticket he had thirty-seven and a half cents left4 ,in the morning1 refreshed by rest yet grave and thoughtful1 he came down to breakfast4 ,while seated at the table a visitor was announced4 ,the early visitant proved to be a young lady friend1 ,miss ,ellsworth1 the daughter of the ,commissioner of ,patents1 who taking him warmly by the hand1 exclaimed with a voice of unconcealed joy1 8,professor1 ,i have come on purpose to congratulate you40 8,congratulate me6 ,for what1 my dear friend1 can you offer me congratulations80 8,why10 she said gaily 7as she enjoyed the ,professor's wondering surprise1 and who was at the time not in the fittest mood for pleasantry71 8on the passage of your bill4 ,the ,senate1 last night1 voted you your money1 #cj1jjj40 ,she then informed him that her father remained in the ,senate until the close of the session1 and that in the very closing moments the telegraph bill was passed without division or debate4 ,on reaching home1 ,ellsworth had communicated the news to his family1 all of whom were much attached to the ,professor1 and his daughter begged the favor of being allowed to go to the hotel to communicate the good news4 ,it was the desire of a good warm-hearted woman4 ,so she had hastened on her pleasant errand1 and now1 having told her story1 she asked1 8,am ,i really the first to communicate this to you80 ,the tidings were so unexpected that for some moments he could make no reply4 ,at length he said1 8,yes1 ,annie1 you are the first to inform me4 ,i was until now utterly unconscious of the fact1 and now ,i am going to make you a promise4 ,when the line is completed1 the first despatch sent upon it from ,washington to ,baltimore shall be yours40 8,well10 she replied1 8,i will hold you to your promise40 ,all details having been arranged between the ,government and ,mr4 ,morse1 the construction of the line was proceeded with4 ,he was allowed a salary of #b1ejj per annum during the test4 ,mr4 ,alfred ,vail took charge of the machinery while ,mr4 ,ezra ,cornell was made ,superintendent of construction4 ,it was most unfortunate for ,mr4 ,morse that his mind from the very first seemed prepossessed in favor of underground lines which had been adopted in ,england4 ,they gave to him the general impression of safety and permanence1 and he selected the plan without experiment4 ,he had ordered to be made in ,new ,york forty miles of a five wire cable enclosed in lead1 and ,mr4 ,cornell invented a plow to make the trench for its reception4 ,this cable was laid from ,baltimore to the ,relay ,house1 seven miles away1 but on testing it the escape was found so great that the necessity of abandoning it became evident4 ,more than half the appropriation had been expended4 ,after much anxious thought1 it was decided to place the wires on poles1 and the line was finished in this way with two copper wires of size number #ad1 covered with cotton saturated with gum shellac4 ,the first insulation of the government line shows how crude and rudimentary was the conception held at that period4 ,it was simply two plates of glass1 between which the wire1 after wrapping well with cloth saturated with gum shellac1 was placed and over which a wooden cover to protect from rain and press the glass upon the wire and keep it in place was nailed4 ,these were afterwards removed and the ,bureau ,knob pattern substituted4 ,in about one year after the appropriation had been made1 the line was completed4 ,the first telegraph office in ,washington was in a small room on the east front of the ,capitol1 and afterwards in a room over the city post-office4 ,the relays were of number #af cotton covered copper wire saturated in gum shellac1 each weighing about #eaj pounds1 and so coarsely constructed that ,mr4 ,vail kept the ones in use in a back room where the operator had to run when it needed adjustment4 ,the battery consisted of #ajj cells of ,grove1 which was renewed three times a week4 ,the circuits were left open when the line was not in use1 and the instruments were so connected that each operator started and stopped the instrument at the distant station by the dropping of a break upon the fly wheel when the manipulations of the keys were suspended4 ,the magnets were soon after greatly improved1 reduced in size1 and increased in power4 ,true to the promise he had made to his friend1 ,miss ,ellsworth1 ,prof4 ,morse now sent for her and to which she at once responded4 ,she was invited to indicate a message for transmission4 ,it was promptly done in language now historic and in consonance with the inventor's own often expressed thoughts respecting the origin of his invention1 indeed1 he may have suggested the words 8,what hath ,god wrought40 ,this message was passed over the wires1 and the strip of paper on which it was imprinted was given to ,governor ,seymour of ,connecticut1 as a souvenir in honor of the young woman who was a native of his ,state1 and of the inventor who received therein his collegiate training4 ,an incident now brought the usefulness of the telegraph into public recognition4 ,the ,national ,convention to nominate a ,president was in session at ,baltimore4 ,james ,k4 ,polk had been nominated ,president1 and ,silas ,wright1 then in the ,senate1 and in ,washington at the time1 as ,vice-,president4 ,this was communicated over the wires4 ,in a few minutes the convention was astonished to receive a message from ,mr4 ,wright respectfully declining the nomination4 ,the presiding officer read the despatch1 but the convention could not or would not believe its authenticity1 and adjourned to await the report of a committee sent to ,washington to confer with that gentleman4 ,the committee confirmed the telegraphic message4 ,this fact soon became known when the fame of the telegraph at once took wing4 ,it is related that about this time that a prominent functionary asked an assistant 8how large a bundle could be sent over the wires1 and if the ,united ,states mails could not be sent in the same way60 ,some wag did straddle a pair of dirty boots over the wires and very seriously told an astonished citizen that they got dirty by coming so rapidly from ,baltimore6 ,on the opening of the government line1 ,mr4 ,o4 ,e4 ,wood1 at that time connected with the engineering department of the ,state of ,new ,york1 was induced by his brother-in-law1 ,ezra ,cornell1 to give up his profession and join ,mr4 ,morse at ,washington4 ,he then became ,mr4 ,morse's first pupil4 ,in ,november1 #ahdd1 he received over the wires from ,baltimore the result of the ,presidential elections in ,northern and ,eastern ,states1 and with ,mr4 ,vail spent the winter of #ahdd-de in exhibiting the working of the telegraph to members of ,congress1 diplomatic representatives and to visitors attracted thither from all parts of the globe4 ,he also transmitted to the ,baltimore press a report of the proceedings of ,congress for publication4 ,on ,april #a1 #ahde1 the line1 which had been worked as a curiosity1 was thrown open for public business4 ,the operators appointed were ,mr4 ,vail at ,washington and ,mr4 ,henry ,j4 ,rogers at ,baltimore4 ,during the first four days the receipts amounted to one cent4 ,this was obtained from an office seeker who said he had nothing less than a twenty dollar bill and one cent1 and with the modesty of his class1 wanted to witness the operations of the telegraph free1 this was refused because against orders4 ,he was told he could have a cent's worth of telegraphy1 to which he agreed1 and he was gratified in the following manner3 ,washington asked ,baltimore 8#d0 which meant in the list of signals 8what time is it80 ,baltimore replied 8#a10 which meant 8one o'clock40 ,this was one character each way which would amount to half a cent4 ,the man paid his one cent1 magnanimously declined the change1 and went his way satisfied4 ,this was the total revenue of four days4 ,on the #eth1 twelve and a half cents2 the sixth was the ,sabbath2 on the seventh the receipts ran up to sixty cents2 on the eighth1 to a dollar and thirty-two cents1 and on the ninth1 to a dollar and four cents4 ,not a very dazzling prospect certainly1 yet watchful eyes saw its future value4 ,it is recorded that about this time a certain good dame1 whose ideas of discipline were somewhat stern and fundamental1 after surveying a pole recently planted near her door1 placing her hands on her haunches1 and looking critically at the pole1 exclaimed1 8,now ,i s'pose no one can spank their brats without bein' known to the hull cree-a-tion60 ,the telegraph was fairly under weigh4 ,prof4 ,morse offered to sell his rights to the ,government for one hundred thousand dollars1 but the ,postmaster ,general was not satisfied4 ,the operations of the telegraph between ,washington and ,baltimore had not shown him that1 under any rate of postage that could be devised1 its revenue could be made equal to its expenditure4 ,the offer was therefore declined4 ,this refusal was fortunate both for the inventor and the country4 ,the next move was to enlist private capital1 and this was soon accomplished4 ,the first telegraph company in the ,united ,states1 the 8,magnetic ,telegraph ,company10 was formed1 but this was not attained without difficulty4 ,early in #ahde ,mr4 ,kendall1 formerly ,postmaster ,general in ,president ,jackson's administration1 was induced1 after much deliberation and consultation1 to take a leading part in organizing the ,company4 ,it was thought expedient to make the first attempt to construct a line between ,new ,york and ,philadelphia1 and to limit the capital to the probable cost of that section1 the traffic between these large cities being extensive1 and likely to prove remunerative4 ,to aid in securing capital4 ,mr4 ,ezra ,cornell and ,mr4 ,o4 ,s4 ,wood went to ,new ,york to exhibit the telegraphic apparatus upon a short experimental line strung on the tops of buildings4 ,offices were opened1 one at #aab ,broadway1 and the other in a building near where the ,metropolitan ,hotel now stands4 ,permission to allow the connecting wires to be erected on the tops of houses was obtained with much trouble1 and only after paying ,prof4 ,silliman1 ,jr41 a fee of fifty dollars for an expert opinion respecting its safety before the property owners would consent to the wires being erected4 ,the price of admission to witness the operation of the telegraph was twenty-five cents4 ,this seemed a novel way to secure capital in a great city like ,new ,york4 ,with this embargo1 notwithstanding the wonderful character of the invention1 there was not visitors enough to pay expenses2 everything indicated poverty4 ,the exhibitors were so poor that one of them was glad to use a couple of common chairs for his nightly rest4 ,it was certainly a strange experience for the future princely founder of ,cornell ,university1 making his breakfast out of the proceeds of a shilling picked up1 as it were1 from the sidewalks of ,broadway1 and which1 he said1 were the best meals he had ever enjoyed4 ,the estimated cost of a line from ,fort ,lee on the ,hudson to ,philadelphia was #ae1jjj--;a modest sum to ask of the great city of ,new ,york1 but the men of capital looked over their immaculate collars at the ticking machinery1 and into the faces of the hungry exhibitors1 and up at the wire straggling among the chimney pots1 and then down at the meagre furniture1 and said 8,no20 each man feared to be the first fool4 ,but what capitalists would not do1 humbler men did4 ,one of the first men in ,new ,york to invest his money in the new device was the keeper of an eating-house on ,nassau ,street1 and who afterward became one of the directors4 ,the money needed was finally raised1 but chiefly outside of ,new ,york4 ,it was provided in this original subscription that the payment of fifty dollars should entitle the subscribers to two shares of fifty dollars each4 ,a payment of fifteen thousand dollars1 therefore1 required an issue of #cj1jjj stock4 ,to the patentees was issued an additional #cj1jjj stock1 or half of the capital1 as a consideration of the patent2 the capital was1 therefore1 #fj1jjj for the first link4 ,trustees were appointed to hold the patent rights and property until the organization was effected4 ,the incorporators were3-- ,s4 ,f4 ,b4 ,,morse1 ,b4 ,b4 ,,french1 ,,geo4 ,c4 ,,penniman1 ,,henry ,j4 ,,rogers1 ,,john ,s4 ,,mckim1 ,j4 ,t4 ,,trimble1 ,w4 ,m4 ,,swain1 ,,john ,o4 ,,sterns1 ,a4 ,,sydney ,,doane4 8,,the ,,magnetic ,,telegraph ,,company40 ,early in ,november1 #ahde1 the line was first opened between ,philadelphia and ,norristown1 ,pa4 distant #ad miles1 so as to gratify public curiosity1 while the building was going on beyond4 ,this was completed to ,fort ,lee on ,january #bj1 #ahdf1 and from ,baltimore to ,philadelphia1 ,june #e1 the same year4 ,no attempt was made for a long time to cross the ,hudson4 ,in ,april1 #ahej1 two gutta percha covered wires were submerged at ,fort ,lee1 which for a time did good service4 ,shortly after the formation of the ,magnetic ,telegraph ,company 7the ,pioneer ,telegraph ,company in ,america71 numerous organizations followed4 ,in #ahei1 the company amalgamated with the ,american ,telegraph ,company4 ,,the ,,western ,,union ,,telegraph ,,company ,,and ,,its ,,origin4 ,in ,april1 #ahed1 a combination was agreed upon between the ,erie and ,michigan ,telegraph ,company and the ,new ,york and ,mississippi ,valley ,printing ,telegraph ,company4 ,the united capital being #ejj1jjj under the name of the ,western ,union ,telegraph ,company1 by an act of the legislature of ,wisconsin1 dated ,march #d1 #ahef1 and of the ,state of ,new ,york1 of ,april #d1 #ahef4 ,the following year the ,michigan ,southern ,telegraph ,company was added to this combination4 ,the headquarters of the ,company were at ,rochester1 ,n4,y4 ,other companies joined the united companies and the ,western ,union found it necessary to transfer its headquarters to ,new ,york1 but the most notable of these consolidations took place in #ahff1 when the ,united ,states ,telegraph ,company1 as well as the ,american ,telegraph ,company1 joined forces with the ,western ,union1 thus virtually embracing the entire telegraph business of the country4 ,in this year the capital was readjusted and appointed to the various interests forming the ,western ,union combination4 ,soon after the union of the many conflicting telegraph interests had been effected1 and through fear of a burdensome monopoly1 a move was made towards the nationalization of the telegraphs4 ,as a matter of course1 this was strenuously opposed by the telegraph company's representatives1 and public sentiment was with the company4 ,although politicians as a rule were favourably inclined to such a step1 the majority of the people were against it1 or indifferent1 with the result that the movement dropped out of view1 and has so far as known never been revived up to this period4 ,in telegraph operations little attention had been given to electricity as a science in ,america4 ,any improvements which had been made in connection with telegraphic appliances1 except in repeating appliances1 were of a comparatively trifling and unscientific character4 ,marshall ,lefferts had done much to show the value of statistics1 and had laid down important ground work for systematized and scientific methods2 he had even introduced some of the electric tests by which the telegraph wires afterward became so potential1 but no clearly defined system had been in practice4 ,the battery man still multiplied his cells1 emptied his carboys of nitric or sulphuric acid1 and bathed his zincs in mercury1 to raise the telegraphic steam2 the patient operator turned and returned during the long hours of the weary nights the spring of his relay1 to catch the erratic movements of the armature as it vibrated before the changing currents on the line4 ,cromwell ,varley1 a well-known electrician whose accomplishments as a gentleman of education as well as a scientist had preceded him in the frequent appearance of his name in the records of scientific investigation1 had arrived in ,new ,york4 ,mr4 ,orton1 at this time the ,president of the ,western ,union ,company1 invited ,mr4 ,varley to make a thorough investigation into the condition of the lines and apparatus owned by the ,company4 ,the report made by ,mr4 ,varley1 minute and exhaustive1 revealed a startling condition of things--half of the wires were found to be practically unavailable4 ,the best wires in the service showed a resistance far above the proper standard4 ,a popular relay was found to have a resistance equal to one hundred miles of number #h wire1 the use of which was choking the most important circuits4 ,the chief value of ,mr4 ,varley's report1 indeed was in giving a practical illustration of the immense value of a scientific electrical training4 ,the electrician now came to be an important factor in ,american telegraphic work4 ,to this report also may be fairly traced the beginning of a series of improvements and inventions which have made famous the ,american name4 ,by removing the obstructions to the electric current and reducing resistances in wires1 magnets and batteries to a minimum1 the great possibilities of the wires were discovered in accomplishments which were never dreamed of4 ,the duplex and quadruplex are great advances on the old condition1 and would have been inoperative had they continued4 ,the visit of ,mr4 ,varley had another result--the consolidation of so many important organizations under a single administration had unavoidably brought together more or less discordant elements2 each company had its own peculiar methods1 ideas of management1 limitations of authority1 rules of order1 etc41 as well as of tariffs and compensation4 ,it was of the utmost importance that1 in order to unity of management1 distinct and clearly defined ideas of duty should be made to permeate the entire working force so as to make conflict impossible1 and work quick1 certain1 harmonious4 ,it was scarcely less desirable also1 now that the value of electric knowledge had been demonstrated1 that by some means its attainment might be rendered easy and general1 and a stimulus given to its acquisition4 ,under these circumstances ,mr4 ,orton established the journal of the telegraph1 and its usefulness soon became apparent2 its clippings from the scientific journals of ,european and ,home papers on electric art soon came to be the theme of almost universal interest4 ,a copy of this paper was mailed to every office of the ,company as soon as issued4 ,it became not only the vehicle for executive orders for the announcement of new offices and of changes in the tariff1 but imperceptibly1 yet markedly1 the means of infusing an 8esprit de corps0 and sense of brotherhood throughout the telegraph service4 ,at the solicitation of ,mr4 ,orton1 ,mr4 ,james ,d4 ,reid accepted the management of the journal of the telegraph1 by whom it was admirably conducted for a number of years1 with the praiseworthy results previously noted4 ,in view of the recent boundary arbitration between the ,united ,states and ,great ,britain1 it may be interesting to recall the circumstances which led the ,american ,government to become interested in ,alaska as a connecting link in a telegraph project1 to connect ,europe and ,america by land wires4 ,when1 in #aheh1 the ,atlantic ,cable proved a failure1 and was looked upon as an utter impossibility1 a ,mr4 ,collins1 the ,american commercial agent resident at ,st4 ,petersburg1 proposed to construct a line of telegraph overland from the ,united ,states 7via7 ,behring ,strait and ,asiatic ,russia to ,europe4 ,perceiving the importance of the project1 ,mr4 ,j4 ,cochrane1 a member of ,congress and of the ,committee on ,commerce1 reported to that body on ,feb4 #ah1 #ahfa1 a bill appropriating #ej1jjj for 8,the ,survey of the ,northern ,waters1 ,coasts and ,islands of the ,pacific ,ocean and ,behring ,strait1 having reference to telegraphic connection with ,russia10 and expressing full faith in its possibility4 ,in the ,united ,states ,senate1 ,feb4 #ag1 #ahfb1 ,mr4 ,latham also made an elaborate report1 revealing the vast progress of telegraphs in ,europe and the enthusiastic and enlightened action of the ,russian ,government in the proposed extension of her telegraph system to the ,pacific4 ,a line had already been mapped out from ,kazan1 through ,circassia4 ,from ,omsk a line was traced out with the design of reaching ,india through the ,northern ,central gate of ,asia4 ,still another was projected from the ,amoor line to ,pekin1 ,shanghai1 ,amoy and ,hong ,kong--thus1 to reach the trade of ,china1 these projects showed the value of the telegraph to commerce4 ,mr4 ,latham asked an appropriation of #ajj1jjj for a survey of the route from ,california to the ,amoor4 ,russia offered her aid and a rebate of forty per cent4 on ,american messages when communication was established4 ,russia had already assured the construction of the line #g1jjj miles from ,moscow to the ,pacific4 ,secretary ,seward took a deep interest in the enterprise1 in a report to the ,senate1 ,may #d1 #ahfd4 ,on the proposition of ,mr4 ,collins1 he said3 8,i think it may be regarded as settled that the ,united ,states cannot neglect to employ telegraphic communication with foreign countries1 and yet expect to maintain a healthful commerce with them2 that the ,united ,states cannot hope to inspire respect1 confidence and good will abroad1 and to secure peace with foreign ,states1 without using the magnetic telegraph when it is possible4 ,i do not know any one object lying within the scope of our foreign relations more directly important than the preservation of peace and friendship with ,great ,britain and ,russia2 nor can ,i conceive of any measure of nationality that would more effectually tend to secure that great object than the construction of this proposed international telegraph40 ,the sentiments thus officially expressed by ,mr4 ,seward were responded to by all intelligent men1 and the ,russian line was the most popular of the enterprises of the period4 ,the proposition to construct the ,russian ,american line was first formally submitted by ,mr4 ,collins to the ,western ,union ,telegraph ,company1 ,sept4 #bh1 #ahfc1 and again at a meeting of the board of that company in ,rochester1 ,n4,y41 ,march #af1 #ahfd4 ,it was in the form of a letter from ,mr4 ,collins1 requesting the acceptance of his project to connect ,europe and ,america by way of the ,behring ,strait1 and offering1 if accepted within twenty days1 to transfer his rights and privileges under certain conditions4 ,the terms offered by him were accepted by the board of directors4 ,soon after this construction commenced1 beginning at ,new ,westminster1 ,b4,c41 the terminus of the ,california ,state ,telegraph ,company4 ,the line in a few months was carried to the ,skeena river4 ,meanwhile ,mr4 ,serge ,abasa1 a ,russian gentleman who had entered the service of the ,western ,union ,company1 was despatched to the ,asiatic coast between the mouth of the ,amoor and ,behring ,strait4 ,mr4 ,abasa reported1 ,january #ah1 #ahff3--8;,inform the directors1 the entire extent between ,anadyr and ,okhotsk district has been surveyed1 but the route of the line has been determined by me in person1 and notwithstanding the scarcity of laborers in the country1 ,i have commenced preparatory works in ,anudirsk1 ,jijiginsk1 ,yamsk1 ,taousk and ,okhotsk40 ,in the midst of all this enthusiasm1 however1 the ,great ,eastern1 at the docks of an ,english harbor was having a cable coiled in her immense hold for another attempt to lay a submarine line between ,europe and ,america4 ,when it was announced that at last victory had come1 and that the continents were speaking to each other with easy garrulity1 the overland line was abandoned4 ,it was a question of two thousand miles of cable against sixteen thousand miles of land line1 half of which was along an uninhabited coast4 ,the advantage of the cable was too palpable2 orders were1 therefore1 issued recalling the men4 ,already some eight hundred and fifty miles of line had been built1 and was in operation between ,new ,westminster1 ,b4,c41 and the ,skeena ,river4 ,the ,united ,states ,government were duly notified of the stoppage of the work by the ,western ,union ,telegraph ,company1 to which the ,secretary of ,state wrote the following reply3-- ,i am not one of those who have been disappointed by the complete and magnificent success of the ,international ,atlantic ,telegraph4 ,i regard it as tributary to an expansion of our national commerce1 and ultimately to our political institutions1 both of which are important forces in the progress of civilization4 ,i would not have the ,atlantic become dumb again if thereby ,i could immediately secure the success of the ,inter-,continental ,pacific enterprise which was committed into your hands4 ,nevertheless1 ,i confess to a profound disappointment in the suspension of the latter enterprise4 ,i admit that the reasons you have assigned for the suspension seem to be irresistible4 ,on the other hand1 ,i abate no jot of my former estimate of the importance of the ,inter-,continental ,pacific ,telegraph4 ,i do not believe that the ,united ,states and ,russia have given their faith to each other and to the world for the prosecution of that great enterprise in vain4 ,w4 ,h4 ,,seward4 ,the loss was very great to the enterprising company who had undertaken the responsibility1 but everything was paid up without a murmur4 ,the sum expended amounted to #c1agj1bib4 ,that the ,western ,union was enabled to defray this enormous expenditure without in any way impairing its stock value or credit proved the solidity of the ,company even at that period of its history4 ,the friendly intercourse between the ,american and ,russian authorities in connection with their telegraph project was1 no doubt1 the direct cause of the subsequent negotiations between the two ,governments for the sale and purchase of ,alaska1 the advantages of which the astute ,secretary of ,state1 ,mr4 ,seward1 became cognizant1 and finally consummated the transfer of that territory from ,russia to the great ,republic4 ,in the early days of telegraph enterprise the necessity soon became evident that1 in order to provide the requisite facilities for public convenience and for the economical employment of capital1 the consolidation of the many struggling companies was self-evident4 ,this policy has been carried out effectually by the ,western ,union ,telegraph ,company1 which gradually absorbed by lease or purchase upwards of fifty concerns from the date of its organization at ,rochester1 ,n4,y41 to the removal of its offices to ,new ,york4 ,in #ahff this ,company had virtually absorbed all rival and opposing companies of any importance4 ,the commanding position reached by the ,western ,union in #ahff1 with its growing ramifications covered by #ge1jjj miles of wire1 has steadily advanced until the present4 ,it embraces in its great system over #a1jjj1jjj miles of wire1 over #bc1ejj separate offices1 two atlantic cables1 a cable to ,cuba with connections throughout the ,west ,indies1 and close direct connections with all parts of ,south ,america4 ,in ,canada the ,great ,northwestern ,telegraph ,company1 which leased the ,montreal and ,dominion ,telegraph ,companies1 is controlled by the ,western ,union ,telegraph ,company4 ,so also is the ,nova ,scotia and ,new ,brunswick ,telegraph ,companies4 ,in #ahgb1 six years after its reorganization1 the ,western ,union owned in ,pole mileage4 ,wire mileage4 #fb1jcc #acg1aij ,in #ahhb #aca1jfj #cgd1cfh 0 #ahib #ahi1egf #gci1aje 0 #aijb #aif1aae #a1jbi1ihd ,in #ahgb it had #e1bcg offices 0 #ahhb 0 #ab1jfh 0 0 #ahib 0 #bj1gjj 0 0 #aijb 0 #bc1efg 0 ,in #ahgb it transmitted #ab1ddd1dig messages 0 #ahhb 0 0 #ch1hdb1bdg 0 0 #ahib 0 0 #fb1chg1bih 0 0 #aijb 0 0 #fi1cgc1jie 0 ,in #ahgb its receipts were #h1deg1jie #gg 0 #ahhb 0 0 #ag1aad1afe #ib 0 #ahib 0 0 #bc1gjf1djd #gb 0 #aijb 0 0 #bh1jgc1jie #aj ,in #aijb1 #b1ejf miles of poles and #eg1bah miles of wires 7of which #bh1gfg miles were copper7 and #cbi offices have been added to its system4 ,the increase in the number of messages transmitted in #aijb over #aija was #c1gag1hcd4 ,this increase does not include messages sent by brokers1 press association and others over wires they lease from the ,company1 nor railway messages under contracts4 ,the receipts for the transmission of regular commercial messages increased in #aijb over the previous year #a1cdh1eca4cd and from leased wires #dea1gdi4fd4 ,the maintenance and reconstruction of this enormous system cost the ,company in #aijb #c1eia1jfi4ag1 and #b1ahh1aja4jc were expended in the construction of new lines during the same year4 ,through the re-arrangement of the operating forces and substitution of direct working circuits for repeating or relay offices a reduction of #chh1gdf has been effected and the service besides greatly improved4 ,in #aijc contracts were made early in that year with various railway companies for the building of #af1hjj miles of line4 ,the capital stock of the ,company is #ajj1jjj1jjj1 on which a dividend of #e per cent4 per annum is paid1 payable quarterly4 ,the ,company has had the good fortune to have secured men of conspicuous ability to direct its affairs from its inception to the present time4 ,,the ,,postal ,,telegraph ,,cable ,,company4 ,this ,company was organized in #ahha4 ,its original promoters expected by the use of compound steel and copper wire of large size and the use of the ,leggo-automatic and ,gray-harmonic apparatus to transmit a large volume of business by the use of so few wires and at such a speed that a uniform and low rate would produce a revenue sufficient to justify a capitalization largely in excess of the cost of the plant4 ,the name postal was chosen upon the theory that the new plan of construction and method of transmission would bring the property into extensive use in competition with or perhaps as an auxiliary of the ,post-,office department4 ,how far the purpose of the founders was speculative need not now be considered4 ,probably some of them were sincere in their beliefs1 but they were ignorant of the telegraph business1 and the fallacy of their plan was soon demonstrated4 ,in order to help a friend1 who had become largely involved in the bonds of the ,company1 ,mr4 ,john ,w4 ,mackay found himself in control of the property in #ahhd4 ,he had in the meantime been induced to interest himself in the organization of a new cable service between ,great ,britain1 ,france and the ,united ,states1 of which1 through the failure of some of those who were to join in the enterprise1 he also came into control4 ,having 8put his hand to the plow10 so to speak1 although the business was wholly new to him1 he was not the man to turn back1 and the more he examined the merit of the business itself1 the better satisfied he became that1 if it could be properly conducted in its details and the complicated and chaotic condition of the numerous comparatively small1 but ruinously competing land line companies could be brought into right form and order1 a successful and in every way creditable business worthy of the employment of his ample resources could be built up4 ,when the ,western ,union ,company1 early in #ahha1 under the leadership of ,mr4 ,jay ,gould1 acquired control of the ,atlantic ,pacific1 the ,american ,union and the combined ,canadian telegraphs1 and formed an alliance with the cable companies1 it then seemed as if competition in the telegraph business had come to an end1 and many of its ablest men were of that opinion1 but by the end of #ahhd more extensive and more injurious competition had been built up in the ,united ,states than had ever existed before1 and the possibility of bringing order out of such chaos seemed remote1 but ,mr4 ,mackay was not discouraged4 ,early in #ahhd he secured the services of ,mr4 ,george ,g4 ,ward1 who had been brought up in the business of the telegraph in ,england1 and had been in the service of the cable companies almost from their inception1 and was ,superintendent of the ,direct ,united ,states ,cable ,company from #ahge to #ahhc4 ,under his direction the first of the ,commercial ,cable ,company's cables was completed in ,december1 #ahhd4 ,early in that month ,mr4 ,albert ,b4 ,chandler entered ,mr4 ,mackay's personal service1 having been assured of his purpose to permanently establish a telegraph system upon sound and just principles respecting which they were in full accord4 ,mr4 ,chandler had served in almost every capacity known to the telegraph business1 from operator in #aheh to ,president in #ahgi1 and had won the confidence of proprietors of telegraph property1 of their officials and employees1 and the public as a practical1 energetic and conservative manager4 ,under his guidance as receiver1 the mortgage which had been placed upon the property of the ,postal ,telegraph ,company under complete misapprehension of its earning power1 was foreclosed4 ,the ,postal ,telegraph ,cable ,company1 of which he became ,president and ,general ,manager early in #ahhf1 was organized4 ,extremely complicated and vexatious litigation1 chiefly a legacy from the smaller companies1 was gradually removed1 and when1 near the close of #ahhg1 the various fragmentary companies had been acquired by either the ,western ,union or the ,postal ,companies1 competition1 based upon the cutting of rates1 rebates and other wasteful practices which could only end in destruction1 was promptly terminated by the competing companies4 ,since then the telegraph business has been carried on in the ,united ,states in a more business-like and progressive manner than ever before4 ,there is so little friction between the two companies apparent to the public1 that it is sometimes charged1 or at least suspected1 they are in actual alliance1 but such is not the case4 ,competition for patronage was never so sharp as now1 but it is based upon excellence of facilities and service and treatment of patrons1 and not upon any form of buying patronage with money1 which has proven the ruin of so many companies whose chief purpose seemed to be to do the most harm in the shortest time1 in order to sell or lease their property for more than it was fairly worth4 ,probably no two men ever had more complete control of large interests not their own during their formative period than has been the case of ,mr4 ,chandler and ,mr4 ,ward in their respective positions1 and to ,mr4 ,mackay's implicit confidence in them may be attributed much of the success that has been attained by the ,commercial ,cable and ,postal ,telegraph ,companies1 which are now practically one property4 ,most of the principal officers of these companies have been brought to their present positions by these gentlemen1 and the business is conducted with singular harmony and efficiency4 ,mr4 ,mackay1 who was from its inception ,president of the ,commercial ,cable ,company1 assumed also the ,presidency of the ,postal ,company early in #aija at the earnest request of ,mr4 ,chandler1 who desired to be relieved1 partly by reason of somewhat impaired health1 and partly because of his preference to spend much of his time in his ,vermont home4 ,upon his retirement from active charge1 he was made ,chairman of the ,board of ,directors1 and in this capacity renders a variety of services and exercises as a useful influence4 ,he is still1 as he has been for many years1 a ,vice-,president of the ,commercial ,cable ,company1 of which ,mr4 ,ward continues as first ,vice-,president and ,general ,manager4 ,mr4 ,clarence ,h4 ,mackay has succeeded his father as ,president of the ,commercial ,cable and ,postal ,telegraph ,companies1 and entered with great pride and energy into the project of laying a cable to ,hawaii and the ,philippine ,islands as projected by his father4 ,these very important links in the circuit round the globe adds further power and opportunity to the ,postal ,company1 whose activity seems now to have fairly begun1 and being laid upon sound foundations of finance1 construction and methods of business is evidently destined to continue an increasing success4 ,the following figures show the pole and wire mileage1 number of offices operated or reached1 and number of messages handled in #aijc by the ,postal ,telegraph ,cable ,company1 its subsidiary companies and direct connections in ,north ,america3 ,pole mileage #dh1hja ,wire 0 #bgf1bdd ,points reached #ai1igg;,a ,messages handled #ba1fjj1egg ,number of new offices added in #aijc #c1gbi ,a #a1ghb of these are reached by no other company4 ,the properties in the ,united ,states owned and controlled by the ,postal ,company represent an investment in lines and equipment aggregating about #be1jjj1jjj4 ,in order to perpetuate the name of his father1 the virtual founder of the ,commercial ,cable and ,postal ,telegraph ,companies1 ,mr4 ,clarence ,h4 ,mackay1 ,president of the ,united ,companies1 recently addressed a circular letter to the stockholders inviting the deposit of their stock for exchange for shares in a trusteeship created under the ,massachusetts laws with the name of 8,the ,mackay ,companies40 ,the capitalization of the ,commercial ,cable ,company1 which also owns the ,postal ,telegraph and ,cable ,company1 is #ae1jjj1jjj1 upon which #h per cent4 dividends are paid4 8,the ,mackay ,companies0 has authorized for exchange for this stock #cj1jjj1jjj par value of its own #d per cent4 cumulative preferred shares and a like amount of common shares1 so that each stockholder in the ,cable ,company will receive for his holdings #bjj per cent4 in the common shares of the new concern4 ,the ,trustees are ,clarence ,h4 ,mackay1 ,john ,i4 ,waterbury1 ,president of the ,manhattan ,trust ,company of ,new ,york2 ,t4 ,jefferson ,coolidge1 jun41 ,president of the ,old ,colony ,trust ,company of ,boston1 both directors of the ,commercial ,cable ,company1 and ,mr4 ,w4 ,cook1 ,counsel to the ,company4 ,the plan is practically consummated4 ,mr4 ,mackay said in reply to an enquiry that this action on his part was the outcome of his desire to put on a permanent basis the properties created by his father1 and to provide for all contingencies that might arise from death or changes in commercial conditions4 ,he will continue to devote his entire time to the active management of the ,company4 ,the ,commercial ,cable ,company owns and operates four transatlantic cable lines and its connecting lines between ,nova ,scotia and ,new ,york1 and ,ireland and ,france1 in all some fourteen thousand miles of cable1 with also the cable from ,san ,francisco to ,honolulu and thence to the ,philippines4 ,the ,mackay system has an exclusive connection with the ,canadian ,pacific telegraphs and with the all red cable line to ,australia and ,new ,zealand4 ,,the ,,associated ,,press ,,of ,,america4 7,london ,daily ,express47 ,with the evolution of the ,united ,states into a world power there has grown up across the ,atlantic the greatest news-gathering agency ever imagined or created1 whose despatches are momentarily being read by nearly half a hundred million people1 and upon which ,europe itself is sometimes dependent for the first word or whisper of what has happened within her own gates4 ,the name of the agency which supplies ,america with its news is the ,associated ,press4 ,startling in its scope1 romantic in its history1 the ,associated ,press has now1 probably1 more influence upon daily international events than any other agent1 except the will of the peoples1 which it helps to form4 ,sixty years ago1 when ,america was in industrial and political childhood1 its papers depended for news upon ,associated ,press post-boys1 who1 after meeting incoming schooners at ,new ,york1 rode hot haste1 or leisurely1 according to the character of the rider and nature of the beast1 to the various papers inland4 ,to-day the ,associated ,press sends over #ca1jjj miles of private telegraph lines1 which form a network across the continent of ,america1 thousands and thousands of columns1 supplying about #c1jjj ,american papers with news of what is happening from minute to minute in ,america and abroad4 ,,network ,,of ,,wires4 ,in addition1 the ,associated ,press keeps ,europe and the rest of the world informed of the news of the great ,republic1 gathered and distributed by over #b1jjj employees1 who are supported on an annual revenue of over half a million sterling4 ,the ,associated ,press was started about #ahdj1 when seven of the ,new ,york daily papers combined to reduce the expense of news by post-boys4 ,the organization at present consists of over #gjj of the leading ,american daily papers4 ,each paper has a vote whereby fifteen directors are elected4 ,these in turn elect officers4 ,through contract relations #b1cjj other papers are granted the ,associated ,press ,news service1 making a total of #c1jjj out of the #c1bjj daily papers published in ,america4 ,these #c1jjj papers have a daily issue of #ae1jjj1jjj1 and each paper is estimated by an impartial statistician to pass through the hands of three persons2 hence it is estimated that every despatch sent by the ,associated ,press reaches #de1jjj pairs of eyes4 ,the ,associated ,press is not in itself a profit-making concern1 being purely co-operative1 and has nothing whatever to do with any advertising4 ,its papers1 which include those of all languages1 creeds and politics1 are assessed according to the expenditure involved in gathering and distributing the home and foreign news4 ,over its own telegraph wires the ,associated ,press sends through its own telegraph operators1 east1 west1 north and south1 the news of the moment4 ,,some ,,quick ,,work4 ,this is received in its branch offices in all the important towns throughout the ,united ,states1 and transmitted to the papers4 ,the result of last year's ,derby was in the ,new ,york office of the ,associated ,press1 nearly #c1jjj miles away1 twenty-five seconds after 8,rock ,sand0 had passed the winning post1 and was published in ,san ,francisco1 about #g1jjj miles from ,epsom1 two minutes afterwards4 ,interesting as is this system whereby the news of ,america and the outside world is simultaneously distributed to the ,american papers--a system of mechanical ingenuity and organization that would require several columns to describe adequately--it must be almost of secondary importance to ,english readers compared with the influence wielded by this ,american news agency over matters ,british and ,european4 ,the ,associated ,press has treaty relations with the three great ,european news agencies1 viz41 ,reuter's1 which supplies ,great ,britain1 ,greater ,britain1 all the ,british possessions1 ,egypt and the ,far ,east1 except ,tonquin1 with their news4 ,havas1 which covers the newsfield of ,france1 and through its subsidiary agencies all the ,latin countries1 including ,south ,america2 and ,wolff's1 which from ,berlin controls and distributes the news of ,germany and all the ,teutonic countries1 and1 through allies1 the news of ,russia1 ,austria-,hungary1 the ,slav countries1 ,scandinavia and ,danish territory4 ,these three ,european agencies in turn rely upon tributary agencies such as the ,telbureau1 in ,st4 ,petersburg2 the ,stefani1 in ,rome2 the ,fabrin1 in ,madrid1 and the ,corresponz1 in ,vienna--all official voices of ,government opinion4 ,,no ,,sales ,,in ,,england4 ,these ,european agencies and their tributaries constitute one great clearing-house of news4 ,havas gathers the news of ,france primarily into ,paris2 thence it radiates throughout the world3 to ,reuter for ,england1 to the ,associated ,press for ,america1 to ,stefani for ,italy1 and so on4 ,in this way a budget comprising the news of the world appears day by day4 ,not content with receiving for its papers the news of ,europe through the agencies already mentioned1 the ,associated ,press has established in practically all the ,european capitals1 bureaus of its own4 ,in ,london the ,associated ,press keeps a large staff1 though no attempt is made to sell a single item of news to ,english papers4 ,all their work is to gather news and send it to ,america4 ,in ,london the staff of the ,associated ,press1 as it is familiarly called1 is under the direct supervision of ,mr4 ,walter ,neef1 who is in charge of the entire ,european service4 ,the correspondents resident on the continent are in close touch with the ,chancelleries1 and are welcomed at their respective ,foreign ,offices with a kindness that speaks eloquently for the friendship these ,european nations are willing to offer to ,america4 ,the first news of the arbitration treaty that sealed the ,anglo-,french 8entente0 was cabled to ,new ,york by the ,associated ,press from ,paris1 and re-cabled to ,london1 where it was promptly denied by no less an authority than the ,times4 ,the first news of the recent ,anglo-,spanish treaty came to ,england from the ,associated ,press in ,new ,york1 having been cabled from its ,london office4 ,when ,martinique was devastated by a volcanic eruption1 which included among its victims the correspondent of the ,associated ,press at ,st4 ,pierre1 the ,fort de ,france representative called on ,mr4 ,melville ,e4 ,stone1 the ,general ,manager1 then in ,new ,york1 for assistance4 ,mr4 ,stone promptly placed a steamer at his service1 and the other correspondents of the ,associated ,press in places of danger were rescued1 and lived to tell to the world the story of that hideous visitation4 ,this cost the ,associated ,press about #e1jjj1 and that is the sum it usually expends on the international yacht races for the ,america ,cup1 which are reported for ,england and ,america by correspondents and half a dozen special boats equipped with wireless telegraphic instruments4 ,when ,pope ,leo died1 ,london1 ,paris1 ,berlin and other ,european capitals got the first intimation of his death from ,new ,york4 ,the ,associated ,press correspondent in ,rome had telegraphed the news on which all the world waited1 and it had arrived in ,america exactly nine minutes after having been sent out from the ,vatican1 which is nearly two miles from the central telegraphic office in ,rome4 ,this gave the ,associated ,press time to re-cable the news to ,europe before it had arrived from another source4 ,on that day the ,associated ,press published in its ,american papers over one page of closely printed description of the events centering round the ,vatican1 all of which was cabled from ,rome after #d o'clock on the preceding afternoon4 ,when ,cardinal ,sarto was elected ,pope1 the news again came to ,europe in the same way--from the ,associated ,press office in ,new ,york4 ,the decision of the ,alaska ,boundary ,commission was cabled by the ,associated ,press to ,new ,york and ,canada on a ,saturday1 and re-cabled back to ,england for the ,sunday papers1 though it was not officially announced in ,london until the following ,tuesday4 ,to come to still more recent events1 the news of the transmission of ,russia's final note to ,japan was received in ,london from the ,st4 ,petersburg correspondent of the ,associated ,press via ,new ,york1 while despatches from the same agency announced in ,america the rupture of diplomatic relations and the practical outbreak of war as early as ,saturday afternoon on ,february #f4 ,a ,,managerial ,,genius4 ,mr4 ,melville ,e4 ,stone1 the ,general ,manager and presiding genius of the ,associated ,press1 whose indomitable 8grit0--as they say in ,america--was the chief factor in the victory won when the ,associated ,press fought for five years for supremacy in ,america1 has recently paid a flying visit to ,england1 after being received by the ,czar in ,st4 ,petersburg and by the ,kaiser in ,berlin4 ,several other crowned heads have been pleased to consult with ,mr4 ,stone1 who naturally is one of the most prominent of ,americans4 ,he has been decorated by the ,king of ,italy1 the ,president of the ,french ,republic1 and the ,kaiser4 ,as a result of ,mr4 ,stone's personal suggestion1 the ,czar has removed the censorship on all news that leaves ,russia for abroad4 ,in a few hours the head of the ,american news agency was able to convince the ,ruler of ,all the ,russias that the censorship was not only useless1 but absolutely harmful to the ,empire4 ,the tradition of centuries has been swept away1 and1 on the word of the ,czar1 all the world will be free to have the individual opinions of correspondents who may care to come into ,russian domain4 ,no country is likely to benefit more by this decision of the ,czar than ,russia itself2 no public is likely to be more slow to realize the genuineness of the change than that of ,europe4 ,the extent of the revolution effected can scarcely be gauged except by those who know ,russia well4 ,when asked the other day to what principles this ,american news agency owed its ascendancy in the world1 ,mr4 ,stone laconically replied3 8,accuracy of statement and speed in transmission40 ,of such is the ,associated ,press of ,america4 ,illustration3 ,s4 ,f4 ,b4 ,,morse4 ,,prof4 ,s4 ,f4 ,b4 ,,morse4 ,born ,april #bg1 #agia1 at ,charleston1 ,mass4 ,his father1 the ,rev4 ,jedediah ,morse1 author of the well-known book entitled 8,american ,geography0 and compiler of the 8,universal ,gazette40 ,his mother was ,elizabeth ,ann ,breese4 ,at seven years of age young ,morse entered the preparatory school at ,andover1 ,mass41 and at #ad the ,freshman ,class at ,yale1 graduating in #ahaj4 ,the faculty which first developed in him was the artistic4 ,he provided himself with brush and paint and commenced taking on ivory the portraits of his more opulent companions4 ,he found in painting an inspiration1 and selected it as his chosen profession4 ,he placed himself under the tutelage of ,washington ,allston1 one of ,america's famous artists1 who encouraged him in the choice he had made4 ,he accompanied ,allston to ,europe in #ahaa1 bearing introductions to some of ,england's most distinguished men4 ,benjamin ,west was then in the zenith of his fame4 ,it was a proud day for ,morse when he met ,west and was welcomed to his studio4 ,a mutual attachment sprang up between them1 and ,west became thereafter his friend and counsellor4 ,meanwhile ,west's friendship and the introductory letters he had brought with him introduced him to men of influence and reputation4 ,some of their names are historic4 ,it was something for a young man to meet such men as ,william ,wilberforce and ,henry ,thornton1 ,zacharias ,mac,cauley1 father of the great historian1 ,lord ,glenelg and many others1 all of whom gave a warm and cordial welcome4 ,mr4 ,morse's instincts were refined and his companionships choice4 ,he had for his room-mate in ,london the gifted ,leslie1 then1 like himself1 struggling for fame in a sublime art4 ,for companions he had such men as ,benjamin ,west1 ,copley1 ,allston1 ,coleridge1 ,rogers1 ,charles ,lamb and others famous in art and literature4 ,he wrote thus to his mother in #ahab3 8,my passion for my art is firmly rooted1 that ,i am confident2 no human power could destroy it4 ,the more ,i study the greater ,i think is its claim to the appellation of divine4 ,i am going to begin a picture of the death of ,hercules4 ,the figure is to be large as life40 ,the picture when finished was shown to ,west who warmly praised it1 and in ,may1 #ahac1 it was accepted for exhibition in the rooms of the ,royal ,academy1 at ,somerset ,house1 then regarded as a very marked token of favor4 ,a new and unexpected triumph grew out of this painting4 ,in executing it he pursued the plan of conscientious artists who first model in clay the figure to be painted in order to ensure strict anatomical proportions and accuracy4 ,this cast1 to which he attached no special value1 was seen by ,west1 and was induced through his kind criticism to send this model to the ,society of ,arts in competition for a prize in sculpture4 ,this venture proved successful1 and was publicly presented with the annual prize and a gold medal by the ,duke of ,norfolk4 ,in the ,british ,art ,reports the 8,dying ,hercules0 is placed among the nine best paintings in a gallery of nearly one thousand1 and among them the works of ,turner1 ,northcote1 ,lawrence and ,wilkie4 ,when young ,morse went to ,europe he was dependent to some extent upon his father for his resources4 ,he was to be away three years4 ,it was now #ahae1 one year longer than his limit1 but he was ambitious and felt he had the power within him4 ,he determined to compete for the chief prize offered by the ,royal ,academy for a subject he had chosen1 8,the ,judgment of ,jupiter in the case of ,apollo1 ,marpessa and ,idas40 ,the prize was a gold medal and fifty guineas4 ,the picture was completed1 and hoping he would be allowed to compete in his absence1 he offered it for that purpose to ,west1 who1 struck with its merits1 advised him to stay1 but this he could not do1 and the rules cut him off4 ,the premium had to be delivered to the successful artist in person4 ,a petition to make his case an exception was declined1 and 8,jupiter0 went with its author to ,america4 ,he arrived in ,boston1 ,oct4 #ah1 and1 without delay1 rented a studio4 ,he had his 8,jupiter0 on exhibition1 and his own fame had preceded him4 ,many crowded the studio to see both the artist and the painting4 ,society opened its doors1 but this was all4 ,no one offered to buy his picture or give him an order in the line of high art he had marked out for himself4 ,after various experiences ,mr4 ,morse settled in ,new ,york1 founding the ,national ,academy of the ,arts of ,design1 of which in #ahbg he became ,president1 and to which office he was annually elected until #ahde4 ,he delivered the first course of lectures on the fine arts ever delivered in ,america1 and they were notable for suggestiveness and learning4 ,as an historical painter ,morse stood next to ,allston4 ,had the country demanded art of a very high order it is probable that ,morse would have engaged his attention as an historical painter1 but the nation was too young1 knew little of art and cared less4 ,morse was honored1 but his art kept him poor4 ,he longed1 however1 too1 for the opportunity to try his power on some national work4 ,he conceived the idea of painting the interior of ,representatives ,chamber in the ,capital at ,washington1 and devoted eighteen months to this4 ,the picture measured eight feet by nine1 and contained a great variety of figures4 ,its exhibition1 however1 caused him serious loss4 ,the painting is in the possession of the ,president of the ,arts of ,design in ,new ,york4 ,he painted a picture of ,general ,lafayette1 who was at the time in the ,united ,states1 and with whom he by this means formed a warm friendship4 ,in #ahbi he again visited ,europe1 spending three years among artists and collectors of art in ,england1 ,italy and ,france4 ,in ,paris he painted the interior of the ,louvre1 copying in miniature the chief pictures hanging on its walls4 ,in the fall of #ahcb he returned to ,america and resumed the ,presidency of the ,academy of ,design1 to which he was regularly elected annually during his absence4 ,when an artist was employed to fill with a picture one of the vacant panels in the rotunda of the ,capitol1 ,american artists1 without exception1 considered ,morse best entitled to the honor1 but great disappointment was felt when another was selected4 ,it was on his return from ,europe on board the packet-ship 8,sully0 the idea of the electric telegraph engaged his attention1 but it occupied many years of his time to bring it to practical shape4 ,he would have accomplished this much earlier had he not been hampered from lack of means4 ,when his invention was matured and its usefulness perceived and applied1 he was fortunate enough at last to reap the reward of many years of struggle and anxiety he had undergone4 ,on ,june #e1 #ahef1 with the telegraph established in ,america1 he again left for ,europe4 ,in ,london he met with great joy his artist friends3 ,west1 ,landsear1 ,leslie and many others distinguished in science and art1 all of whom warmly congratulated him on the brilliant career which had been opened up to him4 ,in their estimation he had honored in this new realm the old art which he loved and elevated4 ,morse's development from an artist into an inventor was to them no marvel4 ,he was still giving utterance to natural forces as when a few years before he combined his colors on canvass and produced his 8,hercules40 ,after enjoying for a time this pleasant reunion with his old friends in ,london1 he also met and consulted with the ,english electricians1 ,glass1 ,bright1 ,whitehouse and others in respect to the proposed ,atlantic cable in which experiments were then being made as to its possibility4 ,he then left for the continent4 ,on his arrival at ,copenhagen1 whither he first directed his course1 he was introduced to ,frederick ,,vii4 ,king of ,denmark1 who1 with his ,court1 received him with every mark of honor4 ,there he visited the study chamber of ,oersted1 whose discovery of the reflection of a needle by a galvanic current was the dawning fact which eventually made his invention possible4 ,continuing his journey to ,russia1 he found on arriving at the quay at ,peterhoff the ,imperial carriages with their usual retinue of footmen wearing the ,royal livery in waiting4 ,by these he and his party were driven to the ,imperial ,palace1 where1 with every demonstration of respect1 he was received by the ,emperor ,alexander ,,ii41 by whom he was most kindly congratulated as one of the world's benefactors4 ,he next proceeded to ,berlin4 ,here he was received with great cordiality by ,humboldt1 who welcomed him to his house and treated him during his stay with every mark of respect4 ,at his departure the great author of ,cosmos presented him with an ,imperial photograph of himself1 on the margin of which he wrote3 8,to ,mr4 ,s4 ,f4 ,b4 ,morse1 whose philosophic and useful labors have rendered his name illustrious in two worlds4 ,the homage of the high and affectionate esteem of ,,alexander ,,humboldt40 ,this memorial of one so great and gifted he greatly valued and carefully preserved4 ,prussia1 about the same time1 presented to him the ,prussian golden medal for scientific merit4 ,after passing through many places of interest in ,europe1 in all of which he was received with distinguished honor1 ,professor ,morse returned to ,london the latter part of ,september1 #ahef4 ,the public at that time were much interested in the subject of the proposed submarine telegraph connection with ,america4 ,a plateau extending across the bed of the ocean between the two continents had been discovered under a survey conducted by ,lieutenant ,maury for the ,united ,states ,government1 and which was regarded as extremely favorable for the projected enterprise4 ,professor ,morse1 in concert with ,mr4 ,whitehouse and ,mr4 ,bright1 the ,english electricians1 conducted a series of experiments and sent signals through #b1jjj miles of insulated wire4 ,these experiments removed any apprehension respecting the retardation of the electric current over this long length of wire4 ,it now became a question of capital and nautical engineering4 ,the first was quickly pledged1 the latter was not doubted4 ,while in ,london thus occupied1 ,professor ,morse was tendered a banquet1 which he promptly accepted4 ,the dinner was given ,oct4 #i1 #ahef4 ,the ,chairman was ,mr4 ,fothergill ,cooke1 who1 in presenting the guest of the evening1 used the following language3-- 8,gentlemen1 ,i was consulted only a few months ago on the subject of a telegraph for a country in which no telegraph at present exists4 8,i recommended the system of ,professor ,morse4 ,i believe that system to be one of the simplest in the world1 and in that lies its permanence and certainty4 7,cheers47 ,it is a great thing to say1 and ,i do so after twenty years' experience1 that ,professor ,morse's system is one of the simplest that has ever been1 and ,i think ever will be1 conceived4 7,cheers47 ,he stands alone in ,america as the original and carrier-out of a grand conception4 8,we know that ,america is an enormous country1 but ,i think we have a right to quarrel with ,mr4 ,morse for not being content with giving the benefit of it to his country1 but that he extended it to ,canada and ,newfoundland1 and even beyond there4 ,his system has been adopted over all ,europe4 8,the nuisance is that we in ,england are obliged to communicate by means of his system1 and he threatens to go further still1 and promises1 if we do not1 he will carry out a communication between ,england and ,newfoundland across the ,atlantic4 8,i almost envy ,professor ,morse for having forced from an unwilling rival a willing acknowledgment of his services4 8,may he long live to enjoy the high reputation he has attained throughout the world40 7,long continued cheers47 ,other speeches equally complimentary followed4 ,it was on the day of this banquet ,mr4 ,morse received from ,paris the announcement that the ,emperor ,napoleon ,,iii4 had made him a ,chevalier of the ,legion of ,honor4 ,martin ,farquhar ,tupper sent him a few days afterwards the following lines referring to the banquet3 8,a good and generous spirit ruled the hour1 ,old jealousies were drowned in brotherhood1 ,philanthropy rejoiced that skill and power1 ,servants to science1 compass all men's good4 8,and over all religions banner stood ,upheld by thee1 true patriarch of the plans ,which in two hemispheres was chimed1 to shower ,mercies from ,god on universal man4 8,yes1 the electric chain from ,east to ,west1 ,more than mere metal1 more than mammon1 can ,binds us together1 kinsmen in the best ,as most affectionate and frankest bond1 ,brothers as one1 and looking far beyond1 ,the world in an electric union blest40 ,although the ,morse telegraph had been generally adopted in continental ,europe1 no compensation had hitherto been paid to the inventor4 ,professor ,morse1 therefore1 was much gratified in receiving the following letter while in ,paris3 8,,ministry ,,of ,,foreign ,,affairs4 8,,paris1 ,september #a1 #aheh4 8,sir1--,it is with a lively satisfaction that ,i have the honor to announce to you that a sum of #djj1jjj francs will be remitted to you in four annuities in the name of ,france1 of ,austria1 of ,belgium1 of the ,netherlands1 of ,piedmont1 of ,russia1 of the ,holy ,see1 of ,sweden1 of ,tuscany and of ,turkey1 as an honorary gratuity1 and as a reward altogether personal of your useful labors4 8,nothing can better mark1 than this collective act of reward1 the sentiment of public gratitude which your invention has justly excited4 8,the ,emperor has already given you a testimonial of his high esteem1 when he conferred on you1 more than a year ago1 the decoration of a ,chevalier of the ,legion of ,honor4 8,you will find a new mark of it in the initiative1 which ,his ,majesty wished that his ,government should take in conjunction1 and the decision that ,i charge myself to bring to your knowledge1 is a brilliant proof of the eager and sympathetic adhesion that his proposition has met with from the ,states ,i have just enumerated4 8,i pray you to accept on this occasion1 sir1 my personal congratulations as well as the assurance of my sentiments of the most distinguished consideration4 ,s4 ,,walewski40 ,professor ,morse1 in addition to this handsome gratuity1 received tokens of honor from each of the contributing nationalities3-- ,from ,france1 the ,legion of ,honor2 ,prussia1 the ,gold ,medal of ,scientific ,merit2 ,austria1 a gold medal2 ,spain1 ,knight ,commander de ,numero of the ,order of ,isabella the ,catholic2 ,portugal1 ,knight of the ,tower and ,sword2 ,italy1 ,saints ,lazaro and ,mauritis2 ,denmark1 ,knight of the ,danneborg2 ,turkey1 decoration in diamonds of the 8,nisham ,iftichar10 or ,order of ,glory4 ,he was also the recipient of many other marks of honor of a more private character4 ,as early as #ahce ,mr4 ,morse was elected a corresponding member of the ,historical ,institute of ,france4 ,in #ahcg he was made a member of the ,royal ,academy of ,fine ,arts of ,belgium4 ,july #ae1 #ahci1 the ,silver ,medal of the ,academy of ,industry was voted to him for the invention of the telegraph4 ,the ,national ,institute for the promotion of science1 established at ,washington1 made him a corresponding member in #ahda1 and in #ahdb the ,gold ,medal of the ,american ,institute was awarded him for successful experiments in subaqueous telegraphy4 ,in #ahde he was made a corresponding member of the ,archeological ,society in ,belgium1 and in #ahdh he became a member of the ,american ,philosophical ,society of ,philadelphia4 ,the following year he was elected a ,fellow of the ,american ,academy of ,arts and ,sciences1 ,boston4 ,many other tokens of honor was accorded him from time to time4 ,while in ,paris in #ahfg1 the year of the ,international ,exposition1 ,professor ,morse served on the ,committee of ,telegraphic ,appliances1 and wrote an exhaustive report on the merits of telegraphic contrivances4 ,he also prepared with great minuteness a complete narrative of his own inventions4 ,covered with honors1 and having long overstepped the three score years and ten1 ,professor ,morse returned to ,america and arrived at his rural home in ,poughkeepsie1 ,n4,y41 where he was affectionately welcomed by friends and neighbors4 ,shortly after his return a number of influential and representative gentlemen of ,new ,york felt that something should be done by his fellow countrymen to honor the distinguished inventor and welcome him home4 ,he was tendered a banquet1 which was held at ,delmonico's on ,dec4 #cj1 #ahfh4 ,the banqueting room was beautifully decorated the chair being occupied by the ,hon4 ,salmon ,p4 ,chase4 ,after the dinner the toasts to the ,queen of ,great ,britain and the ,army and ,navy had been responded to by ,mr4 ,thornton1 the ,british ,minister1 and ,general ,mc,dowell1 the ,chairman1 said3 8,gentlemen1 you will now allow me to invite your attention to the next regular toast4 ,god has given understanding to man to be employed for ,his glory in promoting the happiness of ,his creatures and in nothing that belongs to earth can the human understanding be more worthily employed than in the researches of science and in the works of invention4 8,science and invention may be called1 perhaps not unfitly1 the creators and servants of civilization4 ,sometimes invention by a sort of intuition of principles has grasped results and seemed to anticipate science4 8,more usually science by the patient investigation of truth and the discovery of principles has prepared the way for the triumph of invention4 ,all invention is realized science1 and this is especially true of the telegraph4 8,i will not fatigue your attention with ancient and modern devices for communicating intelligence at a distance1 but it seems proper to notice here how many men of science1 and of what various nationalities have contributed to that wonderful art and instrument by which the world is now bound in electric chains4 8,many shining names will occur to any one familiar with the history of the telegraph4 ,among them ,i can pause to mention only those of ,volta1 the ,italian1 to whose discoveries the battery is due2 ,oersted1 the ,dane1 who first discovered the magnetic properties of the electric current2 ,ampre and ,arago1 the ,frenchmen who prosecuted still further and most successfully similar researches4 8,then ,sturgeon1 the ,englishman1 who may be said to have made the first electric magnet1 next1 and not least1 illustrious4 ,among these illustrious men1 our countryman1 ,henry1 who first showed the practicability of producing electro-magnetic effects by means of the galvanic current at distances indefinitely great1 and finally ,steinheil1 the ,german1 who1 after the invention of the telegraph in all material parts was complete1 taught1 in #ahcg1 the use of the ground as part of the circuit4 8,these are some of those searchers for truth whose names will be long held in grateful memory1 and not among the least of their titles to gratitude and remembrance will be the discoveries which contributed to the possibility of the modern telegraph4 ,but these discoveries only made the telegraph possible1 they offered the brilliant opportunity4 ,there was needed a man to bring into being the new art and the new interest to which they pointed4 ,and it is the providential distinction and splendid honor of the eminent ,american who is our guest to-night1 that happily prepared by previous acquirements and pursuits4 ,he was quick to seize the opportunity and give to the world the first recording telegraph2 fortunate man1 thus to link his name forever with the greatest wonder and the greatest benefit of the age4 8,but his work was not done when in #ahcb he conceived the idea and devised the plan of the first telegraph4 8,long years of patient labor and constant perseverance were needed to bring the telegraph into use4 ,its first message was not transmitted until #ahdd4 ,even then1 and indeed before that year with something like prophetic inspiration1 he grasped the future and predicted that telegraphic connection between ,europe and ,america1 which it was reserved for another distinguished ,american1 kindred in spirit and kindred in renown and illustrious1 to accomplish4 ,here ,i must pause1 not1 however1 without uniting all your aspirations in the fervent wish that our honored guest may live long and happily to enjoy the applause1 the gratitude and the reverence of mankind1 which he has so honorably won4 8,gentlemen1 ,i now give you #8,our ,guest1' ,prof4 ,s4 ,f4 ,b4 ,morse1 the man of science who explored the laws of nature1 wrested electricity from her embrace and made it a missionary in the cause of human progress40 ,the venerable ,professor then arose amid tumultuous applause4 ,he was laboring under deep feeling1 too strong to be concealed4 ,as he did so the whole company made cheer follow cheer in testimony of their admiration and respect4 ,at last in a clear voice he addressed the company at considerable length1 reciting the history of the telegraph1 and concluding as follows3 8,in casting my eyes around ,i am most agreeably greeted by faces that carry me back in memory to the days of my art struggles in this city1 the early days of the ,national ,academy of ,design4 8,brothers 7for you are yet brothers if ,i have left your ranks71 you well know it cost me many a pang4 ,i did not leave you until ,i saw you well established and entering on that career of prosperity due to your own just appreciation of the important duties belonging to your profession4 8,you have an institution which now holds1 and 7if true to yourselves7 will continue to hold1 a high position in the estimation of this appreciative community4 8,if ,i have stepped aside from art to tread what seems another path1 there is a good precedent for it in the lives of artists4 ,science and art are not opposed4 8,leonardo da ,vinci could find congenial relaxation in scientific researches and invention1 and our own ,fulton was a painter1 whose scientific studies resulted in steam navigation4 8,it may not be generally known that the important invention of the percussion cap is due to the scientific recreations of the ,english painter1 ,shaw2 but ,i must not further detain you from more instructive speech4 ,one word only in closing4 8,i have claimed for ,america the origination of the modern telegraph system of the world2 impartial history1 ,i think1 will support that claim4 8#8,not unto us1 not unto us1 ,but to ,god be the glory ,what hath ,god wrought4'0 ,mr4 ,morse's address was listened to with deep attention1 and greeted at the close with great and continued applause4 ,among the last1 but not the least1 of the honors paid ,professor ,morse1 was the erection of his statue in ,central ,park1 ,new ,york1 by the telegraph operators of the ,united ,states and the ,british provinces4 ,the ceremony of unveiling the monument took place on ,june #aj1 #ahga4 ,many delegates were present from all parts of the country to witness the function4 ,in the evening a reception was held in the ,academy of ,music1 at which the aged inventor was present1 when he bade farewell to 8his children of the telegraph40 ,he did not long survive this event4 ,he passed away full of years and honors on ,april #b1 #ahgb4 ,the ,telegraph in ,canada ,although the electric telegraph system of ,cooke and ,wheatstone had been established as early as #ahcg in ,england1 yet no move was made to adopt it in ,canada4 ,after the ,morse experimental line between ,baltimore and ,washington had proved a success and was thrown open for public business and wires were being carried to the leading business centres in the ,united ,states and a line of telegraph was projected connecting ,new ,york ,city with ,buffalo1 public interest was aroused in ,canada1 more especially in the ,western section4 ,mr4 ,morse had failed1 or probably thought ,canada at that time not important enough1 to take out a patent for his invention1 hence it was open to any or all who chose to use it4 ,in #ahdf the first ,canadian ,telegraph ,company was formed with a capital of #af1jjj2 its object was to connect ,toronto and ,hamilton with the ,american lines at ,buffalo4 ,the corporate name of the ,company was the 8,toronto1 ,hamilton1 ,niagara ,st4 ,catharines ,electro-,magnetic ,company40 ,a line was speedily erected and the desired connection made4 ,at the end of this year action was taken at ,montreal to organize a telegraph company4 ,the ,origin of the ,montreal ,telegraph ,company ,at a meeting of the ,council of the ,montreal ,board of ,trade1 held on ,dec4 #bf1 #ahdf1 a ,committee was appointed to enquire into the best means of extending the use of the electric telegraph system into ,canada4 ,the ,committee reported favorably of the project4 ,after giving the subject full and earnest consideration1 on ,december #bi1 three days afterwards1 a general meeting was convened for the purpose of forming a company to connect ,montreal and ,toronto by a line of electro-magnetic telegraph1 the capital to be #ab1ejj in #a1bej shares of #aj each4 ,among those present were ,l4 ,h4 ,holton1 ,d4 ,l4 ,macpherson1 ,fred ,a4 ,wilson1 ,john ,glass1 ,t4 ,w4 ,middleton1 ,thos4 ,tait1 ,henry ,starnes1 ,john ,young1 ,henry ,joseph1 ,i4 ,taylor1 ,william ,murray1 ,andrew ,shaw1 ,george ,elder1 jun41 and ,henry ,chapman4 ,on motion of ,l4 ,h4 ,holton1 seconded by ,d4 ,l4 ,macpherson1 ,mr4 ,young took the chair4 ,the ,chairman stated the object of the meeting to be the organization of a company by parties in favor of connecting ,montreal and ,toronto by electro-magnetic telegraph1 and who had proposed to take stock in the company to be formed for that purpose in accordance with the recommendation of the ,board of ,trade4 ,it was moved by ,mr4 ,elder and seconded by ,mr4 ,starnes1 that the meeting do organize itself into a company to be entitled the ,montreal ,toronto ,magnetic ,telegraph ,company4 ,this was carried4 ,it was then moved by ,mr4 ,chapman1 seconded by ,mr4 ,tait1 that ,messrs4 ,shaw1 ,glass1 ,elder and ,young be a ,provisional ,committee to conduct the affairs of the ,company4 ,moved by ,mr4 ,holton1 seconded by ,mr4 ,macpherson1 that the ,provisional ,committee be empowered to enter into all necessary arrangements for the early construction of the proposed line of telegraph1 the whole of the shares having been taken up4 ,at a meeting held on ,january #bb1 #ahdg1 it was moved by ,mr4 ,lindsay that ,andrew ,shaw1 ,john ,young1 ,john ,glass1 ,george ,elder1 jun41 and ,henry ,chapman be directors for the ensuing year--,carried4 ,on the #fth of ,march1 #ahdg1 ,mr4 ,o4 ,s4 ,wood was appointed ,superintendent of the ,company1 and immediately took charge of the ,company's operations4 ,the charter was obtained on ,july #bh1 #ahdg1 under the amended title of the ,montreal ,telegraph ,company4 ,andrew ,shaw was elected its first ,president1 ,mr4 ,james ,dakers1 ,secretary4 ,in securing the services of ,mr4 ,wood the new ,company was exceedingly fortunate4 ,he had been associated with ,professor ,morse1 was his first pupil1 and undoubtedly the most experienced telegraph man of that day in ,america1 a man of great ability and of the highest personal character4 ,proceedings were immediately begun in construction work4 ,the construction of the line between ,montreal and ,toronto and ,montreal and ,quebec was awarded to ,livingston ,wells1 the well-known express forwarders1 and by them pushed on with the utmost vigor under ,mr4 ,wood's supervision and direction4 ,when the work was completed it was found to be satisfactory in every particular1 both in material and workmanship1 and became a model for future work of the kind4 ,at the close of #ahdg1 #edj miles of line had been erected1 #i offices opened and #cc1jjj messages transmitted4 ,in #ahea ,sir ,hugh ,allan1 who had early interested himself in the fortunes of the ,montreal ,telegraph ,company1 became its ,president4 ,this office he held uninterruptedly until his death in #ahhb4 ,immediately on assuming office1 ,sir ,hugh ,allan1 in concert with ,mr4 ,wood1 projected important extensions of the lines of the ,company1 and in a short time the most remote towns and villages were placed in telegraphic connection with the chief business centres of the country4 ,the ,montreal ,telegraph ,company became one of the leading institutions in ,canada4 ,many companies were started to compete in the same line of business1 but in no long time were doomed to failure1 as they neither had the skill1 the men nor the money to enable them to succeed in opposing their more formidable rival4 ,after placing the ,company on a high pedestal of efficiency1 and after #ah years of strenuous exertions on its behalf1 ,mr4 ,o4 ,s4 ,wood retired from the management in #ahfe1 carrying with him the esteem and respect of the ,company and the business community generally4 ,mr4 ,james ,dakers was then placed in charge of the eastern1 and ,mr4 ,dwight of the western section of the ,company's territory4 ,the advance and prosperity of the ,company continued1 as the foundation had been well and truly laid by a capable workman4 ,in #ahge it had in operation #bj1jjj miles of wire1 #a1djj offices and #b1jjj employees4 ,during the preceding year some #b1jjj1jjj messages were transmitted in addition to millions of words in press despatches1 and the capital increased to #b1jjj1jjj1 at which figure it still remains4 ,in #ahha this splendid old ,company was forced by circumstances which confronted them to lease their business to another company4 ,the names of ,sir ,hugh ,allan1 ,o4 ,s4 ,wood and ,james ,dakers will always be inseparably associated with the history of the ,montreal ,telegraph ,company4 ,the first company to compete against the ,montreal ,telegraph ,company was the ,grand ,trunk ,telegraph ,company in #aheb-c1 lines were erected from ,buffalo to ,quebec1 following the lines of the older ,company4 ,after some years of an unprofitable business they sold out lock1 stock and barrel to the ,montreal ,telegraph ,company for #aa1jjj4 ,the next venture was by the ,provincial ,telegraph ,company1 the ,canadian ally of the ,united ,states ,telegraph ,company1 which was then spreading its lines over the ,united ,states2 but was in #ahff absorbed by the ,western ,union2 this ended the career of the ,provincial1 and its plant was purchased and transferred to the ,montreal ,company for a nominal sum4 ,some two years later the ,dominion ,telegraph ,company took form with a capital of #gjj1jjj4 ,this ,company proved the most serious opponent of the ,montreal ,telegraph ,company1 but was never a financial success4 ,in #ahgh it was leased by the ,american ,union ,telegraph ,company1 an opponent of the ,western ,union4 ,both ,companies were acquired by the latter ,company1 which was busily occupied in securing a monopoly of the telegraph business1 and succeeded1 in a great measure1 in accomplishing its object4 ,the ,dominion ,telegraph ,company was transferred to the ,great ,north ,western ,telegraph ,company of ,canada1 a subsidiary concern of the ,american ,company in #ahha4 ,in the lower provinces a move for telegraphic facilities were made almost concurrent with those of ,western ,canada4 ,during #ahdg-dh the ,press ,association ran a steamer between ,digby1 ,n4,s41 and ,portland1 ,me41 to carry news received by the steamships touching at ,halifax1 and from thence sent overland by express riders to ,digby1 #adi miles1 and was sometimes accomplished in less than eight hours and a half1 or at the rate of #ag miles an hour1 to be despatched from thence by steamer to ,portland and telegraphed to ,new ,york from there in advance of the ,cunard steamers at ,boston4 ,this service was managed with great vigor4 ,the express rider was the great event of the day as he flew past ,annapolis1 his horse white with foam and the whole population lining the road4 ,a gun was fired to announce his arrival to the captain of the steamer immediately anchors were weighed4 ,steam raised1 the pilot took his place at the wheel and the small boat manned by athletic seamen was sent ashore to receive the bag of the express rider1 as at full speed he arrived at the dock4 ,this process1 though full of clat and splendidly performed1 was expensive1 and the ,associated ,express agents1 offered to guarantee the payment of a liberal subsidy to any company who would construct a line of telegraph between ,calais1 ,me41 and ,halifax1 which could be available for press matter4 ,the ,nova ,scotia ,government came to the rescue and erected a line of #abe miles in length from ,halifax to ,amherst to meet the ,american and ,new ,brunswick lines4 ,this line was completed on ,nov4 #i1 #ahdi1 and ,halifax was for the first time connected telegraphically with ,new ,york4 ,on ,oct4 #d1 #ahdg1 a telegraph company was formed in ,new ,brunswick with #dj1jjj capital4 ,lines connecting ,st4 ,john and intervening points with ,calais and ,portland were completed ,jan4 #a1 #ahdi1 and connection with the ,nova ,scotian ,government line at ,amherst was made4 ,the lines in ,new ,brunswick and ,nova ,scotia were acquired by the ,american ,telegraph ,company and later by the ,western ,union ,telegraph ,company1 by whom they are now operated4 ,in #ahdg the ,british ,north ,american ,telegraph ,company was organized for the purpose of connecting ,quebec and the lower provinces by wire1 but the wire got no further than ,river du ,loup1 where it terminated for a time4 ,a second company1 bearing a similar name1 erected a line between ,montreal and ,quebec2 both properties were afterwards transferred to the ,montreal ,telegraph ,company4 ,in #ahdi the ,montreal ,troy ,company built a line from ,montreal to the ,canadian frontier1 and thence to ,whitehall1 and ,troy1 after working independently for a couple years1 were purchased by the ,montreal ,company4 ,in #ahej a line from ,bytown 7now ,ottawa7 by a company organized by ,joseph ,aumond2 it also after a few years became the property of the ,montreal ,company4 ,in the ,west about the same period the ,hon4 ,malcolm ,cameron interested himself in a telegraph line to connect ,hamilton and ,london1 but1 after some #ah months of unprofitable labor1 was abandoned4 ,coming down to a later date the ,people's ,telegraph ,company was organized and a line erected between ,montreal and ,quebec1 which proved a financial failure to the promoters1 and served as a warning to others to avoid going into isolated telegraph ventures4 ,in #ahha the ,canada ,mutual and the ,union ,mutual ,telegraph ,companies worked in conjunction for a short period in the ,states and ,canada2 both were eventually absorbed by the ,western ,union4 ,the ,great ,north-,western ,telegraph ,company ,this ,company was incorporated on ,may #g1 #ahhj1 for the purpose of establishing and working telegraph lines in the ,northwest ,territory in the district of ,keewatin1 ,manitoba1 and to connect with lines in the ,province of ,ontario4 ,the capital stock1 #djj1jjj in shares of #ajj each1 with power to increase the capital from time to time as necessity required1 by a resolution of the ,directors1 with authority to establish1 construct1 purchase1 lease or work lines in the ,dominion of ,canada by land or water1 etc4 ,the head office at the ,city of ,winnipeg4 ,at a meeting of the ,company held on ,june #aj1 #ahha1 ,mr4 ,erastus ,wiman was elected ,president4 ,at this meeting ,mr4 ,wiman as ,president was empowered to enter into negotiation with the ,montreal1 ,dominion and ,western ,union ,telegraph ,companies as shall harmonize the interest of the several named companies subject to confirmation of the ,directors4 ,mr4 ,wiman thus empowered lost no time in effecting his object4 ,the resolution quoted is amusing4 ,the ,western ,union owned the ,dominion ,telegraph ,company1 or at least controlled it4 ,there was no discord between the ,western ,union and the ,montreal ,telegraph ,company4 ,a close and intimate business relationship had been maintained between these companies for years and nothing had arisen hitherto to disturb this good understanding4 ,the ,dominion ,telegraph ,company had been acquired as an asset of the ,american ,union ,telegraph ,company which had been purchased by the ,western ,union and was a white elephant on its hands and of which they naturally enough were anxious to get rid of4 ,it was offered to the ,montreal ,company1 but the offer was not entertained as the wires of the ,dominion ,company merely paralleled its own1 and its own wires were sufficient for its own business at that time4 ,mr4 ,wiman1 being familiar with the position of affairs1 saw a chance for a deal and the future monopoly of the telegraph business of ,canada4 ,he got the refusal of the lease of the ,dominion ,company and to some extent his plans were approved by the ,western ,union and of which they were more or less informed4 ,he then made his purpose known to the ,directorate of the ,montreal ,telegraph ,company1 that they should hand over their business to his company on a #ii years' lease and a compensation of #h per cent4 per annum on the paid-up capital stock of #b1jjj1jjj would be paid1 guaranteed by the ,western ,union ,telegraph ,company4 ,the ,directors1 as a matter of course1 were aghast with astonishment at the audacity of the proposal4 ,a company with a nominal capital1 recently formed1 with no one of standing in its make up to suggest the idea1 was too preposterous4 ,however1 ,mr4 ,wiman coolly told them they had better think it over1 that unless his terms were accepted his ,company1 the ,dominion and the ,western ,union1 behind them1 would go into competition with them for ,canadian business4 ,a meeting of shareholders decided1 after a stormy and exciting discussion1 to accept the terms offered4 ,the transfer was made on ,july #a1 #ahha4 ,the big fish swallow the smaller usually1 but in this case it was the extraordinary feat of a small fish swallowing a bigger one4 ,when the agreement took effect ,mr4 ,james ,dakers resigned and was succeeded as ,secretary by ,mr4 ,d4 ,ross ,ross4 ,mr4 ,dwight was appointed ,general ,manager of the ,great ,north-,western ,company and most of the officials and employees of the ,montreal ,telegraph ,company were retained by him4 ,owing to his able management the ,company has been successful in every way2 all its obligations have been met with punctuality and regularity4 ,mr4 ,wiman resigned the ,presidency some ten years ago and ,mr4 ,dwight succeeded him4 ,in #aijb it had #ag1hch miles of line1 #ce1gba miles of wire1 over #b1jjj offices and transmitted #b1gie1bgh messages1 not including press despatches4 ,recently ,mr4 ,dwight resigned the management and was succeeded by ,mr4 ,i4 ,mc,michael4 ,canadian ,pacific ,railway ,telegraph ,in the charter of the ,canadian ,pacific ,railway ,company it had power to carry on a commercial telegraph business throughout the ,dominion of ,canada4 ,the telegraph lines of this company were constructed concurrently with the railway which was begun in #ahhj and completed in #ahhe4 ,the following year the company inaugurated the commercial telegraph business and ,mr4 ,c4 ,r4 ,hosmer was appointed ,general ,manager of this branch of the company's business2 this selection was recognized as a fortunate one for the company2 no better qualified man could have been found in ,canada than he to properly fill this important position4 ,it was no light task he had undertaken1 to equip and man the numerous stations as they were opened up for business1 covering such a vast extent of territory as well as to enter into competition with a long established telegraph system through the more populous sections in the ,east4 ,about this time the ,postal ,telegraph ,cable ,company was reorganized in the ,united ,states1 and the ,commercial ,cable established1 and a working arrangement made between these companies and the ,canadian ,pacific ,telegraph for interchange of traffic1 which has proven mutually beneficial to each company concerned4 ,the lines of the ,canadian ,pacific ,system traverse from ,halifax to ,vancouver1 including numerous branch lines4 ,the ,postal ,telegraph ,cable ,company cover nearly every state and territory in the ,united ,states4 ,a direct connection is made with the ,government ,cable to ,australia at ,vancouver and with the ,commercial ,cable ,company at ,canso1 ,n4,s4 ,in #aijb the ,canadian ,pacific ,telegraph ,system had in operation #i1gcf miles of line and #da1ced miles of wire1 #a1jbb offices and transmitted during that year #b1jec1jjj messages1 not including press matter or railway messages4 ,the ,company has two number six copper wires extending from ,montreal to ,vancouver4 ,about four years ago ,mr4 ,hosmer resigned2 he was succeeded by ,mr4 ,james ,kent1 formerly ,superintendent of the ,eastern division4 ,under him there are five divisional ,superintendents1 namely3-- ,james ,wilson1 ,vancouver4 ,b4 ,s4 ,jenkins1 ,winnipeg4 ,a4 ,w4 ,barber1 ,toronto4 ,p4 ,w4 ,snider1 ,st4 ,john4 ,j4 ,f4 ,richardson1 ,montreal4 ,w4 ,j4 ,camp is electrician and ,joseph ,townsley ,construction ,superintendent4 ,recently the ,company erected on the former site of its ,head ,offices in ,montreal a handsome fire-proof structure of white brick with ,ohio stone facings1 seven stories in height1 combining in its interior every comfort and convenience for the large staff of employees4 ,the operating room is spacious1 well lighted from three sides1 and furnished with the latest designs of office fittings and electrical appliances4 ,the telegraph service of the ,company is admirably conducted and doubtless is not the least profitable of the many enterprises in which it has engaged in4 ,the ,government ,telegraphs4 ,it was through the continued and persistent urging of the late ,capt4 ,fortin1 member for ,gasp1 that the ,dominion ,government was at length aroused to the necessity of providing efficient telegraph facilities in the ,gulf and the lower ,st4 ,lawrence4 ,the splendid telegraph system1 now in operation1 forms a fitting monument to his memory and is alike creditable to the ,government which created it and carried it out4 ,during the past twenty years since it was first initiated1 there has been erected #e1dha miles of land wire lines1 and #bbe miles of submarine cables laid4 ,one line on the north shore from ,murray ,bay to ,belle ,isle is over #a1jjj miles in length and there are over #bjj miles on the ,island of ,anticosti connecting the various lighthouses4 ,extensions are constantly being made as necessity arises4 ,in the ,northwest territory #fjg miles of line connect ,selkirk with ,edmonton with intermediate stations and from ,ashcroft to ,dawson #a1hbf miles1 from ,hazleton to ,port ,sampson1 ,b4,c41 #bjj miles4 ,at the end of #aijb there were #bbb ,government ,telegraph ,stations1 #hi1djj messages transmitted and a revenue of #aad1bff derived4 ,the expenditure was #bjh1ifh4 ,all signal and meteorological messages are sent without charge4 ,the ,government ,telegraph ,system is under the jurisdiction of the ,department of ,public ,works4 ,,remarks4 ,the commercial telegraph business of the ,dominion is carried on1 and has been for many years1 by the ,great ,north-,western1 the ,canadian ,pacific and the ,western ,union ,telegraph ,companies--the latter in ,new ,brunswick and ,nova ,scotia4 ,the ,anglo-,american ,telegraph ,company has the monopoly in ,prince ,edward ,island and ,newfoundland4 ,the ,canadian ,government ,telegraphs operate in territory where it would not be profitable for commercial telegraph companies to enter4 ,the competing companies each get a fair share of patronage by exercising care and promptitude in handling the business placed in their hands4 ,the ,canadian public have every reason to feel satisfied with the telegraphic facilities provided by these companies and can take pride in the fact that no better exists anywhere1 or in any country4 ,the rates are reasonable when the great distances covered are taken into account4 ,it is gratifying to know that they are doing a thriving business1 every year showing better results1 all sharing in the universal prosperity felt throughout the country now and for years gone by4 ,the following sketches of prominent and well-known telegraph men1 some of whom are living1 and others who have passed away1 will be of interest to many ,canadian readers4 ,preceding these brief portraitures are a few reminiscent tales recalled at random1 chiefly ,canadian incidents of 8days that are gone40 ,the ,fall of ,sebastopol4 ,i was in the service of the ,montreal ,telegraph ,company at the head office in ,montreal4 ,one day the ,superintendent summoned me to his presence4 ,he directed me to proceed at once to ,sherbrooke as the operator in charge there was very sick and unable to discharge his duties4 ,i left by the first train and reached my destination the same evening4 ,on arrival ,i noticed a great crowd of people awaiting the train4 ,something unusual must have happened surely4 ,i immediately reported myself to the station master1 and was considerably astonished when he seized me by the shoulder1 rushed me across the passage to the telegraph office1 ordered me to call up ,montreal and enquire if the rumored fall of ,sebastopol was true4 ,this ,i did and found the report confirmed4 ,this was on the #bjth day of ,september1 #ahee4 ,a ,cunard steamer arrived at ,halifax that afternoon bringing the news which was flashed over the wires by the ,associated ,press4 ,montreal sent a full report1 which came in on the old style recording instrument4 ,a newspaper man came in and volunteered to write it down as ,i read it off the paper reel4 ,each sheet when finished was read aloud to the crowd outside4 ,the despatch ended and the people dispersed4 ,next evening the event was celebrated by illuminations1 bonfires1 feu de joies1 etc4 ,the local militia turned out en masse1 headed by ,captain ,ibbotson1 loyal and patriotic songs sung1 and universal joy was manifested by all4 ,at that period the town was largely populated by ,english railway men and mechanics who had been brought here by the ,grand ,trunk ,railway ,company when the road opened up a short time before4 ,there was also a considerable number of retired naval and military veterans in the town and neighborhood1 some of whom had fought under ,nelson and ,wellington4 ,all of these took a keen interest in the fate of the ,british army in the ,crimea1 and were naturally overjoyed at the defeat of the enemy and of the victory achieved4 ,sebastopol fell on ,sept4 #h1 #ahee1 and the war was virtually ended4 ,montreal1 ,toronto and every town and village in ,canada celebrated the event with the greatest delight1 but it is safe to say that nowhere was there more hearty rejoicing than in the capital city of the ,eastern ,townships on the occasion referred to4 ,how a ,duel was ,prevented4 ,one day during the winter #ahef ,i received a telegram from ,richmond1 a station on the ,grand ,trunk ,railway1 about #be miles distant1 addressed to the ,high ,constable at ,sherbrooke to the effect that a party of gentlemen were on the southbound train with the object of fighting a duel when the ,american frontier was reached1 the party consisting of the principals1 seconds and surgeons1 and to have the whole party arrested4 ,seeing the importance of the message due measures were taken to have it delivered promptly4 ,the minions of the law were duly on hand and secured their prey on the arrival of the train4 ,the party were much surprised1 as they had taken every precaution to keep the affair a profound secret and were ignorant as to how the matter had leaked out4 ,all were placed under arrest and escorted to the ,magog ,house4 ,they had come from ,quebec4 ,the nature of the quarrel ,i am unable to say4 ,they were brought before a magistrate and admitted the object of their journey1 when each and severally were released on their own recognances4 ,all promised to abandon their evil intentions and return to the ancient capital forthwith4 ,having nothing special to interest them for a time they adjourned to the bar-room of that famous hostlery1 then carried on by ,mr4 ,cheney1 the flowing bowl passed round with the result that a reconcilation was effected1 and the rest of the evening spent in harmony and good feeling4 ,the only one who refused to come to terms of amity was one of the sawbones of the party6 ,he would have none of it4 ,they departed from ,sherbrooke the following day1 if not sadder1 at least1 wiser men4 ,reading by ,sound4 ,in the early days of telegraphy ,i was employed at an important station on the ,grand ,trunk ,railway as commercial and railway operator4 ,one night1 after a busy day's labor1 ,i was preparing to leave when ,i overheard the office call sounded from the relay1 the local battery having been disconnected1 as was then the custom when leaving for the night1 for economical reasons4 ,i answered the call and ventured to receive the message from the sound of the relay1 and in this found no difficulty whatever4 ,whilst thus engaged the locomotive foreman stepped in4 ,singular enough1 the communication was for him4 ,he was rather astonished at my receiving a message in this fashion and expressed his surprise4 ,he spoke to others about it1 and the affair in time reached the ears of the ,railway ,telegraph ,superintendent1 who1 thereupon1 called me up on the wire and gave me a severe reprimand4 ,a 8#bc0 or circular was sent immediately thereafter to the effect that it had come to his knowledge that certain operators were in the habit of reading by sound instead of from the register1 with which all stations were provided1 and warning all to desist from this dangerous practice4 ,the modern operator will be inclined to smile at this bit of ancient history4 ,in no very long time1 after the custom became general in both railway and commercial telegraphy1 the ,recording instrument1 upon the perfecting of which ,professor ,morse had spent so much time and labor1 was abandoned1 and the more convenient method of reading by sound substituted4 ,a ,cheeky ,operator4 ,my predecessor at a certain station on the ,grand ,trunk ,railway vacated his position rather suddenly by reason of the following colloquy1 and against whom many and frequent complaints had been made4 ,on one occasion the ,general ,manager happened to step off the train to interview the station master4 ,amongst other subjects spoken of was the troublesome operator4 ,he immediately stepped across the passage to have audience with the obnoxious telegrapher4 ,in a very impressive tone he said1 8,young man1 ,i hear a great many complaints against you4 ,you had better be careful or ,i shall have you discharged40 ,the operator not knowing the ,general ,manager from ,adam1 never having seen him before1 looked at him in surprise1 and said1 8,who in the blank are you1 anyway80 8,i am ,mr4 ,bidder4 ,be careful1 sir40 8,i don't care a blank whether you are ,mr4 ,bidder or ,mr4 ,auctioneer10 turned on his heel and walked away4 ,it may be explained that1 although doing railway telegraph work1 he was actually employed by the telegraph company1 and believed the railway company had nothing to do with him1 in this he was mistaken4 ,this interview more than confirmed the numerous complaints1 and the services of the youth were immediately dispensed with4 ,mr4 ,s4 ,p4 ,bidder was the first ,general ,manager of the ,grand ,trunk ,railway of ,canada4 ,all ,fools' ,day ,incident4 ,in the year #ahee1 when the ,government of ,canada was located at ,quebec1 a ,militia ,bill was passed1 dividing the militia into active and sedentary1 the first to consist of volunteer troops of various grades and classes4 ,provision was made for dividing the country into military districts1 regimental divisions and battalion divisions1 with officers for each4 ,this was the first step towards the organization of a regular volunteer force in ,canada4 ,at ,sherbrooke there was considerable political wire-pulling on behalf of those who were ambitious of being appointed as officers of the company to be raised at that place4 ,one individual claimed that he was certain of getting command of the new company and ridiculed the idea of any one else having the slightest chance of getting the appointment4 ,this rather nettled one or two who were equally ambitious for the honor1 and a conspiracy was entered into to perpetrate a practical joke at his expense4 ,a certain gentleman called at the telegraph office and requested the favor of a telegraph blank and envelope1 explaining the purpose for which they were intended4 ,i hesitated over the matter1 but was assured he would be responsible should any trouble arise4 ,i reluctantly consented4 ,the result was a message was concocted as coming from the ,militia ,department at ,quebec to the effect that the ,department were pleased to inform the recipient that he had been appointed to the command of the company at ,sherbrooke and that his commission for same would be duly forwarded by mail4 ,the victim was elated over the psuedo despatch and took special pains to show it to those who doubted his success4 ,one person1 to whom he confided the contents to and who was one of the conspirators1 doubted its being genuine1 remarking1 the ,militia ,department was not likely to inform appointees by telegraph4 ,he thought it a joke1 and come to think of it1 this was ,april ,fool ,day4 ,this led the irate individual to me1 when he desired to be informed1 when the message was received1 handing to me the bogus telegram4 ,i1 of course1 felt in a very awkward position4 ,i scanned it over for a minute and told him the message had not come through my office4 ,he thereupon went off like a shot in a very dangerous mood4 ,he wrote the ,superintendent enclosing the alleged telegram and threatened an immediate action against the ,company for allowing its property to be the medium of such a trick as was the one complained of4 ,i was in a rather bad fix4 ,i explained the whole matter as it occurred4 ,the instigator of the hoax came to my rescue and assumed all responsibility2 the threatened action was not taken and the matter was soon forgotten1 but a new rule was embodied in the ,company's instruction book to agents and operators forbidding inside blanks to be allowed to go out of the office under any pretense whatever1 except on the business of the ,company4 ,this rule is still in force4 ,the one actually appointed to command the ,company was the originator of the joke herein related4 ,an ,angry ,frenchman4 ,one day the hired man of the village cur handed me a sealed letter and twenty-five cents1 upon receiving which ,i tore open the envelope in order to count the words in the message before transmission4 ,i had no sooner done this when an angry cry proceeded from the throat of ,jean ,baptiste1 who held up his hands1 and1 with a look of terror in his face1 told me in broken ,english that it was not for me1 but for the priest at ,st4 ,hyacinthe4 ,had there not been a high counter between us1 it might have gone hard with me4 ,i took in the situation1 however1 politely begged pardon1 ,i had made a mistake1 and put the contents in a fresh envelope1 readdressed it and thrust the missive into a box under the counter1 the receptacle for the paper from the recording instrument on which messages were received1 and then gave the key a few taps1 all this being within the purview of the anxious messenger4 ,i now told him it was all right1 the message had gone4 ,he then departed with a smile of satisfaction on his face and a courteous remerci monsieur4 ,shortly after ,i resurrected the message and sent it over the wire in the orthodox fashion4 ,the little trick practiced and the ignorance shown may seem like romancing1 but at that date even many well-informed persons on other subjects were quite as ignorant as this simple servant man of the modus operandi of electric telegraphy at that period4 ,pirating a ,press ,despatch4 ,a certain well-known colonel of militia in ,montreal1 now deceased1 who had been in the telegraph service in his boyhood and an expert operator1 told me the story ,i am about to relate illustrative of primitive telegraph days4 ,we were swapping old-time telegraph stories when he exchanged the following3 ,he was in the employ of the old ,british ,american ,telegraph ,company4 ,one day1 the wires down1 which happened too often1 unfortunately1 ,bob having nothing to occupy his time1 sauntered over to the vicinity of the ,montreal ,telegraph ,company1 on ,st4 ,sacrament ,street4 ,it was with a feeling of envy he heard the busy ticking of the instruments there when those of his ,company were dead as a door nail4 ,he lingered for a moment or two beneath the office window1 which was only a few feet above2 it was in summer and the windows were all open and he could plainly deciper everything passing over the wire4 ,one item of some importance attracted his attention when the idea struck him he had better take it down4 ,he took his pencil and note-book1 copied the item1 went back to his office1 had it manifolded and distributed to the press4 ,later on the same was sent out by the other ,company1 but in a more leisurely fashion2 this was refused1 on the ground that it was already received over the wires of the ,british ,american2 this caused much mortification to the older ,company to be beaten by their insignificant rival4 ,reading by sound of the instrument was not a common occurrence then1 and especially on the public highway4 ,the ,montreal ,company never became aware of the trick that was played upon them4 ,the ,queen's ,message4 ,when in ,august1 #aheh1 the ,atlantic cable had been successfully laid1 uniting two continents telegraphically1 there was universal rejoicing4 ,the ,queen sent a congratulatory message to 8,her ,good ,friend10 the ,president of the ,united ,states1 to which a suitable reply was returned4 ,the brevity of the ,queen's message was somewhat disappointing compared with the more lengthy reply of the ,president1 and many unfavorable comments were made in the press and in conversation4 ,however1 it was afterwards learned that only a portion of the communication had been received owing to a temporary interruption of the cable4 ,when at last the completed message came there was no reason for disappointment1 and general satisfaction was evinced4 ,small pieces of the unused cable of about an inch to two or three inches in length mounted with brass or silver ferrules were sold on the street by speculators from #be cents to a dollar each4 ,the event was celebrated with great clat on both sides of the ,atlantic4 ,banners were displayed with numerous devices and quotations from ,scripture such as1 8,their line is gone out through all the earth and their words to the end of the world10 and from ,shakespeare1 8,i will put a girdle round the earth in forty minutes40 ,there were torchlight processions1 displays of fireworks1 illuminations1 etc41 etc41 together with addresses by distinguished men in honor of the event4 ,i refer more particularly to ,ogdensburg1 ,n4,y41 where ,i was then situated as operator and received the ,queen's message over the wire4 ,the rejoicing unfortunately was somewhat premature4 ,after working more or less imperfectly for three weeks1 the cable gave out completely on the #ast of ,september after the transmission of #gcj messages had been effected4 ,the cable operator at ,heart's ,content1 ,newfoundland1 named ,de ,sauty1 sent daily bulletins to the press holding out strong hopes for the restoration of the interrupted communication1 but these hopes were not realized4 ,the bulletins ceased and he disappeared and was never heard of again1 at least by the public4 ,it is in allusion to this mysterious individual that ,dr4 ,oliver ,wendell ,holmes wrote the following humorous lines1 and in fine satirical vein thought that with a ,latin tutor and a professor of chemistry the educated classes would understand it4 ,,de ,,sauty4 ,an ,electro-,chemical ,eclogue4 ,professor4 ,blue ,nose4 ,,professor4 8,tell me1 ,o ,provincial6 speak ceruleo ,nasal1 ,lives there one ,de ,sauty1 extant now among you ,whispering ,boanerges1 son of silent thunder ,holding talk with nations4 8,is there a ,de ,sauty1 ambulant on ,tellus ,bifed cleft-like mortals dormient in nightcap ,having sight1 smell1 hearing1 food receiving feature ,three times daily patent4 8,breathes there such a being1 ,o ceruleo ,nasal ,or is he a mythus1 ancient name for humbug ,such as ,livy told about the wolf that wet-nursed ,romulus and ,remus4 8,was he born of woman1 this alleged ,de ,sauty1 ,or a living product of galvanic action ,like the ,acarus bred in ,crosse's flint solution ,speak thou ,cyano ,rhynal40 ,,blue ,,nose4 8,many things thou askest1 ,jacknife-bearing stranger1 ,much conjecturing mortal1 pork and treacle waster ,pretermit thy whitling wheel thine earflap towards me ,thou shalt hear them answered4 8,when the charge galvanic tingled through the cable ,at the polar focus of the wire electric1 ,suddenly appeared1 a white faced man among us1 ,called himself ,de ,sauty4 8,as the small opossum held in pouch maternal ,grasps the nutrient organ whence the term mammalia1 ,so the unknown stranger held the wire electric ,sucking in the current4 8,when the current strengthened1 bloomed the pale-faced stranger1 ,took no food or victual1 yet grew fat and rosy1 ,and1 from time to time in sharp articulation ,said1 #8,all right1' ,de ,sauty4 8,from the lonely station passed the utterance spreading ,through the pines and hemlocks to the grove of steeples1 ,till the land was filled with loud reverberations ,of #8,all right1' ,de ,sauty4 8,when the current slackened drooped the mystic stranger1 ,faded1 ,faded1 ,faded as the stream grew weaker ,wasted to a shadow with a hartshorn odor ,of disintegration4 8,drops of deliquescence glistened from his forehead ,whitened round his feet the dust of efflorescence1 ,till one ,monday morning when the flow suspended ,there was no ,de ,sauty4 8,nothing but a cloud of elements organic ,c4 ,o4 ,h4 ,n4 ,ferrum1 ,chor1 ,flu4 ,sil4 ,potassa calc4 ,sod4 ,phosh mag4 ,sulphur ,mang48 ,alumin caprum ,such as man is made of4 8,born of stream galvanic with it he had perished ,there is no ,de ,sauty4 ,now there is no current ,give us a new cable1 then again we'll hear his cry1 #8,all right1' ,de ,sauty40 ,after a lapse of eight years another cable was laid in #ahff and communication across the ,atlantic permanently established1 but the mysterious ,de ,sauty never appeared4 ,testing the ,cable4 ,in the fall of #ahef the ,montreal ,telegraph ,company laid a subaqueous cable across the ,st4 ,lawrence connecting ,ogdensburg1 ,n4,y41 with its ,canadian lines4 ,everything went well till the breaking up of the ice in the spring1 when the ,american end of the cable was carried away from its moorings4 ,a man was sent from ,montreal to effect the necessary repairs4 ,when he arrived1 ,i1 then being in charge of the office there1 decided to accompany him and render any assistance ,i could4 ,a boat was hired to row over to the lighthouse where the cable terminated4 ,the craft engaged was rather frail and shaky1 with quite a heavy sea running4 ,the ,montreal man got safely seated1 clutching the side of the boat with one hand and the testing instrument in the other4 ,it was a cold day in ,march1 a stiff north-wester was blowing4 ,when all was ready the painter was untied1 when ,i jumped1 and in doing so lost my balance and went in headforemost4 ,as ,i bobbed up the heels of my friend were just visible above the water4 ,we succeeded in getting ashore safely1 but the testing instrument had gone to the bottom1 which we tried to recover1 but failed1 and the trip for the time was given up4 ,my companion in this adventure was the late ,mr4 ,bowman1 for many years the respected storekeeper for the ,montreal ,telegraph ,company4 ,in meeting we often reverted to this episode in our telegraph experience and of our involuntary bath in the icy ,st4 ,lawrence4 ,cutting ,down the ,liberty ,pole4 ,in #aheg the following amusing incident occurred and will be remembered by some of the older inhabitants of the pretty ,american city on the south bank of the ,st4 ,lawrence where ,i was then the agent of the ,montreal ,telegraph ,company4 ,the villagers 7it was a village at that period7 had made every preparation for the due celebration of ,independence ,day with more than ordinary care1 and all were looking forward to the event with eagerness1 especially the more youthful element of the population4 ,the first ceremony observed at sunrise was to raise old glory to the apex of the liberty pole1 which stood at the corner of ,ford and ,water ,streets1 but1 to the amazement of the party to whom this duty was assigned1 there was no pole to be seen4 ,on a close examination they found nothing remaining but the stump of the flag-staff4 ,the question was3 ,who were the ruffians that dared to perpetuate the outrage8 ,none other surely that some scoundrels from the opposite side of the river4 ,in this surmise they were not far from the truth4 ,after indulging in language more forcible than elegant1 like practical ,americans1 they set to work1 erected a temporary flag-staff and the ceremonies of the day were carried out without further incident4 ,it was discovered to be a case of lex talionis on the part of some young men from ,prescott who rowed across the river during the night and performed this piece of vandalism in revenge for a foray made by some young fellows from ,ogdensburg on the previous #bdth of ,may 7the ,queen's ,birthday71 when they removed the ,british flag flying on the old ,windmill at ,prescott1 and substituted the ,stars and ,stripes4 ,when this fact became known the ,ogdensburg people had to acknowledge it was a case of tit for tat and served them right4 ,fortunately these youthful pranks were condemned by all right thinking people on both sides of the border and were not repeated4 ,the ,burns ,centenary4 ,on the #beth day of ,january1 #ahei1 the birthday centenary of ,robert ,burns1 the ,scottish poet1 was enthusiastically commemorated by his admirers on both sides of the ,atlantic1 and1 in fact1 everywhere throughout the ,globe where ,scotchmen were to the fore4 ,it was generally observed in the form of a banquet at which eminent literary and public men were the speakers who paid glowing tributes to the merits and genius of the peasant poet4 ,many of these addresses are still preserved4 ,in the town of ,brockville1 where ,i was located1 a musical and literary entertainment was held in the ,metropolitan ,hall1 the chairman being the ,hon4 ,james ,morris4 ,it was well attended by the leading people of the town4 ,during the progress of the entertainment telegraphic congratulatory messages were interchanged between the chairmen of the different meetings then being held in ,canada1 and the ,united ,states1 generally couched in lines and phrases from the poet's works4 ,the chairman gave an eloquent address2 other speakers also contributed and the musical programme was excellent1 but one gentleman had prepared with much care a paper on the ,life and ,character of ,burns1 which was admitted to be the gem of the evening by all who heard it1 but unfortunately very few did4 ,the person referred to was a well-known ,m4,d4 who was afflicted with deafness2 he spoke in a very low tone of voice1 like many who suffer from a similar infirmity4 ,the paper was long1 the night was getting late2 before he was through1 the audience showed signs of weariness1 which the chairman noticed1 when he rose and begged the ,doctor to kindly curtail his paper as the night was advancing and he had several other items on the programme but the chairman's request was unheard and unconsciously ignored4 ,the audience had to patiently endure the martyrdom to the end1 a few meanwhile retiring in disgust4 ,when the end did come the people were so delighted at being relieved of the infliction that he was generously applauded1 when with an amiable smile1 and bowing right and left in acknowledgment1 resumed his seat in happy ignorance that he had been a very tiresome bore indeed4 ,the ,prince of ,wales at ,brockville4 ,when in ,august1 #ahfj1 ,h4 ,r4 ,h4 ,the ,prince of ,wales 7now ,king ,edward7 and party had arranged to visit ,brockville1 the event was looked forward to with every manifestation of delight1 and arrangements made to give them a hearty reception4 ,the route of the ,royal party was from ,ottawa1 where a visit had been made1 and recently named the capital city of ,canada by ,queen ,victoria2 there they embarked1 sailing up the ,ottawa ,river to ,arnprior and thence by carriages to ,almonte1 and there entrained for ,brockville4 ,all the villages and hamlets passed were prettily decorated for the occasion1 here and there evergreen arches were erected where the loyal denizens assembled and heartily cheered his ,royal ,highness in passing4 ,brockville was reached about nine p4m4 ,the ,royal party was received by the ,mayor1 ,warden of ,leeds and ,grenville and other officials4 ,addresses were presented and replied to by ,h4,r4,h4 ,carriages were in waiting to convey them to the steamer at the dock1 by which they were to leave at daybreak for ,kingston4 ,the ,royal party were escorted from the railway station to the steamboat wharf by a guard of honour1 followed by a procession of firemen and citizens carrying torches4 ,all the buildings on the way were brightly illuminated1 the church bells merrily ringing with a fine display of fireworks and the loud ovation of the people made it a memorable scene4 ,instead of departing at daybreak1 as had been arranged1 it was about three in the afternoon before the steamer left4 ,the detention was caused by difficulties which had arisen at ,kingston4 ,the ,orange body there had erected an arch decorated with emblems of the order and which the ,royal party would necessarily have to pass under4 ,an address by the ,orangemen was to be presented1 to which the ,duke of ,newcastle was unable to assent4 ,while the settlement of this was being arranged by telegraph wire1 the ,mayor1 accompanied by many prominent citizens1 waited on the ,duke and invited the ,royal party to a drive through the town1 which was graciously accepted1 thus giving the people an opportunity of seeing ,h4 ,r4 ,h4 to better advantage4 ,in appearance he was of medium height1 pale complexion1 modest in demeanor and dignified in manner4 ,he wore a tall white hat1 a dark morning coat1 light tweed trousers1 patent leather boots and light tan coloured gloves4 ,he bowed in acknowledgment to the cheers which greeted him and seemed to enjoy the drive4 ,it was said the ,duke remarked he was not sorry at the detention as it had given the party the pleasure of seeing the pretty town by daylight4 ,there was a large entourage of pressmen reporting the ,royal progress2 one ,american correspondent when writing up his report asked me among other questions how many people were in the torchlight procession4 ,i told him #ejj1 that being the number of torches purchased by the town council4 ,oh6 he said1 ,i'll make it #e1jjj1 and sure enough he did and ,i sent this over the wire4 ,the whole population1 men1 women and children1 at that period was a trifle over #d1jjj4 ,this man afterwards became a famous correspondent during the ,american ,civil ,war4 ,the fearful and wonderful reports received from the seat of war as to the extraordinary numbers of killed1 wounded and captured1 especially during the early stages of the trouble were something incredible2 the experience narrated showed the need of a large discount being made4 ,the carriage the ,prince of ,wales drove through ,brockville1 and owned by a private gentlemen until his death1 is now1 or was until lately1 doing duty as a public conveyance4 ,should this meet the eye of some wealthy ,american1 it might be a good thing for the cabby4 ,the ,trent ,affair4 ,it was on ,november #h1 #ahfa1 that ,admiral ,wilkes1 in command of the ,united ,states frigate ,san ,jacinto intercepted the ,british ,r4 ,m4 ,steamer ,trent on her way from the ,west ,indies to ,england and forcibly removed therefrom the two confederate ,states ,commissioners ,mason and ,slidell4 ,when the outrage became known there was a universal burst of indignation felt at the affront in ,great ,britain and all the ,british possessions4 ,every one believed that unless the men were given up and the act disavowed war between the two countries was inevitable4 ,a large military contingent was despatched from ,england on the ,steamship ,persia which arrived at ,rimouski on ,christmas day1 ,dec4 #be1 #ahfa4 ,a ,queen's messenger was sent to ,washington bearing an ultimatum from the ,british ,government demanding that the men be at once released4 ,the ,american ,government were in a dilemma4 ,several members of the ,cabinet were in favor of resisting this demand1 but ,president ,lincoln1 with his characteristic common sense said 8,one war at a time1 gentlemen1 one war at a time10 and the commissioners were surrendered and transferred to a ,british man-of-war at ,new ,york on ,january #ast1 #ahfb1 and amende honorable made4 ,while the negotiations between the ,american and ,british ,governments were in progress1 the government and people of ,canada were watching the trend of events with the keenest interest1 and preparations were made for possible eventualities1 flank companies at the respective military districts were ordered to prepare for active service4 ,when this order came by telegraph to the colonel of ,brockville ,district1 ,i delivered it personally and took occasion to inform him that if he would give me a commission in the company going on active service ,i was prepared to join at a moment's notice4 ,this request pleased the veteran 7he was out in the rebellion7 giving me a hearty grip4 8,you're the right sort4 ,i accept your services and shall have a commission for you within a week40 ,a few days after ,i was much gratified when ,i received a large envelope containing my promised commission1 the same being initialled by the ,hon4 ,james ,morris1 the speaker of the ,legislative ,council and resident of ,brockville2 a short time thereafter while visiting his home he entered the telegraph office to send a message4 ,i took this opportunity of thanking him for the commission he sent me4 ,he glared at me for a second or two and said1 8,the commission is not for you2 it is for ,john ,murray the butcher40 8,oh6 indeed1 ,i beg pardon4 ,i was under the impression it was for ,j4 ,m4---- gentleman40 ,i did not get this off in a resentful mood2 it was merely repeating the language of the document4 ,of course ,i handed it over to my namesake1 the rightful owner1 a very respectable man of the town1 when my military ambitions came to an end4 ,the services of the flank companies were not required after the causes belle had been removed and ,canada once more resumed her usual peace footing4 ,the ,old ,soldier and the ,parson4 ,about forty odd years ago when ,i was acting in the capacity of telegraph1 express and steamship agent at ,brockville1 the following incident happened1 which may be worth recalling3 ,one day an old gentleman entered the office and desired me to furnish a steamship ticket to ,liverpool4 ,he informed me he was on his way to revisit his native land which he had not seen for many years4 ,he was in the army previous to settling in one of the back townships4 ,although well on in years he looked hale and hearty1 straight as an arrow and a remarkably handsome old fellow4 ,after completing his purchase and about to depart1 he observed a pair of ,fairbanks scales and requested me to weigh him1 as he would like to see whether he lost or gained on the voyage4 ,whilst occupied in this1 another old gentleman walked in attentively watching the operation2 he also requested me to do a similar favor for him4 ,he proved very much lighter and somewhat disappointed1 and remarked3 8,well1 you are heavier than ,i1 but ,i think ,i can beat you in length of years40 8,how old are you80 brusquely querried the old soldier4 8,i am #hd10 looking triumphantly at his questioner4 8,my young friend ,i am #he4 ,i am heavier than you1 older than you and 7whispering in his ear7 can look at the girls yet60 ,singular enough1 the name of the latter was ,mr4 ,young1 the former the ,rev4 ,wm4 ,smart1 a well-known and respected clergyman1 whose chief weakness was a certain vanity in his length of years1 coupled with activity and good health on which he greatly prided himself4 ,he was therefore1 considerably humiliated at being thus so badly taken down and his dignity ruffled by the above remark4 ,the ,fenian ,scare4 ,when in the summer of #ahff the ,fenians invaded ,canada and encountered the ,canadian militia at ,ridgeway1 considerable alarm was felt all along the frontier4 ,cornwall1 ,prescott1 ,brockville and ,kingston were strengthened with bodies of militia as being probable points of invasion4 ,for a time the ,government took possession of the telegraph lines until all danger had passed4 ,telegraph offices were kept open day and night by orders from ,ottawa2 this continued in force for several weeks4 ,i was then at ,brockville and found the long hours very irksome4 ,no one believed in the likelihood of an attack here1 but one night this belief was rather disturbed when a communication was received by the officer in command warning him to be on the alert as a body of ,fenians had seized a steamer at ,clayton1 on the ,american side of the river1 with the probability of attacking ,brockville or ,prescott4 ,very soon the sound of the bugle was heard and the men formed in readiness to meet the enemy4 ,they had been drilling for several weeks and were in splendid fighting trim1 and under the command of an experienced officer1 ,lieutenant-,colonel ,atcherley1 ,d4,a4,g41 who had seen service in the ,crimea and ,india1 in whom officers and men had the utmost confidence4 ,a home guard was hastily organized to watch the river front and give timely notice should any suspicious craft appear4 ,during the prevailing excitement some one rang the town alarm bell1 when the citizens were aroused from their beds1 and the streets were soon crowded with men1 women and children eager to learn what was the cause of the alarm4 ,many amusing scenes were witnessed4 ,a few timid souls procured teams1 loaded them with household effects1 and with their families started for safer quarters in the back country4 ,many old veterans of the ,canadian rebellion were seen carrying weapons of defense1 but appeared more likely to be offensive only to themselves4 ,one aged gentleman carried a sword with a rope in lieu of belt and minus the scabbard2 he refused to waste time looking for such appendages at such a time2 the naked sword was good enough for him4 ,the night was dark and ominous2 every one awaited coming events with anxiety and more or less nervousness1 and dawn began to appear1 but no signs of the enemy4 ,meanwhile some of the home guard got tired waiting for the ,fenians1 who declined to come1 and they one by one segregated to enjoy the comforts of their own firesides or seek repose on their downy beds at home4 ,in this action the officer commanding the home guard preceded his men and was the first to retire1 but one of their number a sturdy ,scot1 having been placed on an eminence favorable to scan the movements of the craft on the river1 he held on to his post1 however4 ,his family hunted him up and had much difficulty on prevailing upon him to come home4 ,the only fatality that occurred was the death of an old lady1 who1 nearing the end1 collapsed suddenly when hearing the alarm bell and told the reason for its being rung4 ,shortly after the ,fenian fiasco became a thing of the past4 ,professor ,morse's ,valedictory ,message4 ,in #ahgj1 when ,mr4 ,morse had entered his eightieth year1 it was felt by many telegraph men that some fitting recognition should be paid to the illustrious inventor before the close of his valuable life1 which was now nearing the end4 ,in accordance with this general feeling action was taken and a committee formed1 when after much thought had been given to the subject1 it was at last decided the most appropriate memorial in its opinion would be to erect a statue and place it in ,central ,park1 ,new ,york4 ,this suggestion had the general approval of the telegraph fraternity4 ,to carry this out subscriptions were invited2 one of the first to contribute to the fund was ,mr4 ,john ,horn1 of ,montreal1 then in ,new ,york1 and to complete the sum required ,sir ,hugh ,allan was appealed to and promptly sent the desired amount4 ,the ceremony of unveiling the statue took place on ,june #aj1 #ahga4 ,representative telegraph men from every ,state and territory1 as well as the ,dominion of ,canada1 were present1 including many civic and ,state officials1 and addresses were delivered by ,governor ,hoffman1 ,mayor ,hall1 the venerable poet1 ,william ,cullen ,bryant and others4 ,in the evening a public reception of the delegates was held at the ,academy of ,music1 which was filled to overflowing1 the ,hon4 ,william ,orton1 ,president of the ,western ,union1 presiding1 by whom the delegates were cordially welcomed4 ,on the platform was a table and a set of telegraph instruments connected with the main office of the ,western ,union ,company4 ,punctually at #i p4m41 as previously arranged1 ,professor ,morse1 who was present1 indited the following valedictory3 8,greeting and thanks to the telegraph fraternity throughout the world4 ,glory to ,god in the highest1 on earth peace and good-will to men40 ,s4 ,f4 ,b4 ,,morse4 ,the message was sent over the wires by a young lady operator and ,mr4 ,morse transmitted the signature4 ,the writer was at ,brockville1 ,ont41 at the time and received this now historic message simultaneously with hundreds1 perhaps thousands of others4 ,mr4 ,morse did not long survive this dramatic event4 ,it was his last public appearance but one previous to his death4 ,illustration3 ,o4 ,s4 ,,wood4 ,o4 ,s4 ,wood1 ,esq4 ,one of the most notable telegraph men in ,america1 the first pupil of ,professor ,morse and the first to inaugurate an electric telegraph system in ,canada on an extensive scale4 ,born in #ahag1 near ,ithaca1 ,n4,y41 after a grammar school and collegiate course1 he studied and became a civil engineer1 and was for some time employed in that capacity by the ,new ,york ,state ,government4 ,when ,mr4 ,morse was exhibiting his telegraph at ,washington1 in #ahdd1 ,mr4 ,wood was induced to join the inventor1 and became his associate in constructing and working the experimental line between ,washington and ,baltimore1 and the first to operate the line when opened for public business and afterwards engaged in constructing telegraph lines in other directions4 ,early in #ahdg1 when the ,montreal ,telegraph ,company was formed1 his services were sought1 and he was appointed its first ,general ,manager4 ,by the end of this year a telegraph line was in operation between ,montreal and ,toronto1 and to ,quebec the following year1 and in time extended throughout the whole country4 ,owing to ,mr4 ,wood's able administration the ,company became one of the most important institutions in ,canada4 ,after a long and successful career ,mr4 ,wood retired in #ahfe1 carrying with him the good will of the public and the respect and esteem of the directors and employees of the ,company4 ,he subsequently engaged in other telegraphic enterprises in the ,united ,states1 in all of which he was equally fortunate4 ,after amassing a considerable fortune he retired from active business pursuits many years ago1 and is now spending the evening of his days at a quiet suburb of ,new ,york4 ,he is a man of commanding presence1 tall1 dignified and face bearing a very striking resemblance to ,washington4 ,he possesses a highly cultured mind1 a humane and benevolent disposition1 coupled with an agreeable and attractive manner4 ,he is1 and was always1 a patriotic ,american citizen4 ,during his sojourn in ,canada he never relinquished his birthright4 ,the name of ,orrin ,s4 ,wood will be long remembered by telegraph men as the first telegraphist on the continent of ,america1 a distinction worthy of record in the annals of telegraphy1 and is the oldest telegraph man living at the present time in ,america4 ,long may he be spared is the fervent hope of the telegraph fraternity4 ,illustration3 ,,sir ,,hugh ,,allan4 ,sir ,hugh ,allan4 ,the name of this gentleman will be remembered in connection with the ,montreal ,telegraph ,company4 ,he was its ,president from #ahea until the day of his death4 ,it was largely through his efforts in conjunction with ,mr4 ,wood that the telegraph system was extended to the most remote points in ,canada4 ,it may not be generally known that1 although a very busy man1 he acquired a knowledge of telegraphy and became an expert telegraphist4 ,he had a private wire erected from his palatial residence1 ,ravenscrag1 and connected with the general telegraph office1 and by this means kept in constant touch with the inward and outward movements of his large steamship fleet4 ,he was for many years a director of the ,western ,union ,telegraph ,company1 and one of the early contributors to the first ,atlantic cable1 and for a time one of its directors1 but ,sir ,hugh ,allan will be better known as the originator of the ,montreal ,ocean ,steamship ,company 7now known as the ,allan ,line47 ,there was no limit to his superabundant energy2 no important enterprise was thought of unless his name and influence was sought4 ,he was president or director in nearly every financial or industrial company in ,montreal4 ,no one before or since has occupied such a commanding position in business life in ,canada4 ,he received the honor of knighthood from the late ,queen personally in recognition of his great public services2 this honor was never more worthily bestowed4 ,sir ,hugh ,allan was a native of ,scotland1 born at ,saltcoats1 ,ayrshire1 ,sept4 #bi1 #ahaj4 ,his death took place in ,edinburgh while there on a visit ,dec4 #i1 #ahhb4 ,the wonder is that some enduring mark of public appreciation has not been formulated to perpetuate the name of one who has done so much for the land of his adoption4 ,a statue on ,dominion ,square would be a fitting momento4 8,lives of great men all remind us ,we can make our lives sublime1 ,and departing leave behind us ,footprints on the sands of time40 ,illustration3 ,,james ,,dakers4 ,james ,dakers1 ,esq4 ,born in ,forfar1 ,scotland1 in #ahaa1 on completing his studies at the parochial school1 he served his apprenticeship in an attorney's office in his native town1 and came to ,canada in #ahdj4 ,he entered the service of the ,montreal ,telegraph ,company shortly after its organization as ,secretary4 ,when ,mr4 ,wood separated from the ,company in #ahfe1 ,mr4 ,dakers was appointed ,manager of the ,eastern division1 acting as ,secretary in addition4 ,owing to his faithful and energetic services the success of the company was greatly enhanced4 8,whatever thy hand findeth to do1 do it with all thy might10 seemed to be his guiding principle4 ,like the restless sea1 always moving1 if not engaged at his own special work1 he would repair to the operating department and give a helping hand1 here and there1 where most needed1 then to the receiving counter attending to customers4 ,in the early telegraph days during a pressure of business1 he not infrequently would take a handful of messages and deliver on his way to meals1 and kept a vigilant eye on every department of the company's operations4 ,when the ,montreal ,telegraph ,company leased its business to the ,great ,north ,western ,company1 in #ahha1 he was not in accord with the directors in this move1 and resigned1 retaining1 however1 the good will of the shareholders1 many of whom shared his views1 and the respect of the business community by whom he was long and favourably known4 ,the following tribute to his worth by the late ,rev4 ,dr4 ,ormiston in a letter to a friend is deserving a place here3 8,james ,dakers is in many respects a remarkable man4 ,notwithstanding many disadvantages1 he has fairly earned the high position of influence1 independence and usefulness which he now occupies4 ,he is characterized by indomitable energy1 great force of character1 unyielding tenacity of purpose1 his intellect is of a high order1 and eminently practical1 inflexibly upright in all his dealings1 conscientiously faithful to all his obligations1 punctual and thorough in the performance of all his duties1 incapable of meanness1 his word as good as his bond1 he is a man universally trusted2 his sympathies with the suffering and the struggling are wide and tender4 8,many bless him for his wise counsels and efficient aid2 the extent and genuineness of his ,christian charity is as manifest as the steadfastness of his religious life2 as a true friend1 he is one among a thousand4 8,were ,i asked by a young man for a model of a man1 earnest and indefatigable1 pure and firm in principle1 exemplary and consistent in character1 desirable and valuable in friendship1 ,i would not hesitate to point him to ,james ,dakers1 of ,montreal40 ,this was a very high testimonial of the character of ,mr4 ,dakers by one who knew him intimately for many years4 ,after giving up his connection with telegraph interests1 with which he had been so long associated1 he lived in retirement until his death1 which occurred on ,april #ae1 #ahhg4 ,illustration3 ,h4 ,p4 ,,dwight4 ,h4 ,p4 ,dwight1 ,esq4 ,for the long period of fifty-six years ,mr4 ,dwight has been continuously engaged in the telegraph service1 and only quite recently retired from the more active duties of his calling4 ,born on ,december #bc1 #ahbh1 at ,belleville1 ,jefferson ,county1 ,n4,y41 he entered the service of the ,montreal ,telegraph ,company in #ahdg1 the year of its organization1 and placed in charge of the ,belleville1 ,ontario1 ,office1 where he remained for a time1 and afterwards employed at the ,head ,office1 ,montreal4 ,when the wires connected ,toronto he was appointed agent there and soon made superintendent of the ,western ,section4 ,in #ahha1 when the ,montreal ,telegraph ,company leased its business to the ,great ,north ,western ,telegraph ,company he was appointed general manager of the latter4 ,when ,mr4 ,wiman resigned the presidency of that company1 ,mr4 ,dwight succeeded him and filled the dual positions until a few months ago1 when he resigned the general managership1 the duties being too onerous and exacting for one at his time of life4 ,mr4 ,dwight is associated with many other enterprises4 ,he is president of the ,canadian ,general ,electric ,company and a director of the ,toronto and ,london ,electric ,company1 president of ,birkbeck ,investment ,company and chairman of the ,governors of the ,royal ,humane ,society4 ,he is a man of fine physique1 has lived a regular and careful life1 which accounts for the vigorous and evergreen appearance at his time of life4 ,he is a keen sportsman and a devoted disciple of ,isaac ,walton4 ,every year he finds time to spend a few weeks in the happy summer-time1 in the wilds of ,northern ,ontario1 in quest of the speckled beauties of that region1 or in the lower ,st4 ,lawrence1 seeking the haunts of the lordly salmon in the ,restigouche or other famous streams4 ,in closing we wish him long life and many years to indulge in this his favorite recreation4 ,illustration3 ,,william ,,cassils4 ,william ,cassils1 ,esq4 ,born in the village of ,renton1 ,dunbartonshire1 on ,june #be1 #ahcb1 after acquiring a rudimentary training in the parochial school1 and equipped for a business career1 he engaged in a commercial house for a time1 but his prospects were not equal to his youthful ambition1 and his attention was directed to ,canada wherein he had relatives and was encouraged to join them4 ,he arrived at ,montreal in #aheb4 ,shortly after his arrival he entered the service of the ,montreal ,telegraph ,company2 his abilities were soon recognized--within a short time he was appointed manager of the ,quebec ,office1 the second in importance to ,montreal1 and later was made superintendent of the ,eastern ,division2 while in this position he had the wires extended to ,father ,point1 the extreme eastern limit of the ,company's system at that time4 ,in #ahfe he left the telegraph service to engage in a wholesale business in ,montreal1 but his heart was never quite divorced from his first calling4 ,in #ahgf he organized the ,canadian ,district ,telegraph ,company and became its president4 ,when the telephone first made its appearance he foresaw its great possibilities1 when he1 in association with others1 established in #ahgh the first telephone exchange in ,canada1 which was afterwards merged with the ,bell ,telephone ,system4 ,he was a ,director of the ,montreal ,telephone ,company1 ,president of the ,canada ,central ,railway and administrator of the ,st4 ,lawrence and ,ottawa ,railway1 both of which are now linked to the ,canadian ,pacific ,railway2 he was also ,president of the ,dominion ,transport ,company1 but his interest and sympathies were always keenly directed to the progress and development of telegraphy4 ,he himself was an expert telegraphist and always took a lively interest in the welfare and success of the telegraph fraternity4 ,he was amiable in manner1 kind in disposition and generous to a fault2 his purse was ever open to the needy or unfortunate4 ,he possessed a fine tenor voice in his young days4 ,when at social gatherings he rendered the songs of his native land with a sweetness and pathos few could equal4 ,he took a great interest in young men1 and many were indebted to him for advice and assistance in beginning the battle of life4 ,he passed away at a comparatively early age 7in his fifty-ninth year7 on ,december #be1 #ahia4 8,howe'er it be1 it seems to me ',tis only noble to be good ,kind hearts are more than coronets1 ,and simple faith than ,norman blood40 ,illustration3 ,,james ,,poustie4 ,james ,poustie1 ,esq4 ,born at ,montrose1 ,scotland1 in #ahcj4 ,while yet an infant1 his parents came to ,canada in the historic brig 8,favorite10 owned and commanded by the father of the late ,sir ,hugh ,allan4 ,mr4 ,poustie is the pioneer telegraph line builder of ,canada4 ,he was engaged by the ,montreal ,telegraph ,company shortly after its organization4 ,after the contractors had finished the line between ,montreal and ,toronto1 all line extensions thereafter were under his personal supervision4 ,he would start early in the spring with gangs of linemen1 equipped with tools and provisions1 live under canvas during the building season and return in the fall to prepare for the next year's operations4 ,this continued on from one year to another until the whole country was covered with a network of wires4 ,in purchasing material ,mr4 ,poustie was a shrewd and careful buyer1 getting the very best to be had at the lowest figure4 ,in hiring labor1 while paying liberal wages1 he took good care to receive in return a fair day's work for a fair day's wage from his men4 ,though stern and exacting1 he was not unkind4 ,his gangs of men were chiefly ,french ,canadians2 he knew their language and could apply it forcibly1 if not elegantly1 when circumstances required it4 ,his men were devoted to him and worked like beavers4 ,it is no exaggeration to say that owing to inherent shrewdness in handling his men and purchasing supplies the lines were constructed at half the cost of similar work in the ,united ,states2 this fact the ,company soon became cognizant of4 ,finally the system became so extensive as to demand a division of labor and responsibility when foremen were placed in charge of important sections of the line1 and ,mr4 ,poustie directed operations from headquarters at ,montreal and became ,general ,superintendent of ,construction4 ,this position he held for many years4 ,at length he resigned to rest for a while4 ,he is at present associated with ,r4 ,g4 ,reid ,co41 of ,newfoundland1 in their ,montreal office4 ,mr4 ,poustie is a man liberally endowed with good common sense1 dislikes humbug or insincerity1 a keen observer of men and possesses a retentive memory and a happy vein of dry caustic humor with a merry twinkle in his clear penetrating greyish blue eyes4 ,he can relate many interesting tales generally1 from a humorous point of view1 in reference to his own varied experience1 all of which are well worth listening to4 ,he is still vigorous and hearty1 and we hope has many years before him4 ,like ,yorick1 8,a man of infinite jest1 of most excellent fancy40 ,illustration3 ,,chas4 ,r4 ,,hosmer4 ,charles ,r4 ,hosmer1 ,esq4 8,some are born great4 ,some achieve greatness4 ,some have greatness thrust upon them40 ,it is no difficult task to determine to which class ,mr4 ,hosmer belongs4 ,born some fifty years ago in the little ,french ,canadian village1 ,coteau ,landing4 ,on receiving an elementary training at the village school he turned his attention to telegraphy1 and1 instructed in its mysteries by the operator and agent at the railway station there1 qualifying as an operator he secured a position with the ,montreal ,telegraph ,company and was in its employ for some years4 ,when the ,dominion ,telegraph ,company came into being he entered the service and rose step by step to the highest position attainable4 ,when that ,company merged with the ,great ,north ,western1 ,mr4 ,hosmer was offered and accepted the offices of ,president and ,general ,manager of the ,canada ,mutual ,telegraph ,company1 then recently organized4 ,a few years later when the ,canadian ,pacific ,railway ,company were about to establish a commercial telegraph business1 he was made ,general ,manager1 and held this for some thirteen or fourteen years1 during which period he was very successful in organizing and carrying on this branch of the ,company's business4 ,he was also a leading factor in exploiting the ,commercial ,cable and the ,postal ,telegraph ,cable ,companies2 he is a ,vice-,president of the former and a director of the ,canadian ,pacific ,railway1 director of the ,merchants' ,bank and many other financial concerns2 ,president of the ,ogilvie ,milling ,company1 said to be the largest of the kind existing2 a member of ,st4 ,james' ,club and at one time ,president2 he is also a member of ,mount ,royal 7yclept the millionaires' club74 ,mr4 ,hosmer is a recognized leader in financial circles in ,montreal2 he is possessed of a cheery1 bright and winning personality1 affects no airs1 gracious in manner with a pleasant word for all4 ,although not actively connected with the ,canadian ,pacific ,telegraph ,system1 his guiding hand is always reached4 ,he is yet a young man1 full of life and energy1 there is no saying the number and kind of activities may further engage his busy and restless mind4 ,his motto seems to be3 8,still achieving1 still pursuing1 ,and a heart for any fate40 ,illustration3 ,,hon4 ,,geo4 ,a4 ,,cox4 ,hon4 ,george ,albertus ,cox4 ,born at ,colborne1 ,ont41 ,may #g1 #ahdj1 he commenced business life there as an operator in the service of the ,montreal ,telegraph ,company4 ,after two years spent in the office of his native town he was in ,may1 #aheh1 placed in charge of the ,peterboro office of the ,company and in addition a few years later was made agent of the ,canadian ,express ,company4 ,he took an active part in the municipal1 educational and commercial interests of the town and was for seven years its mayor4 ,in #ahhh he left ,peterboro1 and from that time has resided in ,toronto where there is a wider scope for his energies4 ,he was appointed to the ,senate in #ahif by ,lord ,aberdeen4 ,mr4 ,cox is a strong temperance man and a warm supporter of the ,methodist ,church1 of which he is a member2 is ,bursar of ,victoria ,university and ,president of the ,ladies' ,college1 ,whitby2 ,president of the ,bank of ,commerce1 the ,canada ,life ,insurance ,company1 the ,western ,fire ,insurance and on the directorate of many other companies2 is one of the leading financiers in the ,dominion4 ,his name has been publicly mentioned as one likely to receive honors at the hands of the ,king at no distant date4 ,as 8coming events cast their shadows before10 this is not at all improbable4 ,senator ,cox was one of a syndicate to build the ,canadian ,pacific ,railway in opposition to the syndicate formed at ,montreal4 ,his name is now prominently connected with the ,grand ,trunk ,pacific project4 ,his success in life has been phenomenal when his humble beginning is considered1 and is a tolerably fair model for young ,canadians to imitate in the battle of life4 ,illustration3 ,,sir ,,william ,,van ,,horne4 ,sir ,william ,cornelius ,van ,horne4 ,born near ,joliette1 ,ill41 ,february #c1 #ahdc4 ,on quitting school he began life as an office boy at the ,railway ,station there1 and later became telegraph operator on the ,illinois ,central ,railway4 ,he was afterwards despatcher then superintendent of telegraph1 and in a short time was made divisional superintendent of the ,chicago and ,alton ,railway1 and in #ahgb general superintendent of the ,st4 ,louis and ,kansas ,city and ,northern ,railway2 from there he went1 in #ahgd1 to the ,southern ,minnesota ,railway as its general manager4 ,in #ahgh he returned to the ,chicago and ,alton ,railway as general superintendent1 but two years later he was called to the position of general superintendent of the ,chicago1 ,milwaukee and ,st4 ,paul ,railway1 and in #ahha he was asked to take control of the ,canadian ,pacific ,railway1 then in process of construction4 ,under his vigorous and energetic direction the line was built in one-half of the time required by the contract between the government and the ,company4 ,he has been successively ,vice-,president and ,president of the ,company and is now ,chairman of the ,board of ,directors4 ,the construction and successful management for years of this great enterprise has not impaired his wonderful energies4 ,he has built a railway in the ,island of ,cuba some four hundred miles in length in the usual expeditious manner4 ,this work being completed1 he is now1 it is said1 turning his attention to the distant ,philippines in order to provide ,railway facilities for the people of that country4 ,he is a director of many companies1 including the ,postal ,telegraph and ,commercial ,cable ,company1 and a member of ,st4 ,james and ,mount ,royal ,clubs4 ,sir ,william ,van ,horne is not only a famous railway man1 but possesses artistic talents of a high order4 ,had he followed art as a profession he would have taken high rank4 ,he is looked upon as one of the best art connoisseurs in ,canada4 ,he was created a ,k4 ,c4 ,m4 ,g4 by the late ,queen in acknowledgment of his public services in connection with the ,great ,transcontinental ,railway and ,imperial ,highway4 ,sir ,william is a man of fine presence1 wears his honors with ease and dignity1 affable and courteous in manner1 and approachable to all4 8,honour and shame1 from no condition rise1 ,act well your part1 there all the honor lies40 ,illustration3 ,,andrew ,,carnegie4 ,andrew ,carnegie4 ,born in the ancient ,royal ,burgh ,dumfermline1 ,fifeshire1 in #ahcg4 ,his father and mother emigrated to the ,united ,states in #ahdh1 settling in ,alleghany1 ,pa4 ,the senior ,carnegie was a master weaver and a man of exceptional intelligence1 who was obliged to relinquish his business owing to the development of steam mills with which the handicraftsmen could not hope to compete4 ,at the age of fourteen young ,carnegie began work as a messenger in the office of the ,ohio telegraph company2 in a short time he became an operator4 ,when the ,pennsylvania ,railway was carried to ,pittsburgh he received an appointment as train despatcher and rose to be superintendent of the ,pittsburgh division of the system4 ,at the outbreak of the ,american civil war ,carnegie was made ,superintendent of military roads4 ,after the war he went into numerous ventures1 in all of which he was eminently successful4 ,his first big manufacturing venture was the organization of the ,keystone ,bridge ,company4 ,iron bridges were coming into fashion1 and he got the lead everywhere4 ,he soon acquired other manufacturing plants in the iron line4 ,by #ahhh he had control of the ,homestead ,steel ,works and many other plants which were capitalized at about one hundred million dollars4 ,some ten or fifteen years ago ,mr4 ,carnegie began to feel the oppression of wealth and its responsibilities and made arrangements by which his employees became sharers in his profits4 ,after getting free of the greater part of the personal care of the properties in which he was the chief owner1 ,mr4 ,carnegie has devoted himself largely to philanthropic objects1 his gifts being chiefly in the line of building public libraries4 ,he takes a warm interest in everything relating to telegraphy and telegraph men1 and is rather pleased to be remembered as an old-time telegraphist4 ,his chief place of residence is ,skibo ,castle1 ,scotland1 but he pays frequent visits to the ,united ,states4 8,ring in the valiant man and free ,the larger heart1 the kindlier hand4 ,ring out the darkness of the land1 ,ring in the ,christ that is to be40 ,illustration3 ,,sir ,,sandford ,,fleming4 ,sir ,sandford ,fleming1 ,c4,e41 ,,ll4,d4 ,was born at ,kircaldy1 ,fifeshire1 ,scotland1 on the #gth day of ,january1 #ahbg4 ,he left school at the age of #ad1 and was immediately articled as a student of surveying and engineering4 ,at the age of #ah he came to ,canada4 ,in #aheb he was appointed one of the engineering staff of the ,northern ,railway then known as the ,ontario and ,lake ,huron road4 ,in #ahfc he went to ,england as a representative of the ,red ,river settlement to invoke the aid of the ,imperial ,government toward the construction of a railway to connect with the ,canadian railways1 but the scheme was not carried out4 ,when the ,intercolonial ,railway was projected he was made ,chief of ,surveys and ,construction4 ,when nearing its completion he was called upon by the ,government to undertake the survey of the proposed route to the ,pacific4 ,after exhaustive surveys had been made and the construction of the ,canadian ,pacific had been well advanced and some six or eight hundred miles of the heaviest sections built1 political exigencies arose1 and in #ahhj he resigned4 ,in that year he was elected ,chancellor of ,queen's ,university1 and in #ahhb1 while on a visit to ,scotland1 was presented with the freedom of ,kircaldy ,burghs1 and in #ahhd received the honorary degree of ,,ll4,d41 from ,st4 ,andrew's ,university4 ,in #ahha he went as a delegate from the ,canadian ,institute and the ,american ,meteorological ,society to the ,international ,geographical ,congress at ,venice1 and in #ahhd he was appointed a delegate of ,great ,britain to represent the ,dominion of ,canada at the ,international ,prime ,meridian ,conference at ,washington1 where he had the pleasure of finding his views which he had been pressing on the public for years with regard to ,cosmic time and a prime meridian for all nations1 accepted by the representatives of the civilized world4 ,as early as #ahgi ,sir ,sandford submitted to the ,canadian ,government a scheme for spanning the ,pacific ,ocean by electric cables which would1 in connection with existing land and cable wires1 complete the electric girdle of the globe1 and bring ,great ,britain1 ,canada1 ,australia and ,new ,zealand in unbroken electric touch with each other without passing over foreign territory4 ,the proposition was given due consideration and the subject was laid before successive parliaments1 but1 while much interest had been awakened1 nothing practical was accomplished1 owing to the many obstacles in the way1 and the matter was1 for a time1 held in abeyance4 ,meanwhile its energetic projector did not despair4 ,year after year he took every favorable opportunity to bring it before the public men of ,great ,britain and the ,colonies1 travelling thousands of miles to attend ,conferences at ,london1 ,brisbane1 ,ottawa and elsewhere1 wherever the subject was under review4 ,at length the reasons and arguments adduced on all these occasions in support of this scheme were found to be convincing1 and its feasibility so apparent that it was finally accepted and practically applied4 ,on the #cast day of ,december1 #aijj1 the ,imperial and five ,colonial governments joined in an interstate partnership to carry out the work so long and ably advocated by its originator and promoter4 ,exactly twenty-two months after the agreement1 #h1bgb miles of cable had been manufactured and safely embedded in the vast depths of the ,pacific1 nearly a third of the earth's circumference1 on the #cast day of ,october1 #aijb1 electric communication was successfully established between ,canada1 ,new ,zealand1 ,fiji and ,australia1 and has been uninterruptedly maintained ever since4 ,the success of this great telegraph enterprise1 the most stupendous ever taken1 was a fitting prelude to the dawn of the new century and a splendid triumph to the genius and foresight of ,sir ,sandford ,fleming4 ,during nearly a quarter of a century he had given his time and talents1 as well as his private means1 to accomplish the end he had in view1 and it must have been peculiarly gratifying to him that his labors all these years had not been in vain4 ,his patriotic and self-sacrificing efforts should receive some suitable public acknowledgment in some substantial form4 ,in #ahgg he was made a ,companion of ,st4 ,michael and ,st4 ,george1 and in #ahig he was promoted to be a commander of the same distinguished order on the occasion of the sixtieth year of ,her ,majesty's reign4 8,peace hath her victories1 ,no less renowned than war40 ,illustration3 ,,fred4 ,n4 ,,gisborne4 ,frederick ,n4 ,gisborne ,was born at ,broughton1 ,lancashire1 ,england1 ,march #h1 #ahbd1 and came to ,canada in #ahde4 ,when the ,montreal ,company was organized he was employed as one of its first operators1 opening the first office of the ,company at ,quebec4 ,he was afterwards engaged in various telegraph enterprises in the ,maritime ,provinces4 ,in #ahea he laid the cable connecting ,new ,brunswick and ,prince ,edward ,island1 the first submarine cable in ,america4 ,in #ahef he laid the cable connecting ,cape ,breton and ,newfoundland 7#he miles in length71 this being an important link in the ,atlantic cable system4 ,previous to this he had secured a charter from the ,newfoundland ,government to construct a telegraph line across the ,island1 which1 with the projected cable crossing the ,gulf of ,st4 ,lawrence connecting with the land telegraphs1 would provide the quickest news on the arrival of steamers from ,europe4 ,in this project he was associated with several ,american capitalists1 but financial difficulties arose1 and in the winter of #ahec-d ,mr4 ,gisborne visited ,new ,york to secure further capital1 and there met ,mr4 ,cyrus ,w4 ,field1 with the result that ,mr4 ,field returned with him to ,newfoundland4 ,the ,legislature1 at ,mr4 ,gisborne's request1 cancelled the original thirty years' charter granted to himself and associates1 for a new charter for a term of fifty years to the ,new ,york1 ,newfoundland and ,london ,company4 ,the object of this ,company was to complete the land lines begun by ,gisborne1 lay the cable in the ,gulf of ,st4 ,lawrence and to lay a cable across the ,atlantic4 ,the latter attempt1 however1 proved a failure1 and the franchise of this ,company was subsequently acquired by the ,anglo-,american ,telegraph and ,cable ,company4 ,meanwhile ,mr4 ,gisborne dropped out of the enterprise1 probably losing all the interest in it he possessed4 ,some years later he was appointed ,superintendent of the ,canadian ,government ,telegraph and ,signal ,service1 which he filled until his death1 which occurred on ,aug4 #cj1 #ahib4 ,illustration3 ,,thos4 ,a4 ,,edison4 ,thomas ,a4 ,edison4 ,born in ,milan1 ,erie county1 ,ohio1 ,february #aa1 #ahdg1 he attended school for a few months only1 being educated at home by his mother1 a woman of superior ability and attainments4 ,the boy was an apt scholar1 showing preference for historical and scientific subjects4 ,in #ahed his father removed to ,port ,huron1 ,mich41 where1 at the age of twelve1 he was engaged as a newsboy on the ,grand ,trunk ,railway4 ,while thus employed he took every occasion to watch the operations of the telegraph at the various stations on the line4 ,he erected a wire between his father's house and that of a neighbour1 himself making the instruments to save the cost of battery material2 he experimented with a tom-cat1 using the fore and hind feet as electrodes4 ,the connections having been duly made he tried to start an induced current by rubbing the back of the feline4 ,this amusing experiment was not a success1 however1 and was abandoned2 later on he was rewarded for bravery in rescuing the child of the station master from the front of a moving train by receiving lessons in telegraphy1 which he soon mastered1 and was employed as telegraph operator on the ,grand ,trunk ,railway for a time1 leaving thereafter for the ,united ,states1 where he worked in various cities1 meanwhile devoting himself to the study of electrical science then little understood in ,america4 ,while working as operator in ,new ,orleans1 ,la41 he invented the automatic repeater4 ,in #ahfd he conceived the idea1 which he afterwards perfected1 of duplex telegraphy1 but it was not put into practical operation until #ahgb4 ,his next important inventions were the quadruplex and the printing telegraph for stock quotations4 ,in time his inventions were numerous and varied4 ,on the lists of inventions at the patent office1 ,washington1 in #ahie1 no less than #fjj were credited to his name4 ,the most notable amongst these are the quadruplex1 the phonograph and the incandescent light4 ,although ,edison had acquired considerable wealth1 yet in #ahif he publicly declared that he would have been at least #fjj1jjj better off if he had never taken out a patent or defended one1 and that all the money he ever made was made by manufacturing his inventions or in their practical use4 ,in #ahif he established the village of ,edison1 ,n4 ,j41 in the very centre of an iron ore deposit1 a plant for the magnetic separation of iron from the rock in which it is embedded in the mine1 the process being purely automatic4 ,he first invented a crusher capable of reducing ten tons of rock to dust every minute2 he then invented apparatus whereby the iron ore was separated from the dust by means of a magnet1 the extracted ore being made into briquettes and easily handled for transport to the blast furnace4 ,mr4 ,edison is one of the simplest and unostentatious of men1 careless in his costume1 abstemious and simple in his habits1 unselfish and generous in dispositions4 ,he married in #ahgd1 and has four sons and one daughter4 ,illustration3 ,,isaac ,d4 ,,purkis4 ,isaac ,d4 ,purkis1 ,esq4 ,was born in ,laprairie1 ,que41 in #ahbg4 ,he was son of the ,rev4 ,isaac ,purkis1 who came from ,england in #ahba1 and was a lineal descendant of the ,purkis who carried the body of ,king ,william ,rufus from the ,new ,forest to ,winchester in ,hampshire1 when shot by ,sir ,walter ,tyrell1 while hunting in the ,new ,forest4 ,mr4 ,purkis learned telegraphy under ,mr4 ,o4 ,s4 ,wood and was located at ,prescott1 ,ont41 from #ahdi to #ahea1 in the employ of the ,montreal ,telegraph ,company4 ,in #ahea1 on the very flattering recommendation of ,mr4 ,wood1 he entered the service of the ,british ,north ,american ,telegraph ,association and was appointed ,superintendent 7equivalent to ,general ,manager at the present date74 ,this company had a line from ,quebec city east1 to ,rivire du ,loup1 thence southerly to ,st4 ,john1 ,n4,b41 etc4 ,in #ahec1 on the recommendation of ,mr4 ,purkis1 the line was extended to ,montreal1 along the north shore of the river1 and thus entered into competition with the ,montreal ,telegraph ,company1 whose line was from ,point ,levi1 along the south shore to ,montreal and thence westward4 ,connection was first made between ,quebec and ,point ,levi by a long span of wire on masts1 in the spring when the ice was breaking up4 ,none of the linemen would attempt to cross on the floating1 broken ice4 ,mr4 ,purkis then got a ladder1 and placing himself in the centre with the coil of wire over his shoulder succeeded in making the passage1 at the same time paying out the wire over the edges of the ice4 ,his exertions were so great that he was completely exhausted when he finally got across4 ,this company established at ,rivire du ,loup1 ,que41 a signal office under the ,lloyd code1 whereby all vessels passing were signalled and information at once telegraphed to the owner or agent and to the press4 ,in addition to this a boat manned with capable oarsmen1 swivel gun on bow to signal the approaching steamer1 more particularly at night1 was used to intercept and receive from the inward steamer the despatches and latest newspapers from ,europe4 ,the method was to throw a tin cylinder in which were enclosed the despatches and newspapers with a small flag attached to the end2 this was attached to a lanyard1 and when secured by the ,telegraph boat1 the steamer was given a signal and she proceeded on her way1 the despatches being promptly brought ashore and delivered to the telegraph and signal officer in charge4 ,in ,december #bi1 #ahed1 the ,british ,north ,american ,telegraph ,association and the ,canada ,grand ,trunk ,telegraph ,company 7whose lines extended from ,montreal westward7 entered into an agreement for the mutual interchange of business1 and ,mr4 ,purkis was appointed ,superintendent of both companies4 ,this position he held until both companies were amalgamated with the ,montreal ,telegraph ,company in the latter part of #ahef4 ,when he left the telegraph business in ,august of that year his subordinates presented him with a signet ring1 which he wore to the day of his death4 ,he engaged in the forwarding and ferry business at ,prescott until #ahgj1 when he was appointed ,general ,manager of the ,dominion ,telegraph ,company1 with headquarters at ,toronto4 ,he resigned from this position in #ahgd and again returned to ,prescott taking up his former business4 ,besides himself he had three brothers engaged in the telegraph service1 ,george1 ,arthur and ,william1 all of whom predeceased him many years since4 ,mr4 ,purkis was a citizen of the highest type1 always eager for the welfare of the town and its inhabitants4 ,personally1 he was of a most genial and kindly disposition1 a true and sincere friend to all who shared his confidence4 ,he passed away recently at his home at ,prescott after a brief illness1 in his #ghth year4 ,submarine ,telegraphy4 ,when the electric telegraph had been successfully established in ,great ,britain1 the public soon became alive to the necessity of extending its operations beyond the confines of the ,united ,kingdom4 ,as early as #ahdj ,professor ,charles ,wheatstone1 of ,england1 suggested the practicability of connecting ,dover and ,calais1 in ,france1 by an electric wire1 but it was ten years later before a submarine line was laid4 ,this first attempt proved a failure1 owing to the wires being imperfectly insulated4 ,in #ahea a second cable1 containing four copper wires insulated with gutta percha and surrounded by tarred hemp and protected by ten galvanized iron wires wound round spirally1 was laid connecting ,england and ,france4 ,this proved successful4 ,all submarine cables thereafter were made on this pattern4 ,it was now evident that the sea offered no barrier to international telegraphic communication4 ,in the same year 7#ahea7 a submarine cable ten miles in length was laid connecting ,prince ,edward ,island and ,new ,brunswick4 ,in #aheb six submarine lines were laid connecting ,england with ,ireland1 ,scotland and the continent1 the longest of which was one about one hundred nautical miles1 and in #ahed five additional cables were laid in ,european waters4 ,in #ahef ,newfoundland and ,cape ,breton was connected by submarine wire1 the distances being some eighty-five miles4 ,the successful laying of this cable led to the more gigantic undertaking1 viz41 to connecting the old and the new worlds electrically4 ,there are three names prominently connected with the origination of the idea1 ,bishop ,mulock1 of ,newfoundland1 ,frederick ,gisborne and ,cyrus ,w4 ,field4 ,the following interesting remarks of ,mr4 ,mackay1 of ,newfoundland1 is worth producing4 ,in a speech he made at a banquet given by the old-time ,telegraphers' ,association1 held at the ,windsor ,hotel in the summer of #aija1 he said2 8,if you please1 ,i shall now refer to a matter that ,i think may be far more interesting to you all than anything ,i have said thus far4 ,i mean to refer to the matter of the ,atlantic telegraph1 as it is a subject that must always occupy a large share of the attention of the telegraph world1 because at the present time telegraphing by cable is one of the most important factors in the whole service that makes the telegraphy of the world as valuable as it is4 ,the subject that ,i wanted to mention to you is the question as to who was the person that initiated or gave birth to the idea of an ,atlantic telegraph1 which1 of course1 gave birth to all deep-sea and long-distance telegraphy4 8,as a matter of fact1 in ,newfoundland1 where this subject has been given considerable attention1 it is stated that the ,right ,rev4 ,dr4 ,mulock1 ,roman ,catholic ,bishop of ,newfoundland1 was one of the parties4 ,others contend that the late ,f4 ,n4 ,gisborne is the person1 others that ,cyrus ,w4 ,field is the person4 8,i would like to refer to those gentlemen1 beginning first with ,dr4 ,mulock4 8,i trust you will pardon me for saying that ,i consider my opinion on the matter is worth something1 inasmuch as ,i think ,i am the only man of those that were connected with the ,atlantic telegraph at the time of its inception1 in an executive capacity1 all the others having gone before1 as far as ,i know4 8,now with regard to ,dr4 ,mulock1 ,i think there is not the least doubt he got his information from ,mr4 ,gisborne in regard to the ,atlantic telegraph1 and that his only connection with it was the expression of his belief in the possibility of its establishment1 just as a man might say1 for instance1 we will in the next generation fly in the air2 but he contributed nothing towards the direct accomplishment of the object4 ,there is not the least doubt in my mind1 therefore1 that it lies between ,mr4 ,f4 ,n4 ,gisborne and ,cyrus ,w4 ,field4 8,mr4 ,gisborne's friends contend now that he was unjustly treated by ,field1 and that he really had advised ,mr4 ,field of the possibility of accomplishing this great work4 ,mr4 ,gisborne did not make this contention in his lifetime4 8,i had the privilege of seeing him some years before he died1 long subsequent to the establishment of the ,atlantic telegraph1 and he said that on his meeting ,cyrus ,w4 ,field1 in the month of ,january1 #ahed1 whilst foreshadowing the possibility and the desirability of establishing ,atlantic communication between ,newfoundland and the ,continent of ,america1 he did not refer to the possibility of a cable to ,england1 but only relied on the success of that enterprise by contributing to its coffers messages obtained from steamers arriving in ,newfoundland and transmitted from thence by carrier pigeons1 and ultimately by telegraphic cable4 8,mr4 ,gisborne made that statement1 and he admitted that he did not1 in his first interview with ,cyrus ,w4 ,field1 foreshadow the possibility of the ,atlantic telegraph4 8,now ,mr4 ,field on being questioned in regard to that interview which took place in ,mr4 ,field's house in ,january1 #ahed1 said exactly the same thing4 8,he only contended for the pigeons in the first place and the possibility of a cable to ,cape ,breton in the second place1 and the clever far-seeing commercial man1 as he was considered1 said that there was no possibility of such a scheme ever paying1 and1 therefore1 he would not have anything to do with it2 but on seeing ,gisborne1 he turned over the ,globe1 and1 in turning it over1 seeing that ,cape ,breton was only an inch or two on the ,globe from ,newfoundland1 and that ,ireland was only six inches1 with his shrewdness and cleverness he said at once1 #8,if a cable can be laid to ,cape ,breton1 why can't it be laid to ,ireland8' and the next morning he wrote a letter to ,professor ,morse and asked him if a cable could be laid to ,ireland and whether it could be worked4 ,he also wrote a letter to ,lieutenant ,maury1 of the ,united ,states ,navy1 and asked him whether it would be possible to lay a cable to ,ireland4 ,satisfactory answers being obtained to these two questions1 he at once embarked in the enterprise and threw his whole influence 7rich man that he was at that time7 into the work of laying the ,atlantic cable4 ,you will see1 therefore1 that ,mr4 ,gisborne did not communicate the idea of the ,atlantic cable1 but he communicated the idea of a cable that was quite enough for a man of ,cyrus ,w4 ,field's foresight and ingenuity to suggest the possibility of an ,atlantic cable1 so that there is really no difference as to credit due these two gentlemen for the initiation of the project1 and ,i can assure you it is most satisfactory to me because ,i have always been a warm friend of both gentlemen 7applause74 ,i think ,i am the only living witness to these facts ,i have related1 and ,i am glad to have this opportunity to state it publicly4 ,i know it is a matter of interest to all telegraph men4 ,now the question comes to my mind1 ,who then was the author of the first idea of the ,atlantic cable4 8,in this connection ,i will go back to the year #ahej4 ,in #ahed the ,new ,york1 ,newfoundland and ,london ,telegraph ,company obtained a charter which gave them exclusive rights to land a cable in ,newfoundland for fifty years4 ,this charter terminates in #aijd1 and ,i hope to live to see that charter expire4 ,i am confident it will never be renewed1 because the ,british ,government would never consent1 now that deep-sea telegraphy is an assured fact1 to exclusive rights1 of that nature being conferred on anybody or corporation4 7,applause47 8,we will now go back to1 ,who was the first man that started the idea of the ,atlantic cable8 and ,i find no difficulty in naming the man1 as far as my opinion goes4 8,in #ahej1 whilst studying telegraphy with ,mr4 ,gisborne in ,halifax1 he was very communicative in all his methods and actions1 and he showed me letters at that time from ,mr4 ,brett4 ,there were two ,bretts4 ,i think the first was ,john and the second ,jacob1 but it was the elder ,brett who was in communication with him then by letter1 and he had given birth to the idea of a cable4 ,he not only gave birth to it in #ahej1 but in #aheb he laid the cable from ,dover in ,england to ,france1 and that cable was working until within a few years of the present time4 ,he1 therefore1 not only gave birth to the idea1 but he gave actual presence to the cable1 and ,i think it is not unlikely1 and ,i find it easy for me to say1 that there never was an inventor who was wont to appreciate his own invention4 ,i think it is not unlikely that ,brett1 when he had the idea of a cable at all1 although only twenty-one miles in length1 that he had within his vision thousands of miles1 covering all bays1 all waters and all seas 7applause72 that is my idea that ,john ,brett was the originator and inventor of the submarine cable40 ,mr4 ,mackay1 whose testimony we have given1 was the superintendent of telegraphs for the ,anglo-,american ,telegraph and ,cable ,company for the ,island of ,newfoundland and held this position for many years4 ,the circumstances which brought ,gisborne and ,field together was as follows3 ,the former had planned a line of telegraph from ,st4 ,john's1 ,nfld41 through four hundred miles of dense wilderness and forest to ,cape ,ray1 there to connect by steamers or by carrier pigeons or by cable4 ,to enable him to carry out this project the ,legislature of ,newfoundland granted #ejj for a survey of the route4 ,an ,act was also passed incorporating the ,newfoundland ,telegraph ,company with an exclusive right of way for thirty years1 including amongst other privileges valuable concessions of public lands4 ,having thus laid the groundwork of his scheme ,gisborne immediately left for ,new ,york to raise capital2 in this he was successful4 ,horace ,b4 ,tebbets and ,d4 ,h4 ,holbrook were among the more prominent to join him1 and a company was organized under the charter which had been granted4 ,soon after the formation of the ,company ,mr4 ,gisborne left for ,england1 to purchase a submarine cable to connect ,cape ,ray and ,cape ,breton4 ,in #aheb thirty miles of the land line had been completed1 and ,mr4 ,gisborne had skilfully and successfully laid the first submarine cable of any considerable length in ,america between ,cape ,ray and ,cape ,breton and ,cape ,tormentine and ,cape ,traverse in ,northumberland ,straits4 ,in #ahec1 however1 the cable gave out1 about the same time the ,new ,york stockholders withheld their support2 this caused the work to be suspended and the ,company became bankrupt4 ,mr4 ,gisborne1 finding himself unable to proceed1 gave up all he possessed to pay the accrued debts1 and for a time abandoned the enterprise4 ,under such circumstances and with renewed courage ,mr4 ,gisborne in #ahed returned to ,new ,york1 to try1 if possible1 to resuscitate interest in his work4 ,among others to whom he now found access was ,mr4 ,matthew ,d4 ,field1 a ,new ,york ,engineer1 to whom he communicated his position and plans4 ,mr4 ,field1 however1 declined to interest himself1 but politely offered to introduce him to his brother1 ,cyrus ,w4 ,field1 at that time retired from active business4 ,this led to several interviews1 which had the effect of exciting a general interest in telegraph affairs in ,mr4 ,field's mind4 ,standing one evening over a large globe after one of these interviews with ,mr4 ,gisborne1 and tracing the lines overland to ,st4 ,john's1 ,nfld41 an idea dawned on his mind which gradually strengthened its hold upon his imagination and soon absorbed his whole heart and life4 ,while following with his finger the track of the inland lines to the ocean1 it was natural to traverse also the course of the steamships across the ,northern ,atlantic4 ,it was but a step further to plant his finger on ,london and to feel that to reach the centre of ,english commercial life by telegraph1 were this practicable1 would be an achievement worth striving for4 ,mr4 ,field1 thus aroused to a comprehension of a possible opportunity to embark in a grand enterprise worthy of the age1 began to make enquiry respecting the project of laying a cable on the bed of the ,atlantic4 ,he found that a recent survey of the ,northern ,atlantic1 under the direction of ,lieutenant ,maury1 had been made1 and a plateau extending from ,newfoundland to ,ireland had been discovered1 forming a safe and easy pathway for a submarine wire4 ,professor ,morse also assured ,mr4 ,field that the project was entirely feasible1 and warmly encouraged him in it1 and asserted the certainty of its ultimate accomplishment4 ,being now thoroughly convinced ,mr4 ,field communicated with some of his intimate friends1 amongst whom were ,peter ,cooper1 ,moses ,taylor1 ,marshall ,o4 ,roberts and ,chandler ,white1 names familiar in the history of ,american enterprise4 ,the scheme met with earnest attention and ready response4 ,mutual consultations resulted soon after in the organization of a company with a capital of one million and a half dollars to carry out the project and the immediate purchase of the ,gisborne charter1 it resulted also in the generous enlargement of the franchises granted by the colony of ,newfoundland1 the exclusive right to land ocean cables during fifty years1 #ej1jjj to aid the work and fifty square miles of land when the cable was successfully laid was granted4 ,the ,government of ,prince ,edward ,island also made liberal grants of money and land4 ,with these important arrangements completed on ,may #f1 #ahed1 a company was formally organized under the corporate name of the ,new ,york1 ,newfoundland and ,london ,electric ,telegraph ,company4 ,peter ,cooper was elected ,president4 ,chandler ,white1 ,vice-,president4 ,moses ,taylor1 ,treasurer4 ,professor ,morse1 ,electrician4 ,matthew ,d4 ,field1 ,engineer4 ,the latter immediately proceeded to ,newfoundland to begin operations1 first honorably paying the debts due to workmen under ,mr4 ,gisborne4 ,mr4 ,field1 with six hundred men1 pushed the work of construction through the vast forests of ,newfoundland until the wires were erected between ,st4 ,john's and ,cape ,ray4 ,meanwhile1 ,cyrus ,w4 ,field made his first voyage to ,england to contract for a new cable to connect ,newfoundland with ,nova ,scotia1 and to continue his enquiries into the scientific obstacles to the laying and operating a cable between the shores of the ,old ,world and the ,new4 ,in ,england ,mr4 ,field met ,mr4 ,john ,w4 ,brett1 the originator and inventor of submarine cables1 who gave every encouragement to ,mr4 ,field in the ,atlantic cable project1 and to show his faith in its success ,mr4 ,brett purchased a considerable number of shares in the concern4 ,in #ahee the cable for ,cape ,ray was shipped from ,england4 ,it weighed #djj tons1 and was manufactured by ,w4 ,kupert ,co41 ,london4 ,the steamer1 8,james ,adger10 was chartered by ,mr4 ,field1 to convey a large party to ,newfoundland to witness the submergence4 ,among these were ,peter ,cooper1 ,robert ,w4 ,lowber1 ,professor ,morse1 ,rev4 ,h4 ,m4 ,field1 ,rev4 ,gardiner ,spring1 ,rev4 ,j4 ,m4 ,sherwood1 ,dr4 ,james ,a4 ,sayre1 ,bayard ,taylor1 ,fitzjames ,o',brien and ,john ,mullarky4 ,the cable had arrived in an ,english brig1 which had to be towed by the steamer from shore to shore4 ,everything seemed favorable4 ,a hawser was thrown from the steamer to the brig and the cable began to find its way to its appointed bed4 ,unfortunately1 while yet in mid-channel1 a furious gale set in when the overloaded brig became unmanageable1 and1 fearing destruction1 the cable was cut and the work for the time abandoned4 ,in #ahef a steamer amply provided for the purpose was chartered1 by which after lading the cable it was easily and successfully submerged without a hitch4 ,the line was now finished4 ,although it had to wait during many years for the completion of the great work for which it was a link1 it ultimately showed the wisdom of its construction and became of much value to its projectors2 it had cost so far #a1jjj1jjj4 ,on the formation of the ,atlantic ,telegraph ,company1 the charter of the ,new ,york1 ,newfoundland and ,london ,telegraph ,company1 conferring the exclusive right for fifty years to land cables on the ,island of ,newfoundland1 was made over to the new ,company4 ,in #ahee ,chandler ,white died2 on his death1 ,wilson ,g4 ,hunt1 a name well-known among merchant princes of ,new ,york1 took his place as director1 and gave the company during its existence the benefit of his able counsel and active and intelligent support4 ,mr4 ,cyrus ,w4 ,field was at the same time elected vice-president and ,robt4 ,w4 ,lowder1 secretary4 ,in #aheg the first attempt was made to lay a cable across the ,atlantic1 the length of which was #b1ejj miles4 ,after paying out #bee miles the cable broke1 and the work was given up for that year4 ,in #aheh another attempt was made1 the ,british naval ship 8,agamemnon0 and the ,united ,states frigate 8,niagara10 each carrying one-half of the cable1 proceeded to mid-ocean1 spliced the ends1 and going in opposite directions reached ,newfoundland and ,ireland the same day1 ,august #e1 after each having successfully accomplished the submergence4 ,there was great rejoicing on both sides of the ,atlantic over the event1 but disappointment soon followed4 ,on the #ast of ,september1 the cable ceased working and the project for a time was abandoned4 ,seven years after another attempt was made1 a new cable had been prepared and stowed in the hold of the 8,great ,eastern40 ,the big ship1 lightly carrying her great burden1 steamed out to sea paying out the cable as she proceeded4 ,half the ,atlantic was passed over in safety when the cable broke and the 8,great ,eastern0 returned to her moorings4 ,such1 however1 had been the indications of success in laying the cable in #ahfe1 that in #ahff the ,anglo-,american ,telegraph ,company was organized with a new capital1 and the 8,great ,eastern0 once more started across the deep1 when the great work was at last accomplished4 ,universal joy followed the announcement that the cable was successfully laid1 not only so1 but the lost cable of the previous year was1 to the general wonder1 found1 picked up and spliced and continued to the ,american shore4 ,the cable was thrown open for public traffic ,august #bf1 #ahff4 ,a large and remunerative business followed1 which has continued unbroken ever since4 ,there are now fourteen cables spanning the bed of the ,atlantic between ,europe and ,america1 the total length of these being #dj1jjj miles4 ,in the present year 7#aijb7 the total length of submarine cables in the world is about #bjj1jjj miles1 all but #bj1jjj of which are owned by commercial concerns and the remainder by different ,governments4 ,the amount of capital invested in cables is estimated at about #baj1jjj1jjj4 ,the cost of the cable before laying depends upon the dimensions of the cars1 or conducting wire1 which is copper2 gutta percha1 which still forms the only trustworthy insulating material1 constituting the principal item of expense4 ,for an ,atlantic cable of the most recent construction1 the cost may be taken at #bej to #cjj per nautical mile4 ,the system of submarine cables originating in ,great ,britain has continued to develop in her hands1 until the world has been covered with a veritable network of cables1 which has hitherto done much to prevent the decline of her commercial supremacy4 ,during the last few years1 however1 other maritime nations in ,europe have begun to realize the importance of submarine cable enterprise in this respect1 and ,france and ,germany have made some progress towards freeing themselves from ,british monopoly2 both are now connected with ,america by cables which are owned in their respective countries1 though their manufacture and submergence was effected by an ,english ,company4 ,this spread of the cable system has naturally followed trade routes1 and thus1 with the exception of the cables to ,america1 their trend has been eastwards as far as ,australia and ,japan4 ,during the year #aijb the ,dominion of ,canada was connected by cable with ,new ,zealand and ,australia1 the total length of cable1 #h1bgb miles1 and cost #a1gie1jjj4 ,an agreement was entered into between the ,imperial ,government and the ,governments of ,canada1 ,victoria1 ,new ,south ,wales1 ,new ,zealand and ,queensland1 and it was through the persistent efforts and advocacy of ,sir ,sandford ,fleming that this great work was accomplished4 ,owing to the experience gained with many thousand miles in all depths and under varying conditions of weather and climate1 the risks1 and1 consequently1 the cost of laying1 has been greatly reduced1 but the cost of effecting a repair still remains a very uncertain quantity1 success being dependent on quiet conditions of sea and weather4 ,the modus operandi is briefly as follows3 ,the position of the fracture is determined by electrical tests from both ends with more or less accuracy depending on the nature of the fault1 but it can be located within a few miles4 ,the repair steamer1 on reaching the given position1 lowers one or perhaps two mark buoys1 mooring them by mushroom anchors1 chain and rope1 using these buoys to guide the direction of tow4 ,grapnel1 a species of five pronged anchors attached to a strong compound rope formed of strands of steel and manilla1 is lowered to the bottom and dragged at a slow speed1 as it were ploughing a furrow in the sea-bottom in a line at right angles to the cable route until the behavior of the dynamometer shows that the cable is hooked4 ,the ship is then stopped and the cable gradually hove up towards the surface2 but in deep water1 unless it has been caught near a loose end1 the cable will break on the grapnel before it reaches the surface1 as the catenary strain on the bight will be greater than it will stand4 ,another buoy is put down marking this position1 fixing at the same time the actual line of the cable4 ,grappling will then be recommenced so as to hook the cable near enough to the end to allow of its being hove to the surface4 ,when this has been done an electrical test is applied1 and1 if the original fracture is between the ship and shore1 the heaving in of the cable will continue until the end comes on board4 ,another buoy is then lowered to mark the spot1 and the cable on the other side of the fracture grappled for brought to the surface1 and1 if communication is found perfect with the shore1 buoyed with sufficient chain and rope attached to allow of the cable itself reaching the bottom4 ,the ship now returns to the position of original attack and by similar operations brings on board the end which secures communication with the shore4 ,the gap between the two ends has now been closed by splicing on new cable and paying out until the buoyed end is reached1 which is then hove up and brought on board4 ,after the 8final splice10 as it is termed1 between these ends has been made1 the bight made fast to a rope is lowered overboard1 the slip rope cut and the cable allowed to sink by its own weight to its resting place on the sea-bed4 ,the repairs being thus completed the various mark buoys are picked up and the ship returns to her usual station4 ,the grappling of the cable and raising it to the surface from a depth of #b1jjj fathoms seldom occupies less than twenty-four hours1 and1 since any extra strain due to the pitching of the vessel must be avoided1 it is clear that the state of the sea and weather is the predominating factor in the time necessary for effecting the long series of operations which1 under the most favorable circumstances1 are required for a repair4 ,in addition the intervention of heavy weather may mar all the work already accomplished and require the whole series of operations to be undertaken de novo4 ,as to cost1 one transatlantic cable repair cost #ge1jjj4 ,the repair of the ,aden ,bombay cable1 broken in a depth of #a1ijj fathoms1 was effected with the expenditure of #agf miles of new cable1 and1 after a lapse of #bea days1 #ajc being spent in actual work1 which for the remainder of the time was interrupted by the monsoon4 ,a repair of the ,lisbon ,porthcarrow cable broken in the ,bay of ,biscay in #b1gjj fathoms1 eleven years after the cable was laid1 took #bae days with an expenditure of three hundred miles of cable4 ,all interruptions are not so costly1 for in shallow waters1 with favorable conditions of weather1 a repair may be only a matter of a few hours1 and it is in such waters that the majority of breaks occur1 but still a large reserve fund must be laid aside for the purpose4 ,as an ordinary instance it has been stated that the cost of repairing the direct ,united ,states cable up to #aijj from its submergence in #ahgd averages #h1jjj per annum4 ,nearly all the cable companies possess their own steamers of sufficient dimensions1 and specially equipped for making ordinary repairs1 but for exceptional cases where a considerable quantity of new cable may have to be inserted1 it may be necessary to charter the service of one of the larger vessels owned by a cable manufacturing company at a certain sum per day1 which may well reach #bjj to #cjj4 ,this fleet of cable ships now number forty1 ranging in size from vessels of #cjj tons to #aj1jjj tons' carrying capacity4 ,the life of a cable is usually considered to continue until it is no longer capable of being lifted for repair1 but1 in some cases the duration and frequency of interruptions as affecting public convenience with the loss of revenue and cost of repairs1 must together decide the question of either making very extensive renewals or even abandoning the whole cable4 ,it is a well ascertained fact that the insulator--gutta percha--is1 when kept under water1 practically imperishable1 so that it is only the original strength of the sheathing wires and the deterioration allowable in them that have to be considered4 ,cables have frequently been picked up1 showing after many years of submergences1 no appreciable deterioration in this respect1 while in other cases ends have been picked up which in the course of twelve years had been corroded to needle points1 the result1 no doubt1 of metalliferous deposits in the locality4 ,the experience gained in the earlier days of ocean telegraphy from the failure and abandonment of nearly #ej per cent4 of the deep-sea cables within the first twelve years1 placed the probable life of a cable as low as fifteen years1 but the weeding out of unserviceable types of construction and the general improvement in materials1 have1 by degrees1 extended that first estimate until now the limit may be safely placed at not less than forty years4 ,in depths beyond the reach of wave motion and apart from the suspension across a submarine gully which will sooner or later result in a rupture of the cable1 the most frequent cause of interruption is seismic or other shifting of the ocean bed1 while in shallower waters and near the shore the dragging of anchors or fishing trawls have been mostly responsible4 ,since by international agreement the wilful damage of a cable has been constituted a criminal offence and the cables have avoided crossing the fishing banks or have adopted the wise policy of refunding the value of anchors lost on their cables1 the number of such fractures have been greatly diminished4 ,cable ,instruments4 ,the apparatus in use on land lines are not adapted for cables except for comparatively short distances not exceeding four or five hundred miles4 ,when the ,atlantic cable was laid a special instrument had to be devised to transmit signals to the distant end4 ,the man to accomplish this was ,professor ,thomson 7now ,lord ,kelvin71 who invented the mirror system4 ,a beam of light was thrown on a minute mirror an eighth of an inch in diameter and the light reflected on to a scale by means of which the signal was interpreted into letters4 ,this necessitated one person constantly scanning the spot of light as it moved to the right and to the left of the scale and calling out the individual letters1 which were taken down by another person4 ,this tedious and trying method of receiving signals was superceded by another device of ,lord ,kelvin1 the siphon recorder4 ,the siphon1 by which the cable signals are automatically recorded1 is a thin glass tube1 about the thickness of a strong linen thread1 and quite flexible4 ,it is suspended in a frame and attached by a single silk fibre to one side of a rectangular coil of fine insulated wire1 moving about a soft iron bar fixed in the magnetic field of two large permanent magnets4 ,the coil is held down at the lower end by a silk thread1 fastened to an adjustable spring1 to regulate or confine the lateral motion of the siphon1 the magnets are placed vertically and are two inches apart1 one end of the siphon is twice bent at right angles1 and dips into an ink well filled with filtered aniline ink4 ,the other end has a minute thread or short piece of soft iron cemented longitudinally to it1 and sways in close proximity to a narrow fillet of paper five-eighths of an inch wide1 which is drawn along by a small motor4 ,the small motors by which the paper is drawn along receive their current generally from lead-lined trays1 #ah by #bj inches1 at the bottom of which is placed a copper sheet1 the zinc is wrapped in stout manilla paper which serves the purpose of a porous cup for the sulphate of copper4 ,the cable current passes through the small rectangular coil1 which is about two inches long1 as both positive and negative currents are sent into the condensers1 and thereby disturb the static electricity of the cable4 ,the coil is deflected to the right and left respectively1 tending to place itself at right angles to the lines of magnetic force between the fixed bar magnets and which lines of force are concentrated by the small bar above mentioned of the best soft iron within the coil4 ,the siphon has1 therefore1 a corresponding motion to the coil4 ,as the mechanical force of the suspended coil is very small in deflecting1 it is necessary that the siphon be not in continuous contact with the fillet of paper otherwise its motion would cease4 ,the difficulty of obtaining a record is overcome in an ingenious manner4 ,the siphon is made to vibrate by means of a local battery on the principle of the push button electric bell by the breaking of the circuit--the vibration is communicated to the siphon by the interposition of another electro-magnet in the local circuit and placed underneath the fillet of paper1 the small thread of iron on the tip of the siphon acts as the armature to the latter electro-magnet4 ,the number of vibrations made in a second depends on the siphon1 different siphons having different periods or inherent notes1 but #ee is about the number of vibrations a second1 every pulsation of the siphon deposits a drop of ink on the paper1 and1 as the paper is moving at the rate of over half an inch a second1 an apparently continuous line is drawn4 ,from the description of the working of the siphon--of its lateral movements--it will be evident that the cablegram1 as shown on the fillet of paper1 will look like the contour line across the ,rocky ,mountains4 ,the undulations made by the siphon correspond to the clicking we hear in the ordinary telegraph instruments4 ,a cable office is very quiet compared to the bewildering clatter in a large telegraph office4 ,it was found that on the ,atlantic 7and shorter cables7 a greater speed of signals was possible than could be sent through by hand with the double key4 ,this called forth the invention of the so-called automatic transmitter4 ,for this purpose the messages are in the first place punched into a strip of oiled and prepared paper1 the characters on the strip are represented by holes at varying distances on each side of a central line4 ,this strip of continuous paper is then fed into the transmitter1 in which metallic points slide along the under side of the strip4 ,wherever a hole is encountered electric contact is made and a signal sent4 ,the speed of running the strip through the transmitter can be regulated as desired4 ,the 8auto0 can easily keep two men busy punching4 ,within recent years an improvement has been effected for transmitting signals or messages automatically from one cable to another4 ,formerly it was necessary after receiving the signals from one cable to transmit them by hand to the connecting cable at the station4 ,now1 however1 this can be done automatically by means of ,taylor1 ,brown and ,dearlove's ,translator4 ,the siphon in it instead of carrying ink contains a metallic thread which rests1 instead of on the fillet of paper1 on a rapidly1 revolving1 perfectly1 smooth1 small wheel1 in which the surface of the circumference is divided into three parts1 the central one known as 8no man's land0 being a non-conductor such as glass1 while the outer ones are of silver4 ,as the siphon sways to one side or the other it makes metallic contact1 which is communicated by means of 8brushes0 which press against each side of the wheel to the outgoing cable4 ,this translator simplifies the work and reduces the office staff which would be otherwise necessary4 ,at the present time nearly all cables use the duplex system1 that is1 messages can be sent and received at the same time on one wire4 ,the speed of a cable is given in words per minute1 the conventional number of five letters per word being understood1 though in actual practice1 owing to the extensive use of special codes1 the number of letters per word is really between eight and nine1 and this forms a considerable factor in the earning capacity of the cable1 but the speed depends upon the length of the cable and the experience of the operator4 ,tests made over the ,vancouver and ,fanning ,island section of the ,pacific cable give #he letters per minute with hand working and #ajj letters a minute with automatic curb working1 and approximately #afh letters a minute 7#hd letters each way7 with duplex and curbed automatic working4 ,this section of the cable is #c1dee nautical miles in length1 the longest cable that has ever been laid1 and about twice the length of the ,atlantic cables4 ,on shorter cables a greater speed can be attained4 ,illustration3 ,,cyrus ,w4 ,,field4 ,cyrus ,w4 ,field4 ,born in #ahai1 at ,stockbridge1 ,mass41 at the age of fifteen1 he left home and became a clerk in a leading house in ,new ,york4 ,at twenty-one he married and settled down in life as a wholesale paper merchant4 ,having been very successful he wished to retire1 but yielded to the wishes of his junior partner and allowed his name to remain as the head of the firm4 ,he withdrew1 however1 so far as to make a six months' tour to ,south ,america1 returning in #ahec4 ,he was led to turn his attention to ocean telegraphy through an interview with ,mr4 ,gisborne1 who was then engaged in constructing a telegraph line across the ,island of ,newfoundland1 and laying a submarine cable from there to ,nova ,scotia1 in connection with a projected line of steamships to ,ireland4 ,it struck him that if a cable of such length could be laid there was nothing to hinder a still longer being carried from one side of the ,atlantic to the other4 ,turning over this thought in his mind he consulted with ,professor ,morse and ,lieutenant ,maury1 and receiving encouragement from them he devoted his energies in the enterprise in conjunction with his brother ,dudley4 ,other friends joined him1 and the first ,atlantic ,telegraph ,company was organized with a favorable charter1 granting them the sole right for fifty years of landing a telegraph cable on ,newfoundland and with a subsidy as soon as the line was completed4 ,the first thing was to connect the ,continent with ,newfoundland4 ,this part of the scheme was successfully accomplished in #ahef4 ,the next step was the formation of the ,atlantic ,telegraph ,company and the sounding the way for the cable which was undertaken by both the ,british and ,american ,governments separately4 ,the ,british ,government gave every encouragement to the projectors by promising #ad1jjj a year for the transmission of its messages and the use of the ships of its navy to lay the cable4 #cej1jjj was asked for and in a short time subscribed1 ,mr4 ,field taking #hj shares of #a1jjj each4 ,in #aheg the first attempt to lay the cable proved a failure1 but in the following year 7#aheh7 a second attempt was made1 but a terrific storm met the vessels in the middle of the ,atlantic1 the cable broke again and the expedition returned to ,england once more4 ,a third effort met with better success1 and on the #eth of ,august1 #aheh1 the two ends were safely landed1 one in ,valentia ,bay1 ,ireland1 the other in ,trinity ,bay1 ,newfoundland4 ,the first message sent from the ,old ,world to the ,new was worthy the occasion4 8,glory to ,god in the highest1 on earth peace and good-will to men40 ,a few weeks later the cable ceased to act1 but a new cable was prepared and the 8,great ,eastern0 was sent out with it1 only1 however1 to lose it also when #a1bjj miles from ,ireland4 ,it seemed a hopeless dream to bind the two worlds by electric wire1 but ,mr4 ,field did not despair4 ,a better cable was once more made2 another company was formed with a capital of #fjj1jjj4 ,in #ahff the 8,great ,eastern0 again sailed1 and this time carried the thin thread triumphantly from shore to shore1 not only so1 but fished up the broken cable from the abysses of the ocean1 united it and joined ,england and ,america by two telegraphic wires4 ,the moving spirit throughout was ,mr4 ,field1 who spent some thirteen years of his life and made forty trips across the ,atlantic1 imperilling his health and means in pursuit of this great enterprise before his efforts were crowned with success4 ,he died on the #abth day of ,july1 #ahib4 ,illustration3 ,,michael ,,faraday4 ,michael ,farady4 ,the pupil of ,sir ,humphrey ,davy1 and himself the greatest philosophical chemist of his time1 was born on the #bbnd of ,september1 #agia4 ,the son of a smith1 who was unable to give him any better education than that afforded by a common day-school in the neighborhood1 reading1 writing and arithmetic embraced all his training for life1 so far as schools were concerned2 but he had that within him which from these poor beginnings made a magnificent end4 ,a fondness for reading filled his mind with miscellaneous knowledge and paved the way for all that followed4 ,at thirteen he was apprenticed to a bookseller and binder1 but his heart was even thus early in science rather than trade1 and he paid more attention to rude experiments than to his immediate calling4 ,a gentleman having taken him to hear some of ,sir ,humphrey ,davy's last lectures at the ,royal ,institution1 ,faraday wrote out the notes he had taken in a quarto volume1 and sent them to ,sir ,humphrey ,davy1 with a letter asking that1 if he could1 would he give him a chance of escaping from trade to philosophy4 ,the result was his employment as an assistant in the laboratory of the ,royal ,institution in #ahac1 at the age of #bb1 after he had been a bookseller for nine years4 ,from this time ,faraday's progress was rapid4 ,in #ahbj his name was first made prominent for chemical discoveries1 and from that date every year recorded some new research and new triumph1 till in #ahcb his eminence was so thoroughly felt that the ,university of ,oxford made him a ,d4 ,c4 ,l41 and in #ahce ,lord ,melbourne's ,government gave him a pension of #cjj a year4 ,honours meanwhile were showered upon him2 he became one of eight foreign associates of the ,imperial ,academy of ,science at ,paris1 a commander of the ,legion of ,honour1 a knight of the ,prussian ,order of ,merit and member of numerous scientific bodies in ,europe and ,america4 ,the secret of his success1 apart from his genius1 lay in his wonderful industry and calm and careful attention to every detail of what he essayed4 ,in electricity and magnetism his researches made him one of the foremost2 his language in lecturing was always simple2 his experiments convincing1 and his enthusiasms so catching1 that every one felt engrossed by subjects which so absorbed the lecturer4 ,he was a true philosopher1 taking nothing for granted1 and thinking nothing too insignificant to follow out to the utmost4 ,many books have been written on his discoveries1 and several on his life and character1 but it is felt that no one who did not know him could realize the man as he was4 ,with a ,european fame his was modest as a child4 ,the greatest authority in his day on natural science1 he was a humble ,christian4 ,faraday never married4 ,when he died in #ahfg his pension was continued to his maiden sister1 who survived him4 ,in ,faraday1 as in others1 genius seemed largely to be what ,carlyle calls it1 only a faculty of infinite labor4 ,illustration3 ,,lord ,,kelvin4 ,lord ,kelvin4 ,born at ,belfast1 ,ireland1 #bfth ,june1 #ahbd1 his father being then teacher of mathematics in the ,royal ,academical ,institution4 ,in #ahcb ,james ,thomson accepted the chair of mathematics at ,glasgow and migrated there with his two sons1 ,james and ,william1 who in #ahcd matriculated in that ,university1 ,william being little more than ten years of age1 and having acquired all his education through his father's instruction4 ,in #ahda ,william ,thomson entered ,cambridge2 in #ahde took his degrees1 second wrangler1 to which honour he added that of the first ,smith's prize4 ,at that time there was few facilities for the study of experimental science in ,great ,britain4 ,at the ,royal ,institution ,faraday held a unique position1 and was feeling his way almost alone4 ,in ,cambridge science had progressed little since the days of ,newton4 ,thomson1 therefore had recourse to ,paris and for a year worked in the laboratory of ,regnault1 who was engaged in his classical researches on the thermal properties of steam2 but his stay in ,paris was comparatively short1 for in #ahdf1 when only twenty-two years of age1 he accepted the chair of ,natural ,philosophy in the ,university of ,glasgow1 which he filled for fifty-three years1 attaining universal recognition as one of the greatest physicists of his time4 ,the ,glasgow chair was a source of inspiration to scientific men for half a century1 and many of the most advanced researches grew out of the suggestions which ,thomson scattered as sparks from the anvil4 ,although his contributions to thermo-dynamics may properly be regarded as his most scientific work1 it is in the field of electricity1 especially in its application to submarine telegraphy1 that ,lord ,kelvin is best known4 ,from #ahed he is most prominent among telegraphists4 ,the stranded form of the conductor was due to his suggestion1 but it was in the letters which he addressed in ,november and ,december of that year to ,prof4 ,stokes1 and which were published in the proceedings of the ,royal ,society for #ahee that he discussed the mathematical theory of signalling through submarine cables1 and enunciated the conclusion that in long cables retardation due to capacity must render the speed of signalling inversely proportional to the square of the cable's length4 ,some held that if this were true ocean telegraphy would be impossible1 and sought in consequence to disprove ,thomson's conclusions4 ,thomson on the other hand set to work to overcome the difficulty by improvement in the manufacture of the cables1 and first of all the production of copper of high conductivity1 and the construction of apparatus which would readily respond to the slightest variation of the current in the cable4 ,the mirror galvanometer and the siphon recorder1 which was patented in #ahfg1 were the outcome of these researches1 but the scientific value of the mirror galvanometer is independent of its use in telegraphy1 and the siphon recorder is the direct precursor of one form of galvanometer 7d'arsnovals71 now commonly used in electric laboratories4 ,thomson's work in connection with telegraphy led to the production in rapid succession of instruments adapted to the requirements of the time1 for measurements of every electrical quantity1 and when electric lighting came to the front1 a new set of instruments was produced to meet the needs of the electrical engineer4 ,his industry is universal1 and he seems to take rest by turning from one difficulty to another1 difficulties that would appal most men1 and be taken as an enjoyment by no one else4 ,this life of unwearied industry and of universal honour has left ,lord ,kelvin with a lovable nature1 and charms all with whom he comes in contact4 ,in #ahff he received the honour of knighthood in acknowledgment of his services to transatlantic telegraphy1 and in #ahib he was raised to the peerage1 with the title of ,baron ,kelvin of ,largs4 ,john ,watkins ,brett4 ,telegraph engineer1 was the son of a cabinet-maker1 ,william ,brett1 of ,bristol1 ,england1 and was born in that city in #ahje4 ,brett has been styled1 and with apparent justice1 the founder of submarine telegraphy4 ,the idea of sending electricity through submerged cables originated with him and his brother2 after some years in perfecting his plans1 he sought and obtained permission from ,louis ,phillipe in #ahdg to establish telegraphic communication with ,france and ,england1 but the project did not receive public attention1 being regarded as too hazardous for general support4 ,the attempt was1 however1 made in #ahej1 and met with success1 and the construction of numerous other submarine lines followed4 ,brett always expressed confidence in the ultimate union of ,england and ,america by means of electricity1 but did not live to see its final success4 ,he died on #crd ,december1 #ahfc1 at the age of #eh4 ,brett published a book of #ajd pages on the origin and progress of oceanic telegraphy4 ,he also contributed several papers on the same subject to the ,institute of ,civil ,engineers1 of which he was a member4 ,a list of these contributions will be found in the index of the ,proceedings of the ,society4 ,illustration3 ,,guiglielmo ,,marconi4 ,signor ,guiglielmo ,marconi4 ,born at ,marzabotta1 near ,bologna1 ,italy1 in ,april1 #ahge4 ,his father was a native of ,italy and a man of substance1 his mother was a ,miss ,jamieson1 born in ,ireland1 but of ,scottish lineage4 ,young ,marconi early turned his attention to the wonders of electricity and began his experiments in wireless telegraphy in #ahia4 ,while yet a mere lad he came to ,england in #ahif1 and in co-operation with ,sir ,william ,preece1 then the head of the telegraph department in ,england1 began further experiments4 ,on ,march #bg1 #ahii1 he succeeded in sending messages across the ,british channel from ,boulogne to the south foreland4 ,the next and greatest achievement of all1 on ,december #ab1 #aija1 he received a signal at ,st4 ,john's1 ,nfld41 from ,poldhu1 ,cornwall1 nearly #b1jjj miles distant4 ,on ,february #bf1 #aijb1 he received messages aboardship on the ,atlantic ocean from ,poldhu1 #b1jii miles away4 ,he is now engaged in further experiments and hopes to establish permanent communication between ,england and ,america within a very short time1 and later extend the system over the entire globe4 ,at the present time all the leading steamship lines crossing the ,atlantic1 and many ships of the ,british navy1 are equipped with wireless telegraph apparatus1 by means of which vessels at sea are in constant touch with ,europe and ,america2 thus each ship has become a floating telegraph office4 ,the inventor is somewhat above medium height and of a highly strung temperament4 ,he is quiet and deliberate in his movements2 he talks little2 is straightforward1 unassuming1 and has accepted his success with calmness1 almost with unconcern4 ,he is undoubtedly the most prominent man of the day and the wonder of the age4 ,genesis of ,wireless ,telegraphy4 ,professor ,mc,bride1 ,m4,a41 ,d4,sc41 of ,mc,gill ,university1 in his inaugural address as ,president of the ,natural ,history ,society of ,montreal in ,october1 #aija1 referred to wireless telegraphy as follows3-- 8,take a discovery that is exciting the greatest interest at the present time1 and promises results of the most far-reaching importance1 namely1 wireless telegraphy4 ,let us trace the apostolical succession1 to borrow a term from theology1 of the idea which underlies the discovery4 8,thirty or forty years ago the great ,cambridge physicist1 ,clerk ,maxwell1 one of the greatest and most penetrative of the geniuses who have filled the chairs of that ancient university1 was engaged in determining the value of the electric unit4 ,as many of my hearers are aware1 there are two ways of doing this3 we can estimate either the push that an electric charge exerts on another similar charge1 or else the pull that an electric current effects on a magnetic needle4 ,in this way two different values for the unit are arrived at1 and the relation between them1 or to put it more simply1 the number obtained by dividing the one by the other1 gives the velocity of light in centimeters per second4 ,this remarkable result suggested to ,clerk ,maxwell that1 that mysterious thing called electricity had something to do with the ether which fills all space and transmits the vibrations which we call light1 and he thereupon constructed this famous electro-magnetic theory of light which conceives light to consist of vibrations not on a comparatively gross material like ordinary matter1 but of electricity itself4 ,this theory received at first little support from the ,german physicists1 who are inclined to scoff at every idea that is not of ,german origin4 8,amongst a crowd of scoffers1 however1 one open-minded enquirer was found who said to himself #8,if ,clerk ,maxwell is right1 ,i ought to find that if ,i start artificial electric vibrations they will propagate themselves like light waves4' ,this man's name was ,hertz1 and he promptly set about producing electric waves purely with a view of testing ,clerk ,maxwell's theory4 8,he had many difficulties to overcome before he succeeded in producing them in sufficiently rapid succession1 but this was at last accomplished and ,maxwell's theory triumphantly vindicated4 8,the electric vibrations comported themselves like light4 ,it is true that a stone wall was as transparent for them as a sheet of glass is for ordinary light1 but they were reflected by a metal plate and could be brought to a focus1 etc41 etc4 ,now this invisible light1 as we may call it1 is what ,marconi and others have employed in their so-called wireless telegraphy1 but1 without ,maxwell or ,hertz1 it would have remained undiscovered to this day40 ,historical4 ,wireless telegraphy1 or the transmission of signals through space by means of electric waves1 is of a comparatively recent origin1 although the idea of the existence of electric waves dates back some forty years ago4 ,in #ahfh ,clerk ,maxwell1 then ,professor of ,physics in ,cambridge ,university1 first published a theory showing that an intimate relation between electricity and light existed4 ,this theory1 which has received most conclusive substantiation since then by eminent physicists1 is known as the electro-magnetic theory4 ,it tells us that electric waves and light waves are similar2 that they represent a transfer of energy by means of the all-pervading universal ether2 that they differ radically in their effects on the physical senses in wave length and period of vibration1 and that both possess the same velocity1 #ahf1jjj miles per second4 ,many of the exponents of the electro-magnetic theory discussed the properties of electric waves long before they were experimentally demonstrated4 ,our experimental knowledge of the existence of electric waves dates from about #ahhj4 ,hertz1 a ,german physicist1 while working under the illustrious ,helmholtz1 discovered that small sparks could be made to pass between the two conductors when held near a circuit in which electric oscillations were set up4 ,he soon discovered that this was due to the action of electric waves1 and1 realizing how fundamental in importance this was to the thorough knowledge of the electro-magnetic theory1 he commenced a series of experimental researches which were of such a brilliant and productive nature as to mark them as amongst the most important investigations in the whole domain of science4 ,a number of experimenters then followed1 amongst them ,signor ,marconi1 who has since become closely identified with its practical application4 ,in #ahij the coherer was discovered by ,branly1 and simultaneously by ,oliver ,lodge4 ,lodge's coherer was a very delicate instrument1 and by its means the electric waves could be detected at a much greater distance than was possible with the conductors used by ,hertz4 ,in #ahie1 in ,cambridge1 ,mr4 ,rutherford 7now ,professor of ,physics in ,mc,gill ,university71 first showed that the waves could be observed by a magnetic detector4 ,he discovered that a weakly magnetized steel wire becomes instantaneously demagnetized under the influence of electrical oscillations1 such as electric waves4 ,with his detector he succeeded in establishing communication at half a mile4 ,in #ahif ,marconi came from ,italy to ,england1 and1 with the help of a ,government grant1 obtained through the instigation of ,sir ,william ,preece1 head of the ,british telegraph department1 commenced a series of experiments in wireless telegraphy4 ,very rapid strides were made1 and the distance to which signals could be sent was very much increased4 ,an important development soon followed in regard to the use of a vertical wire for transmitting the waves1 instead of a horizontal one1 which increased the distance still more4 ,although ,marconi has come to be chiefly associated with the development of wireless telegraphy1 other systems have been established in various countries which involve slight modifications in the apparatus employed4 ,in ,germany the ,arco ,slaby system is used with success1 and in the ,united ,states the ,de ,forest is being installed in many places4 ,then there is the ,armstrong1 ,orling and the ,muirhead ,lodge system4 ,in ,england a wireless telegraph company was organized in #aijb4 ,this company1 having secured the ,marconi patents1 aimed to monopolize that business in ,great ,britain1 but1 as the ,government there controls the telegraphs1 this was not permitted4 ,the company complained as to the attitude of the ,british ,government in retarding instead of encouraging the enterprise4 ,when the subject was brought up in the ,house of ,commons on ,june #h1 #aijc1 ,mr4 ,chamberlain1 the then ,postmaster-,general1 explained that he had no desire to hamper a new invention1 but the ,post-,office did not intend to throw away its right to the monopoly in public communication as it had done in the early days of the telephone4 ,he had not been dealing with ,mr4 ,marconi1 but with the company owning ,marconi's invention4 ,the company asked for a permanent exclusive right to use wireless telegraphy in ,great ,britain4 ,this was refused1 on the ground that it was not business4 ,when the company was prepared to talk business1 he was prepared to deal with it4 ,when the company asked for a private wire to ,poldhu he 7,mr4 ,chamberlain7 had granted the request immediately4 ,at the time ,president ,roosevelt sent his wireless message to ,king ,edward1 and the latter replied by cable1 the ,post-,office had arranged to convey the message from the nearest office to ,poldhu at any hour1 although there was no difference whatever in telegraphing from ,london to ,poldhu4 ,the company next asked the ,post-,office to act as its agent in collecting messages in ,great ,britain for transatlantic marconigraphing1 but he had submitted certain conditions with the view of preventing interference with the admiralty and for strategic reasons1 adding that when the conditions were accepted and the company satisfied the ,post-,office experts of its ability to send messages across the ,atlantic1 the ,post-,office would appoint the company as its agent1 as it already had done in the case of the cable companies4 ,that letter had been sent to the company on ,march #ca1 but no reply had been received4 ,mr4 ,chamberlain contended that the ,post-,office was in no way to be blamed for the delay1 but it refused to take the public money for messages until the company was willing to allow the ,post-,office experts to go to ,poldhu and satisfy themselves that the wireless system is workable4 ,all this shows the company was not at that time in a position to transact public business1 otherwise the ,post-,office experts would have had access to its station at ,poldhu4 ,the subsequent failure showed the contention of the ,post-,office was correct4 ,in the early part of #aijc a transatlantic communication was established for a short time and then collapsed2 the system not having been fully perfected1 the company should hesitate to again make the attempt until its plans are fully matured4 ,as to the future of the system there is not the shadow of a doubt of its ultimate success4 ,meanwhile the ,marconi ,company has arranged with the ,british ,government ,telegraph ,system and also with the leading ,telegraph companies in the ,united ,states and ,canada to interchange traffic4 ,now nearly all passenger steamers crossing the ,atlantic are equipped with the ,marconi apparatus and are in a position while at sea to send and receive messages to and from all parts of the world1 and the company are doing a profitable business even now with its limited area of operations2 what must it be when they shall have established communication over every sea and continent in the world4 ,this will be accomplished in no very long lapse of time4 ,the medium of communication provided by nature is ready and waiting like a willing steed to be harnessed for the uses of man4 ,the man singled out by providence to perform this superhuman task is ,signor ,guiglielmo ,marconi4 ,wireless ,telegraphy ,apparatus4 ,electric waves have long been harnessed by the use of wires for sending communications to a distance1 but the ether exists outside of the wire as well as within2 therefore1 having the ether everywhere1 it must be possible to produce waves in it which will pass anywhere on the earth's surface1 and if these waves can be controlled1 messages can be transmitted as easily and certainly as the ether within the guiding wire4 ,the problem lay in producing suitable instruments to effect this result4 ,marconi adopted a device invented by an ,italian named ,calzecchi1 and improved by a ,frenchman1 ,mr4 ,branley1 called the coherer1 which he greatly improved4 ,this instrument is merely a small tube of glass about as big around as a lead pencil and two inches in length2 this is plugged at each end with silver4 ,the plugs almost touching within the tube1 the narrow space between is filled with finely powdered particles of nickel and silver1 which possess the property of being alternately good and very bad conductors of an electric current or waves4 ,the waves that come from the transmitter1 perhaps a thousand or two thousand miles away1 are received1 but are so weak that they could not of themselves actuate any ordinary telegraph instrument2 they do1 however1 possess strength enough to draw the little fragments of silver and nickel in the coherer together in a continuous path2 in other words1 they make these metal filings cohere1 and the moment they cohere they become a good conductor for electricity1 and a current from a local battery operates the ,morse instruments4 ,then a little tapper actuated by the same current strikes against the coherer1 the particles of metal are separated or decohered1 becoming instantly a poor conductor and thus stopping the current from the home battery2 another wave comes through space into the coherer there drawing the particles again together and another dot or dash is printed4 ,all these processes are continued rapidly until a complete message is received4 ,the sending instrument1 or transmitter1 is called the oscillator1 a device somewhat similar to the familiar ,morse telegraph key4 ,marconi is now employed in perfecting an instrument by which the station only with which communication is desired can hear the signal1 and receive the message4 ,thus the required secrecy will be preserved4 ,marconi has patented over a hundred devices in connection with wireless telegraphy1 but the nature and application of these has not been given to the public as yet4 ,thomas ,a4 ,edison's ,opinion of ,wireless ,telegraphy4 8,there is absolutely no reason why ,marconi may not develop a speed of #ejj words a minute in the transmission of translantic messages10 said ,thomas ,a4 ,edison in course of an interview2 8on the other hand10 continued the inventor1 8there are technical1 scientific and mechanical obstacles which make it absolutely impossible to increase the speed of transmission of ocean cables4 8,there is not the least doubt but that the ,marconi system is successful4 ,all this talk about lack of secrecy and interception of messages is nonsense4 ,at least ten men know the contents of every cable message1 and none of them receive very high salary4 ,personally ,i have no doubt whatever that the ,marconi system is both a commercial and scientific success40 ,a ,cable ,manager's ,views of ,wireless ,telegraphy4 ,at the annual meeting of the ,commercial ,cable ,company on ,march #c1 #aijc1 ,mr4 ,ward1 the ,vice-,president and ,general ,manager1 referring to wireless telegraphy1 said3 8,at the last annual meeting some remarks were made by me in regard to wireless telegraphy and its effects upon submarine cables4 ,we see no reason to change the opinion expressed at that time4 8,admitting the recent transmission of a message across the ,atlantic without wires1 radical improvements would have to be made in its development before wireless telegraphy could possibly hope to meet the demands of trade and commerce1 and engage in successful competition with submarine cables4 8,a good deal has been said and advertised about the wireless systems for the past three years4 ,as yet there is nothing to show that messages can be transmitted without wires even across short distances with anything of the regularity1 reliability1 correctness and secrecy at any time and all time during the day or night demanded of the present telegraph systems1 and necessary for the protection1 interests and the development of the telegraph business4 8,furthermore1 the transmission of messages between ,european and ,american coasts of the ,atlantic is far from constituting a transatlantic service as it exists to-day4 8,the essential adjunct of an extensive inland system for the distribution and collection of messages on the ,north ,american ,continent must not be lost sight of4 ,a large part of the traffic passing by the ,atlantic cables is destined for places remote from the seaboard4 ,messages to and from ,chicago1 ,st ,louis1 ,san ,francisco1 ,montreal1 ,toronto1 ,winnipeg1 ,ottawa1 ,vancouver1 etc41 require and receive transmission which are measured by minutes4 ,this important traffic would be practically extinguished if the sender could not rely on extremely rapid and accurate service4 8,for the benefit of those who do not share my confidence ,i may say that the etheric waves will be as obedient to us as to anybody1 if it should ever be found practicable to dispense with cables and wires4 8,on the other hand1 we have not been standing still in the matter of improvements4 8,the ,commercial ,cable ,company will maintain its pre-eminence1 and has nothing to dread from the competition of wire or wireless telegraphy4 ,at the same time we are satisfied it has its limits40 ,an ,interview with ,signor ,marconi4 ,the following interesting interview had with ,signor ,marconi by a representative of the ,montreal ,star1 ,sept4 #aj1 #aijc1 is worth reproducing3-- 8,seated in the rotunda of the ,windsor ,hotel to-day was a slightly built man with a keen expressive face and grey eyes that flashed incessantly4 ,probably not one of the guests that thronged the spacious lobby was aware that the little man sitting there so quietly was ,signor ,guiglielmo ,marconi1 the #8,wizard of the ,wireless4' 8,signor ,marconi reached the city early to-day from ,new ,york1 where he has been for the past ten days4 ,he is now on his way to ,ottawa1 where he is to have an interview with the ,government in regard to his future plans4 ,when approached by a ,star reporter ,signor ,marconi chatted pleasantly of those plans and gave some interesting information of what had been done in the past and the prospects of the future4 8,he speaks ,english fluently with a slight accent1 and appears to be more eager to interview than be interviewed4 8#8,i am glad to be in ,canada once more1' said the distinguished inventor4 #8,canadians have always been extremely interested in my work and ,i am beginning to feel quite at home when ,i get here4' 8#8,do you know1' he said with a smile1 #8that this is my fourth visit to ,canada8' 8#8,what is the object of your present visit to ,canada8' 8#8,i am here partly on a holiday trip and partly on business4 ,i am leaving for ,ottawa to-night1 and while there ,i shall go into a matter ,i have long been considering1 but which as yet ,i have not been able to accomplish1 namely1 the establishment of ,canadian stations for the transmission of overland messages4 ,these stations will reach from the ,atlantic to the ,pacific1 and ,i hope that in a short time the wireless system of telegraphing communications will be thoroughly tested and perfected overland4 8#8,in case ,i obtain the permission ,i desire1 ,i shall begin operations as soon as possible1 and ,canada will offer exceptional advantages for the testing of the system by reason of its tremendous distances4' 8#8,it is merely a matter of time1 then1 before these stations are built and experiments begun8' 8#8,yes1 merely a matter of time4 ,there is one point in regard to wireless telegraphy that the general public do not seem to grasp quite1 and that point is the length of time that must be taken up by the incessant private experiments in order that the system may be perfected4 ,one cannot go at matters of this sort too quickly2 each step has to be thought out carefully1 and often weeks are spent in perfecting some little detail2 the progress of the work is1 therefore1 slow4' 8#8,can you tell me anything of the negotiations you are conducting with the ,british ,admiralty8' 8#8,all ,i can say is that a contract between myself and the ,british ,admiralty has already been signed and sealed for the adoption of the ,marconi system on all the ships of the navy4 ,sixty-three of the battleships are already fitted up with the apparatus and the whole of the navy is to be equipped4' 8#8,the terms of the contract will allow me to use the different stations of the navy for the erection of my receiving station and my masts2 negotiations have been going on for some time1 and now everything is arranged and the ,british navy will be equipped with the ,marconi wireless apparatus4' 8,the distinguished inventor then gave a very lucid description of the effectiveness of the wireless agency over marine areas2 the unbroken surface of the ocean enabled great distances to be obtained4 8,in regard to the overland service1 if the land was low lying1 the same conditions prevailed as at sea4 ,over tracts1 where the usual diversified topographical features were found1 the potency of the vibrations might be reduced4 ,the vibrations seemed to reach farther in fogs than in a clear atmosphere1 but1 as a rule1 atmospheric conditions did not appear to affect the transmission of messages4 ,in regard to the location of stations ,signor ,marconi said that proximity to the sea was desirable for a station1 as some geological formations were perverse and others responsive4 8,before his return to ,england he would visit ,cape ,breton and his ,receiving ,station at ,glace ,bay4 8,he expected to be in ,canada for some weeks4 8,signor ,marconi spoke of the voyage he made on the #8,campania' a few days ago4 ,on that trip the #8,campania' was in constant touch with ,poldhu until nearing the ,coast of ,america1 when she picked up the ,narraganset ,station4 8,throughout the voyage a daily bulletin was issued of the world's leading events1 and the result of the yacht races were known on board a few minutes after the conclusion of the various races4 8,a few minutes' chat with the #8wizard' is convincing proof that the distinguished inventor has implicit faith in the future of his system4 8,the great tone of assurance in which he speaks is only equalled by the modest way in which he refers to the marvellous results that have been obtained already40 ,the ,trip of the ,,ss4 8,minneapolis40 8,signor ,marconi has scored another triumph with his wireless telegraphy4 8,the passengers on the ,atlantic ,transport ,company's steamship #8,minneapolis1' which reached ,london on ,tuesday1 enjoyed the distinction of being the first transatlantic travellers to keep in touch with the rest of the world throughout their voyage from the ,new to the ,old ,world4 8,the #8,minneapolis' left ,new ,york on ,january #ca1 and for five days kept in touch with the ,cape ,cod ,station2 after that the wireless plant began to respond to the messages at ,cornwall4 8,the varying phases of the ,venezuelan question1 the domestic troubles of ,european potentates1 the definition of true philanthropy by ,john ,e4 ,rockfeller1 jun41 ,king ,edward's illness1 the contest for the ,fair millions1 the hurricane that destroyed #a1jjj inhabitants of the ,society ,islands1 ,sir ,thomas' latest plans1 ,count ,montesquious' ,new ,york debut1 the latest gossip from ,washington and ,st4 ,james'1 these were among the tit-bits of news that varied the monotony to ocean travel4 8,when the ,english pilot picked up the #8,minneapolis' his two-day old newspapers were accepted with disdain1 and he was informed of the latest news that had been flashed to the liner40 ,valuable ,use of ,marconi ,system made by ,disabled ,steamer4 ,queenstown1 ,dec4 #aj1 #aijc4 ,the saloon passengers of the steamer 8,kroonland0 are enthusiastic over the utility of the ,marconi wireless telegraph system1 by means of which news of the accident to that ship was received here yesterday4 ,the breakdown of the steering apparatus occurred at noon ,tuesday1 when the 8,kroonland0 was #acj miles west of ,fastnet4 ,captain ,daxrud immediately sent to ,crookhaven a wireless message to the agents of the line at ,antwerp describing the damage and informing them that the steamer must abandon her voyage4 ,a reply was received within an hour and a half4 ,whereupon ,captain ,daxrud complied with the instructions sent to him to return to ,queenstown4 ,meanwhile1 three-fourths of the saloon passengers and a number of those in the second cabin sent wireless messages to friends in various parts of ,great ,britain and ,europe1 and many of them received replies before ,fastnet was sighted from the steamer4 ,some of the wireless messages were cabled to the ,united ,states4 ,in some cases the senders asked friends for money1 and the replies authorizing the purser to advance funds to them1 which was done before land was sighted4 ,the 8,kroonland's0 twin screws steered the ship easily1 the only difference being steam was reduced4 ,another ,use of ,wireless ,telegraphy4 ,new ,york1 ,oct4 #ag1 #aijc4 ,wireless telegraphy was successfully used in tracing lost baggage on the last outward trip of the ,red ,star ,liner 8,finland10 on ,oct #aj4 ,a passenger1 who discovered some time after the steamer's departure1 that he left some baggage behind on the dock1 communicated with the officials at the ,pier through the ,marconi ,station at ,babylon1 ,l4,i41 and in twenty minutes received a reply that the baggage had been found and would be forwarded by the next steamer4 ,a ,newspaper's ,opinion of ,wireless ,telegraphy4 ,the ,montreal ,witness1 in its issue ,nov4 #ah1 #aijc1 says3 8,whatever may be the actual achievement of the ,marconi wireless system1 so far as telegraphing across the ,atlantic is concerned1 that system is now an assured success in communicating from ship to ship and from ships to lighthouses on the coasts4 ,in this respect the system has passed the stage of scientific curiosity and has become a necessity4 ,the ,cunard and ,allan ,lines now1 for instance1 are able to communicate with stations established on the south and northwest coasts of ,ireland1 so that their owners as #8,syren and ,shipping' puts it1 are no longer in a quandary during bad or thick weather as to whether their boats are calling at ,queenstown or at ,moville1 as the case may be4 ,the ,marconi system was first installed upon the #8,lucania1' and so satisfied were the ,cunard people with results that it is now in regular operation on the #8,campania1' #8,etruria1' #8,umbria1' #8,ivernia1' #8,saxonia1' #8,aurania' and #8,carpothia4' 8,other shipping lines have similarly found the ,marconi system indispensable1 so that now it is quite an ordinary occurrence for a ship on the ,north ,atlantic to be in electrical communication with passing steamers or the shore during nearly the whole of the voyage4 8,such remarkable success as already attained is sufficient warrant for the general belief that this system of aerial telegraphy is but in its initial stages1 and that its commercial success over wider spaces is only a question of time4 ,presently the system will be used on the ,canadian ,coast line1 and then it is hoped that shipwreck caused by want of knowledge of locality will be largely a thing of the past40 ,wireless ,telegraphy4 ,there has been no announcement in connection with science of recent date which has such an important meaning as the very modest statement recently made by ,signor ,marconi to the members of the ,royal ,institute of ,london4 ,his discoveries in connection with wireless telegraphy have exceeded the expectations of many of the greatest scientists of the day who gave him all credit for the work which he had done1 but could not bring themselves to believe that he could perfect his system within so brief a time4 ,one of the principal handicaps which ,mr4 ,marconi has endeavored to overcome has been that of rapid and reliable transmission of messages4 ,for a time he found it very difficult to mechanically record messages which were transmitted with high speed4 ,it necessitated the use of a telephone receiver which meant that the operator might take down the message1 but there was no mechanical record which would cause a mistake in receiving it to be instantly detected4 ,mr4 ,marconi says3 8,i have perfected a receiver which will permit the transmission and receiving of messages at the rate of #ajj words per minute on an ordinary ,wheatstone recorder4 ,this obviates the difficulty of relying upon the operator to take the message by sound and permits of a double record of every message received40 ,the ability to transmit and correctly receive wireless messages at this rate means that this latest invention of science is now in a position whereby it can compete on even terms with the great telegraph and cable services of the world4 ,mr4 ,marconi further stated that his new invention further combined accuracy with absolute reliability1 and it means that the future development of wireless telegraphy has received an impetus which will carry it into a broader field than has heretofore been conservatively looked for1 and that this unlimited possibility can and will be made an actuality in the immediate future4 ,no more important announcement could be made at this time when ,mr4 ,marconi is about to install the new1 high-powered apparatus which will allow uninterrupted communication between ,glace ,bay1 ,nova ,scotia and ,poldhu1 ,england4 ,illustration3 ,,ss4 ,,parisian4 ,wireless ,telegraphy on the ,,ss4 8,parisian40 ,through the courtesy of ,major ,fishback1 ,canadian ,manager for the ,marconi ,telegraph ,company1 the writer had permission to visit the ,marconi ,cabin on the ,,ss4 8,parisian0 in order to learn the modus operandi of wireless telegraph at sea4 ,on boarding the ship the first object noticeable is a wire leading from the cabin to the peak of the main mast ending in a triangular form1 connecting the apparatus with the ether and another wire to the ship's hold going to earth4 ,mr4 ,mc,gee1 the young man in charge1 politely pointed out and explained the uses of the various appliances comprising the ,marconi outfit4 ,first was a large ,rumford coil1 a glass cylinder through which the electric spark was discharged and a key or transmitter constituting the sending apparatus4 ,second1 on the left was a large oblong box containing the coherer1 the chief instrument in wireless telegraphy1 and in the centre an automatic self-inking ,morse register with an alarm bell attachment1 these being the receiving instruments1 and underneath the accumulators or storage batteries and six cells of a home battery to work the ,morse instrument4 ,when the key was depressed for an instant a bright electric spark emitted from the contact points in the glass cylinder1 giving a hard hissing sound2 this imprinted a dot on the register1 and a longer impression marked a line1 the two forming the letter 8a0 of the ,morse alphabet4 ,the characters or code used by the wireless system is what is known as the ,european or ,continental ,code1 that is the spaced letters are eliminated and dots and lines substituted the same as the cable system4 ,all the vessels equipped with ,marconi apparatus on the ,st4 ,lawrence route have a capacity of eighty miles' transmission1 but a possible one hundred and twenty1 this distance being deemed great enough for all practical purposes4 ,on the ,new ,york and ,liverpool route the steamships have a much more extensive equipment1 which enables them to keep in touch with the one side of the ,atlantic or the other during the entire voyage4 ,the cost of the ,marconi equipment of the former averages #bjj--or #a1jjj4 ,five ,marconi stations have been erected on the ,lower ,st4 ,lawrence during the present summer and a fair1 profitable traffic carried on so far4 ,these stations will be closed during the winter1 but a station is being erected at ,cape ,race1 ,nfld41 which will be open throughout the year4 ,the rates charged is two dollars for ten words and twelve cents for each additional word plus cable or land line rates4 ,mr4 ,mc,gee informed me the 8,parisian0 was enveloped in a dense fog when in the vicinity of ,belle ,isle on her inward trip4 ,the captain was surprised at not hearing the fog syren and the ,marconi station was communicated with to learn the reason4 ,a response immediately came that the fog horn had been and was then blowing since the fog had fallen1 thus showing the ship was out of range and in safety4 ,many passengers took occasion to ,marconigram friends of their whereabouts and their probable arrival at ,montreal4 ,passengers by the ,st4 ,lawrence route are now enabled to communicate with friends three days after departure and before arrival at ,montreal by means of the ,marconi telegraph system4 ,all the ,marconi stations are connected with the ,canadian telegraphs4 ,mr4 ,mc,gee also stated this was his first trip as operator with the ,marconi ,company4 ,he had attended the company's ,instructive ,school in ,london for a period of three months1 at the end of which time he was considered duly qualified and was appointed to the 8,parisian40 ,this shows the wonderful and mysterious wireless telegraphy is acquired more rapidly than the ,morse system1 which takes from six months to one year to become fairly proficient4 ,the operations of the one is very similar to the other2 each ship or station has an individual call or signal1 and should the current affect any instruments within range1 no attention is given unless its own particular signal is heard4 ,many objections have been raised against wireless telegraphy1 for the reason that any one with a wireless outfit could intercept a message4 ,the very same thing can be done on land by any competent operator if he feels inclined to gratify his curiosity and incur the penalty for so doing4 ,taken altogether1 the wireless system on shipboard will prove an immense convenience to ocean travellers and shipping interests1 and will ensure greater safety to both life and property4 ,the ,future of ,wireless ,telegraphy4 ,when1 at the close of #aija1 ,marconi first announced to the world his marvellous achievement that he had received a signal from ,poldhu at ,st4 ,john's1 ,nfld41 many were incredulous and doubted its possibility1 even many scientific men were sceptical and suggested many reasons why there might be an error in the experiment made4 ,amongst these were ,edison1 ,graham1 ,bell1 ,sir ,wm4 ,preece and others but1 when the facts became known1 all had to admit the success of the experiment and the accuracy of ,marconi's statement4 ,mr4 ,edison became a warm believer in wireless telegraphy1 and is now identified with its development4 ,soon after this triumph of the young ,italian1 the voice of the company promoter was heard in the land4 ,a wireless telegraph company was organized in ,england4 ,this company had the audacity to claim an exclusive monopoly to operate the ,marconi system1 but this the ,british authorities refused to grant4 ,following this a company was formed for the same purpose in the ,united ,states and one in ,canada1 these being all more or less co-related4 ,the principal object being to establish wireless communication between ,europe and ,america1 a wireless station was erected at ,glace ,bay1 ,cape ,breton and one at ,cape ,cod1 ,mass41 early in #aijc4 ,when these were completed communication was for a short time carried on4 ,a congratulatory message from ,president ,roosevelt to ,king ,edward was transmitted and a reply returned by the ,king1 but the system broke down and it has so remained4 ,mr4 ,marconi has been 7ever since the mishap7 devoting his inventive genius to the perfecting of his devices1 and1 it is believed1 transatlantic communication will be once more re-established within a very short period4 ,meanwhile1 these companies are not standing still1 but are very busily engaged in equipping passenger steamships with ,marconi wireless instruments1 enabling vessels to communicate with each other or with the stations on land on either side of the ,atlantic4 ,the wireless telegraph business is constantly increasing and becoming very lucrative4 ,traffic is now interchanged between the ,british ,government telegraph lines1 the ,american and ,canadian telegraph companies and the wireless companies1 so that a message can now be sent from any telegraph station to a person aboard ship1 or vice versa1 by payment of the tolls required for each company's service4 ,this seems to be naturally the proper sphere for wireless telegraphy4 ,in time every ship that floats1 whether naval or mercantile1 will eventually be installed with ,marconi apparatus4 ,this should be made one of the conditions of insurance1 if not compulsory4 ,as far as being successful competitors with existing land or cable telegraph systems1 it is more than doubtful1 except in places where no other telegraph system can be maintained4 ,wireless telegraphy for a long time to come will merely be auxiliary or supplementary to the land and cable systems1 and mutually beneficial to each instead of being antagonistic4 ,the wireless system of telegraphy will be of immense benefit to ,canadian shipping interests owing to the long stretch of river navigation from ,montreal to the ,gulf4 ,several minor stations have been erected recently on the ,lower ,st4 ,lawrence and are now working satisfactorily4 ,the ,canadian ,government recognized the importance of wireless telegraphy in its inception and granted ,marconi a substantial sum to enable him to build his wireless station at ,glace ,bay4 ,the public hardly yet realize its great possibilities4 ,dominion ,wireless ,telegraph ,company1 ,limited4 ,,principal ,,office3 #afj ,,st4 ,,james ,,street1 ,,montreal4 ,,capital ,,stock1 #a1bjj1jjj4 ,,par ,,value1 #e4 ,this company proposes to build and operate stations at all important points in the ,dominion of ,canada and do a general telegraphic business between stations in the ,united ,states or elsewhere1 owned or controlled by the ,american ,de,forest ,wireless ,telegraph ,company or any of their subsidiary companies4 ,it will also build and operate stations on both the ,atlantic and ,pacific ,coasts for transmission of messages abroad1 and will work in harmony with like stations built by foreign ,de,forest companies1 will erect and operate stations along all of the important rivers1 gulfs and lakes1 as well as on the sea coast1 and will equip vessels with ,wireless ,telegraph instruments1 keeping them in touch with their home office until their destination has been reached4 ,this company proposes to erect and operate stations as follows3 ,,ontario4 ,barrie ,belleville ,berlin ,brantford ,brockville ,chatham ,cobourg ,collingwood ,cornwall ,fort ,william ,galt ,guelph ,hamilton ,ingersoll ,kingston ,lindsay ,london ,niagara ,falls ,orillia ,ottawa ,owen ,sound ,peterboro ,port ,arthur ,port ,hope ,rat ,portage ,sault ,ste4 ,marie ,smith's ,falls ,st4 ,catharines ,st4 ,thomas ,stratford ,toronto ,windsor ,woodstock ,,quebec4 ,farnham ,fraserville ,granby ,hull ,lachine ,levis ,montreal ,perce ,quebec ,richmond ,rimouski ,sherbrooke ,sorel ,st4 ,hyacinthe ,st4 ,jerome ,st4 ,johns ,st4 ,pi're ,montmagny ,three ,rivers ,valleyfield ,,new ,,brunswick4 ,chatham ,fredericton ,moncton ,st4 ,john ,,nova ,,scotia4 ,amherst ,halifax ,dartmouth ,lunenburg ,new ,glasgow ,truro ,sydney ,yarmouth ,,prince ,,edward ,,island4 ,charlottetown ,summerside ,,manitoba4 ,brandon ,portage ,la ,prairie ,west ,selkirk ,winnipeg ,,northwest ,,territories4 ,calgary ,regina ,edmonton ,moose ,jaw ,medicine ,hat ,,british ,,columbia4 ,grand ,forks ,rossland ,kamloops ,vancouver ,nelson ,victoria ,new ,westminster ,fernie ,,yukon ,dawson ,thus bringing not only every important point in the ,dominion of ,canada in touch by wireless telegraphy1 but also ,europe1 through the station to be erected at ,halifax1 and ,asia from stations on ,vancouver ,island4 ,all doubts of the practicability of wireless telegraphy may now be abandoned4 ,these new competitors must be somewhat disconcerting to managers and shareholders of the older systems of telegraphy1 but they will no doubt prove equal to the problems confronting them and maintain their ascendency as heretofore4 ,,errata ,page #c for employed read enjoyed 0 #aj for lost read last 0 #eb second line from foot read3 ,the first telegraph office in ,washington was in a 0 #ed for young man read young woman 99 99 99 99 99 99 ,transcriber's note3 ,punctuation1 hyphenation1 and spelling were made consistent when a predominant preference was found in this book2 otherwise they were not changed4 ,simple typographical errors were corrected2 occasional unpaired quotation marks were retained4 ,on several lines1 the first or last letter was not printed4 ,those have been remedied here4 ,original text uses both 8,sandford ,fleming0 and 8,sanford ,fleming04 ,the former is correct and is used throughout this e,book4 ,original text uses both 8,branley0 and 8,branly02 both retained here4 ,original text contains what appear to be numerous spelling errors of words and names that only occur once4 ,since they could reflect accepted practices at the time the book was written1 or the author's way of spelling them1 most of them have been retained in this e,book4 ,ambiguous hyphens at the ends of lines were retained4 ,some of the topics in the ,table of ,contents do not have corresponding headings in the main text4 ,the early headings in the main text are not italicized1 while the later headings are italicized4 ,these anamolies have been retained in this e,book4 ,page #af3 8if the clocks started0 was printed as 8blocks04 ,page #cg3 8,heidleberg0 was printed that way4 ,page #ej3 8,he had done all that he could and could do more0 probably should be 8do no more4 ,page #fd3 8unity of management0 was printed that way4 ,page #aah3 8,mr4 ,d4 ,ross ,ross0 was printed that way2 in other sources1 the last name is hyphenated as 8,ross-,ross04 ,page #abi3 8reconcilation0 was printed that way4 ,page #aci3 8deciper0 was printed that way4 ,page #aef3 ,the intent of 8,j4 ,m4---- gentleman0 is unclear1 so what appears to be the printed spacing has been retained here4 ,pages #bjh and #baj3 ,text refers to both 8,robert ,w4 ,lowber0 and 8,robt4 ,w4 ,lowder02 both spellings retained here4 ,page #bbd3 ,the word shown here as 8projectors0 was printed with a letter missing after 8pro04 ,the ,transcriber completed the word as 8projectors0 because 8projector0 and 8projectors0 occur elsewhere in the original text4 ,page #bbd3 8the sounding the way0 was printed that way4 ,page #bdb3 8big around0 originally was printed as 8big round0 with extra space between the words4 ,transcriber added what appears to be the unprinted letter 8a04 ,page #beb3 8,john ,e4 ,rockfeller0 was printed that way4 ,the ,errata at the end of the book have been applied to the text of this e,book4