The Sun.
London, England, 1863-01-21 00:00:00

The Hughes' Printing Telegraph.

On Monday afternoon a number of gentlemen in-
tere3tA in the F. cience and practice of telegraphy‘
together with a considerable body of City mer-
chants, by invitation visited the central offices of
the United Kingdom Electric Telegraph Company
(Limited), at 237, Gresham House, Old Broad-
street, to inspect a telegraph instrument, the inven-
tion of Professor Hughes, and now daily in opera-
tion fur purposes of commerce and journalism,
bet w etu London and Birmingham. By this inst.' u-
meat Mr. Bright's speech on last Thursday at Bir-
mingham was transmitted to London without a
single error. Indeed, as was proved yesterday, error
is almost impossible, for not only dues the instrument
print the message at the further end, but it also
throws out a copy before the operator, so that in
case the message should read wrongly the mistake
may be instantly remedied without the trouble and
delay of signalling backwards and forwards.
" The principle upon which the apparatus is based
is that of a synchronous movement of clockwork
trains, driven by weights, the regulation being ef-
fected by vibrating rods. But as absolute synchronism
is unattainable, the object of the inventor has been
to introduce a correction sent by the one apparatus
to the other apparatus at the distant point, the in-
struments thus becoming their own correctors of any
fractional differences of speed, and preventing their
accumulation.

"The electrical waves are transmitted by a rem
volving arm, carrying the segment of a circle as a
contact-maker, and the arm revolves at the same
speed in each apparatus as the type-wheel ; when a
key is pressed a metal plate in connection with the
battery is forced upwards and meets the contact-
maker as it revolves, scrapes along its surface, the
current passing the while, and is then thrown back
by the contact-maker, and brought to its normal
position of rest by a constant spring.
" The letters are printed while the type-wheel is
in revolution, and the type-wheel is driven by fric-
tion, which allows of its being moved backwards or
forwards by mechanical means.
"Each apparatus registers the signals sent by it,
and all letters are produced at the distant end by a
single wave of electricity.
" In the face of the instrument there are 28 keys,
arranged like the keys of a piano; these 28 keys
correspond with 28 metal pieces or plates, working
upwards through slots formed all round a circular
disc of metal, on the top of which, but not in con-
nection with it, the arm and contact-maker revolve.

"The type-wheel and this arm revolve together,
and when a key is depressed a plate corresponding
with the letter touched is raised."
The exhibition of the instrument yesterday
pleased and surprised every one. Messages were
sent to Birmingham, and, in a few seconds—in fact,
before the on-lookers became fully sensible that the
message was complete—there were printed on the
ribbon of paper the first letters of the reply. It is
true that the insulation was, in consequence of the
fine clear weather, perfect, but we are assured that
the smallest possible current will release the key
and impress the type upon the ribbon.
Professor Hughes's instruments have been re-
ceived with much favour, both in America, France,
and Italy, King Victor EmManuel having conferred

•
on the inventor the order of St. Lozaire. We be-
lieve that this instrument conaplntelY
gets over all
the difficulties hitherto attendant upon printing
telegraphs, and we have no doubt that the directors
of the United Kingdom Telegraph Company
have
taken a wise step in securing the invention for their
lines. The low uniform rate of this company,
based on the principle of the postal service, ren-
dered some such machine a necessity ; and while its
economy and speed will recommend it to the share-
hoiders, its unfailing accuracy will make it a
favourite of the public. Any one who can read can
use it ; one ails chief recommendations being that
it does away entirely with the symbols or signs, the
fruitful sources of many annoying errors.