The Sun.
London, England, 1860-11-12 00:00:00

It is now more than three years since the propo-
sition for telegraphic communication between City
police-stations was submitted to the Police Commit-
tee by Mr. S H. Waterlow, to whom the public
are indebted for the first practical illustration of a
cheap, simple, and efficient overhouse telegraph in
England. At that time, although the passage of the
wires over the housetops was not unfrequent both
on the continent and in America, it was an entire
novelty in this country, and the police authorities,
doubting its practicability, decided against the pro- •
position. Nothing daunted, however, by this failure
and confident of the practicability and economy of
his scheme, Mr. Waterlow determined to construct
an overhouse telegraph between the City and the
West-end, for the purpose of connecting the busi-
ness premises of his firm in London .wall and Par-
liament-street. The accomplishment of this tele-
graphic line in July, 1858, failed, however, to alter
the decision of the police authorities, and the
matter stood over until the spring of this year.
During this interval the perfect success of this
private line, and the sight of its wires crossing the
river and several of the main thoroughfares, had
gradually wrought a change in the public mind.
The London District Telegraph started into exist-
ence, and commenced at once to carry the electric
wire over the housetops throughout the metropolis
and its suburbs.
A precedent (that support without which public
bodies can rarely be moved) having been fairly
established, the Police Committee were both will-
ing and anxious to reconsider the proposition and
bring the matter before the Court of Common Coun-
cil, who, finding the amount required so small,
readily agreed to it, and referred the matter back
for execution. Notwithstanding the holidays
had commenced, the committee, feeling now the
great importance of the matter, held a special sit-
ting, at which it was agreed that the erection
of the wires should be entrusted to Messrs. Reid
Brothers, telegraph engineers, of University-
street and Gresham-house, but not deciding the
kind of instruments to be fixed at the several sta-
tions. The eommittee, feeling, perhaps, some diffi-
culty in determining this point, arranged with
Captain Hodgson, the police superintendent (who
has taken up the subject very warmly, and la-
boured at it most diligently), that before purchasing
the instruments the inspectors who are to work the
line should practise on three different instruments
selected for approval—viz., the single or double
needle instrument, Morse's recording instrument,
and Professor Wheatstone's alphabetical dial. Each
of these instruments has its peculiar advantages.
The first is the cheapest, and has been used for
many years at almost all railway stations, and by
the telegraph companies ; the second is used almost
universally throughout the Continent, and has the
great advantage of recording every message that is
transmitted, but both these can only be worked
with accuracy by practised manipulators ; the third
and the most expensive (being a recent patent of
Professor Wheatstone's) is so simple in its con-
struction that a message may be sent or received
by any person who can spell and read distinctly
the letters of the alphabet, and it is not intended
to go to the expense of retaining either boys or
women to work the instruments at the police sta-
tions, bat to rely upon the chief officers in charge
-of the several stations communicating correctly with
each other, it is probable that Wheatstone's instru-
ment will be the one selected.
In order to keep the wires as far out of sight.
and as free from injury as possible, it was suggested
that they should be attached to the steeples-of the
churches.
The consent of the churchwardens having been
obtained, the following was determined on as the
route for the wires :
From Chief-office to Fleet-street-station, via St. Olave,
Old Jewry, St. Vedast, Foster-lane, Christchurch, St. Mar-
tin, Ludgate, St. Bride, Fleet-street, and thence to station.
From Chief-office to Smithfield station, via St. Olave, Old
Jewry, St. Lawrence Jewry, St. Vedast, Foster-lane,
Christchurch, St. Sepulchre, and thence to station.
From Chief-office to Moor-lane station, via St. Olave,
Old Jewry, St. Lawrence Jewry, St. Michael, Bassishaw,
St. Bartholomew, Moor-lane, and thence to station.
From Chief-office to Bow-lane station. vsa St. Olave, Old
Jewry, St. Mary Aldermary, and thence to station.
From Chief-office to Bishopsgate station, via St. °lave,
Old Jewry, St. Margaret's, Lothbury, Dutch Church,
Austinfriars, Allhallows, London-wall, St. Botolph, Bishops-
gate, and thence to station.
From Chief-office to Seething-lane station, via St. Olave,
Old Jewry, St. Mildred's, Poultry, St. Mary Woolnoth,
Lombard-street, Allhallows, Lombard-street, St. Margaret
Fattens' Allhallows, Seething-lane, and thence to station,
uniting thus the City benefices in a manner little contem-
plated by act of Parliament.
No one probably feels much doubt that many great
advantages will result from the police telegraph ;
but the one which most readily occurs to us is the
desirability of rapid communication in case of fire,
the immense destruction of property, and the me-
lancholy sacrifice of human life by this dreadful
scourge, the poverty and distress consequent
thereon are subjects which deserve our most seri-
ous consideration. The existence of such a ready
and instantaneous means of procuring assistance in
times of danger as the electric telegraph affords,
will, we trust, impart a new feeling of security to
the inhabitants of our large and densely populated
city.

COUNTRY MARKETS.

NORWICH—Nov. 10.

To-day there was a fair trade in wheat for all dry quell-
ties, at former rates, but inferior sorts rather lower. The
same may be said of barley.
White wheat 64. to 68. Red wheat 54s to 6.51
Malting barley....4os to 43s I Chevalier barley 33s to 35s
Distilling do.. ....25s io 278 I Oats.. 30s to 32s
Flour, 46s to 46s 6d per sack from the miller.