The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1844-06-01
From the Buffalo Gazette
TELEG IMPROVEMENT AND

The successful operation Of Professor Mors, s
Electro Telegraph is calling attention to the import
ance Of this means Of rapid communication IN every
branch Of commercial, political or other matters-
BY the operation of this instrument time and space
are in fact annihilated Nearly as quick as thought
intelligence communicated between distant points.
1t leaves its starting point before its announce
nent at the end Of IFS journey. 4 his almost work OF
magic is accomplished through the workings OF that
mysterious agent, electricity.
Telcgraphs have existed from a very remote peri
cd of antiquity The history of the science, so lar
as the ancents were acquainted with 1t, states that
the Roman generals made use of Telcgraphs, or fire
signals means OF describing the situation OF their
and the encmy's position or any other crcum-
stance an account Of hch il light have been desr
able 10 transmit. Among the Chinese, Cythians,
Gaus aud almost all the barbarous nations, such as
signals prevalent Polyhus gives the name
Ppsia TO te egraphng, which OF itself sgnihes that
fires were the means made OF. In ms account OF
a telegraph invented by Cieoxenes, and improved by
himself he states that it mode Of indicating
the letters OF the Greek alphabet by means OF torch
es. Each letter required two torch signals, so that
the communication laborous and not very rapid,
| and was made between two stations only. In the
day time flags substituted which found to
be far better, and to shorten the process consders
bly,. Telegraphs either went out of about this
tIme or there rs no particular account OF them on
| record until 1863, at which time the Marquis of
Worcester describes species of day and night let
terng plans About forty years after, M. Anon
| tous, scientific frenchman, recommended the
holding up OF large letters, to be viewed through a
telescope, and communicated from station to station.
| This plan, however, soon went out of date. Little
! more done until the French invented their di-
Gators, which were semisphoric wings, which could
be put into seven distinct positions. From this In
vention originated variety Of descriptions, all diff.
ieriIg from each other IN principle OF degree, OF pow
| er, and o usefulness.
| In 1874 NJ. Dupuis Of Montpelier France, in
vented a telegraph, which was aiierS ards much
improved that DIR. Franklin, Condoret, and Others
recommended il TO the French Government A
| Mons. Chappee modified the principle Of this nven
ton and introduced the instrument " hich made
use OF during the period Of the revolution. The one
now in use for carrying intelligence between HaVre
aud the Capitol, is believe modification and i'm
proysmeDt of this invention. Various experiments
have been made from time to time, in England, as
well upon the continent. Our telegraph consisted
Of six oclsgon boards, each of which were poised
upon an axis IN frame In such manner that II
could be placed vertically so as TO appear with it
full size TO the observer at the nearest station The
| origIns system OF lelegraphing was performed by
| lettering-by dividing the alphabet into sections
Later experience caused an abandonment Of this t..
dious process, and series of numbers substituted
agreeably TO telegrsphIc numerical dictionary oil
sentences, words aud syllabes embracing great com
prehensye power and despatch, and which was APP
plicable 10 commercial, naval, military, political OF
civil purposes.
In 1895 very important addition 10 the land tele
graph was invented IN this country. 1t consisted o
system Of flags for marine purposes, corresponding
with the numerical plan OF conveying intelligence
fsfords marine telegraph wa, the next improvement
II consists Of series OF blue AMI white flags, con
triyed that two sets Of flags would give upwards OF
six thousand different signals. Numerous other con
trivances have been brought forward, but IL Profes
sor Morse shall be completely successful even
thing now indicates, telegrsphs will have arrived a
as great perfection as can be dcsir d. The tram,
mi sion of ntelikence Is almost from
point to point As the Government has made libe
raj appropriation for the purpose, trust that tn
invention will be fully tested and long put int
full aud successful opersti.n