Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1845-01-20
MORSE'S TELEGRAPH,

communicates tne IoiioWiHH interesting 0e-
tails with regard TO the operation of the tel
egraph:
The facts in relation TO the transmission
Of the proceedings Of the democratic con-
ven;on at Baltimore in May las, are we'll
known, and are alluded to in my report to
the department, June Sd. 1914. Since the
adjournment Of Congress in June last, and
during the summer and autumn, the tele-
graph has been in constant readiness for
operation. and there has been time 10 test
many points id relation TO it, which needed
experience 10 settle.
For more now than eight months. the
conductors for the telegraph, carried on
elevated posts for 40 miles, have remained
undsiurbed from the waRtonness or evil
disposition Of any one No, a single in.
stance Of the kind has occurred. In sew
eral instances, indeed, the communication
has been interrupted by accidents, but then
only for very period. One Of these was
by the great fire in Pratt street, Baltimore,
which destroyed one Of the posts, and con-
sequently temporarily stopped The communi-
cation; but in tao or three hours the dam
age was repaired, and the frs. notice of the
acc dent and all the particulars were trans
mitted to Washington by the telegraph it.
self.
Another instance Of interruption was
occasioned by the telling of tree, which
accidently fell across the wires, and at the
same time across the railroad track, stop
ping the cars for shor, time, and the tee-
graphic communications for two hours.
Excepting the time included BY these,
and two or three other similar accidental
interruptions, and which, during seven
months Of its Elective existence between
the two cities, does not altogether amount
more than "a hours, the telegraph has been
either in operation, or prepared FOR opera
ton. al any hour of the day or night, if-
respective Of The state of The weather.
Ii has transmitted intelligence Of great
Importance. During tie troubles in Phil
adelphia the last summer, sealed dispatches
were sent by express from the mayor Of
Philadelphia TO the President Of the United
States. On the arrival Ct the express at
Baltimore, the purport OF the dispatches
transpire6; and while the express train was
in preparat on for Washington. the in,elli-
gence was sent to Washington by telegraph,
accomF anied by an order fror, the prssi-
dent Of tbs railroad company to prevent the
Washington burden train from leaving un-
till the express Should arrive The order
was given and complied with. The express
had clear track, and the President and
the Cabinet (be .ng in counclI had notice
both of the fact that an exprese was on its
way wiah important dispatches, TO them,
and also Of the nature Of those dispatches,
so that, when the express arrived, The an
swei was ia READINESS r.. lie sasessenger.
In October, dcserter from the U. S.
ship Pennsylvlnis, lying at Norfolk, WHO
had defrauded also the purser of the ship
Of soma 5000 or 500, was supposed to
have gone to Baltimore. The purser called
at the telegraph Office in Washington,
stated his case, and wished TO give notice in
baltimore, at the same time offering re-
ward for the apprehension Of the culprit.
The name and description of tie c tie ndeg,,s
person, with the offer Of the reward, were
sent 10 Baltimore, and in ten minutes the
justice for his arrest; and in half an hour
from the time that the purser preferred his
request at Washington, it was announced
from Baltimore by the telegraph, 1.-The
desericr is arrested; he is in Jail; what shall
be done with himf'
To show the variety Of the operations
Of the telegraph, game of drafts, and
several games Of chess, have been played
between The cities Of Baltimore and Wash
ington, with the same ease as If the players
were seated at the same table. To illus
trate the independence Of the telegraph Of
the weather and time OF day, would state
that during the severe storm Of the
9Th December, when the night was in
tensely dark, the rain descending in tor
rents, and the wind blowing a gale, it
seemed more than ordinarily mysterious
to see company around table, ip a
warm, retired chamber, en- such a night,
in Washington, playing game Of chess
with another company similarly situated in
Baltimore; the darkness, the rain, and the
wind, being 20 impeachment 10 instantaneous
communication.
In regard to the quantity of intelligence
which may be sent in given time, i, is
perfectly safe 10 say that thirty characters
can be transmitted in a minute by single
instrument; and as these characters
are conventional signs, they may mean
either numbers, letters, words, or sentences
AS an illustration Of this point, | viii state
tina, nearly whole column more than
seven eigh,s) in the Baltimore Patriot was
Transmitted in thirty m nutes-laster than
The renorter in Raltimore could transcrihe
This fact bears upon the ability Of pro
ducing a revenue from the telegraph; and
would suggest tho propriety of permission
being granted by Congress 10 the depart
meni, to adjust sa'iif' Of charges on intel
ligence sent by telegraph, at such rate OF
postage as shall at leas. re!rrn 10 the treas
ury the Interest o. the capital expended in
the first construction. and the after main
tenance Of the telegraph.
STATISTICS
Tho Naw York Reouhlic gives tho fol.