The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1850-10-16

and in nothing has this immediate application OF
novel arts been more manifest than IN the OF
the electric telegraph. Let any one place before
himself the map of the United States, and trace
the cities Of New York and Cincinnati; and then
let him regard the character Of the country all
along that extended line-the boundless forests,
the wide, deep, and numerous rivers, the lofty
mountains, that must be traversed by the wires
which connect the two cities we have named.
Again. from New Orleans TO New York the route
is just as difficult; yet here again see that the
obstacles have not prevented communication, and
to our establishment we discover that there il q
more rapid and continued correspondence between
people residing in Louisiana, New York, and Mas
sachusetts than between London and Bristol. Is
there not here cause for wonder and regreti
When we remember that the discovery thus
employed was made in England-that the people OF
England have quite as great a need of rapid in
telhgence as those have who dwell in America
that we have greater wealth, and equal intelli-
gence and energy-we are driven TO ask, why
have We not made the same use of this great in
ventien! We may be told tina the enormous dis
lances at which people live from each other in the
United States is the one great reason for their
general adoption of the means of communication
afforded by the telegraph Undoubtedly, the diff
Guilty of travelling, and Of personal communication,
does enhance the value of the discovery. Bat the
distance must greatly increase the cost, and the
thnness OF the population must tend 10 diminish
the return to the outlay of capital. In such cir
cumstances, we should therefore expect that the
charges upon communication would be proper
tonally great, and that in England, where the
distances are much less, and the population much
more dense, the number OF communications would
be very much larger, in proportion 10 the sum ex-
pended, or the miles of line LAID down, and the
sums charged upon communication much less thfp
those of America. Yet the very reverse Of
takes place The charges are very small il he
United States, and, as a consequence, the commu-
ncations are very numerous, and thus the fire.
quency OF the use pays for the greater expense OF
| the nes and herein, we suspect, lies the cause of
| our neglect OF this instrument OF communication.
The post travels rapidly, is cheap, and the commu-
Dca,ioH, therefore, between persons living at no
very great distance apart is sufficiently easy aud
| expeditions 70 make us unwilling To incur very
| heavy cost, even tor more rapld ems OF cor
| respondence. II, however, this more rapid means
| were also very cheap, the use would become
habit, and the frequency of the employment of the
telegraph would quickly repay its outlay. la fact,
the principle Of small and frequent returns would
| hold good IN this instance as IN so many Others,
and our telegraph Adventures have hitherto par.
| tally failed because they have made their com
| mualcstion far too costly.
There is, however, another point OF view in
which This wonderful invention may be regarded,
and IN which II will be seen TO he capable OF being
made subsersient 10 still greater social improve
menis than any which have yet been achieved
| The constantly increasing commerce with America,
and our growing relations, social as we'll as COM
meIciaI, with her people, render rspId cemmu-
nlcation with The American continent of increasing
| Importance. This sessity Of trade and soce y
may be made the means Of great Improvement
|
| needs enlightenment and assistanc--we mean
| lreland and her geographical position NAV be
turned 10 Use not simply 10 increase The rapidty OF
cur correspondence with America. but 10 her owa
good. From the west coast OF ireland tn "A nerIca
| a voyage by steam might be performed in short
| line as TO be measured rather by hours Than
days. II packets were to sail regularly between
| the ne Arrest harbor the western cosst and Hall
! fax or New York. and there were direct Geographic
| communication between that Irish harbor and Lon
| don, news might be transmitted from the borders
.,lf IL,
| coast OF America, 10 every part of Great Britain
AID Ire land in less than week. II, in addition To
| this Geographic communication, railroad were
carried across Ireland from east 10 west, all who
| prefer travelling by land would take their final
| departure from the Irish port, rather than incur
| the Inconvenience and annoyance Of the longer
sea voyaR which Is necessary # the voyuger start
either from an English a Scotch port The fast
| test liners would IN that case not be those which
| sail between Liverpool and America, but Irish yes
sells would enjoy that distinction aud advantage,
and the moral benefit to Ireland resulting from such
Consistent contact with men OF other countries would
| be incslculable. In such a state of things we
should little dread the influence OF the Synod Of
Thurles, or look with anxiety upon the asironomi-
cal TEACHING of Dr. Cullen. The electric telegraph
and the railroad would put 10 flight the whole
coLclaye OF Cardinals with the Pope at their head,
| even IL attended with all solemnty by the whole
\ Catholic hierarchy Of Ireland.
This plan OF thus communicating with America
he's long occupied the thoughts of Statesmen and
| merchants, and now, we are told, engages the at
| tention OF our government; and certainly the ex.
ecutive authorities in Ireland could not better
ploy their power than in ascertai6ing what the
difficulties in the way of ACHE wing thi. great
ional work. A tenth part Of the sums that have
been squsndered upon making and upmikine use
less roads, and in perfectng costly and unnecessa-
~ surveys, would have enabled us long since 10
ascertain the proper route for this great nation al
railroad and telegraphic line, and We might now
be prepared TO begin the making Of q road inste 4d
of surveyinsit. Still, entertang the idea is great
step in advance.