Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1852-05-29

dressed to the Editor oil tue f1arrisourS
Standard, upon a subject that has now be-
come one Of interest, may not be unaccept-
able to our readers, especially those ac-
quainted with the writer, Mr.. Cleaver,
who was certainly in advance of the times
on this matter.
SHAMoKIN, NORTHUMBERLAND Co.
.s March 10, 1852.
Messrs. Editors In days of yore, when
our free and sturdy fathers were occupied in
Telling the fores: trees and preparing the
places and material to build the town of
Boston, New Amsterdam and the village OF
Penn and alternately receiving instruction
from the Red Man in the culture of Indian
corn and smoking ''abaccos," and epelling
their iomahawks and scalping knives, and
until long after that ever memorable srug-
gle which resulted in the establishment Of
our independence as naiion-a communi.
cation in every thirty or sixty days between
the Old World and the New was deemed
the ultimalum Of human attainment. But
The subsequent discovery and invention OF
uor American FuLToN, and modern i'm
provenen,s thereon, have brought Europe
within nine or ten days Of our shores, (dis-
tance being now measured by time y yet
this rapid advance in the march Of scientific
improvemcnt-his giant racer, fails 10 salts
fy The cravings of the FREE human mind,
whose incessant command is "Front face,
forward, march ~ Perhaps the query sug-
ges,s itself 10 you-'to what doth this pot
tend % Be patient, and I'll tell you.
Some twelve or fourteen years ago con-
ceived the idea Of constructing an electric
telegraph from merica 10 England, ard in
the month of February or March, lS41, |
wrote a communication on The subject, adj
dressed TO Messrs. Frnn & Wallace, who
then published the "Pennsylvauia Tele-
graph in The borough of Harrisburg. But
my communications did not find place IN
their columns believe owing, suppose
to a charitable desire 10 save me The "shame
and notification that would have been oc-
casioned by The dersive laugh that would
have followed the publication of the Chair
Drained eccentricites of a romantic youth"
The following plan then suggested, Of
which have notes made al the time yet in
my possession, and which, with some inn
provements, ! still deem practicable
! The medium of communication 10 consist
of metallic wires, eGnal in number to the
letters of the alphabet, and of sufficient
| r.,
Each wire to be separately covered with silk
or other nonconduclng substance, and then
collectively enclosed in strong and durable
waterproof covering say compound OF
leather, canvass, gum elastic and gutta per-
cha, The whole forming a rope OF five or six
inches in diameter. Then, by means of a
sufficient number of water crafts brought
into line at convenient distances apart, ex-
tending across the Atlantic, this rope could
be extended from shore TO shore having at
proper intervals, say Il half mile apart,
weights attached sufficient TO sink the rope
below the track Of vessels and the commo-
ton occasoned by storms ; and al a given
signal let it down, retaining an end on each
shore, and the ends of the wires arranged
alphabetically, attached to keys somewhat
after the fashion of piano forte, so that a
discharge of galvanism on the wire dsroting
any letter at one, would be communicated
and made NANTES, al the other end.
1t has since occurred 10 me, that beltel
plan TO extend the rope across the ocean
! h,, In alto at,
intervals, sufficient TO float the rope and by
having ii wound on a reel on the American
shore, hitch the end TO one of Fulton's wa
ter crafts aud tow il across TO England. See
how one invention leads another in 1T
train.
|, has also occurred 10 me that this key ar
rangemeni at each end might be a speaking
automaton, and talk plain Yankee liberty
into the heart of Europe. as not this The
fast that we have chosen To loose The
bands of wickedness 10 undo the heavy
burdens, TO let the oppressed 60 free, and II
break every yoke" This would enable u
10 transmit Kossuth speeches son the light
ning's fiery wing" until the ennobing sen
limen,s entertained by that great mar
would arouse the prisoners Of the dungeon
the peasants of the cottage, and the kings OF
their blood stained thrones--uu, the prisol
doors become unbarred, and the manacle
fall from the limbs of the former, ard ,hr
crowns and scepres Of the latter are smot'
TO the earth.
Yours, firm in the faith,
KINDER CLEAVER.
A new steamboat commenced running be
tween Philadelphia and Salem on the I'll
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