The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1852-04-20
MISCELLANEOUS.
Improved Telegraph Is,,ttcr

Improved Telegraph Battery.
The following description of an i'm.
proved and far less expensive battery
tor telegraphic operations than that
now in operation appears in the Lon.
don Times.
On Monday last, by PERMISSION Of
the directors of the submarine tele.
graph between England and France,
series of interesting experiments
were made by Mr.. Reid, telegraph
engineer, of University street, Lon
don, for the purpose Of testing pair
of double needle instruments and two
new batteries which he had construct
ed. One of these instruments was
placed in the compay's office at
Dover, and the other in the French
office at Calais, with battery to
each. Two Of the submarine we're
then connected with the instruments,
and out in circuit with the batteries.
The length of the Submarine cable in
the Channel is about "a miles, and
about five miles Of land telegraph on
each side, making in round numbers
circuit of 68 miles. The battery
that was to work this distance formed
a strong contrast to the present bat
terry now in use, the length being
only 4 inches by ! 1-2 deep, and the
weight l ID. 5 o., while the old COM
mou battery used on the lines is 36
inches long, I IL inches wide, 8
IL inches deep, and weighs 64 lb.
Some of the telegraph clerks in the
office smiled increduously when Mr..
Reid connected the miniature battery
with the instrument, but were sur
prised to find the signals to and from
Dover and Calais quite equal to the
signals they were receiving from their
former batteries. The next expert
mcnt was for the purpose of testing
an Improvement in tie doublc.needle
ttAesseassaazssatasnii! s,rcauire- -the-ut-
most stretch Of faith on the part of
our readers to believe. 1t was as
follows - The miniature batteries
were removed from tho instruments
on eacl, side of the Channel, and
piece of zinc, three .fourths of an inch
square, and piece of silver to cor.
respond, we're then introduced into
the mouth Of the operator at the of:
fee in Dover, and instructions sent
to do the same at Calais. The wires
attached to these pieces of metal
were then connected with the instru.
ments, and by this simple means, and
by the simplest of all batteries, the
telegraph clerks sent several messa-
yes to and fro from England to
France. The next experiments was
similar to this, only larger piece Of
zinc and larger piece Of silver we're
introduced into the mouth of the op-
orator. The result was an improve.
mcnt of the signals: These expert.
mcnts were witnessed on the Dover
side by Captain Baldock, r. N,
Major Hammond, and by Messrs.
Cheshire, Edwards, and Evans; on
the French side by NJ. Morley, Vice
Consul; Nj. Morris, director Of French
telegraphs; NJ. France, &c. This
was on the evening Of Monday,
March /. The next day, March 2,
the experiments were repeated with
the same success. The instruments
with the miniature batteries transmit.
ted all the commercial messages, pri-
ccs of stocks, funds, &c. till o'clock
when they were packed up and sent
to London. 1t was thought that dur.
ing these operations the miniature
battery would become exhausted; on
the reverse, it improved, and seemed
perfectly to maintain its character.
From these experiments we may con-
clude new revolution is in progress
with telcgraphs and batteries. They
will become more simple, more easy
to understand, and will eventually
not only become as familiar as house
hold words, but familiar and useful
as household servants.
a.sA-<so.e.-H
CHARITY.-Mohammed, the great
prophet of Mecca, thus illustrated
charity
/" Every good act,' he would say,
sis charity" Your smiling in your
brothers face is charity; an exhorta.
ton to your fellow man to virtuous
deeds, is equal to almssiving: your
putting a wandercr in the right road
is charity; assisting the blind is chari.
ty, removing stones and thorns and
other Instructions from the road is
charity; your giving water to the
thirsty, is charity. A mans true
wealth hereafter is the good he does
in this world to his fellow man. When
he dies poor people will say: "What
property has he left behind him?'
but the angels~who examine him al
tho grave will ask, =" What good