New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1866-01-17
iFor the Crescent.
Common Use of Telegraphs.

IFos the Greseent.1
~ Common Use of Telegraphs.
We are no practical telegrapher, but reasoning
by analogy, we eanwell comprehend that immense
progress will shortly be made in this modern nven-
ton. We have perused with attention the accounts
Of the late improvements accomplished over the
waters, and particularly the new methods by which
Photographic kilograms now are sent over the
wires from Paris to Rome nay even musical and
other compositions can be rendered complete, by
means of the electric agent, from one point to
| another at enormous distances. Now, such being
the case we must admit that this invisible agent.
the magnetic or electric power, is even of greater
4 celebrity in movement than the rays of light, or
the communication by the solar rays, for we
know that the light requires certain time for its
propagation, but telegraphers assure us that when
no obstacle nerposes, for the transmission OF the
magnetic fluid, there is no perceptble interval
between the departure and the arrival of the tele-
4 graphic message, that is to say, that the trans
mission is instantaneous. Well, if we apply now to
this phenomenon, the reasoning of analogy, it is
but fair to conclude from this difference in the
agility, as it were, between the one agent, which
we call light, and the other one, which We denomi-
nate the magnetic fuid-that is to say, the former
requiring an appreeiable time for its transmission,
some seven or eight minutes for instance from the
solar body to our planetand the latter, that is to
/ say, the magnetic fluid, operating Immediately, at
any given distances, the nature of this latter
agent must certainly be superior with respect to
\ rapidly of action.
il This being admitted, may we not also conclude
II from this much finer nature or much stronger
4 agency in this same magnetic essence; for how
otherwise account for this superiority in the mo-
4 ton or action of the magnetic fluid overnight,
4 which formerly was considered as the swiftest
4 known agent or power in natural science. Hence,
1 if we concede with all modern astronomers, that
the heavenly bodies act by attraction and repul-
| sion upon each other, we can now explain how
this may be done by the power of magnetism,
which acts instantaneously throughout the immense
| space of the universe. But let us return to our
| sublunary world, our own globe, and see in what
| manner this agent, be it electricity or magnetism,
| separate, Or both combined, may be made useful,
and as it were acommon agent to everybody, by
some simplifying process Of construction When
we read that tefegrapher is travelling through
the country on horseback or on foot with his ap-
paratus under his arm, orupon his saddle pommel,
we do conclude that this. machine cannot be of
very great bulk, nor overmuch burthensome. And
fit requires but the hitching Of his line to the
wires, in order to set himself in communication
with any Of the telegraph stations, it strikes
that, if common people were only initiated in this
alphabet Of the telegraphc science, it would not
take very long time for every one carrying his
own telegraphic compass box, or chronometer in
his waist pocket to fasten to the conveniently
let down wires say at the Geographic posts, in
der to enter into common correspondence.
It is true the Egyptian priests found it to their
interest to keep the bulk of the people from de-
cyphering the hieroglyphic Inscriptions upon
their temples. their pyramids and obelisks when
| we come, however, to consider the progress which
universal knowledge has made among mankind,
we cannot suppose that the use of such an agent
as the telegraph now has become, will long be
withheld from those that may not be exactly be-
longing to the exclusive brotherhood of initiated
telegraphers. Such civilizer, such an agent for
the propagation of commerce and peace, must
soon be in the possession of almost everybody,
were it only to counteraot the mischief which its
exclusive use and possession might otherwise oc
casion in our modern society. To instance but
one application for our present time Is it not
evident that but for the interruption caused by
the late civil war, in the progress of internal i'm
provements, we would by this time have been in
possession of Geographic communication from
pelago, and even the Spanish Mainin South Ameri-
ca, an undertaking SO feasible and so profitable to
all the people and governments of those islands,
that not one would have refused to aid in such an
enterprise.
Again, long since would the telegraph have
been spread from Texas all over the Mexican
provinces and to the Pacific coast, had not our
friendly .lrelations been interrupted with that
country by reason of our late social commissions
for who can doubt that such telegraph commu-
ncation from one important capital to the other,
in all those rich and wealthy provinces, would
have been of the utmost utility to both the people
as well as the government; and consequently such
enterprise, if undertaken by an active society,
would long since have been in successful opera
ton. Now, who can compute what loss Mexico
has sustained by reason of the absence of this
common agent; nay, even at the present day,
would not such an institution be greatly beneficial
n pacifying and civilizing the country? We shall
therefore await with the greatest anxiety the time
when this Improvement will be extended through
out that country and down to the Isthmus of
Panama, which yet for long while must continue
the great highway towards our California posses.
sions, unless, indeed, the American people should
take in hand the prosecution of the great Pacific
hailroad, as the one sine qua non of the recon
strueting process of the reunited States.
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