The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1873-03-22
Condensed History Of the Electric Tele-
graph.

The Electric Telegraph is a forcible Illus
trAtlon Of the power Of accumulated human
intellect During several centuries. scores
Of the most ingenious men have, by assld-
uous investigation, discovered facts upon
facts ; succeeding generations standing
mentally On the shoulders of their ances-
tors, till finally one century ago, the FIRST
real Electric Telegraph was born, in that
centre Of political liberty, and inventive
genius. Switzerland
One Of the first duties in Science is to
give homer tO whom honor Is due; As
later brilliant inventions tend to eclipse
former more valuable discoveries or which
they are based. and as even the names "
former great investigators and laborers in
the field Of scientific progress become for
gotten, we think It highly useful to give
here kind of chronology Of the discoveries
Oh which our knowledge u electricity, and
the subsequent series of inventions, which
eliminated IN the modern electric tele-
graph, are based II will show the reason
why Switzerland Germany, France, Eng
land, America. and even Russia claim this
invention, while the fact is that they all
had their share in 1t. and that no single ma
ton and much less any single individual,
can lay any other claim, than having taken
advantage Of the investigators of others,
and perhaps sometimes added some novelty
very trIhIng when compared with the
knowledge inherited from predecessors
Ii also illustrates the truth Of one Of Prof
Tyndalls sayings, in one # his recent lee
lures here. that the scientific investigators
are the real workers, discoverers and Inven-
tors, Of which patent applicants take ad-
vantage. In this respect We cannot omit
calling attention to the historical fact, that
Prof Joseph Henry stands foremost in
preparing the way for the realization Of the
invention in question, which after his la
bors were finished, required scarcely ?
single step forward.
GOO B. {. Thales, Of Milete, discovers
friction electricity by rubbing am Der (call
ed in Greek, gicctro,s)
400 b. &. Plato attempts the first slec-
tric theory (see "ThIm8o. p. 541).
300 b. q. Theophrastus Erscius dIscov-
ers that tourmalIne acquires electric polar
lty by heat.
10 b. c. Plutarchus describes the slsc-
trio phenomena known At his time
10 A. ID. Phnius describes the electric
phenomena known at his time
1900 William Gilbert, II London, dis
covers that glass, sulphur, wax, rosin,
precious stones, etc become electric by
friction, a. well as amber
1880 Otto Van Guericke Of Germany,
makes friction electric machine
l695. Boyle and Hawkesbee az the
same.
1923. Etinne Gray Of England. discov-
srs the difference between conductors and
isolators.
1929 Grey and Wheeler, III England.
transmitted the electric shock through sew
eral hundred feet Of wire
1888. Dufay, in France, studies the prop
critics of conductors and lsolators
lT4O. Desaguliers, Of England, divides
the bodies IN conductors and lsulatOrs. de
fines the laws, and his treatise on electric
ity Is accorded premium by the Academy
of Bordeaux, France.
lT45 Musschenbroek, Vt Leyden, Hol-
land, invents the L-yden Jar
l746, WInkler. IN Leipsic, Germany,
investigates how far he can transmit elec-
trio currents over metallic wires.
l141 DIR. WATSON tramsmItted signals
across the Thames through circuit Of ?
miles wire, and return by miles earth
l74S. DR. Franklin hred alcohol at the
other side Of the SchuyikIll river, Phil. by
means of the electric spark conducted by a
wire, and returning by earth and river
1850. The Able Nollet, Of France, pass
es the electric spark through large req
ment Of soldiers.
1857 Lomond. ~ France, communicates
signals from one house to another by elec-
troscoPlc action
liza. Lesage, Of Geneva, establishes
the trst real electric telegraph Of "a wires
insulated in glass tubes, and buried IN the
earth, each wire communicated with an
electroscoPe, and each electroscope marked
with letter
l775. Volta, Of Italy, invents the cleo
trophorus.
l779. Luigi Galv&ni. of Bologna, Italy,
finds that fresh frogs legs are good cleo
troscopes.
1888. Volta invents the condensator
1886. Galvani discovers animal cleo
tricity.
1877. Betancourt, Of Madrid, constructs
q line from Madrid to ArSnguez, 26 miles,
and passes the charge of . Leyden jar
over it,
l794 Reusser, Of Geneva, Switzerland,
uses an arrangement Of lines and spaces,