The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1878-11-07
A Review OF Some of the Leading III
yentiOns of the Past Half Century.

I" Professors Chair IN Christian Vnon,l
What next? Why, steamboats, of
course, Were you surprised to learn
for what q comparatively few years we
have had railroads? People thought OF
applying steam to vessels a long time
before they experimental with locomo-
tivcs, although the first practical results
of the former came fairly within this
century. The idea seems to have been
Il long time working itself out, for some
people say that the application of steam
to boats was suggested by Roger Bacon,
who lived away back in twelve hundred
and something,
One or two tugboats and working
models OF steamboats, were made during
the latter part of the last century, but
Robert Fulton, in 1907, sailed up the
Hudson River in the first passenger
steamer making regular trips. This
boat was called the "Clermont," and
was one hundred and thirty feet long,
eighteen feet beam and seven feet deep,
and had tonnage of one hundred and
sixty tons. Her speed was about five
miles an hour. In 1914 Fulton built the
United States steamer Fulton the
First" She was the first steam war
vessel ever constructed.
America sent the first steamer across
the Atlantic in 1919. This trip occu-
pied twenty-six days. The Professor,
chair and all, can cross now in about ten
days; that is if any one will pay his
bnt u,n ,u;l not Mint Nm tho ltb nf
July, 1910, the Britannia" left Liv-
erpool 70" New York. She was the first
steamer of the famous Cunard Line, and
had a subsidy from the English Govern
ment Of about 100000 for carrying the
mails.
But we must hurry on.
Printing presses. While the hand
press, such AS Franklin used, was in
vented in 1920, what other event took
place in that year? The first successful
power printing press was built for the
London Times in 1914, the issue of No
vember 2Sth having been the first news
paper printed by machinery, The press
gave about eleven hundred impressions
per hour The inventors name was
KONG.
Until recently the newspaper presses
had to be "fed" by hand, one person
being required at each cylinder VIM.
A. Bullock, of Philade lphia, in 1861, in
vented u press to which the paper was
fed automatically from a large roll or
web, and now all the well-known news
papers are supplied with presses having
this attachment In 1869, Mr.. Walter,
proprietor of the London Times, brought
out the "Walter" press. The roll of
paper running through this press is
three miles long. The Hoe Printing
Press of New York will deliver, folded,
from twelve to fifteen thousand copies
of the New York TrjJme hourly.
The telegraph. The Professor could
talk all night about the telegraph. In
the first place, did you ever hear of the
semaphore? 1t was the first telegraph
invented, and was adopted by the French
Government in 1894. 1t had nothing to
do with electricity, however. A descrip.
ton of it says that I" it consisted of an
upright post supporting horizontal
bar, which, turning upon pivot, could
he placed upon various inclinations.
This had two smaller arms pivoted to
its extremities, and capable of being
turned at right angles with them. By
independent movement of the parts the
apparatus was susceptible of ninety
eight distinct positions, and of exhibit
ing the same number of diiierentsignals,
which could be made to represent either
letters, numbers words or sentences.
The semaphores were placed on high
towers five miles apart"
Nicholas |, of Russia, built Il line of
this telegraph which was composed of
two hundred and twenty stations, The
work of erecting the towers, etc, cost
several millions of dollars.
About this time people began to turn
attention to electricity rs II means of
conveying sound, and, after partially
successful attempts by others, Samuel
f. b. Morse invented his system of
dashcs. This was in 1885. In 1914 the
first line was built between Washington
and Baltimore (forty niles, and the
first message sent May y of the same
year. The Morse system is generally
used throughout the world.
The first ocean cable was laid in 1858.
1t worked for few weeks and then
stopped.
In 1866 two new lines were in sue
cessful operation.
There are about four hundred thou
sand miles Of telegraph line in the
world, representing million of miles
of wire.