Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1879-05-23
Writing by Telegraph.

| SOCIETY," OF GQ6 OulO d1l6y, uoIu db LU6lE
rooms in this city on the evening Of
March 10, Mr.. James W. See presented
a detailed description, illustrated by
photographs, of his new autographic
telegraphing system, which he terms the
| ElectrO-P -Pantograph. Mr.. s. has had
his European specification in London
over two years, and as the public pre-
sentatiOn of the subject before the
abOve-named society, Of which he IS
/ member, was the direct result of an
article appearing in our columns some
DAYS ago, to the effect that a similar
system was soon to be made public in
| London, we have felt called upon to 90
over the papers read before the Elee-
trical Society, and digest it for the ben
eft of our readers.
By means of this system one may
walk into 3 telegraph Office, pick up
lead-pencil, stick its point through a
| hole in the end of a pointed rod at
tached to the instrument, and write his
message-or letter, or check, or note Of
hand, in any language, shorthand or
lOng-hand, good writing or bad, and as
he does so a similar pencil at a station
hundreds of miles away follows every
movement, and this pencil coincidently
produces a perfect duplicate Of the
authors writing. This affair opens up
fine questions as to what constitutes a
legal note of hand. There can be no
doubt but what such a note is actually
written by the maker. No intermediate
process intervenes between the maker
and the distant note, and the law does
not say how long or how short a pencil
must be, or whether it is to be made of
wood and blacklead, or of wire and
batteries and retorts, and electro
magnets and mechanism.
Mr.. Sees system is based on the
theory, fully demonstrated in his pa
per, that lines, no matter how complex
they may be, possess but two essential
elements: direction and length; and
there are but two fundamental direc-
tons; and that all possible directions
are formed by a combination Of two
of these fundamental directions. The
fundamental directions are down, left,
right and up. The effect of a cOmbi-
nation of two directions is fully defined
by the well-known philosophical laws
of resultant forces, the fundamental
elements of all lines being the eOmpO-
nents.
The instrument consists of four keys
closing four electric circuits. These
keys are opened by the rotation of
toOthed pinions, and the pinions are TO
tated by toothe6 racks having articu-
lated rods attached. The pencil sock
ct is at the punctlme of these rods. A
movement of the pencil in one direc-
ton will affect a series of breaks in
one circuit and not affect the other
three. The number Of breaks is in
proportion to the length Of the line,
If the pencil he moved in a curve it
will result in q series Of breaks in two
circuits, and the relative number Of
breaks will depend on the relation be-
tween the two component directions
of the curved line. The receiving fea-
lures of the instrument are similar to
the portions Just described, save that
instead of rotating pinions breaking g
circuit breaks in the circuit are caused
to rotate the pinions. This is accom-
plished by means of four electrO-mag-
nets whose armatures at each break
in the circuit rotate the piniOn as far
as the piniOn which broke the circuit
rotated.
The instrument thus possesses vast
executive powers. 1t analyzes the
writing as it is produced; separates it
into its component elements; transmits
one of these elements over one circuit
and another over another circuit at the
same time; and as q receiver it receives
separately the component elements OF
lines, properly combines them, and de-
lfvers them exactly as received. The
author at the sending end places his
peucil ct the top of his sheet of paper;
the weiEd pencil at the receiving sta
ton takes It's position at q correspond
inC spot UPON its sheet of paper; the
author finishes 3 line and returns to
commence q new one; the receiving
pencil returns to commence its new
line, and when the sender finishes and
gives the final flourish to his signature,
the obedient receiving pencil passively
does the same, and waits I0E more IN
fiuences from RbrOad. When the
sender lifts his pencil from the paper,
and returns to cross or dot an !, the
receiving pencil lifts, moves mysteri-
Ously through the air, crosses its {,
etc, and goes on as the sender Coes.
This lifting of the pencil is effected
b means which have not yet been de-
scribed. The pencil at the receiving
Office stands normally away from the
paper, but Is held down to the paper
By an eleetro-asgnet as long as fifth
circuit is closed. This fifth circuit is
kept closed by the sendeF's pencil being
down. If the sender lifts his pencil
this circuit opens, the electrO-magnet
loses its force, and the receiving pencil
lifts from the paper to return only
when the sending pencil does.
But a single instrument is employed,
il being both q sender and q receiver,
and any number of them may be placed
fn a single line. The normal condition
Of the instrument is 4" out Of action"
The usual signals are employed upon
any one of the circuits, and, upon 3
station being called, a response Is
given. Ehe sheet placed IN posIuon' the
pencils placed in unison, ana, the re-
ceiving lever turned, the pencil begins It's
magic jourRsy.-Cuac'nadt' Enq't'fer'
-ss s
BAITIMoRE tea merchant Is max
inc the tour of tbs South making in
yestigations in regard to tea culture.
He thinks that Americans should not
AEIeuWb W AA4AtaNd NuAAAA ALN1AA ANeA1
with It's coloring and fancy twisting,
but oOndne themselves to curing the
leaf so IS TO obtain the best possible
cup of tea without regard to appear
ance. Beside the work of twisting
that of sorting the tea according 10
shape and size csn5 he thinks, oe diS-
pensed with to advantage, simplifying
greatly the process of preparation ana ana
Is greatly diminishing, the eQS., S-iiI Auo
cultivation of the tea-plant In Georgia
he declares from his experience OF sew
ersi e wears in China and JaPan, is per-
fectly practicable, and he offers one
dollar a pound for all leaves shipped to
his firm, the firm engaging to do the
curing and preparation till the pro-
ducers are fairly on their feet
THE London Economist (Jan. I'D
fnds the amount Of gold in circulation
In France to be about $1,000, ,0OO, 600,
u