The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-03-16
ANTIQUITY OF THE TELEPHONE.
The Priests tin India Have Used &c for Two
Thousand Years.

'sThe principle of the telephone has been
known for 1000 years in india" was the rather
incredible statement made last night by Fred
Ameshury, who has just returned to New York
after two years soiourn in the land of striped
tigers and wonderful fakirs. Il do not assert,
mark you" continued Mr.. Amesbury, that
have any system of general communication.
What do say is that the high caste people have
a method of communicating with each other by
vibratory action a diaphram. just as we do,
but it is confined entirely TO their temples. and
i Is existence has remained a secret until within
a very few years.
II was in a town called PAM about 200 miles
from Madras. and while there became ACQUAINTED
with an English officer named Harrington who
was prime favorite with the natives because
on occasion he had saved a priest from
drowning. He was Very genial, pleasant fell
low and had that peculiar magnetism about him
that made and hept friends everywhere.
sit was through Harrington that was
abled to learn the existence of telephone COM
munication and TO satisfy myself of its an
tiouitv.
E.There are two temples in the village about
mile apart In tn interior and on the ground
floor of each is small circular structure which
is guarded day and n light from the natives as
we'll as from strangers, and Is supposed to be
the abiding place of the governing spirit. but
in reality is the terminus of the telephone line,
which is laid underground from one building to
the other.
ssThe superstitious natives regarded this little
structure with the greatest awe and reverence,
because they had demonstrated before
spirit to communicate with the other temple.
They required TO make their offering in
building. and make known their wishes and
desires. Then Immediately repairing to the
second temple they would be informed of all
they had said and done, although neither priest
had left his post. This was regarded as dem
onstration of the power of the spirit.
1--WE were unable to determine the COMPOST
ton of the wire that connected the two build
ings. 1t was some kind of metal, but neither
steel, copper nor brass. although it closely re-
P, sembled the latter. The transmitter was of
barrel and to establish connection, instead of
ringing a ball, the person wishing to attract at
tention at the other end stood close to the
ious looking thing and shouted, 'Ooey! ooey!
ooeyr
s''This was answered by similar shout which,
while faint, distinct and could be heard two
feet away.
''After Harrington and had gained the con-
fdenee of the priests-or rather, after he had
We were given carte blanche to do
pleased, aud we talked to each other from one
temple to the other for than hoar
and we were enabled to make al incomplete in
vestigation.
1--WE learned that the telephone that we saw
had been in use for thirty years The priests
were very old men. and they remembered that
the line of communication had been renewed
only once during their incum beney.
They showed US the remains of worm-eaten
transfnitters and wooden conduits that must
have been hundreds of years old. They claimed
that the system had been in existence since the
creation and laughed at US when we told them
that the same principle has only been applied
England and America within the last dozen
years. In every part of India and in Burmah
this system of secret communication exists, al
though hundreds of travellers have never sns-
pected it / believe that il dates back fully
two thousand years.