The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1888-04-01
THE TELEPHONE NOT NEW.
It has Been Known fOrJTwo Thou
sand Years in India.

s.The principle of the telephone has
been known for 1000 years in India"
was the rather incredible statement
made last night by Fred Amesbury,
who has just returned to New York
after two-yesrs' sojourn IN the land
of striped tigers and wonderful fakirs.
"I do not assert, mark you" continued
Mr.. Amesbury, that they use the tele-
phone as we use If, or that they nave
any system of general communication.
WHAT do say is that the high caste
people have q method OF coRmuDicat-
ing with each other by vibratory action
on diaphragm, just as we do, but 1t Is
confined entirely to their temples, and
its existence has remained secret IN
til within very few years.
II was in a town called PAM, about
200 miles from Madras and while there,
became acquainted with an officer
named Harrington, who was a prime
favCrite with the natives. because on
one occasion he had saved q priest
from drowning. He was very genial,
pleasant fellow, and had that peculiar
magnetism about him that made and
kept friends everywhere.
cit was through Harrington that l
was enabled to l-arn the existence of
telephone communication and to satisfy
myself of its antiquity.
There are two tefn pies in the village,
about mile apart. In the interior and
on the ground floor of each is small
circular structure which is guarded day
and night from the natives as well 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 under
ground from one building to the other.
1.-The superstitions natives regarded
this little structure with the greatest
awe and reverence, because they had
seen demonstrated before their eyes-or
rather ears-the power of this spirit to
communicate with the other temple.
They were required 20 make their offer
ings in one building, and maze known
their wishes and desires. Then i'm
mediately repairing to tie second temple
they would be informed of all they had
said and done, although neither priest
had left his post. This was regarded as
demonstration of the power OF the
spirit.
I'VE were unable to determine the
composition of the wire that connected
the two buildings. 1t was some kind Of
metal, but neither steel, copper nor
brass, although it closely resembled
the latter. The trsnsmjtter was of
wood, and about the size of the head of
a -four barrel, and to establish connec-
ton, instead of ringing a bell, the per-
son wishing TO attract attention at the
other end stood close to the curious
looking thing and shouted: 'Ooey
ooeyI oeeyP
This was answered by g similar
shout which, white faint, was distinct
and coaid be heard two feet away.
After Harrington and had gained
the confidence Of the prizes ts-Or rather
after he had-we were given e care
blanche to do as we pleased, ana va
! talked to each other from one tesaple tt
another for nore than an hour, an(
wsre enabled to make an incof2plete in
| veStigation.
I'VE learned that the telephone tina
we saw had Deen in use for tEiTty years
The priests were very OLD men, an
i they remembered that the line OF com
munIcatjcn hed been renewed On!
once dUring their inc0mbepSy.
They showed US the remains of tn
worm eaten transmltters and woode,
conduits that must have been hundred
Of years old. Hney claimed that tn
system had been in existence since tn
creation, and laughed at us when "
told them that the same principle Ia
only been applied in England an
America within the last dozen years
In every part Of India and in Burma
this system of secret communicable
exists, although hundreds of traveller
have never suspected it. believe
dates back fully 2,0oO years. Me-
York Graphic.