TRANSMITTING TELEGRAPHIC MESSAGES BY MEANS OF ELECTRICITY THROUGH AND ACROSS A BODY OR BODIES OF WATER
Year: 1854

page_text: TRANSMITTING TELEGRAPHIC MESSAGES BY MEANS OF ELECTRICITY THROUGH AND
ACROSS A BODY OR BODIES OF WATER."
Sealed the 14th November 1854, and dated the 5th June 1854.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Bowman Lindsay at
the Office of the Commissioners, of Patents, with his Petition, on the
5th June 1854.
I, JAMES BOWMAN LINDSAY, of the Burgh of Dundee, in the County of
Forfar, Teacher, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "A
MODE OF TRANSMITTING TELEGRAPHIC MESSAGES BY MEANS OF ELECTRICITY THROUGH
AND ACROSS A BODY OR BODIES OF WATER" to be as follows:-
My Invention consists of a mode of transmitting telegraphic messages or
communications by means of electricity through and across water, without
submarine cables or submerged wires extending across such water, the water
being made available as the connecting and conducting medium for the electric
fluid, by the following means:-
On the land, on the side from which a message is to be sent, I place a battery.
to which are attached two wires, terminating in metal balls, tubes, or plates.
placed in the water at a certain distance apart, according to the width of the
water across which the message is to be transmitted (the distance between the
two balls. plates, or tubes, connected with one battery to be greater than across

page_text: the water, or to the balls, plates, or tubes of the opposite battery). On the
other side to which the message is to be conveyed I also place similarly two
metal balls, tubes, or plates in the water, and these have also wires attached to
them, leading to a battery, in connexion with which is a needle or other
indicator, and messages may be transmitted in the usual way.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Bowman Lindsay in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 5th December 1854..
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
BOWMAN LINDSAY, of the Burgh of Dundee, in the County of Forfar, Teacher,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the seventeenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and "successors, give and grant unto me,
the said James Bowman Lindsay, Her special licence that I, the said James
Bowman Lindsay, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as
I, the said James Bowman Lindsay, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at
all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully
might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"A MODE OF TRANSMITTING TELEGRAPHIC MESSAGES BY MEANS OF ELECTRICITY
THROUGH AND ACROSS, A BODY OR BODIES OF WATER," upon the condition (amongst.
others) that I, the said James Bowman. Lindsay, by an instrument in writing
under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature
of the said Invention, and in what manner. the same was to be performed,
and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James Bowman Lindsay, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
My Invention consists of a mode of transmitting telegraphic messages or
communications by means of electricity or magnetism through and across

page_text: water, without submarine cables or submerged wires extending across such
water, water being made available as the connecting and conducting medium
for the electric fluid by the following means, that is to say:-
On the land, on the side from which a message is to be sent. I place R
battery and telegraph. to which are attached two or more wires terminating in
metal balls, tubes, or plates placed in the water, or in moist ground adjacent to
the water, at a certain distance apart, according to the width of the water
across which the message is to be transmitted (the distance between
the two balls, plates, or tubes connected with one battery to be greater than
across the water, or to the balls, plates, or tubes of the opposite battery, when
practicable). On the land which is situated on the other and opposite side of
the water, and that to which the message is to be conveyed, I also place two
other similar metal balls, plates, or tubes, which I immerse in the water or in
the earth, as above stated, such said balls, tubes, or plates having wires also
attached to them, which lead to and are in connection with another similar
battery, with which the needle or other suitable indicator or telegraphic in-
strument is put into connection, and messages transmitted in the usual way.
But in order to explain my said Invention more completely, I now proceed
to describe the best means I am acquainted with for carrying the same into
practical effect, reference being had to the diagram annexed to these Presents,
and to the letters of reference marked thereon and explanatory thereof, as
follows:-
EXPLANATION OF THE DIAGRAM.
Let A, A, denote the position of the battery and telegraph on one side or
margin of the water Z; B, B, the telegraph and battery on the other side of
such said water; C, D, E, F, metallic or charcoal terminators, immersed in
the water or in the earth, communicating by its moisture with the water;
G, H. I, K, wires attached to the said terminators, batteries, and telegraphs
respectively. In order to convey telegraphic messages from A to B, I proceed
as follows:--
Firstly, as regards the power or primary agent which I employ for trans-
mitting such said telegraphic messages, I would remark, that it may be either
voltaic, galvanic, or magnetic electricity, and the battery for evolving the same
such as is used for telegraphic purposes.
Secondly, as regards the telegraph or instrument which I employ for trans-
mitting messages, I also propose to employ any of the instruments in known
use which are most efficient for that purpose, observing, that the needle or
indicator may be arranged or disposed in the instrument, either in a vertical or

page_text: in an horizontal position, and the coil of wire necessary to the movement of the
needle may also be increased or diminished, according to circumstances.
Having determined upon the form of battery and telegraph to be employed,
I next proceed to dispose and fix them in their proper relative positions on.
each side of the water, and I connect them with the water by means of the
terminators C, D, E, F. which may be either of charcoal, metal; or other suit-
able material, as may be found most desirable, and I connect the said terminators
with the battery and telegraph at each side of the water by a single wire, or
several wires connected together, according to the number and size of the
terminators employed, and I insulate the said wires in the usual way, to ensure
a perfect path for the electric current from the battery to the aforesaid plates,
spheres, or tubes.
I also arrange in any suitable part. of the course of the said wire or wires a
coil of wire, in connection with the needle or indicator of the telegraph, as a
medium of communication between the said needle or indicator and the battery,
in the manner usually practised.
The mode of operating according to my said Invention for the purpose of
transmitting messages.or communications is as follows:-
Suppose it is required to transmit a message from the land or margin of the.
water, denoted by A', to the opposite margin at B', the operator commences
by connecting the aforesaid wires G, H, with the telegraph and the poles of
the batteries to complete the circuit of the electric current, as ordinarily
practised; and supposing the battery and telegraph which is at the other and
opposite side of the water to be similarly connected, and the circuit made
perfect, it will appear evident that the electric current directed from the
battery at A will have two courses open to it, the one being directly back
through the water from C to D, and the other across the water from G to E,
along the wires I and K, and through the instrument or telegraph B, and
back again from F to D. Now, I have found that if each of the two distances
C, D, and E, F, be greater than the distance between C and E or F and D,
then the resistance through the course C, E, F, D, will be so much less than
that through the course of the water between C and D, that the electric current
will pass across, the water at C through the wire or wires, which are on the
opposite side or margin of the water, and again across at F, rather than take
the direct water, course C, D; or, more correctly speaking, the electric current
divides itself between the two courses in inverse ratio to their resistances, so
that a portion of it takes the circuitous course.
But as cases may arise, from local or other causes, such as not to admit of
the distance between the immersed plates or other terminators, as between C

page_text: and D, being so great as the distance across the said water, I propose then to
augment the force of the batteries, as also to increase the size of the said plates
or other terminators, and by these means I compel a sufficient portion of the
electric current to pass across the water, and take the circuitous course as well
as the direct course, and thus I render practicable the transmission of messages
or communications when the causes do not admit of the first method being
employed. I prefer, however, when circumstances admit of it, employing the
first method, as requiring a battery of less force than the last-mentioned
method.
I desire it also to be understood that I do not intend to limit or confine
myself to the use or employment of plates or balls of metal immersed in the
water, as the same result may be obtained by inserting metal. charcoal, or other
suitable terminal poles into the earth. communicating with the water by the
moisture which the earth contains.
It is important also. to the proper per-
formance of the above mode of transmitting messages, that the distance between
the terminal poles on one side of the water, as at E. and that marked D. which
is at the opposite side of the water. be greater than the distance between the
plates or other terminators, situated respectively at E and C. otherwise the
circuit will not be complete, and the current will therefore fail to operate upon
the needle of the receiving telegraph.
Having now described the nature and object of my said Invention, and the
hest means I am acquainted with for producing the most beneficial results. T
would remark, in conclusion, that I do not claim as my Invention any new
form of construction of battery or telegraph. but employ such as are known
and in use, selecting those which I find best calculated for effecting the object
of my said Invention: and I desire it to be understood that what I claim are
the modes set forth. of transmitting messages or communications through and
across water. by means of electricity or magnetism. when the electric fluid
or influence is employed and directed in the manner and by the means above
described.
In witness whereof, I. the said James Bowman Lindsay, have hereunto
set my hand and seal. this Second day of December. in the year of
JAMES BOWMAN (L.S.) LINDSAY.