The Invention of the Telegraph
Intro
The telegraph was one of the most important inventions of the 19th century. It revolutionized communication, allowing messages to be sent quickly and efficiently over long distances. The telegraph paved the way for many modern communication technologies, including the telephone, radio, and the Internet. In this article, we will explore the history of the telegraph, from its invention to its impact on society.
Background and Early Models
Although it is usually attributed to a single man, Samuel F. B Morse, the invention of the telegraph was really the result of a chain of contributions made by various scientists and researchers. The first, and perhaps less well known, was the contribution of the French scientist and religious Antoine Nollet, who in the year 1746 carried out an experiment with 200 monks connected to each other with brass wires. When everything was ready, the scientist discharged a Leyden jar battery and seeing the reactions of the monks, he was able to verify the speed with which electricity spreads.
Later, in the year 1800, Alessandro Volta invented the voltaic pile, a device that replaced the Leyden jar and became a new source of artificial energy. A few years earlier, in 1794, Claude Chappe invented the optical telegraph. However, this was an impractical device, used an alphabet based on semaphore theory, and was totally dependent on a line of sight. So it was quickly replaced.
In 1809, the electrochemical telegraph, invented by Samuel Thomas von Soemmering, appeared in Bavaria. It had 35 cables with electrodes connected to the water and the message travelled long distances thanks to the gas produced by electrolysis. The history of communications changed when the British scientist William Sturgeon presented the electromagnet in 1825. Three years later, Harrison Dyar created the first telegraph of American origin.
It was followed by the telegraphs of Pavel Schilling, based on the Soemmering model, and that of Gauss and Weber, who in 1833 installed a telegraph line between the university and the Gottingen Observatory. The first known electrical telegraph was invented in 1836 by the American scientist David Alter. And although it tested its functionality, the scientist decided not to continue with its development. A year later, the Cooke and Wheatstone and Morse telegraphs appeared.
The Invention of the Telegraph
The telegraph was invented in the early 19th century by two men: Samuel Morse and Alfred Vail. Morse was an artist and inventor, while Vail was a machinist and engineer. Morse had been experimenting with a method of sending messages over long distances using electrical signals, and he teamed up with Vail to refine his idea and build a working prototype.
The system was simple, using Sturgeon’s electromagnet, the Morse telegraph produced codes on a strip of paper. The message travelled great distances, only to be interpreted by a person versed in the code.
In 1837, Morse and Vail demonstrated their invention, which they called the “telegraph.” The telegraph used a code of dots and dashes, known as Morse code, to represent letters and numbers. Messages were sent by tapping out the code on a telegraph key, which sent electrical signals over a wire to a receiver at the other end.
On January 6, 1838, the first public demonstration was made, but it was not until five years after the United States government awarded him $30,000 to build the first experimental telegraph line from Washington to Baltimore. The transmission of the first message was made on May 1, 1844, and the message was “What hath God wrought.”
Morse himself was in charge of installing the first telegraph lines in the United States.
The Spread of the Telegraph
The telegraph was first used commercially in the United States in 1844, when Morse sent the famous message “What hath God wrought” from Washington D.C. to Baltimore. The telegraph quickly caught on as a means of communication, and by the 1850s, there were telegraph lines stretching across the United States and Europe.
The telegraph did not stop evolving over the years, since from its first transmission and with the support of various private funds, Morse and his associates managed to extend the telegraph line. It reached as far as Philadelphia and New York. At the same time, other telegraph companies began to spring up in the East, South, and Midwest, spreading telegraphic communication throughout the country.
In 1851 dispatches by telegraph began to operate, while in 1861 the Western Union transcontinental line appeared. Over time, Morse operators arose, who listened to the code instead of reading it on paper; in 1900 the Creed telegraphic system was invented, with which the code was converted to text.
Advances continued with the creation of multiplexing, a system that allowed eight messages to be transmitted simultaneously over the same cable. Later, varipolex was introduced, allowing the transmission of 72 simultaneous messages on a single cable. Likewise, the teleprinter (1925) and automatic facsimile devices appeared.
Until the year 1877, all rapid and long-distance communication depended on the telegraph. That year, the rival technology that eventually replaced it was developed: the telephone.
The Impact of the Telegraph on Business
The telegraph had a profound impact on society. It made communications faster and more efficient than ever before, and it revolutionized business by making it possible to conduct financial transactions and communicate with customers and suppliers over long distances. Stock quotes and other financial information could be transmitted quickly, allowing investors to make informed decisions and respond to market changes in real time.
Prior to the telegraph, businesses relied on letters and messengers to communicate, which could take weeks or even months.
The Impact of the Telegraph on Politics
The telegraph also had a major impact on politics, allowing politicians and officials to respond to events and make decisions in real time.
.The telegraph also made it possible to coordinate military operations over long distances. During the American Civil War, both the Union and Confederate armies relied heavily on the telegraph to communicate and coordinate their movements.
The Impact of the Telegraph on the News Industry
Perhaps the most significant impact of the telegraph was on the news industry. It led to a boom in the news industry, as newspapers competed to be the first to report on important events.
The telegraph also made it possible to transmit news wirelessly, paving the way for modern radio and television broadcasting.
Conclusion
The telegraph was one of the most important inventions of the 19th century. It revolutionized communication, making it faster and more efficient than ever before. The telegraph had a profound impact on society, revolutionizing business, politics, and the news industry. With the telegraph, information could be transmitted almost instantly, allowing people to make decisions and respond to events in real time.
The telegraph was also instrumental in the development of modern communication technologies. The principles behind the telegraph were used to develop the telephone, radio, and internet. These technologies have further revolutionized communication, making it faster and more efficient than ever before.
Despite the many benefits of the telegraph, it was not without its drawbacks. The telegraph relied on a network of wires, which could be vulnerable to damage from weather, accidents, and sabotage. In addition, the telegraph was expensive to install and maintain, making it inaccessible to many people.
Despite these drawbacks, the telegraph remains an important milestone in the history of communication. It paved the way for many modern communication technologies and revolutionized the way people communicate and do business. The impact of the telegraph can still be felt today, as we continue to rely on communication technologies to connect with each other and the world around us.
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