182 °N TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATIONS. 



to give him the advantage of what milch experience has 



Commumcati. taught me. Lieut. Spratt points out theeonvenience'of hav- 

 ons need not be . j , , . . , , • , : , , , , . , 



limited to a in » some dark object behind the man who moke» his telegra- 



single person, phic signals. This observation shows me, that he has limited 

 his project to the communication of intelligence to a single 

 post from the place whence it is dispatched. Now there 

 aie no bounds, except the ocean, to the distance* between 



but maybe which intelligence may be conveyed by men alone, without 



conveyed over t j )e intervention of any apparatus but a telescope, 

 any extent of . 



land. For this purpose the signalman must be legible both be- 



hind and before. 



Repetition bc<t In Mr. Spratt's arrangement there is a signal to denote, 

 shows that the . _ l ft _ ,11 P 



Mgnal is un. that the operator is understood; the best means of ascer- 



de.-stood. taining this, is a repetition of the signal by the person that 



receives it: and this, through a long line of communication, 

 gives no delay except at the second station. 



I «hall not encumber your Journal with any particular de- 

 tail of the arrangements, which I had made for this scheme; 

 they may be varied ad infinitum. 



Nobody but a fastidious critic will find fault with the 



gallant lieutenant for calling his telegraph a homograph; 



it should however be called an andrograph, or homoscribe, 



or by some English name. 



Generals I take this opportunity of observing, that if generals of 



iwtocMfae w- l* T o* armies would employ the resources of art as well as 



sources of ait. those of mere physical force, they would save much time 



and blood ; they would avoid much disappointment and 



disgrace; and whether they ultimately failed or succeeded, 



they would have the satisfaction of knowing, that they had 



neglected no reasonable means of ensuring success. 



I am, Sir, 

 Your obedient servant, 

 ; RICHARD LOVELL EDGEtfbRTIL 



A«t 





