THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION. 149 



We are thus conducted to the result of the highest philosophy : that 

 society, in its form of organization, is human, and that it presents in its 

 progressive development continually higher analogies with the laws of 

 individual being. In passing from these general principles to scientific 

 detail, in the illustration of the municipal fire-telegraph, we shall find 

 some of these analogies presenting themselves in still more definite and 

 striking forms, thereby setting their seal of confirmation on the natural 

 arrangement of the system of telegraphic organization, which is the spe- 

 cial subject of the lecture this evening. 



Soon after the first introduction of the electric telegraph into this 

 country, I conceived the idea of the municipal telegraph, as distin- 

 guished from the common form of telegraph connecting distant places. 

 The telegraph, as you know, usually consists of a galvanic batter}^ or 

 generator of electricity in one city or town, and insulated wires or elec- 

 trical conductors going out thence and proceeding to a register or tele- 

 graphic instrument in another city or town, which instrument indicates 

 every electrical wave or impulse that is sent over the wires from the 

 distant extremity of the line. This requires that there shall always be 

 what is called a, "circuit" of electrical conductors — that is, that the 

 electric current shall have the opportunit}^' of going out from one pole of 

 the battery, through one conductor to the distant register, and returning 

 through another conductor to the other pole of the battery. When this 

 "circuit" is completed, an electrical wave or current immediately be- 

 gins to pass through the conductors, though they may be hundreds of 

 miles in l?3ngth ; and when the "circuit" is broken anywhere, it ceases 

 to pass. All telegraphic signalizing is thus effected by alternately 

 completing and breaking the circuit at suitable intervals. 



The municipal telegraph, while it employs the same essential condi- 

 tions, adopts a very different arrangement. Its function is not to con- 

 nect distant towns or independent centres of life and activity with each 

 other, but it is to organize a single city or town so as to bring every 

 subordinate part into relation with its centre of government and direc- 

 tion. Its purpose is to multiply points of communication, to cover the 

 surface of the municipal body as thickly, if you please, with telegraphic 

 signalizing points as the surface of the human body is covered with 

 nervous extremities or papillre, the whole being intelligently connected 

 into a system by which the municipal body shall understand itself in 

 ever}^ part, and shall have a common life and vital lunclions lor its own 

 essential purposes. 



The common telegraph is linear — it is a "line" of telegraph. The 

 municipal telegraph is the application of the telegraph to a surface, 

 making it cover a space with telegraphic nerves and papillas as thickh/ 

 as required, to furnish a complete organization. The common telegraph 

 connects distant points, as its very name implies, the more distant the 

 better to illustrate its character. The municipal telegraph contemplates 

 the linking together of a multitude oi'near points, the nearer the belter 

 to illustrate the peculiarity of the system. The common telegraph con- 

 nects two independent centres of life and activit}^ The municipal tele- 

 graph connects a multitude of subordinate points with one centre, and 

 makes the position of those points dependent upon the centre and the 

 needs of the system. 



