SSA WILLIAM SIEMENS, F.R.S. 51 



ability to construct a good land line ; but in accepting the position 

 he is kind enough to give me, I wish to state distinctly that I 

 have no fear of serious interruptions to land lines by lightning, 

 icicles, or cobwebs, against which enemies I place lightning dis- 

 chargers at each post, good insulators, and disciplined super- 

 intendents of the line, who, instead of passing their time in 

 idleness, as is too frequently the case till an actual stoppage of 

 messages has occurred, are made to inspect the line at regular 

 intervals and wipe out the insulators with a simple wet brush at 

 the end of a long handle, and thus prevent the accumulation of 

 hurtful matter. 



Mr. Seymour charges me with leaving the chief argument of 

 Sir James Anderson and of " An Englishman " untouched, viz., 

 " that, do what you will, you cannot destroy the great fact that 

 from one end to the other of his line the wires must always be 

 accessible to those who may be hostile, are barbarous or ignorant, 

 and would be on the first appearance of cholera either frightened 

 away from their duties, or buried at the foot of the nearest tele- 

 graph post." I am sorry for the omission, and I admit the first 

 part of the proposition thus clearly put, but maintain that neither 

 submarine nor land lines are safe against destruction by a national 

 enemy, or by the evilly disposed ; but there is this much to be 

 said in favour of a substantial land line, that an interruption is 

 easily traced to its source and easily set right, whereas any coral 

 or other fisherman might be hired to raise and cut a submarine 

 line (except in very deep water), and thereby cause a lengthened 

 interruption of through communication. I protest, however, 

 against the second part of Mr. Seymour's proposition, and against 

 what Sir James Anderson says respecting the social and topo- 

 graphical condition of Persia. My experience of that country 

 extends over several years, and I know for certain that of the 50 

 English telegraph officials who have resided there during five 

 years, only one death, and that from natural causes, has occurred, 

 and no case of personal injury from violence. These facts show 

 more strongly than anything else I could add that the Parlia- 

 mentary report Mr. Seymour had in his mind had reference to 

 some other country. 



I may add that at this moment a large staff of superintending 

 engineers, including two members of my own family, are engaged 



E 2 



