50 DIAL TELEGRAPH. 



completed their stroke, and this had again closed the 

 circuit. This proved in the sequel a very fruitful 

 principle for innumerable electro-technical applications. 

 All the self-acting alarums or bells employed at the 

 present time are based on the automatic interruption 

 after a completed stroke first introduced as above 

 stated. 



The construction of these self- interrupting dial 

 telegraphs I entrusted to a young mechanician, named 

 Halske. with whom I had become acquainted through 

 the Physical Society, and who at that time managed 

 a small mechanical workshop, the business firm being 

 known as Bottcher & Halske. As Halske at first 

 entertained doubts whether my apparatus would act. 

 I myself set up a couple of automatic telegraphs, 

 composed of cigar boxes, tin-plate, a few pieces of 

 iron, and some insulated copper w r ire, which worked 

 with perfect certainty. This unexpected result filled 

 Halske with so much enthusiasm for a design capable 

 of execution notwithstanding such defective materials, 

 that he gave himself up with the greatest eagerness 

 to the construction of the first apparatus, and even 

 declared himself ready to withdraw from his firm 

 and in conjunction with me to devote himself entirely 

 to telegraphy.' 



This success, as well as the growing care for 

 my younger brothers and sisters, matured my reso- 

 lution to quit the military service and through 

 telegraphy, whose great importance I clearly perceived, 

 create for myself a new vocation, which should also 



