148 WARSAW- ST. PETERSBURG LINE. 



construct as quickly as possible an overhead telegraph 

 line along the high road from Warsaw to St. Peters- 

 burg or rather to Gatshina. which was already connected 

 with St. Petersburg by an underground wire. Accor- 

 dingly in April 1854 I travelled to Warsaw and there 

 organised a working column , which began the con- 

 struction of the line from Warsaw under the command 

 of captain Beelitz, a former comrade of mine, who 

 had entered the service of our firm. I then went to 

 St. Petersburg and there together with Charles organised 



O o c 1 



a second column, which under his command worked 

 towards that of Beelitz from Gatshina. Thus the line 

 about 1,100 versts long was completed in a few months, 

 to the great astonishment of the Russians, who were 

 unaccustomed to quick and well-organised work. When 

 the two columns met half way at Dunaburg, and the 

 translation-station of that place correctly performed 

 its functions after the surmounting of a few difficulties, 

 Charles was able to announce to Count Kleinmichel 

 the completion of the line at the promised time. The 

 count was much astonished at this intelligence . and 

 would not quite believe in its correctness. He at 

 once repaired to the station in the telegraph -tower of 

 the Winter Palace, and himself addressed a question 

 to the chief of the Warsaw station. His doubts were 

 only removed when he had received an instantaneous 

 reply, and astonished in the highest degree he an- 

 nounced the happy event to the Emperor. 



The success of the Warsaw - Petersburg line 

 strengthened the Russian Government in its resolve to 



