On the Electric Telegraph of Prof. Morse. 63 
. In the economy of our lines the number of intermediate 
offices is of advantage, if their managemeut is competent, as they 
facilitate the discovery and repair of difficulties and breaks, a con- 
sideration rendered important hitherto by the weakness of our 
structures. Each office has its peculiar call or signal, to which, 
when the line is in order, an immediate response is expected. 
Thus m expresses New York. The sound is so familiar as in- 
stantly to arrest the operator’s attention, though he should be at a 
distance from the instrument. Thus the American telegraph is 
phonetic—it appeals to two senses. Long messages have been 
faithfully recorded from attentive listening to the peculiar sound 
Of the instrument. There are systems of abbreviations too, many 
words and sentences being expressed by a single letter 
or numeral. By the aid i these and a quick ear, conversation 
may be carried on between operators with wonderful celerity. 
To the skillful operator, the little wee instrument beccmes an 
articulate creature ; it not only conveys 48 written thoughts, but 
expresses his passing emotions. He detects the individual with 
bases correspondence too, abbreviations render the a: 
n 
ess capabilities of the wires may be better understood, the 
brief statistics of a single day’s business at one office may not 
be ‘uninteresting. Two wires were at work, one through 200, 
the other through 500 miles. Four hundred and fifty private 
Messages were sent * necomnp comprising every variety of 
anions and inform The average length of these mes- 
ye He was ae ay ey iaceoshie words, in addition to ad- 
Beside these, three entire hours were occupied in 
transmitting market and other intelligence, for publication, abbre- 
Viated as above. The line was pretty actively employed for six- 
teen hours, and being in good order, sixty or more messages were 
transmitted in rotation, without a word of he ee A numer- 
ical statement of the operations of the telegraph can give however, 
but a faint idea either of their importance or value. 8 shoul be 
considered that the invention is used on/y in cases of urg 
and importance—its r receipts are not like those of other ed 
a trifling ung per-centage on previous outlay. neue 
mine ape 
sie  o Se hig el 
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Stes ars aver Pa ey a oe at pages s of this Fine ron A 
u ner from Europ Ss now regularly telegrap! hed ont wae sama of each ocean 
| trope. 
