293 
ON PRINTING TELEGRAPHS. 
BY R. S. CULLEY. 
M UCH misconception prevails as to tlie progress tele- 
graphy has made in England. It is very generally 
imagined that we are very much behind the age, and that the 
needle instrument introduced by Mr. Cooke is the only tele- 
graph used in this country, because it is the only one the 
public has an opportunity of seeing. There cannot be a 
greater mistake. The needle telegraph has kept its place at 
our railway stations, and will keep it, perhaps, for many years, 
because of its simplicity, freedom from derangement, and the 
ease with which it can be repaired when out of order ; but it 
is not used on any one important “ commercial” circuit, even 
of the company which purchased the patent right. 
The signals of the needle instrument, as is well known, are 
transient, and must be read off one by one as they appear, 
without a moment's hesitation. Though at the completion of 
each word the reader has the opportunity of saying that it is 
not understood, and obtaining a repetition, it may easily be 
imagined that if he give many “ not understands," as they 
are called, the sender, who considers, naturally enough, nothing 
but stupidity prevents his signals being read, loses patience, 
and either reports the receiver as incompetent, or quarrels 
with him. Hence a tendency to guessing. These electrical 
quarrels are, in fact, one of the greatest sources of delay to 
messages, and damage to the apparatus, upon which the com- 
batants vent their wrath as they cannot reach one another. 
Again, when an error arises, as it cannot be proved which 
clerk is to blame, it being impossible to determine whether 
the word has been wrongly signalled or read off inaccurately, 
neither the sender nor the receiver considers himself respon- 
sible. The feeling of responsibility is, however, amply secured 
by the printing system, for the signals are permanently 
recorded on the paper ribbon, or slip," as it is technically 
called, and it is only necessary to refer to it to decide where 
the blame lies. The tendency to quarrel and talk is kept 
under control, for the slip, containing the whole conversation 
or quarrel, can be brought forward as evidence if required. 
And as the printed signals, if not perfectly legible at the first 
glance, can be studied, fewer errors occur in reading off. A 
VOL. III. — NO. XI. X 
