Brief Historical Sketch of the Telegraph . 28$ 
It is not unworthy of remark, that the gates of a be- 
sieged place, or any like things, might be effectually 
broken open* by the gun itself, charged only with pow- 
der ; by placing it close to the gates w ith its muzzle 
from them ; the momentum of recoil being generally suf- 
ficient to force such objects completely. 
No. 38. 
Of Telegraphic Communication . 
J*The present state of our national affairs renders the subject of Te- 
legraphic communication an object of considerable interest ; and 
as it comports fully with the extensive range of information which 
the Emporium contemplates, this subject will be continued in a 
few of the succeeding numbers. The English word Telegraph, 
is derived from two Greek words, -njAe, (tele) procul, and 
(grapho) scribo, implying, to write or correspond at a distance, 
Ed.] 
Brief Historical Sketch of the Telegraph 
WE apprehend that some contrivance which, to a cer- 
tain extent, answered the end of the interesting and im- 
portant machine, universally known by the appellation, 
of Telegraph , and which is of modern application and 
improvement, was known to the ancients at a much ear- 
lier period than many of our readers may have conceived,. 
And when it is considered that the object proposed is, to 
obtain an intelligible figurative language which may be 
distinguished at a distance, and by which the obvious de- 
lay in the dispatch of orders or information by messen- 
ger may be avoided ; and that the nature of this work re- 
quires us to present all the useful and interesting infor- 
mation in our power relative to each of the topics which 
come under our review, we presume that a brief historical 
sketch of that instrument will not be unacceptable to ma- 
ny of our readers. 
* Retrospect, v. 5. p. 335. Editorial observations on the subject of Majoi? 
Le Hardy’s Telegraph. 
Vol. r. 
o o 
