Various other inaccuracies have crept into the article I have referred to, which do not, however, call for special refutation, though calculated to mislead any one forming an opinion upon the statements of the Review. In conclusion, I shall be happy to show and explain the magnetic machines and system carried out at our offices in this town, to any scientific gentlemen wishing to have a practical view into the working of apparatus of such a nature. ART. VIII.-ELECTRIC TELEGRAPHS IN EUROPE. QUESTIONS PROPOUNDED BY TAL. P. SHAFFNER, ESQ., TO TELEGRAPHIC AND SCIENTIFIC GENTLEMEN IN EUROPE, WITH a view to receive authentic information relative to the science and art of telegraphy in Europe, we hurriedly prepared the following questions, and presented them to many gentlemen, and from whom we received very interesting answers. The American reader will see from the questions that there is a difference of work, management and system in Europe, when compared with the American telegraphs. We would gladly give full details of our observations while visiting the many telegraph lines of our transatlantic friends, but time and room will not permit. We will give the essence of what we saw and learned, in the present and future numbers, as opportunities occur. On arriving in England, we soon found that there was much to be learned, and we spared no pains in procuring all the information possible. Of course, our expenses were large, and the sacrifice of time very great. We shall be gratified to dif fuse our knowledge among the American telegraphers, and hope they will be benefited thereby. In the present number we give the answers of Messrs. Chas. T. Bright, Engineer of the English and Irish Magnetic Telegraph Company, and also the answers given by Mr. Edward B. Bright, Secretary of the same Company. These gentlemen did not give their views with the expectation of their publication; but we find them so exceedingly interesting, that we take the responsibility of publishing them for the benefit of others. If there should be found in them any imperfections, the reader must overlook the same, as they were not written for publication. Messrs. Brights have charge of the Company's lines on which they are engaged. Their manner of business, and management generally, compare favorably with the best-governed lines of any country. They are gentlemen, well educated, and they understand their business thoroughly. We regard them as experts in all departments of telegraphing, and worthy of the most elevated consideration. We feel under many obliga tions to Messrs. Brights for their many attentions in presenting us with so much valuable information, and we assure them that their presence in America would be received with much pleasure and congratulation. At the earliest opportunity we will feel pleased to recipro cate the favors shown us; and if it should be out of our power to return them equal favors, we hope it may fall to the lot of some generous American to square the account for us. We give the questions propounded by us, and then the answers by Messrs. Brights. In future numbers we will continue the subject by the publication of answers from other gentlemen. QUESTIONS. 1. Do the wires of your company run over ground or under ground-and to what extent? 2. If on poles, what kind of timber do you find the most durable and, if possible, please state about what age are the poles (or timber) thus employed? 3. Do you use any pitch, tar, or other matter on your poles, to increase their durability--and if so, what and how applied? 4. Please state what kind of insulators you use on your poles, and if possible, please give a drawing of them or samples of each, with your opinion as to their fitness or faults-also their cost? 5. Please state the expense of your poles, and what is the cost for digging holes, raising the poles, the putting on of insulators, and placing the wires on the poles? 6. What kind of wire do you use, and where mostly manufactured-and what is the price for the same, per pound? 7. Do you use galvanized wire, and what are its advantages or disadvantages? 8. Do you solder the joints of your wire-if not, do you find any difficulties arising from oxidation at joints? 9. Do you realise much difficulty in the use of either galvanized wire or other wire, on poles, from atmospheric electricity -on which the most, and at what seasons of the year? 10. Where you have wire on poles, do you find any difficulty arising from cross currents at the poles; that is, the current passing from one wire to another at the poles? 11. Are your instruments ever affected by induced currents; that is, the passage of the galvanic or magnetic electricity from one wire to another, by or through elements of nature other than material substances; and if so, to what extent? 12. Do you ever suffer from what may be denominated "heat lightning ;" and if so, to what extent? 13. Do you suffer from atmospheric electricity, either accompanied or not accompanied with thunder, and to what extent? Also, how do you protect your iustruments from harm? 14. Do you know of the burning of any property through the agency of the electric wires; and if so, to what extent? 15. Are the telegraph poles ever struck and damaged by lightning; and if so, how often in a year, averaging for a scale of one hundred miles? 16. How high are your poles, and how many do you use per mile? 17. How many wires can you place upon one set of poles? 18. Do you find any difference in the working of the wires on the poles; that is, the upper, middle, or lower wires? If so, what is that difference in fair weather, warm or cold, wet or dry seasons, and in time of storm? 19. Do you fasten the wire at each pole; and if so, how? 20. Do your wires often break; and if so, what causes them to break? 21. How do you mend your breaks? How many persons are required, and what is the mode you adopt to make the joint? 22. Do your operators usually go on the line to repair breaks, or other damages to the line? 23. Do you have a police to repair the line; and what is the plan, or system, and the expense? 24. Does the snow in winter disturb the working of your lines on poles; and if so, what are the remedies? 25. Does much ice form on your wires; and do the wires break, caused by the weight of the ice? 26. Please state your mode of laying under-ground lines, and furnish drawings, or samples, if convenient? 27. Do you find any difference in the use of wires covered once or twice with gutta percha? 28. What are the difficulties presenting in laying wires cov ered only with hemp, over the gutta percha? and please state the different modes, with their respective costs. 29. What are the causes of breaks, and their frequency, with underground lines? 30. How do you discover the place of break in a subterranean line? Please give a drawing of the plan, and state the time usually required to make the repair. Please specify fully on the subject. 31. What is the cost of laying one, two, or more wires?giving the cost of labor, depth of ditch, and the plan in detail. 32. In case of much rock on the surface, do you blast; and how do you lay the wires? 33. Where there are marshes, how do you lay the wires? 34. Do you suffer from the upheaving of the earth, in case of frost in winter, and to what extent; and what are the remedies to avoid it? 35. What seasons of the year do your wires suffer the least? 37. Do you suffer from cross or induced currents from one wire to another in underground lines? 38. Did you find any difference whatever in the working of the wires, by their increased number in any combination from one to ten or more underground? If so, what is that difference? 39. What is the relative quantity of battery you use on underground lines compared with lines on poles? 40. What battery do you believe the best, and what quan tity required for a distance of one hundred miles? Please give the cost of the materials in items. Can you work more than one independent wire forming an independent circuit from the same battery? If so, how many-and by what arrangement and principle? 41. How often do you repair the battery; what is that repair, and its expense? 42. What are your plans for protecting your line and instruments from lightning? 43. What do you consider return currents; and to what extent do you find the existence of the same on both overground and underground lines? Please state all the points fully. 44. Have you discovered any difference in the time required in the transmission of a current on the overground or underground lines, or in submarine lines; and what are the facts respectively? 45. Have you found any advantages in the use of any given size wire for electric conductors, either over or underground; and what are they? 46. What is the difference in the practical use of a line of iron wire and one of copper, as far as you are able to judge? 47. Do your underground wires ever suffer from lightning? 48. Do you allow the Government any advantages in sending messages; and what are those advantages? 49. Has the Government given any grants, appropriations, or other advantages or benefits to the telegraphs, either in law or in its use? 50. Please give the mode of receiving messages from the public, and the various checks placed upon the message, and the time thus employed, commencing at the reception at the counter, and ending with its delivery at the destination. 51. Do you ever send messages not signed; or when written on any other paper than your printed forms? 52. Why do you require persons to use your printed forms, and has that been the practice from the commencement of the telegraph? Please give two blanks, thus used, one filled to il lustrate the plan you follow, with all the explanations needed, to enable a stranger to understand the same? 53. Please give a form of your register books, upon which you enter the messages you send and receive, with explanations of their use. Also copies of your rules and regulations as to the company, and of working the line. 54. Please state the average salaries you pay for the respective officers required in your city and country offices. 55. Do you clothe your messengers? 56. Do you place any of your officers under oath or bonds, and is there any advantages to the public or company by so doing, and do the Government laws require it? 57. Are you often called upon to give copies of messages to persons, and do you retain copies in your office? 58. What is the cost of your printed forms respectively? And please furnish copies of every kind you use. |