The Morse Code Fact Sheet

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THE MORSE CODE In England in 1837, the physicist Charles Wheatstone took out a patent for a telegraph system where a message could be sent down wires to a distant point using the movement of compass needles to spell out the words. In America in the same year, Samuel Morse produced an experimental telegraph system where an automatic printer recorded the incoming messages on a roll of paper, the “Morse inker”. To enable this to have a practical use he invented a code that used dots and dashes, sending the words using a “Morse key”. The inker was soon replaced by a sounder, a bell or buzzer, at the receiving end of the line. In 1843 the American government advanced money for the setting up of a telegraph service between Baltimore and Washington using Morse code. Back in England Wheatstone’s needle system was used extensively along railway lines to send messages between stations. Simultaneously several rival companies set up telegraph links and soon most towns and villages were wired up, the telegraph poles carrying dozens of wires became a familiar site down the side of the roads. In 1870 the post office took over the whole network and the Morse code tapped out by the Morse key and later high speed automatic machines and tele printers became the universal language of telegraphic communication. By the end of the 19th century, the telephone had been invented, people could speak to each other through the wires, and telephony was replacing telegraphy. Morse code, however, was still used in World War One and beyond for radio communication, you can see the Morse key on the trench transmitter in the bottom of the cabinet at the end of the room. .

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The Electric Telegraph
To Mark, Karen and Paul CONTENTS page ORIGINS AND DEVELOPMENTS TO 1837 13 Early experiments—Francis Ronalds—Cooke and Wheatstone—successful experiment on the London & Birmingham Railway 2 `THE CORDS THAT HUNG TAWELL' 29 Use on the Great Western and Blackwall railways—the Tawell murder—incorporation of the Electric Tele- graph Company—end of the pioneering stage 3 DEVELOPMENT UNDER THE COMPANIES 46 Early difficulties—rivalry between the Electric and the Magnetic—the telegraph in London—the overhouse system—private telegraphs and the press 4 AN ANALYSIS OF THE TELEGRAPH INDUSTRY TO 1868 73 The inland network—sources of capital—the railway interest—analysis of shareholdings—instruments- working expenses—employment of women—risks of submarine telegraphy—investment rating 5 ACHIEVEMENT IN SUBMARINE TELEGRAPHY I o The first cross-Channel links—the Atlantic cable— links with India—submarine cable maintenance com- panies 6 THE CASE FOR PUBLIC ENTERPRISE 119 Background to the nationalisation debate—public attitudes—the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce— Frank Ives. Scudamore reports—comparison with continental telegraph systems 7 NATIONALISATION 1868 138 Background to the Telegraph Bill 1868—tactics of the 7 8 CONTENTS Page companies—attitudes of the press—the political situa- tion—the Select Committee of 1868—agreement with the companies 8 THE TELEGRAPH ACTS 154 Terms granted to the telegraph and railway companies under the 1868 Act—implications of the 1869 telegraph monopoly 9 THE POST OFFICE TELEGRAPH 176 The period 87o-1914—reorganisation of the
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