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кПТЕВДПС. E. f ваш ' J f " > 5 Ь * « В I L * В UTLAN D I I 1 (t Б LAND I [Uh itko states] ř 4 lì4 J«f«W F * МД OHRA I L o n d o n : * „ WYMAN 2b- SONS ’‘♦-6 Great Queen Street Lincoln's Inn Fields. W.C PUCK’S GIRDLE; OR, Gleanings from the Postal and Telegraph World. EDITED BY C. ARMSTRONG, General Post Office, Edinburgh. LONDON : WYMAN & SONS, 74-76, GREAT QUEEN STREET, lincoln’s-inn fields. 1888. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. WYMAN AND SONS, PRINTERS, КЕЛТ QUEEN STREET, LINCOLN’S-INN FIELDS, LONDON, W,C. PREFATORY NOTE, introducing these Gleanings, and bespeaking for them a kindly reception, a word of explanation may not be out of place. The obJect aimed at by the Editor is to provide yearly a collection of papers which, while of sufficient general interest to warrant a fair share of public support, will be specially interesting and valuable to postal and telegraph servants. By diffusing a knowledge of what is being said and done throughout the postal and telegraph world, “ Puck’s Girdle ” will, it is hoped, prove a veritable bond of union, and promote a greater sympathy with each other’s work in all branches of the services. To those ladies and gentlemen who have so cordially assisted by forwarding contributions, the Editor begs to tender his grateful acknowledgments. A ny reference to the merits of these contributions would perhaps be unbecoming, but it may confidently be anticipated that fare of this quality will attract sufficient support to ensure our “ Annual ’’ a long and prosperous career. A u revoir. General Post Office, E dinburgh, November ís/, 1888. CONTENTS. PÁCE Prefatory No t e .......................................................................... iii 1. The E lectric T elegraph in War. Major Beres- ford, R.E............................................................................................3 2. Old Post Office Days. E. C. Sampson .... 8 3. T elegraphy in Canada. Chas. R. Hosmer . 1 2 4. In the Side Eddy. Rhoda Reading ..... 18 5. Leaves from My Note-book. W. К. В............................29 6. Sketches of Cable Life. E. Raymond-Barker . 37 7. Western T elegraphers. S. J. Pryor . 4 6 8. Strange Missives. Sp e r a b e n e ........................................57 9. A Narrow E scape. John Do h e r t y ................................ 61 10. Jottings from Japan. W. B. Ma so n ................................ 67 n. Fifty Years Ago. E. C. Sampson..............................................74 13. Chicago T elegraphs. W. J. Ll o y d ................................ 82 13. My Friends in Blue, Yellow, and Green. Adam Go r d o n ........................................................................... 86 14- Nellie Valentine. F rances М. Saul . .9 8 15. Podger’s Dog. P. Marshall Macintyre . .107 16. Half Hours with the “Old T imers” (i.). E. C. Hin e. 113 17. From London to Durban. A. K. N................................. 124 18. Difficulties of the E nglish Language. C. H. Allport 130 •9- Old Lothbury’s Yarn. Old Lothbury • 13S 2 CONTENTS. woe 20. Out with a Bundle of Letters. An E dinburgh Postman. .......... 140 21. At Eventide—A Memory. Col. Charles E. T aylor . 143 22. Half Hours with the “ Old T imers” (и.). Е. C. Hine 149 23. Atlantic Cables. Condenser 158 24. Our Influence. E. Bond Ra i l t o n ........................... 161 25. Our Hero. A n “ Old T im er” ...................................164 26. In the Dead Letter Office. Returned Letter Officers....................................................................... 168 ARTISTS. E leanor Christie. Winifred Christie. Т. Shodal THE ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH m WAR. 0- V E R Y great organised body or working machine owes the success of its operations and the completeness of its systems to the degree of rapidity and security which characterises the means of communication between its various parts and the controlling centre. The more perfect the means of communication are, the more perfect is the organisation, and the more adaptable to variation of circumstances, and change of situation. Of all organisations the human body is that which presents to us the most perfect system of inter-communica­ tion between its various members and the great controlling centre of the brain, which, by means of the nervous net­ work, is in absolute and instantaneous accord with every dependent particle of a healthy body. The electric telegraph may well be compared to the nervous system, and the more perfect its constitution and appliances are, the greater power of work, and the greater security will it guarantee to the organisation controlled by its means. In ancient and mediaeval times the great business of life was war, and we can trace from the earliest ages the constant efforts made for producing means of rapid, secure, and secret communication ; whether this was by carrier birds, fire signals, or other devices. It is only during the last forty years that the electric telegraph has been gradually superseding all other means of keeping touch between the various portions of an army, or в 2 4 PUCK’S GIRDLE ; OR, GLEANINGS for the purpose of the defence of a country ; and it is only during the last twenty years that any real progress has been made in utilising this agent for war purposes. The first war telegraph was erected during the Crimean war ; cables were then laid across the Black Sea from Varna to the Crimea, and short land lines connected the camp before Sebastopol with the harbour. The English army, therefore, has the honour of having introduced telegraphy to active service. We next see it made use of during the Indian Mutiny in 1857, and by its means Lord Clyde’s advanced posts were enabled to communicate with Calcutta. In 1859 the French made considerable use of a field telegraph which they had .also tried in Algiers during the previous year. In 1859 we find the Spaniards taking with them to Morocco a light field equipment, of which they appear to have made considerable use for outpost work, and since that time the Spanish army has been constantly endeavouring to produce an organisation suitable for mountain warfare. Italy and Germany soon afterwards applied the telegraph to war purposes, but the greatest impulse in this direction was given during the great civil war in America. At the commencement of this struggle there was neither a State telegraph nor a field corps, and all had to be improvised and organised out of the material and personnel of three private companies then in existence in the Federal States. Owing to the great enterprise and energy displayed by all connected with the work, the success was far beyond expectations, and wherever active operations were carried on, there we find the telegraph doing its duty, and that, not only on the lines of communication, and from garrison to garrison, but even on the battle-field itself, and notably so at the battles of Fredericksburg and Petersburg. A t the conclusion of the war over 8,000 miles of wire were in use, and more than 1,000 operators employed. In 1866 the three armies of Prussia were enabled by a Judicious use of the telegraph to make their celebrated concentration in Bohemia, which led to the overthrow of Austria at Königgrätz. Extensive use was made of the telegraph during the war between Brazil and Paraguay, 1864-1869, and, in 1867 during the Abyssinian expedition, 250 miles of line were erected to keep up communication with the front. During the Franco-German war, 1870-71, Germany made FROM POSTAL AND TELEGRAPH WORLD. S enormous use of the telegraph, both by permanent and field lines, and not only had the army to use them for military purposes, but also for the civil necessities and government of the occupied country. In the Ashantee expedition, the Russo-Turkish war, the Zulu, the Transvaal, and Egyptian campaigns, we see the use of the field telegraph gradually extending, and especially, as regards the last-mentioned campaigns, we see a rapid development both in its use and in the confidence placed upon it. On the 9th September, 1882, during an attack by the enemy from Tel-el-Kebir, the telegraph clerks were for a time steadily working in their tents while shells were bursting; all around them, and immediately after the battle of Tel-el- Kcbir, on the 12th September, the field telegraph, which had accompanied the night march, was brought into use to send the news of victory to the Queen, and Her MaJesty’s reply was received three-quarters of an hour later on the Vibrating Sounder set up in the Desert. During the Nile expedition of 1884-85, great difficulties were encountered, but a line was erected up to Dongola and did excellent service, and it is only to be regretted that the transport at disposal did not admit of the telegraph accom­ panying Sir Herbert Stuart’s march across the Bayuda Desert. During the Bechuanaland expedition a line of 350 miles, in length was run to keep up communication between the Head Quarters and the Colonial Telegraph system. In 1885 the Telegraph Battalion of the Royal Engineers, was also actively employed in the Eastern Soudan at Suakim, and it is noteworthy of this expedition that at the- action of McNeill’s zareba, the telegraph for the first time was at work in the fighting line, so to speak. The cable had been laid out with the troops as they marched out towards Tamai, and on forming a zareba, a sounder was set up and communication opened with the base. In the confusion occasioned by the sudden attack of the enemy, the instrument was knocked over, and the clerk (Corporal Bent) had to take part in the defence. The fight lasted about twenty minutes, and immediately on the Arabs being driven off, a new instrument was set up, and several messages, including one for The Times and one for the Daily News, were sent forthwith.

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