TODD, Sir Charles PRG 630/2 Special List ______

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

TODD, Sir Charles PRG 630/2 Special List ______ ________________________________________________________________________ TODD, Sir Charles PRG 630/2 Special List _______________________________________________________________________ 1. CHARLES TODD, S.S. TARARUA, RIVER ROPER, TO CHARLIE AND HEDLEY. 20 MARCH 1872, 3AM. 4p. Acknowledgement of letter per Tararua. Writing while very tired. Blacks' dread of man eating alligators. Advice to boys to make the most of opportunities and secure a first class education. Reference to Captain Sweet's photographs as likely to "do more than...words to understand and appreciate the kind of life I am leading." Abundance of alligators of large size and of sharks. Unpalatability of catfish. 2. CHARLES TODD, MT. MARGARET, TO ALICE TODD. 6 OCTOBER 1872. 8p. Inability to express himself affectionately in "telegraphic chat". Breakdowns and delay in starting from the Roper. Eventual receipt of letters per the Lucy. Dash from Shirwin Creek in the Young Australian. Importance of example in forming childrens' character. Possibility of turning diary into narrative for perusal by friends. Troubles occasioned by Patterson's arrival. Strategy of keeping him away from working parties owing to his adverse effects on morale. Anticipation of a recuperative trip to Melbourne and Tasmania with Alice and Lizzie. Hopes that a thousand pounds will be voted him by Parliament. Hopes that newspaper accounts of the line will be sent to England. Anxiety about Mr Bell's affairs. Longing for reunion with children. Naming of piccaninny 'Telegraph'. 3. ALICE TODD, THE OBSERVATORY, TO CHARLES TODD. 23 MAY 1872 FRAGMENT. 4p. Engagement of Mr. Burt by Mr. Elder to go up with camels to meet Mr. Todd. Mr. Elder's liberality towards Mr. Burt, poorly treated by government, and towards widow of "that unfortunate man Edward (Praites?) who died on 31st March of scurvy". Sending of camels from Beltana. Mr Field's loss of his wife. Receipt of beautiful views from Captain Sweet. Gwenny's delight with father's portrait. Death of Mr John Baker. Mention by Mr Ross of prospect of knighthood. Manufacture through Dr Wooldridge of fake hand for Ada Babbage. Babbages on steamer to England. Their likely annoyance at sale of plate and diamonds by Colonel Babbage. 4. ALICE TODD, THE OBSERVATORY, TO CHARLES TODD. 29 MAY 1872. 4p. Hoping he has commenced homeward journey rather than returning to the Roper. Mr Symes, the new parson. Felony of respectably connected Alfred Symonds, storekeeper on Patterson's party. Destitution of his wife. Affording ten pounds towards new schoolroom. Progress of Charlie under Mr Howlett. Gwenny's impatience with father's absence. Accompanying Lizzie to an entertainment. Calls upon Mrs Davenport, Mrs Cleland, Mrs Barrow. Sudden loss of Mr Wearing's brother and subsequent poverty of his family. Lady Charlotte's benefit to Mrs Stephenson. PRG 630/2 Special list Page 1 of 6 ________________________________________________________________________ 5. ALICE TODD, THE OBSERVATORY, TO CHARLES TODD. 12 JUNE 1872. 8p. Ordering of Red ensign for Post Office tower by Mr Ayers to celebrate first through message. Anticipation of great public rejoicing. Declining of party invitation from Hughes of Torrens Park, on account of hardships endured by husband. Meagreness of the Warburton's house. Barbers living in Pulteney Street. Visit to the Millers. Purchase of Bank of Adelaide share scrip in consultation with Mr Cunningham. Calls on Glenelg Railway shares. Dividends awaiting. Building of new school rooms by Rev. Symes. Taking of observations. Visit to Todd's office. References to Gwenny, Charlie and Maude. 6. ALICE TODD, THE OBSERVATORY, TO CHARLES TODD. 9 JULY 1872. 12p. Mounting map of Overland Telegraph. Injury to Griff's finger. Finding of spiritual solace with Reverend Symes. Description of "lamentable loss of five fellow colonists" (named) in Bay. Wedding of Maggie Milne. Extortionate costs of Captain Sweet's views. Kindness of Mr. Cunningham. Regret at breakdown of cable. Outline of household expenses. Irritation at stay of Stephenson’s. Romance of old Reverence Austin of Macclesfield. Refusal of invitations on account of Todd's absence. Anxiety for his return. 7. ALICE TODD, THE OBSERVATORY TO CHARLES TODD. 24 JULY 1872. 8p. Gratitude at being able to hear of Todd each day. Enjoyment of Stephensons' stay. Barr Smiths intentions "to live on the Continent to educate their children". Ordination and living of John Gower. Distaste for large parties. Lizzie's enjoyment of Milnes' party. Mrs Sabine and Reverend Symes' disapproval of dancing. Criticism of Mrs Hay. Attendance at meeting of the City Mission. Death of Edward Hanson. Boys' return to College, Liz to Miss Jenner's (?). 8. ALICE TODD, THE OBSERVATORY TO CHARLES TODD. 11 AUGUST 1872. 6p. Reverend Symes' Sunday service. Children singing whilst William taking the observations. Account of manner in which the Sabbath is observed. Visit with children to Botanic Gardens. Description of childrens' attire at Milnes' Juvenile Party. Reference to Mrs F. Price and "delicate" Milne family. Fright at being called out of church for telegram from Gilbert Creek. Clement Giles' marriage to Miss Goulburn. 9. ALICE TODD, THE OBSERVATORY, TO CHARLES TODD. 29 AUGUST 1872. 2p. Congratulations at completion of Overland Telegraph. Calls from the Private Secretary, John Fergusson, and from numerous friends. News of Todd's arrival at the Alice Springs. Dr Gosse vaccinating Gwenny against Small Pox. PRG 630/2 Special list Page 2 of 6 ________________________________________________________________________ 10. ALICE TODD, THE OBSERVATORY, TO CHARLES TODD. 5 SEPTEMBER 1872. 8p. Pleasure at chat with Todd at Alice Springs. Studies being undertaken by Maude and Lizzie. Threat of small pox in view of incidence of destitution. Destitution of Alfred (Symonds?) wife. Description of miserable conditions at the 'Old Theatre', run by City Missionary. Expectations of bonus of five thousand pounds and twelve months leave of absence. Public pleasure at completion of line. Lizzie's delight in making slippers for father. Call by Mrs Patterson. Return of Mr and Mrs Daly to Northern Territory. Vaccination of other children from Gwenny by Dr Gosse. Comment by Mrs Wearing on possibility of knighthood and handsome bonus. 11. ALICE TODD, THE OBSERVATORY, TO CHARLES TODD, 9 SEPTEMBER 1872. 8p. Receipt of message from Strangways Springs. Opening of new school room. Objection to being subjected to ridicule. Social life of children. Imaginings of Mrs Stephenson. Teaching at Franklin Free School. Effects of visiting the poor. Mr Stuckey's consolation “ with another Lady Love". Reference to Charlie as "music mad". Anticipation of establishment of a University. 12. ALICE TODD, THE OBSERVATORY, TO CHARLES TODD, 19 SEPTEMBER 1872. 12p. Pleasure at 'chat' following Todd's arrival at Charlotte Waters. Progress of boys at College with Charlie "two classes ahead of Edward Young". Maude beginning to play nicely. Need of Todd all to herself. Preservation of Todd's letters to enable his compilation of an account of the expedition. Sending of the Views by Mr Babbage. Rumour of numismatical officer holding Postmastergeneralship. Hopes for bonus. Unwelcome Sunday visits from Lady Charlotte. Completion of school rooms. Instructions for burning of her letters to avoid their "flying all over the bush". News of acquaintances - "fat" Mrs Babbage, "poor Mrs Edward Wright", "poor Alice Simpson's " broken engagement to Willie Warburton. Reference to Charlie as "wild about going to England". 13. ALICE TODD, THE OBSERVATORY, TO CHARLES TODD. 24 SEPTEMBER 1872. 8p. Sending up letters by William Gosse, son of Dr Gosse. Hopes that Todd will be pleased with her management. Admiration for Symes family. Mrs Symes delicacy, surprising marriage to non conformist and voyage to Australia with Mrs Turton. Concern for Mr & Mrs Daly (near confinement) on their return to the Northern Territory. Disappointment at cables being "not right" and subsequent lack of English news. Regard of Dr & Mrs Davies for Todd. Need of Field children for a mother's care. Receipt of the box of beautiful coral. Despatch of Todd's spectacles by William Gosse. References to "old Captain Bagot" and his grandson's returning with Todd. Lady Charlotte. Completion of new classrooms and school rooms. PRG 630/2 Special list Page 3 of 6 ________________________________________________________________________ 14. ALICE TODD TO CHARLES TODD. c 7 OCTOBER 1872. FRAGMENT v7- 4p Inundation of visitors. Visit of "fearfully spooney" Reverend Austin and fiance Miss (?). Purchase of Cassell's child's illustrated Bible for Maude. Inability to send more Sydney Morning Heralds. Sending all local newspapers. Kindness of Mr. Cunningham. Dividend from Bank of Adelaide. Third call on Glenelg Railway shares. 15. ALICE TODD, THE OBSERVATORY, TO CHARLES TODD. 17 OCTOBER 1872. 8p. Delight at receipt of letter after not having had a line for months. Inability to express feelings on "the instrument". Contentment with house. Fearful of climatic effect on Todd's health. Lizzie's delight with letter: Lessons from Mr Dove ; French Governess. Opinion that Patterson "never should have been sent". Hope that Patterson will "not tell any untruths about the country". Regard for his wife. Mrs Hanson's "delightful account" of husband's death bed. Visit to Dr. Davies, 'Sea View'. Morgans' grand life style. Dr. Miller's conversion. Loan of correspondence. Warburtons' bitterness at Alice Simpson's break of engagement. Childrens' Bible reading. 16. ALICE TODD TO CHARLES TODD. C23 OCTOBER 1872. Anticipation of being "restored to each other after 10 months separation" Everyone in Adelaide "ecstacies" about Todd's return. Boys meeting him with waggonette. Kindness of Mr. Cunningham, "dreadfully tired". Lizzie riding with Mr. Symes, Charlie staying with Edward Young. Preference for own beautiful bed over hammock. Contentment with lot. 17. ALICE TODD, THE OBSERVATORY, TO (SIR) CHARLES TODD. 24 JANUARY 1886. 4p. Gwen making frame for set of cards sent by Todd. Hoping change to South Cliffe will improve his health. Anticipation of his return after nine months away. Thoughtfulness of sons Charlie and Hedley. Maude making own dresses. Visit from Mr. Christopher Giles.
Recommended publications
  • The Overland Telegraph
    THE OVERLAND TELEGRAPH By Ron McMullen former Telegraphist, Telegraph Supervisor, Telegraph Instructor, Senior Postal Clerk and Postmaster in the former Postmaster-General’s Department. Several detailed books have been written on this subject so I will only briefly cover the topic. The completion of the Overland Telegraph Line in 1872 from Port Augusta in South Australia to Port Darwin in the Northern Territory and connection from Darwin to Java on 20 October 1872 by sea cable, signalled the end of communication isolation from the rest of the world. Apart from being a renowned construction feat it led to the beginning of settlement in the arid central regions of Australia. Before completion of the line the only means of communication was by sea with landfall at Port Adelaide where steamers were met by reporters who quickly read the news and rushed to the telegraph office for onward transmission by Morse code to the eastern colonies. The Scottish explorer John McDouall Stuart, after several attempts, pioneered the route across the continent from South to North from Adelaide to Darwin. The colony of Victoria was also interested in finding a trans continental south to north crossing and the ill fated Burke and Wills expedition came close to achieving this having reached the mangroves near the Gulf of Carpentaria, but perished on the return journey. Queensland also wanted the sea cable to be brought to Normanton and thence down the east coast of Australia. At that time the Northern Territory was part of New South Wales and with construction of a telegraph line in mind the South Australian Government successfully applied to the British Government in 1863 for annexation and in mid 1870 construction of a line between Port August and Darwin was authorised.
    [Show full text]
  • William Henry Bragg 1862 - 1942 Awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1915
    William Henry Bragg 1862 - 1942 Awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1915 William Henry Bragg was a pioneer British scientist in solid- state physics. He was born on July 2, 1862, in Wigton, Cumberland, England. Bragg's father came from a family of farmers and merchant seamen. His mother, a sweet and kind woman, was the daughter of the local vicar. He did not remember her very well, as she died when he was about seven. The small boy was taken to the family of his uncle, the owner of a pharmacy and grocery shop. In 1875 his father took him back and sent him to school at King William’s College, Isle of Man. Bragg was good in his lessons and sports and became the head boy. He was fond of all games and played them rather well. In 1881 Bragg tried for Cambridge University,but the first interview was not a success, and he had to return to school.After the next attempt he was granted a scholarship to Trinity College. Here he worked very hard at mathematics and two years later obtained third place in the final Both he and his son examination. Bragg played tennis and hockey well. His teacher was the famous physicist J.J. lectured at the Royal Thomson with whom he also played tennis. Thomson advised him to send an application for the Institution post of professor of mathematics and physics at Adelaide University in Australia. After an interview Bragg was appointed and went to Australia where he began his career. In Adelaide the young professor became one of the best lecturers and a brilliant experimentalist.
    [Show full text]
  • SO WHO the HELL WAS ALICE ANYWAY? the Naming of Alice Springs by Greg Barron
    SO WHO THE HELL WAS ALICE ANYWAY? The Naming of Alice Springs by Greg Barron William Whitfield Mills, Overseer of Section C of the Overland Telegraph line from Adelaide to Darwin, was heading north with men and heavy equipment, on the way to the starting point for his section of the line. He wrote in a report to his boss, Charles Todd, Superintendent of Telegraphs: “On the 7th (March 1871) I started again for the Ranges, the drays in the meantime following the Hugh (River). On March 11th I again arrived at the MacDonnell Ranges and was successful in finding a pass, about 30 miles east of Stuart's track, with numerous waterholes and springs, the principal of which is the Alice Spring which I had the honour of naming after Mrs Todd.” Lady Alice Todd, wife of the Superintendent of Telegraphs, inspired not only the name of the town, Alice Springs, but also the Todd River. Who was she, and why did she deserve such adoration? Alice Gillam Bell was born in 1836 in Cambridgeshire, England. When she was twelve years old a young man, Charles Heavitree Todd, assistant Astronomer at the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, came to call on her mother. Alice was lying on a bear skin rug in front of the fire, watching the visitor, impressed by his serious ways and dark good looks. “If no one else will have you, then I will marry you, Mr Todd,” she told him. Unlikely as it must have seemed at the time, the pair exchanged vows a few years later and Charles whisked her away to Adelaide, Australia.
    [Show full text]
  • Transit of Venus 6 June 2012 Page 1 of 7
    ASA Factsheet No.24 Transit of Venus 6 June 2012 Page 1 of 7 Transit of Venus 6 June 2012 Warning: It is very dangerous to look directly at the Sun, especially through binoculars or telescopes. SERIOUS EYE DAMAGE MAY RESULT. A safe method of indirectly observing the Sun’s disc is described in this Factsheet. On Wednesday 6 June 2012 Venus will cross in front of the Sun with its whole passage from beginning to end visible from most of Australia and New Zealand. Although it last happened only eight years ago, as we see Venus’s dark silhouette move across the disc of the Sun we will be witnessing one of the rarest and most famous events in astronomy, a transit of Venus, which will not occur again until December 2117. What is a transit? Figure 1 – A photograph of the 8 June 2004 transit of Venus taken from Randwick, Sydney, NSW. Courtesy Neil Saunders http://www.flickr.com/photos/nsaunders/433208962/ A transit occurs when, as seen from Earth, a planet appears to move across the disc of the Sun. Only the two inner planets, Mercury and Venus, can ever be found between the Sun and the Earth and therefore be seen in transit. A transit does not occur each time the planets are in the same direction as the Sun because usually they pass above or below the Sun in the sky. A transit is somewhat like an eclipse of the Sun. However, Mercury and Venus only appear as small dark spots against the disc of the Sun instead of covering the disc like the Moon does during an eclipse.
    [Show full text]
  • The Weatherman from Greenwich Charles Todd
    Charles Todd wasCharles Todd was the Weather man from Charles Todd was the Weather man from Greenwich. An ambitious and eager young man, he Greenwich. An ambitious and eager young man, he came to Adelaide in 1855. He gained international came to Adelaide in 1855. He gained international The Weathermanfame for his from work on the InternationalGreenwich Telegraph, fame for his work on the International Telegraph, but he was also the first Government Astronomer THE WEATHERMANbut he was also the first Government Astronomer THE WEATHERMAN and Meteorologist in the colony and his pioneering and Meteorologist in the colony and his pioneering work remains important today. WEATHERMAN THE FROMwork remains important today. WEATHERMAN THE FROM This highly readable social history book tells the GREENWICHThis highly readable social history book tells the GREENWICH story of his early life from his birth in 1826 until story of his early life from his birth in 1826 until his career was well-established at the beginning of his career was well-established at the beginning of the 1860s. It is the story of a young man growing Charles Toddthe 1860s. - It1826 is the story to of a young1910 man growing Charles Todd - 1826 to 1910 up at a time of great and dramatic change when up at a time of great and dramatic change when the Industrial Revolution was running at breakneck the Industrial Revolution was running at breakneck speed. Steam power transformed manufacturing, speed. Steam power transformed manufacturing, railways transformed the movement of people and railways transformed the movement of people and the telegraph transformed the movement of ideas.
    [Show full text]
  • The JOURNAL of the Radiology History & Heritage Charitable Trust
    The Radiology History & Heritage Charitable Trust The JOURNAL of the Radiology History & Heritage Charitable Trust Number 12, Autumn/Winter1999 Editor: Dr Adrian Thomas BSc FRCP FRCR Department of Clinical Radiology Bromley Hospital 17 Cromwell Avenue, Bromley, Kent BR2 9AJ UK Tel: +44(0) 181 289 7070 Fax: +44(0) 181 289 7003 E-mail: [email protected] or [email protected] URL: www.rhhct.org.uk Editorial otes Welcome to the new issue of the RHHCT Journal and I hope it contains something of interest to all. I thought it appropriate to change the name to Journal since it has become rather more than a simple newsletter. If you have an article or any comments to contribute then please contact me. I am particularly interested in an article on radiotherapy for the web site. I hope to produce the next newsletter in time for IOS 2000. It is interesting to realise that next year we will be saying that the discovery of X-rays was in the century before last! The year 1895 will suddenly appear further away. Robert George, the Regional Secretary for Asia/Australasia for ISRRT has written a most interesting article on Adelaide and the Braggs (father William and son Lawrence) and their X-ray activities. It is worth noting that Sir William Bragg gave the Mackenzie Davidson Memorial Lecture in 1934 and was made an Honorary Member of the British Institute of Radiology in 1918. Sir Lawrence Bragg gave the Silvanus Thompson Memorial Lecture in 1955. The piece on Early Spiritualism and the Early Investigators by Angela Howard was only included in this newsletter after some thought.
    [Show full text]
  • GETTING IT TOGETHER from Colonies to Federation
    GETTING IT TOGETHER From Colonies to Federation south australia People and Places INVESTIGATIoNs oF AUSTRALIa’s JOURNEYInvestigations of Australia’s journey TO NATIoNHOOD FOR THE MIDDlE to nationhood for the middle years classroom YEARS CLASSROOGETTM ING IT TOGETHER south australIa – PEoPlE aND PLACEs © CoMMoNWEALTH oF AUSTRALIa i Getting It Together: From Colonies to Federation has been funded by the Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House. Getting It Together: From Colonies to Federation – South Australia ISBN: 978 1 74200 098 5 SCIS order number: 1427628 Full bibliographic details are available from Curriculum Corporation. PO Box 177 Carlton South Vic 3053 Australia Tel: (03) 9207 9600 Fax: (03) 9910 9800 Email: [email protected] Website: www.curriculum.edu.au Published by the Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House PO Box 7088 Canberra BC ACT 2610 Tel: (02) 6270 8222 Fax: (02) 6270 8111 www.moadoph.gov.au September 2009 © Commonwealth of Australia 2009 This work is copyright. You may download, display, print and reproduce this material in unaltered form only (retaining this notice) for your personal, non-commercial use or use within your organisation. Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, all other rights are reserved. Requests and inquiries concerning reproduction and rights should be addressed to Commonwealth Copyright Administration, Attorney General’s Department, National Circuit, Barton ACT 2600 or posted at www.ag.gov.au/cca This work is available for download from the Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House: http://moadoph.gov.au/learning/resources-and-outreach Edited by Katharine Sturak and Zoe Naughten Designed by Deanna Vener GETTING IT TOGETHER south australIa – PEoPlE aND PLACEs © CoMMoNWEALTH oF AUSTRALIa People and Places In the years before Federation, South Australia was different to the other Australian colonies in many ways.
    [Show full text]
  • Stuart Traynor Contents
    ALICE SPRINGS From singing wire to iconic outback town Stuart Traynor Contents Prologue: The voyage of the Atalanta 1 1 Connecting Australia to the world 4 2 Arguably Australia’s greatest explorer 11 3 Queenslanders get the rough end of the pineapple 22 4 A positive and popular man 30 5 The singing wire to Alice 41 6 Atherreyurre, the Alice spring 58 7 The line in John Mueller’s day 68 8 The dawn of civilisation and Christianity 79 9 ‘The Giant of the Interior’ 95 10 Trouble brewing on the frontier 111 11 The ‘rush’ to the East MacDonnells 125 12 A town is born 133 13 Rough justice on the frontier 143 14 ‘Gillen time’ 156 Prologue The voyage of the Atalanta There was mist about and not much wind this Sunday morning 8 April 1866 as the Atalanta approached Port Adelaide.1 Edward Allchurch had been on deck from an early hour. The 37-year-old policeman from Brighton in Sussex opened a hatch to get air into his family’s stuffy and cramped living quarters, then rang the bell to advise passengers of the morning church service. Hopefully this would be their last day on board. Ten weeks had passed since the three-masted sailing ship left England with 394 immigrants on board. Five days earlier, off the coast of Western Australia, seaman Thomas Moore had fallen overboard while working on the forecastle. The loss had cast gloom over the ship. It had not been an easy trip for Edward Allchurch. His wife Anne was seven months pregnant when they set sail from Plymouth on 23 January and was sick for much of the journey.
    [Show full text]
  • History of the Northern Territory
    Early history of the Northern Territory Presented by Gregory Cope, National Archives of Australia NAA: M948, 46 Northern Territory = 1.35 million sq. kms Evidence of human settlement = 50,000 years. Population = 244,000 Evolution of British Colonies in Australia Evolution of British Colonies in Australia Evolution of British Colonies in Australia 1847 Evolution of British Colonies in Australia British Colonies to the Federation of Australia Evolution of the Northern Territory Source: Wikipedia PORT ESSINGTON - named on 17 April 1818 by Phillip Parker King in HMS Mermaid – sketch by PP King. 1818 – Port Essington, Inner Harbour. Failed attempts at white settlement – Northern Territory Port Essington Victoria Fort Wellington, Raffles Bay Fort Dundas Escape Cliffs (Palmerston) Darwin First British settlement – Fort Dundas Melville Island 1824-1828 Sketch of Fort Dundas by J.S. Roe on HMS ship HMS Tamar, 1 November 1824 - Battye Library W.A. The British Settlement of Fort Dundas, Melville Island Fort Dundas 1827 to Port Meville 2017 Pirlangimpi is two kilometres from the site of the first British settlement in northern Australia - Fort Dundas. Ruins of Fort Dundas, 1975 – NAA: Series A6180 The results of the 1975 – survey of Port Dundas Site Fort Dundas - today Fort Wellington 1827 - 1829 View of Raffles Bay, with Croker Island in the distance Historical Society NT – Trip to Fort Wellington July 2008 http://www.historicalsocietynt.org.au/downloads/CampingFortWellingtonCobourgNTJul08.pdf Victoria Settlement - Port Essington 1838 - 1850 1840 - New Victoria Lithographe from Voyage au Pôle Sud et en Océanie by Jules Dumont d'Urville Port Essington – Surveyed by Mr Charles J. Tyers of the HMS Alligator 1839 Site of first landing – Record Point.
    [Show full text]
  • The Overland Telegraph Line D 8065(L)
    Foundation Documents 1852-1883 The Overland Telegraph Line In the late nineteenth century, Australia’s communication links with the rest of the world hung by a slender, 3200-kilometre thread. It was the Overland Telegraph Line (OTL), a single strand of galvanized wire that spanned the continent form north to south, linking all the colonies (except Western Australia) with each other, and Australia with the rest of the world. The OTL was the greatest engineering feat undertaken in nineteenth-century Australia. Charles Todd (1826-1910) was in charge of the OTL project. He had arrived in London in 1855 to take up the post of Government Astronomer and Superintendent of Telegraphs in South Australia. Crossing then impenetrable and unexplored land, which just a decade before had claimed the lives of the explorers Burke and Wills, the line followed John McDouall Stuart’s pioneering route through the centre of the continent, which in turn was guided by Indigenous trackways that lined permanent water sites. With the completion of the line, which ran in Port Augusta in South Australia to Port Darwin, on the site of the present-day Darwin, messages that had once taken three months to reach London now took less than a day. (The line in Australia had 11 repeater stations, positioned about 200 kilometres apart. Staff at each station would receive a message, write it down, then retransmit it to the next station, and so on down the line.) Work had begun on 15 September 1870, and the final join was made on 22 August 1872, eight months behind schedule.
    [Show full text]
  • In This Issue…
    June 2021 In this issue….. • Connecting to the oceans: supporting ocean literacy and public engagement • Macquarie perch back in the wild after 70 year absence • Dirty Divers and Freshwater Zen Cover picture: A jungle perch by • Long-term effects of the 2019–20 Brendan Ebner Bushfires—water quality and Murray crayfish VOL 51: (1) June 2021 ISSN 2208 - 7028 Lateral Lines June 2021 ASFB Executive 2019-20 Please Visit the ASFB website (http://www.asfb.org.au/about/current- executive-council/) for contact details of Executive Council Members President: Alison King Vice President: Gretchen Grammer Past President: Stephen “Harry” Balcombe Secretary: Charles Todd Treasurer: Lenore Litherland Workshop/Conference Coordinator: Brendan Ebner Newsletter Editor: Nick Boucher Communications Manager: Andrew Katsis State Representatives: Mischa Turschwell (QLD) Kathy Cure (WA) Joel Williams (NSW) Leanne Currey (QLD) Gerry Closs (NZ) Katherine Cheshire (NSW) Sean Tracey (TAS) Nick Ling (NZ) Michael Hammer (NT) Jonah Yick (TAS) Tiffany Sih (VIC) Blake Taylor (NT) Hugh Allen (ACT) James Shelley (VIC) Jasmin Martino (SA) Ben Broadhurst (ACT) Kynan Hartog-Burnett (Students) Owen Burnell (SA) Alissa Tate (WA) Laura Smith (Students) Lateral Lines is the Newsletter style journal for the Australian Society for Fish Biology (ASFB), published twice a year. It welcomes contributions from all its members. The ASFB was founded in 1971 with the aim of ‘promoting research, education and management of fish and fisheries and providing a forum for the exchange of information’. Brendan Ebner Brendan Ebner is a fish ecologist working for TropWATER, James Cook University and is also a Visiting Scientist with CSIRO Land & Water in Atherton, Queensland.
    [Show full text]
  • Carte Du Ciel – Mapping the Sky in 18
    Photographing the Sky in 1887 - Australia’s Contribution to the Carte du Ciel Project Joanne Tatarynowicz Abstract In 1887 the Paris Observatory initiated a project to map the entire sky using the newly developed dry photography techniques. The ambitious project was an international venture and included eighteen observatories from around the world. Each observatory was designated a section of the sky to systematically photograph with the results eventually being collated into the Astrographic Catalogue (AC). In Australia, the Sydney, Melbourne and Perth Observatories took part. Introduction In 1838, the director of the Paris Observatory, Francois Arago, produced a photograph of the Moon with the photographic pioneer, Louis Daguerre. In January the following year, on Daguerre’s request, Arago formally presented the invention of the daguerrotype to a meeting of the French Academy of Science. From that point, as with photography in general, astronomical photography developed at a fast pace and in 1885 a photograph taken of the Pleiades star cluster by the Henry brothers, Paul and Prosper, inspired the then director of the Paris Observatory, Admiral Ernest Barthelemy Mouchez, to propose that the entire sky should be photographed in the manner the Henry brothers had developed. Sir David Gill, a Scot at the Royal Observatory at the Cape of Good Hope, himself a pioneer in astrophotography, joined with Mouchez in espousing the idea, as did Otto Struve, the Russo- German director of the Poulkovo Observatory. Together, Mouchez, Gill and Struve arranged the “Congrès International de la Carte du Ciel” which took place in Paris in 1887. The result was the launch of the first major international scientific project – the Carte du Ciel, which was to produce the first photographic record of the sky.
    [Show full text]