{"id":1570,"date":"2009-11-01T21:28:21","date_gmt":"2009-11-02T04:28:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.ubc.ca\/etec540sept09\/?p=1570"},"modified":"2009-11-01T21:28:21","modified_gmt":"2009-11-02T04:28:21","slug":"telegraph-the-old-information-super-highway","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.ubc.ca\/etec540sept09\/2009\/11\/01\/telegraph-the-old-information-super-highway\/","title":{"rendered":"Telegraph – the old information super highway"},"content":{"rendered":"

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The telegraph can actually be considered the grandfather of the data superhighway \u2013 the telegraph operated on a digital format (on\/off mode).\u00a0 (Lubrano, 1997, pg. xiv)<\/p><\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Ancient writings and pictograms of civilizations long gone are forms of communications that existed and provide clues to the intricate workings of a society.\u00a0 As a rule, these forms of communications have long been abandoned by cultures which now fill history books.\u00a0 These inscriptions, like most primitive dialects, were only effective in reaching those peoples that encountered and could interpret the material.\u00a0 The ability to distribute knowledge was limited to the geographical location of the text.\u00a0 Ancient writings, employed for knowledge transfer, have impacted all societies to some extent; if only as the result of cultures colliding in an increasingly smaller world.\u00a0 As with most messages, these writings were created to transfer the thoughts and knowledge of a society.\u00a0 It is this desire to \u201cspread\u201d the word is that is in essence the arching goal of communication; achieve a faster and more efficient means to transfer the message.\u00a0 Amazingly, this desire to expand knowledge was not always embraced.\u00a0 Much like the history of the Internet, prior desires to communicate across space and time are filled with progressive steps and changing literacy.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u00a0Literacy is defined as the ability to read and write.\u00a0 Reading, as described by Ong is the conversion of a text \u201cto sound, aloud or in the imagination, syllable-by-syllable\u201d.\u00a0 (Ong, 1982, pg.8)\u00a0 Imagine if text could exist in the form of finite signals and codes that could be \u201cread\u201d by a viewer and transcribed or transmitted for others to see.\u00a0 Imagine the origins of distance communication and the impact upon societies isolated by time and geography.\u00a0 Thus begins the story of telegraphy.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0Telegraphy, as detailed by the Encyclopaedia Britannica is \u201cderived from the Greek words tele<\/em>, meaning \u201cdistant,\u201d and graphein<\/em>, meaning \u201cto write.\u201d\u201d (Encycopedia Britannica, 2009).\u00a0 While we normally identify the telegraph to be an electromagnetic based system of transmitting dots and dashed (Morse code), this belief is flawed.\u00a0 Telegraphy existed long before in the simplest forms of distance communications.\u00a0 Early forms of telegraphy, describe in Iliad,<\/em> included smoke and fire signals used to communicate during daylight and night times.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u00a0Fire signals were used extensively by watchers and scouts.\u00a0 Unlike other signal types, they did not normally serve to transmit orders but were instead used to convey simple messages, and they were considered to be quite valuable in this role. (Russell, 1999,\u00a0 pg. 146)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\u00a0The earliest forms of telegraphy employed a simplistic code as a means to articulate the message.\u00a0 Often times, due to the geographical limitations and rudimentary technology (i.e. blanket, fire and fresh grasses) of the telegraphy, the message was pre-arranged to define only important events such as \u2018danger\u2019, \u2018victory\u2019 or a \u2018summons\u2019.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"Without<\/a>
Without Sound. make Signals<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Image downloaded\u00a0From Flickr 28 Oct 09<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Another form of visual telegraphy that impacted society was signal flags used mainly by government and mariners worldwide.\u00a0 The optical telegraphy or semaphore is \u201cis an alphabet signalling system based on the waving of a pair of tower constructed or hand-held flags in a particular pattern.\u201d (Croft, Unknown)\u00a0 Used extensively by the French government during the French revolution, and by naval fleets (still employed by use of hand held flags), the semaphore system provided distance communications thru a series of sequential stations that conveyed the messages.\u00a0 \u00a0As the alphabet was the \u201ccode\u201d of semaphore, the message could be as complex as required to effectively convey significance and importance.\u00a0 Given these new advances in complexity of the transmitted message through the use of the alphabet, limitations did exist including the time to record the signal and retransmit to the next station and the requirement to have a constant vigil for incoming signals.\u00a0 \u00a0The semaphore system was eventually abandoned as a \u201claw was enacted imposing jail sentences and stiff fines (up to 10,000 francs) on “anyone transmitting unauthorized signals from one place to another by means of the (Chappe) telegraph machine.” (Neuman, 1996).\u00a0 Besides fears of rising public opinion, the semaphore system \u201crequired extensive manpower and was expensive to operate.\u00a0 Stations were seldom more than eight miles apart and were subject to interruption due to adverse weather conditions.\u201d\u00a0 (Lubrano, pg. 10)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"Signal
Communications<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Semaphore flags in background.\u00a0 Electrical Bolt symbolic of electric telegraphy.<\/p>\n

Picture curtisy of http:\/\/navalcommunicator.com\/index.html<\/a><\/p>\n

In addition to the prehistoric visual telegraphy, audio telegraphy was used to gap distances beyond line-of-sight.\u00a0\u00a0 In Africa, drums were (and still are) commonly used as a means to convey messages across distances to both humans and gods.\u00a0 Among the Ashanti people of Ghana, two styles of drumming: signal and speech exist for communications purpose.\u00a0\u00a0 Communications by drumming employs of two drums, one high tone and one low tone, which is used to \u201cto mimic the highs and lows of the local Twi language, a tonal language.\u201d (Wilson, unknown)\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

As society\u2019s reliance on rapid communications grew, better technologies were developed.\u00a0 The geographically limiting visual and audio telegraphy was remediated by the faster methods.\u00a0 Research and trialing of electronic signaling was wide spread.\u00a0 As Nonenmacher reports: \u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

The science behind the telegraph dates back at least as far as Roger Bacon’s (1220-1292) experiments in magnetism. Numerous small steps in the science of electricity and magnetism followed. Important inventions include those of Giambattista della Porta (1558), William Gilbert (1603), Stephen Gray (1729), William Watson (1747), Pieter van Musschenbroek (1754), Luigi Galvani (1786), Alessandro Giuseppe Antonio Anastasio Volta (1800), Andr\u00e9-Marie Ampere (1820), William Sturgeon (1825), and Joseph Henry (1829).\u00a0 (Nonnenmacher, 2001)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

In 1884, Samual Morse, with his assistance Alfred Vail trialed a telegraph line between Washington and Baltimore, transmitting the now famous message \u201cWhat hath God wrought?\u201d \u00a0(Today in History, 2007) \u00a0\u00a0Morse and Vail had developed the technology to allow the required break in the electrical current; pauses in electrical current which provided the foundation for the code.\u00a0\u00a0 Remediation of visual by electronic telegraphy had begun, resulting in sweeping changes in communications methods.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The electrical telegraph transformed society by achieving the goal of increased efficiency and effectiveness in communications.\u00a0 Long distance communications within short timeframes reduced the size of a country and connected nations.\u00a0 This increased speed was not the only change; the language of telegraphy was also transformed. \u201cMorse Code\u201d\u00a0 was credited to Samuel Morse, but his assistant Alfred Vail is suspected of perfecting the code that exists still today.\u00a0\u00a0 This code is an alphabetic language created with the use of \u201cdots and dashes [corresponding] to letters and punctuation in the English language<\/a>. This cipher, which is still widely used today can be equated as to an early form of digitization<\/a>, as all words, numbers and punctuation are comprised of two \u201cdot\u201d and \u201cdash\u201d symbols<\/a>.\u201d (Kanderovskis, 2007)<\/p>\n

Electronic telegraphy influenced society in much the same way that the Internet influences society today.\u00a0\u00a0 From this birth of rapid, long distance communications, the foundation for standardization of journalistic style and mass communications began.\u00a0 Information could be gathered, reviewed, transmitted and distributed across a nation with little effort.\u00a0 Local papers began to focus more on national affairs and less on local opinion.\u00a0 This flow of information affected all aspects of society; resulting in an increased awareness to national and international affairs, within shorter timeframes.\u00a0 Even fiscal policies and practices were affected.\u00a0 Yates argues:<\/p>\n

the telegraph encouraged the growth and efficiency of markets by reducing communication time and costs and that it encouraged the growth and vertical integration of firms by forwarding the emergence of national market areas to absorb local and regional market areas.\u00a0 (Unknown)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The telegraph linked businesses across a nation and across international boundaries.\u00a0 Through the electronic telegraph, society was provided a venue to share and prosper; but like the Internet, the venue was not accepted by all.\u00a0 \u201cRussian Czar Nicholas I was likewise terrified by the telegraph\u2019s potential to spread information. Fearing that the broad use of the telegraph would prove “subversive,”\u201d <\/sup>(Neuman, 1996) Nicholas refused to conduct business with Morse to create an effective communications system across Russia.\u00a0 This fear of progress resulted in substandard communications for the military during World War I.\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Progress in communications, specifically electric telegraph affected all institutions: political, social and governmental.\u00a0 \u201cEmbassies connected by telegraph to their home foreign ministries \u2026long used to operating on their own, increasingly received instructions about pressing issues from their home office.\u201d \u00a0(Papp, Alberts, Tuyahov, 2002)\u00a0 Financial markets could deal in commodities and set prices at a national vice local market.\u00a0 Distance and time melted away first with smoke, progressively advancing technology towards each dash and dot transmitted across the vast electrical lines; the earth successively reduced in size.\u00a0 Access to national and international events resulted in the standardization of journalistic reporting and realization that \u2018others\u2019 existed outside or the local confines.\u00a0 This path towards \u2018globalization\u2019 in communications, while benefiting many, resulted in some fears concerning the spread of knowledge and public opinion.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 From an internet of electrical lines with dots and dashes, the desire to communicate to all people at all places would drive the next generation to find the internet of ones(1) and zeros (0) and remediate the electrical information highway.\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

References<\/strong><\/p>\n

Croft, J.\u00a0 Semaphore Flag Signalling System.\u00a0 Retrieved online 21 Oct 2009 from the World Wide Web: http:\/\/www.anbg.gov.au\/flags\/semaphore.html<\/p>\n

International Code of Signals.\u00a0 (2009).\u00a0 In Microsoft Encarta.\u00a0 Retrieved 15 Oct 2009 from the World Wide Web: http:\/\/ca.encarta.msn.com\/encyclopedia_761563724\/international_code_of_signals.html<\/a><\/p>\n

Kanderovskis, K.\u00a0 (2007).\u00a0 Telegraph.\u00a0 Retrieved 19 Oct 2009 from the World Wide Web: http:\/\/csmt.uchicago.edu\/glossary2004\/telegraph.htm<\/a><\/p>\n

Lubrano, Annteresa. (1997). The telegraph: how technology innovation caused social change. New York: Garland Pub.<\/p>\n

Library of Congress, (2007).\u00a0 Today in History.\u00a0 May 24 What hath god wrought?\u00a0 Retrieved Oct 18, 2009 from the World Wide Web: http:\/\/memory.loc.gov\/ammem\/today\/may24.html<\/a><\/p>\n

\u00a0Neuman, J.\u00a0 (1996).\u00a0 The media\u2019s impact on international affairs, than and now.\u00a0 Retrieved 10 Oct 2009 from the World Wide Web: http:\/\/www.ndu.edu\/inss\/books\/Books%20-%201998\/Information%20Age%20Anthology%20-%20Sept%2098\/ch18.html<\/a><\/p>\n

\u00a0Ong, W.J. (1982). Orality and literacy: The technologizing of the word. London: Methuen.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u00a0Papp, D.S., Alberts, D.S., & Tuyahov, A.\u00a0 (2002).\u00a0 Historical impacts of information technologies: An overview.\u00a0 Retrieved 18 Oct 2009: http:\/\/www.ndu.edu\/inss\/books\/Books%20-%201998\/Information%20Age%20Anthology%20-%20Sept%2098\/ch02a.html<\/a><\/p>\n

\u00a0Russell, F.S., (1999).\u00a0 Information gathering in classical Greece.\u00a0 Ann Arbor University of Michigan Press.\u00a0 Retrieved 18 Oct, 2009: http:\/\/www.press.umich.edu\/pdf\/0472110640.pdf<\/a><\/p>\n

\u00a0telegraph<\/strong>. (2009). In Encyclop\u00e6dia Britannica<\/em>. Retrieved October 24, 2009, from Encyclop\u00e6dia Britannica Online 19 Oct 09 from the World Wide Web: http:\/\/www.britannica.com\/EBchecked\/topic\/585850\/telegraph<\/a><\/p>\n

\u00a0Wilson, B.\u00a0 (Unknown).\u00a0 The drumming of traditional Ashanti Healing Cermonies.\u00a0 Retrieved online 18 Oct 09 from the World Wide Web: http:\/\/www.ethnomusic.ucla.edu\/pre\/Vol11\/Vol11html\/V11Wilson.html<\/a><\/p>\n

\u00a0Yates, JoAnne, (Unknown).\u00a0 The Telegraph\u2019s effect on nineteenth century markets and firms.\u00a0\u00a0 Retrieved Oct 16 from the World Wide Web: http:\/\/www.h-net.org\/~business\/bhcweb\/publications\/BEHprint\/v015\/p0149-p0164.pdf<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The telegraph can actually be considered the grandfather of the data superhighway \u2013 the telegraph operated on a digital format (on\/off mode).\u00a0 (Lubrano, 1997, pg. xiv) Ancient writings and pictograms of civilizations long gone are forms of communications that existed and provide clues to the intricate workings of a society.\u00a0 As a rule, these forms […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":932,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5098],"tags":[1034,1027,6212,6812,6211,6210,6209,4904],"class_list":["post-1570","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-research-paper","tag-audio","tag-communications","tag-drums","tag-research-paper","tag-signals","tag-telegraph","tag-telegraphy","tag-visual"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ubc.ca\/etec540sept09\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1570","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ubc.ca\/etec540sept09\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ubc.ca\/etec540sept09\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ubc.ca\/etec540sept09\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/932"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ubc.ca\/etec540sept09\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1570"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ubc.ca\/etec540sept09\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1570\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1581,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ubc.ca\/etec540sept09\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1570\/revisions\/1581"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ubc.ca\/etec540sept09\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1570"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ubc.ca\/etec540sept09\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1570"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ubc.ca\/etec540sept09\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1570"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}