We will now proceed to describe the modus operandi of transmitting intelligence from one station to another; the arrangement being as in [figure 14]; k is the key of the operator at Baltimore, and m′ represents his register, or writing desk, at Washington; k′ is the key of the operator at Washington, and m his register, or writing desk, at Baltimore. Each has the entire control of his respective register, excepting, only, that each operator winds up the other’s instrument, and keeps it supplied with paper. It will also be borne in mind, that each circuit is complete, and everywhere continuous, except at the keys, which are open. If, then, the hammer is brought in sudden contact with the anvil, and permitted as quickly as possible to break its contact by the action of the spring, and resume its former position, the galvanic fluid, generated at the battery, flies its round upon the circuit, no matter how quick that contact has been made and broken. It has made the iron of the electro magnet a magnet; which has attracted to it the armature of the pen lever; the pen lever, by its steel pen points, has indented the paper, and the pen lever has, also, by the connecting wire with the break; taken it from the friction wheel; this has released the clock work, which, through the agency of the weight, has commenced running, and the two rollers have supplied the pen with paper. But, as only one touch of the key has been made, the clock work soon stops again, if no other touches are made, by the action of the break upon the friction wheel.

This shows the whole operation of the Telegraph, in making a single dot by a single touch of the key. In order now to explain more fully the operation of the steel pen points upon the paper, which is in contact with the grooved roller, let there be made four touches at the key; this will be sufficient to start the clock work, and allow the paper to have attained a uniform rate; then let six touches be made at the key. The contact has been made six times and broken six times. Each time it is closed, the electro magnet, as heretofore explained, attracts to it, with considerable force, the armature of the pen lever, carrying up the steel pen points against the paper, 2, under the steel roller, S. The three points of the pen, falling into the three corresponding grooves of the roller, carry the paper with them and indent it,[7] at each contact. There then appear upon the paper, as it passes out from under the rollers, six indentations, as if it had been pressed upon by a blunted point, such as the end of a knitting needle would be supposed to make, when pressed upon paper, placed over a shallow hole, but in such a manner as not to pass through the paper, but raising the surface, as in the printing for the blind. These indentations of the paper are the marking of the pen, but varied in the manner now to be described.

By examining the telegraphic alphabet, the characters will be found to be made up of dots: short and long lines—and short and long spaces. A single touch of the key, answers to a single dot on the paper of the register; which represents the letter, E. One touch of the key prolonged, that is, the contact at the key continued for about the time required to make two dots, produces a short line, and represents T. A single touch for about the time required to make four dots, is a long line, and represents L. A single touch for about the time required to make six dots, is a still longer line and represents the 0 of the numerals. If the use of the key be suspended for about the time required to make three dots, it is a short space, used between letters. If suspended for the time required to make six dots, it is a long space, used between words, and a longer space is that used between sentences. These are the elements which enter into the construction of the telegraphic characters, as used in transmitting intelligence. The alphabet is represented by the following combination of these elements.

ALPHABET.

·- -····· · -·· · ·-·--· ······ -·-·-·-
A BC DE FG HI JK
— ---· · ······ ··-·· ·· ···- ··-···-
L MN OP QR ST UV
·-- ·-···· ·· ··· ·· ··· ·--···-·· ···-·····-
W XY Z& 12 34
--- ······--·· -····-··- ——
5 67 89 0

Suppose the following sentence is to be transmitted from Washington to Baltimore:

- ····· ·- --· · ···· ·· ··- -· ·— ··· ·
T he A me ri ca n El ec
- · ··· · -- ·---· -·· -·· ·· · -· —·
t ro M ag ne ti c Te le
--· · ···- ········· ·· -····- ·-· -· -·· -····· ··
g ra ph i nv en te d by
····· · ··· · ·-·· ······ · ·· ·· ··· ·-·-··· -- · ·
P ro fe ss or S FB M o
· ·· ···· · · ·-· -·· ·-- ·· ··· · · ··-·-
r se o f Ne w Yo rk
· · -· -···· · ·-· ·· -·· · ··-· - ·····
o n bo ar d of t he
····· ·-··· · -·-· - ······· ·· ····· ··· ··-—
p ac ke t sh ip S ul
— ·· ·· ·· ··- ·····- ····· ·— — · ·-·
l y Ca pt P el l on
···· ·· ·· ····· ·-··· ····- --·· ·-· · ··· · --
h er p as sa ge f ro m
···· ·-···- · ··· - · · -·· ·-- ·· ··· · · ··-·-
H av re t o Ne w Yo rk
· · ·· ·- · ·-··· ·· ·· ·--· -·······-· ··-··
O ct ob er 1 83 2

It is evident, as the attendant at Baltimore has no agency in the transmission of this message from Washington, his presence, even, is not absolutely required in the telegraph room at Baltimore, nor is it necessary, previously, to ask the question, are you there? The operator at Washington transmits it to Baltimore, whether the attendant is there or not, and the telegraphic characters are distinctly recorded upon the paper of the Baltimore-register. If he omits a letter at the key, in Washington, it is omitted on the paper in Baltimore. If he has added at the key in Washington, it is also upon the paper in Baltimore, nothing more or less is marked upon it.

Specimen of the Telegraphic Language.