History of the Typewriter

—296— CHAPTER XII. The Typewriter in Telegraphy. Fp HE service which the modern writing machine and its many developments lends to the telegraphic system in all parts of the globe is so great, that no account of the typewriter, as such, could possibly be complete without some reference to telegraphy. In order to make our description clear, it is necessary to explain, although in the briefest possible terms, the theory of the telegraph, as without such explanation, non-technical readers of this work would not appreciate the various details which follow. It is, however, not our intention, in this volume at any rate, to dilate largely upon the history of printing telegraphs. So extensive a subject requires altogether separate treatment, and would be unjustly served, were it cramped into a single chapter such as the present. But we give so much of the subject as will convey a fair idea of the present position thereof, and as will enable the student to see the vast future before it, as well as the almost indefinite scope which the modest typewriter may be made to cover. The principles upon which the telegraph act are fairly simple. A coil of wire being bound round a piece of soft iron, charges the latter with electric force when connected with a suitable battery, and converts the iron into a magnet. This magnet has the power of attracting to itself a steel needle, or indicator, which is so hung as to swing freely upon a pivot. And it will be quite clear that by varying the direction of the current, the direction in which the needle swings can be correspondingly varied. By the number and direction of these swings, a code is arranged, which will permit of messages being spelled out letter by letter.