The telegraph manual: a complete history and description of the semaphoric, electric and magnetic telegraphs of Europe, Asia, Africa, and America, ancient and modern.

THE SEMAPHORE TELEGRAPH.
CHAPTER II.
Origin of the Semaphore Telegraph-Its Adoption by the French Government
-Its Extension over Europe-A German Telegraph Station-Russian Telegraph.
ORIGIN OF THE SEMAPHORE OR AERIAL TELEGRAPH.
THE visual telegraph system, of late in universal use over
Europe and a part of Asia, has been superseded by the electric
system. Notwithstanding it has passed away, yet a description of its beautiful mechanism must ever be of interest to the
telegrapher. The most perfect aerial telegraph was that invented by the Messrs. Chappe, and first adopted in France.
There were three brothers Chappe, nephews of the celebrated traveler, Chappe d'Auteroche, who were students —one at
the Seminary d'Angers, and the other two were at a private
school about a half league from the town. Claude Chappe, the
pupil of the seminary, wishing to alleviate the separation with
his brothers, contrived the following means by which they
might correspond one with the other.
He placed at the two ends of a bar of wood two wing pieces
of wood, to be moved at pleasure, by means of which he was
enabled to produce 192 signals, which were distinctly visible
by means of a spy-glass. He conceived the idea of making
words of these signals, and he communicated the same to his
two brothers. This took place a few years before the French
revolution in 1793. His invention was first tried in 1791, but,
like all inventors, Chappe met with great opposition and discouragement. The people were opposed to the use of the telegraph at all, and his first telegraphs and the stations were destroyed by the populace. His second telegraph shared the same
fate, and was burnt to the ground, and poor Chappe narrowly
escaped with his life; the people threatened to burn him with
his telegraph. Not daunted by these misfortunes he renewed
his efforts for government aid, with increased zeal, until sucess
crowned his efforts.
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