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

704 REPAIRING OF TELEGRAPH LINES.
On the other hand, the battery at A is too far off to be thus
effective. It must always be remembered, that there are two
elementary organizations of the voltaic force, namely quantity
and intensity. Philosophers have discussed these two classifications in the most extended sense. I will not enter into a
discussion of them here, and in their use, I will be plain, though
at the risk of criticism. Some scientific gentlemen dislike to
see technical terms made common, but I have no other alternative left me. This book is written for the practical telegrapher,
who has to work day by day in the mysterious agency of a
science, the explorations in which have been but limited. Besides this reason, many of the technicalities in the electric
science have different definitions, are differently applied, and
are differently understood by scientific gentlemen. It is my
aim to use terms and language that can be understood by the
reader, and I hope my purpose will be appreciated.
In order to have intensity sufficient to overcome a given distance, a commensurate current of quantity must be generated
by a voltaic battery. Some batteries generate currents of
greater quantity and less intensity than others. To attain the
greatest intensity, scientific gentlemen have been experimenting for many years, and to some extent with success.
From what I have said in the above, it will be seen that it
is important to maintain a uniform metallic conductor on a line
of telegraph. To the consummation of this end, it is the duty
of every repairer to exert his energies, and never to omit the
correction of a faulty place in the wire.
THE JOINING OF THE TELEGRAPH WIRES.
Telegraph wire is manufactured and delivered upon the
route in lengths to suit the constructors of the line. Many of
the joints are made at the manufactory, and many have to be
made along the line as the wire is placed upon the poles. No
joint should be made unless soldered; but the conveniences
usually had heretofore for this process along the line, have been
but few, and, therefore, a line of some five hundred miles has
had, perhaps, some several hundred joints not soldered.
In America, we have had our full share of experience upon
the subject. Having built in a few years more lines of telegraph than elsewhere in the world, we have had full scope for
experiment. The early lines were not so carefully constructed,
owing to the great haste required in their completion, especially
on rival routes. I have had lines constructed having thousands of joints not soldered, and they worked very well. It can