A "POCKET" TELEGRAPH.

Clutha Leader, Volume I, Issue 27, 14 January 1875, Page 3

A "POCKET" TELEGRAPH.

— ...... " It is' { probably known to most people"***"* that the system : of telegraphy^mbstiy in * usein America is that .called the *' Morse { sounder." The Morse system/proper is ' ' that whereby ninfksTof lon* or- short duration ("dashes '' and " dots . as-fhey " are technically calledf ar^impressVd on f ; a narrow band 'of paper/,. .technically called the el slip,' 7 which is unwiunti from the apparatus by means of clockwork. The "- Morse sounder "is practically the electro-magnet and armature only of the recording instrument; and" the long and short.beats of the armature are to the ear. what the " dashes " and " dots " are to the eye... The Americans take a considerable pride in their sound-' system ; and its acquisition . by. .others than mere telegraphists would appear' to have become -pretty- general over there, if we may iudge by a little invention called the >* snapper, sounder," which has just reached this country. The "snapper sounder "can hardly be called an instrument, for it is merely a piece of bright metal about an inch anda half long and half an inch wide, with shallow sides extending about one-half of its length, and a steel spring fixed above the little chamber formed by- the sides. What may be considered both the ingenuity and the simplicity of the invention consists in the flattening out in the centre, apparently by one or two smart blow's of a small hammer or " punch " of the steel- spring at the point where, when depressed, by thefinger, it hinges on the chamber; so that every time the spring. is depressed a clear metallic sound is produced. The sound may be varied, too, in different ways. Place the finger along the sides so as to extend the little chamber 1 , and you get a hoarse or creaking sound ; or place the " snapper- " on a box or table, and you get a hollow find reverberating - sound. It is not difficult, after what has been said about the " Morse sounder," to understand how a coversation may be kept up between two persons by means of the little invention thus briefly described, The sharp sound is the " riot" of tho Morse alphabet, the longer sound is the "dash," and the two following each other are the letter "a " i In America it is said that persons hold conversations on 'Change and in railway carriages and omnibuses by means of tbe " snapper ;" while almost every telegraph clerk carries one in his pocket. The writer can converse fluently, at the rate of about twentyfive words per minute, with his pocket telegraph, although it has already drawn towards him the suspicion of harboringcrickets about his person, and of being in league with Dr Lynn. Telegraph clerks are sometimes in the habit of speaking with each other with their feet and hands, and sometimes even by winking their eyes and chattering their teeth, to imitate the signs of the different forms of needle and printing instruments. The " snapper " will place v, less clumsy instrument in their hands for the purposes of ordinary conversation ; although, if its use becomes as common in this country a.^it is said to he in America, telegraphy will soon cease to be an " art" among us. For the purposes of instruction 'and practice, however, the " snapner ""may be found a useful adjunct to the real apparatus, more especially as it is understood to be the c.esire of the Post Office authorities to extend the use of the " Morst* sounder " in this country as rapidly as possible. — ' Times '