MR FRANCIS RONALDS.

Westport Times, Volume IV, Issue 696, 11 August 1870, Page 3

MR FRANCIS RONALDS.

The name of Francis Ronalds was tely recorded as having received the mor of Knighthood. "Who is Mr rancis Ronalds ? was aquestion more kely to be asked than answered. Mr lonalds is neither more nor less than ie originator of our telegraph system. 'o him does not, indeed, belong the lerit of having been the first to consive the idea of conveying signs to iatant places by means of electricity ; hat was suggested by more than one erson in the last century, but never ut into a practical shape. Mr Ronalds, owever, was the very first, either ere or abroad, to invent an electric slegraph so constructed as to be caable of extensive practical application, nd so far back as 1823, he fully deeloped its principle and mode of ction. Still earlier, viz., in 1816, he ad constructed a working electric elegraph, and on offering it to the ben Government received an answer ?tiich can never be too often cited as n illustration of official complacency : -"Telegraphs of any kind arc now wholly unnecessary, and no other than lie one nov« in use will be adopted." Nothing daunted by this apathy, Mr tonalds matured his invention, and in 823 published a " Description of an Jlectric Telegraph, and of some other Jlectrical Apparatus," in which, after ally describing his invention with igures and diagrams, be predicted in hese Btriking words the uses to which t was capable of being applied : 'Why should not our Kings hold louncils at Brighton with their Minis:ers in London ? Why should not >ur Government at Portsmouthlmoat as promptly as in Down-ng-street? Why should our defaultire escape by reason of our foggy ilimate ? Let us have electrical lonversazione offices all over the kinglom if we can. Give me material enough, and I will electrify the world." Sir Eonalds was too far ahead of his time and too purely a man of science to secure a hearing for his discovery in those early days ; and it was left to others to mature his idea, and to establish the system which his prophetic eye had foreseen would one day transform the world. It was not till 1837, fourteen years after Mr Reynolds' pamphlet, that Messrs Cooke and Wheatstone took out their first patent. The science and practical skill of these and other eminent electricians have brought electric communication to the present advanced state; but the great fact remains that Mr Ronalds was the first to demonstrate practically the principle which they iave developed. At last, thanks to Mr Gladstone's sympathy with genius, the special merits of Mr Ronalds as a pioneer in this great field of action nave received a public recognition. Mr Eonalds, although still an active devotee of science, is now in very advanced age. A little longer, and his honors might have come too late. Several years ago the " Pall Mall Gazette " called attention to his place «mong great inventors, and urged his claims to some public acknowledgment.