The motivation for a telegraph in South Australia.
The Mail, in its analysis of Australia's telegraph history on 16 October 1926, suggested that
"it was a war scare that really caused the first telegraph line to be built in South Australia. During the Crimean war in 1854, the Government, fearing the possibility of a sudden descent upon our shores by Russian gunboats, desired to establish, by means of semaphores, communication between Adelaide and some point on the coast, which would command a view of the approaches to St. Vincent Gulf through Backstairs Passage and Investigator Strait. However, experience had shown that, owing to the unfavorable atmospheric conditions, any such system of signalling over the heated Adelaide Plains would be unreliable, and nothing was done".
The Government vs the private entrepreneur
In January 1855, the apparatus for an electric telegraph was brought to the Colony of South Australia by Mr. James Macgeorge who returned to Adelaide by the Kangaroo. Many individuals and organisations were attracted to Macgeorge's efforts. The Chamber of Commerce, for example, thought it would be a catalyst to open up a telegraphic communication between the city and the Port. Such a means of communication would be of great advantage to the mercantile community.
The South Australian Register of 21 July 1855 commented in a more detailed and contemporaneous way on the situation:
THE ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.
"From our report of the proceedings of the City Council, we perceive that Mr. Macgeorge has applied for leave to the Government to erect the posts for setting up an electric telegraph between the City and the Port along the line of rail-road; and that, in the event of permission, being refused, he has asked leave from the Corporation to carry a short line through the Park Lands from the City to Hindmarsh.
That an electric telegraph, fit to connect the City with the Port, should be lying useless in a packing-case at a time when its employment would be so generally convenient, would seem to be not only a pity, but a disgrace; and the only reason we can think of why the Government should refuse to allow Mr. Macgeorge to erect it along the line of railway is, that they intend to erect one themselves and do not think it judicious to allow of competition. Two lines of telegraph to the Port would certainly be a great waste of capital, as one would be amply sufficient for all the business, and it would not be desirable to have a Government establishment running a race of competition with a private individual.
But when are we to be blessed with the Government telegraph? It has been talked about for years, and the money has been long voted for the purpose. The execution of the project, however, has been attended with all that procrastination which seems fated to attend on the public undertakings of all but very energetic Governments. That our Government has not displayed any very great amount of vigour or promptitude on this subject our readers may perceive from the following statement of facts:
- On the 21st of September, 1853, that is to say, very nearly two years ago, the Legislative Council unanimously agreed "That an address be presented to His Excellency the Lieutenant-Governor, requesting him to place upon the Estimates a sum sufficient for providing the best means of supplying the earliest information of the name of every vessel arriving in Gulf St. Vincent, and the port of its departure and requesting His Excellency to take the necessary steps for carrying such object into effect at the earliest period".
- The address was so far complied with that the sum of £4,400 was placed on the Estimates, and passed by the Council, together with an additional sum of £882 for salaries to clerks so that the Government was not hindered by want of money.
What steps the Executive did take in compliance with the terms of the address, to carry the object into effect 'at the earliest period' is known only to themselves; but whatever they were, we certainly cannot compliment the Government on its success. Two years was surely an ample allowance of time for importing nine miles of wire! Yet nothing has been heard of it up to the present time. The patient Legislature continued to vote money for the purpose during the succeeding session of 1854. An additional sum of £2,100 was voted for the necessary buildings, though the previous vote had never been expended, and £1,507 10s. more was voted for the salaries of clerks, whose prospect of appointment seems still very remote. Doubtless the money voted is safe somewhere, though the telegraph is not forth coming.
One cause of this provoking delay has been, we believe, that the telegraph was unfortunately ordered of the Agent-General, whose negligence with regard to all business entrusted to him is only too notorious. But seeing that the business has been entrusted to this gentleman and that it is impossible to foresee by what time in the course of the next year or two he may see fit to execute his commission, would it not be expedient to erect at once, between the City and the Port, the telegraph that is already in the colony so that we have the immediate benefit of it; and when the plant ordered of the Agent-General arrives, to use that, not in making a second line to the Port, but in carrying a telegraph down to the Bay, preparatory to continuing it to an observatory on O'Halloran Hill and perhaps, ultimately, to Cape Jervis?
Our readers may remember that, during the last session, the Council voted £1,400 for the erection of four semaphore stations along the coast of the Gulf besides a sum of about £800 for the wages of the signal-men. This vote was passed principally with reference to the defence of the colony from hostile invasion and with a view of giving the earliest intimation of the approach of an enemy's ship. The fear of invasion, however, has in a great measure passed away, and nothing has been done with respect to the erection of semaphores. The matter has been suffered to remain in abeyance, partly, we believe, because some experiments made for the purpose of settling the point have shown that O'Halloran Hill is too far from the flagstaff on West Terrace to admit of communication being made from one to the other with sufficient distinctness.
But why should not the money voted for the purpose still be expended, merely substituting for the clumsy and antiquated semaphore, the more modern and convenient electric telegraph? A more expeditious method of signalling the arrivals of vessels than would be furnished even by a telegraph to the Port is very much needed, and would be well worth the little money it would cost. It is of no small importance, too, as regards the expected revival of overland steam communication. Our chance of getting the ocean steamers to call off Port Adelaide depends very much on the degree to which we can minimize their detention in our port; and a line of telegraph down to Cape Jervis would greatly facilitate this by giving us, on the outward trip of the steamer, at least six hours notice of its approach; and on the homeward trip, twelve. With such notice beforehand, mails and passengers could be all ready to go on board by the time the vessel was off the Port and no detention whatever need occur.
Whilst visitors must be astonished, we ourselves should feel ashamed".
In the South Australian Register of 18 August 1855, the following:
"We have been favoured with a perusal of a correspondence between Mr. James Macgeorge, and the Government and the Corporation respectively, relative to the construction of an electric telegraph between the city and the Port. The Corporation readily granted permission to Mr. Macgeorge to erect his telegraph within the limits of their jurisdiction, but the Government refuse to allow him to erect it, either along the Port-road or the line of railway. The reasons assigned for this refusal are three in number:
- that the Government must be satisfied that the person proposing to construct the telegraph is able to do it;
- that no monopoly should be granted;
- that the Government mean to do the thing themselves.
The first objection seems to us worthless. What does it matter to the Government whether the person proposing to erect a telegraph is able to finish the work efficiently? It is not likely that any one would undertake it without having counted the cost; but even if he did, what harm would result? If, indeed, the nature of his operations were such that he spoilt the ground for those that came after him, and that his unsuccessful attempt made a successful attempt in his foot steps impossible or even more difficult, there would be some reason in taking surety from him that he could do the work efficiently. But what possible harm could setting up a few posts do? They would be no obstruction to the traffic, and if the first speculator left his work unfinished, they would be all ready for his successor.
The second objection seems altogether beside the mark. Mr. Macgeorge, so far at least as the correspondence shows, asks for no monopoly. He simply seeks permission to put up his apparatus, but no exclusive permission.
The value of the third objection depends entirely on the activity of the Government in the matter of a telegraph, of which unfortunately we have not had the most satisfactory evidences. "The Government is going to set up a telegraph itself. Exactly so; it has been "going" to do so for the last two years. But has it done so? Where is the evidence of its zeal? What assurance have we that the telegraph will be erected under Government auspices before 1860? If the Government would carry out with reasonable spirit and promptitude such a project, no one would grudge them their monopoly; but as it is, they are acting like the dog in the manger. They will not touch the thing themselves nor let any one else touch it. The importance of telegraphic communication between the Port and the city is sufficiently great to justify the authorities in relaxing the stringent laws of officialism in favour of any person either with public or private spirit enough to induce him to engage in a work so much in the line of progress as the laying down of an electric telegraph, especially where it is not intended to monopolize any exclusive privileges".
Telegraphic communication began in South Australia on 26 November 1855 when James Wallace Macgeorge opened a private telegraph line between Adelaide and Port Adelaide. It was shortly after Charles Todd arrived in Australia on 4 November (aboard the Irene with his young 17 year old bride Alice) to take up his appointment as (astronomical) Observer and Superintendent of Telegraphs. Coincidently, a magnetic telegraph ordered by the Government, and intended for use on the same line, had also arrived from England on that day.
Macgeorge actually ignored the South Australian Government’s declaration that only the Government could own and operate telegraph networks.
The South of Australian Register of 27 November 1855 reported as follows:
"Yesterday was rendered remarkable in our local annals by the operation, for the first time in South Australia, of the electric telegraph - Mr. James Macgeorge having commenced, the transmission of messages to and from the Port on the wire recently erected by him. Those of our readers who left the old country before electric telegraphs came into use will be interested by a visit to Mr. Macgeorge's office and will perhaps be surprised to see what a simple and diminutive apparatus answers the purpose. We watched the transmission of a message from the Port and the instantaneous return of the answer and the apparatus seemed to work free from all defect whatsoever. The Government, having refused Mr. Macgeorge permission to put up his wire along the Port road or the railway, he has been obliged to take it a considerable way round to avail himself of the district road, kindly conceded to his use by the District Council. It is deserving of notice that this, the first line of electric telegraph in this province, has been constructed by the contractors Messrs. Heighton and Clark with a celerity perhaps not to be surpassed even in America - the whole distance having been accomplished in less than one month. We understand that Mr. Macgeorge intends to open the telegraph to the use of the public on Monday".
His effort was an immediate commercial success and, in effect, he created Australia's first privately-owned telegraph network. Six months later, the Sydney Morning Herald 17 March 1856 reported.
"Electric Telegraph: The new instruments for Macgeorge's electric telegraph are now in full working order, receiving and printing messages with great facility. They are on the same principle as the telegraph from Melbourne to the Heads, but, by a simple and happy invention of the makers, Messrs. Behrends and Co. of Gawler place, a considerable portion of the American apparatus is dispensed with. To-day, being market day at the Exchange, Mr. Macgeorge, we understand, intends to allow the public full liberty to view the instruments during business hours".
The South Australian Register of Saturday 1 December 1855 contained the following notice on page 1:
| ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.
CITY AND PORT LINE. Adelaide Stations: Gresham Street, King William Street. Port Station: Lipson Street. The public are informed that the City and Port Line of the Electric Telegraph is now completed and will be opened on Monday next, the 3rd of December, for the transmission of Messages at the following rates: Addresses and Names free. Until the opening day, the public are invited to inspect the apparatus, and no charge will be made for Messages JAMES MACGEORGE, Proprietor. Adelaide, |
The battle then began between the Government (led by Todd) and Macgeorge.
On 4 December 1855, the Legislative Council was presented with a petition from Mr. James Macgeorge setting forth that he had, at his own risk:
The petition was received, read and ordered to be printed.
On 22 January 1856, the South Australian Register published the following letter in reply to comments by Mr. Todd:
MACGEORGE'S ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE REGISTER.
Sir - I observe in the minutes of the Committee on Estimates some statements made by Mr. Todd, the Superintendent of the Magnetic Telegraph, which, being utterly unfounded and totally erroneous, I cannot allow to pass uncontradicted.
In answer to question 211 'Is the Telegraph now at work not efficient ?' Mr. Todd replied — 'In my private opinion it certainly is not. It is run up in a temporary manner, very roughly and has but one wire. There would be continual interruption from posts falling and from the defective insulation and suspension of the wire and the instruments, of which there are but two, are such as I do not approve of as suited to the climate.'
And in answer to a subsequent question he says: 'The line at present in operation is not fitted for the railway service.'
Since the erection of the telegraph to the present time, a period of two months, there has not been a single instance of interruptions referred to by Mr. Todd, but all kinds of business has been transacted through it with a celerity, accuracy, and cheapness not to be surpassed even by a telegraph conveyed along French-polished Swan River mahogany posts, with insulators of the best Sevres China.
Mr. Todd very coolly remarks that the instruments I possess are not adapted to the climate. I take this opportunity of informing the public that the magnetic instrument requires two wires to work it, while mine requires only one. The magnetic instrument is likewise much more complicated than the one at present in use, is no more rapid, and easily deranged and more difficult to repair than the instruments I use and which are almost universal in England. Both are equally adapted to the climate.
With reference to the adaptability of my line to railway purposes, I defy Mr. Todd to give one valid reason for what he says. There have been sent daily by the present telegraph, ten times the number of messages which would be required for a railway. This fact will be sufficient to show the utter groundlessness of the assertion. Although my line of telegraph has rather a rough exterior, it is executed in a sound and substantial way, works with the greatest facility, and will last ten years with little, if any, repair.
I am, Sir, &c.,
JAMES MACGEORGE.
Despite opposition from the South Australian Government, Macgeorge pushed on. The South Australian Register of 8 March 1856 published a letter to the Editor from the indefatigable James M:
TELEGRAPH TO GAWLER TOWN.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE REGISTER.
Sir — Since the 7th of last month I have been accumulating information relative to a proposed extension of my telegraph to Gawler Town, and a local paragraph to that effect appeared in one of the daily papers.
In pursuance of my enquiries, I called early last week upon the Postmaster-General to ask him for some information which would enable me to judge of the probable amount of telegraphic correspondence between Adelaide and Gawler Town and he informed me that I must apply through the Colonial Secretary's Office.
I accordingly wrote to the Colonial Secretary on the 1st March, plainly stating my object in making the enquiry. The day before yesterday I received an affirmative answer and this morning, for the first time, a notice appears upon the Council papers, that the Surveyor-General will, on Tuesday next, move 'That an Address be presented to His Excellency the Governor-in-Chief, requesting him to authorize the construction of a line of magnetic telegraph from Adelaide to Gawler Town and the Dry Creek, according to the report of the Superintendent of the Magnetic Telegraph, dated 28th February, 1856; and to charge the cost against the funds at the disposal of the Gawler Town Railway Commissioners.
I do not comment upon these circumstances, but I would ask — What is a legitimate field of enterprise for a private individual if the Government is to compete with him at every step he takes?
I am, Sir, &c.,
JAMES MACGEORGE.
7th March, 1856.
On 7 July 1856, James M. announced a reduction in the telegram rates on his City to Port line:
Names and Addresses Free.
For a Message not exceeding 20 words, 6d.;
for every 10 words, or part of 10 words additional: 3d.
Exit Macgeorge and private involvement.
In the 1850's - and throughout the following century - Colonial governments (and later the Commonwealth Government) opposed the idea of private ownership in communications. Consequently in January 1857, the South Australian Colonial Government decided it would purchase Macgeorge’s line for £80 and immediately dismantle it - thus preventing further private entrepreneurial activity.
On 2 February 1857, the South Australian Register noted:
Magnetic and Electric Telegraph. — "We are authorized to state that arrangements have now been made to place the central office of the magnetic telegraph department within the Exchange entrance, the engagement hitherto subsisting between Mr. James Macgeorge and Mr. Green having been cancelled by mutual consent.
Mr. Macgeorge's telegraph office in the Exchange will consequently be closed from this date and will be superseded by Mr. Todd's, so soon as the requisite alterations in the offices can be made, and the insulated wire cable can be laid down, extending from its present position. The Government have been induced to adopt this step, in consequence of the Superintendent, Mr. Todd, having made application for more extended premises, coupled with the receipt of a requisition, signed by the managers of the three Banks, by the representatives of the various companies, and also by the merchants and others using the telegraph, expressing an opinion that the position of the Exchange is the most central and convenient to be found in the city and consequently the best adapted to meet the wants of the mercantile community. The requisition was addressed to Mr. Todd, as Superintendent of Telegraphs, and by him forwarded, together with a report, to the Government. The new offices will be in operation by the middle of the month".
In the Classified Advertisements section of the South Australian Register of 29 October 1857, an advertisement appeared for an auction to be held on 5 November 1857:
ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH. All the PLANT of that Gentleman's ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH, comprising Wire, The Auctioneers strongly recommend this opportunity to the attention of merchants |