What technological advancements led to the telegraph?

[Tristissima]

I'm working on a new campaign world and would like to include some advanced technology (specifically early uses of technology). The particular invention that has grabbed my attention is the telegraph.

However, I am (of course) a stickler for at least semi-believable technological development and such things. I don't want to completely model the technology of the Telegraph Age, just include it as an element.

Thus, I turn to ya'll. What specific technological advancements led to the development of the telegraph or are required for said development and how might those be bypassed/replaced?

 

[Aaron L]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telegraphy#Electrical_telegraphs

Here is some info. I think that all that is technologically needed for a telegraph is a basic understanding of electricity, how to make circuits, and how to relay signals. Isnt the machine just a reciever for an electric signal, that clicks down a paper punch when the circuit is complete? I am simplifying, of course.


edit: AN even better site! Pretty good basic info. http://www.juliantrubin.com/bigten/morsetelegraph.html

 

[Hadrian]

The basic principle of a telegraph is simply a transmitter which opens and closes an electric circuit (this is a broad generalization). So I would say the development of a circuit and basic knowledge of electrical mechanisms were the key to developing the telegraph.

Now the simple 0 level Message spell does what you want verbally over a shorter range, so I would consider designing a first level spell that will transmit a message between two objects, say a crystal lens, at a greater range. Then you can simply have a series of magical items made that will duplicate this effect, you can place them in towers (perhaps even giving the crystal lens the ability to boost the range to prevent any problems from players who know the spell…and allowing you to place them however far apart you like) and have them relay in a series of hops.

I honestly can’t think of a logical reason this spell would be limited to text transmission however, so if you want it to do that, I would say some hand-waving is in order.

 

[Tonguez]

Understanding of Electricity and Magnetism (as a byproduct). The spell lightning bolt etc show some basic understanding of electricity exists in arcane theory so applying this to a telegraph like device shouldn't be difficult.

IMC I had a character who designed a 'magnetic lift' using magnetic repulsion caused by electrifying a pair of large metalic plates

 

[The_Universe]

Understanding of Electricity and Magnetism (as a byproduct). The spell lightning bolt etc show some basic understanding of electricity exists in arcane theory so applying this to a telegraph like device shouldn't be difficult.

IMC I had a character who designed a 'magnetic lift' using magnetic repulsion caused by electrifying a pair of large metalic plates

Well, the theoretical underpinnings of the telegraph are not necessarily the same thing as the actual development of a working model. Most importantly for your game, you'd need to figure out why people would want to develop a telegraph, or a partially magical facsimile thereof.

In the real world, telegraphs started popping up along with railroads, so various stops along the line could communicate and coordinate faster than the trains traveled the rails. Since, in the real world, that was best alternative for instantaneous (or near-instantaneous) communication across long distances, it was adopted and proliferated, at tremendous cost to both rail-barons and various governments.

A D&D world, however, has a great many more options for transporting information quickly - none of which require the massive infrastructure that a telegraph does. Before you get too concerned about whether someone could invent a telegraph, a better question is probably whether someone would invent a telegraph.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

One group of advancements that shouldn't be overlooked: the ability to make LONG cables of relatively pure, conductive metals. That requires machinery, forging/smelting techniques, and advanced mining capabilities (both in terms of depth and tonnage)...

You'll also need a way to insulate everything from cables to maintenance workers. A telegraph system is no good if it keeps shorting out, or if your maintenance workers keep getting fried.

 

[Hadrian]

A D&D world, however, has a great many more options for transporting information quickly - none of which require the massive infrastructure that a telegraph does. Before you get too concerned about whether someone could invent a telegraph, a better question is probably whether someone would invent a telegraph.

I don't know that someone would invent a telegraph per say, but I see no reason why a means of quick communication across long distances wouldn't be developed. Sure a high level wizard or two might be able to do it more quickly, but for the masses, there's got to be something better than just a messenger on horse.

If you're interested in more about the telegraph here's a good link: http://www.du.edu/~jcalvert/tel/morse/morse.htm

 

[Tristissima]

What metals are good, easily available conductors? I'm thinking of denying my world iron, steel, even bronze maybe. However, an abundance of gold would work out well. So, what metals in particular could work in a telegraph line?

 

[Mishihari Lord]

What metals are good, easily available conductors? I'm thinking of denying my world iron, steel, even bronze maybe. However, an abundance of gold would work out well. So, what metals in particular could work in a telegraph line?

Resistivity of materials
metal resistivity,
nano-ohm-meter
silver 14.71
copper 15.80
gold 20.11
aluminum 25.00
zinc 54.55
iron 87.10
lead 193.00
mercury 983.96

Silver is best for conductivity, then copper, gold, and so on. Other metals work too, but the previously mentioned ones are the best conductors, and as you go to less conductive metals the possible range between telegraph stations becomes smaller due to lost power to electrical resistance.

Other factors to consider include mechanical strength if you want suspended wires (gold is not very strong), corrosion (iron will rust), theft (someone will want those gold wires), manufacturability (the ability to extract aluminum is a _very_ recent innovation), and cost. Silver and copper are probably your best bets. You could also give whatever properties you want to mithral, adamantite, and so on. Mithril as a superconduxtor might be fun.

 

[QuaziquestGM]

What is generally misunderstood in the development of telegraphic systems is that the electric telegraph was not the original telegraph system.

The first telegraph systems, from which the term "telegraph" is derived, were purely optical systems.

They consisted of towers, with mechanical arms. The arms held coded flags/boards, and were moved in a manner simular to pintaphor. The towers were spaced miles apart within line of sight of each other. The operators used telescopes to see the message that the other tower was sending, and then set their tower to relay the message to the next. In this manner messages could be transmitted much faster then by courier. France had an extensive coast to coast system that predated the invention of the electrical telegarphs by about 100 years. (you should check my facts here, I am quoting a TLC program from memory. I saw the program 2 years ago.)