Chappe
The first operational optical telegraph line was created in 1794, in France,
between Paris and Lille. The inventor and organiser was Claude Chappe (1763-1805),
who thanks to his political skills and good contacts had been able to steer
his project through the revolutionary National Assembly. The first message to
arrive over the line reported the recapture of the town of Condé-sur-l´Escauts
from the Austrian troops. This ensured the popularity of the telegraph.
Chappe´s
telegraph. Opfindelsernes Bog (The Book of Inventions) vol. 2., 1923.
Chappe´s telegraph was a so-called arm telegraph. By means of the two
side beams (indicators) and a large central beam (regulator), it was theoretically
possible to offer 256 different positions (8 positions on each indicator and
4 on the regulator). For practical reasons, however, Chappe reduced the number
to 98.
