The telegraph is already a crucial part of global communication and has become an integral part of the Industrial Revolution. The system of sending messages via telegraph has drastically reduced the time it took to communicate over long distances, making it possible to send messages almost instantaneously across vast distances compared to traditional mail.
Telegraphy and the Expansion of Networks :
The telegraph was first developed in the early 19th century, with Samuel Morse's Morse code becoming the most widely used system by the 1850s. By 1875, telegraph networks have spread across Europe, North America, and parts of Asia.
Transcontinental telegraph lines are already in operation in the United States, and the Atlantic cable (laid in 1866) allows for direct telegraphic communication between North America and Europe. This is a significant milestone in global communication, allowing for instantaneous exchange of information between continents.
Telegraph in London :
London is a hub for telegraphic communication, with a vast network connecting it to most of Europe and beyond. The London to New York cable, established in the mid-1860s, allows for almost instantaneous communication across the Atlantic.
For Minerva Westbrook and the Museum of Antiquities, communication from London to other parts of the British Empire, or the world, is much faster through the telegraph. However, communication with distant, less-industrialized places like Iringa will still involve some time delays, particularly if the telegraphic network does not extend fully into the interior of Africa.
Telegraph from Tanzania to London :
Tanzania is not yet part of the established telegraphic network in Africa, and the inland regions such as Iringa and the Ngorongoro Highlands will not have direct access to telegraph lines. Communication from Iringa to London will still rely heavily on overland travel, ships, and the postal system.
However, coastal cities like Dar es Salaam (the closest major port in Tanzania) may have had limited access to the telegraph, especially for international shipping or business purposes, but it will not have been as widespread as in more industrialized regions. From Dar es Salaam, a telegraph message can likely be sent to London via London's overseas cables or other connecting networks.
How Telecommunication Might Have Affected the Story:
Letters to and from William : Although William is based in Iringa, it’s likely that telegraph communication can have be used for urgent matters between London and coastal locations like Dar es Salaam. However, given that the telegraph is not as pervasive in the African interior, letters will still be the primary method of communication for more distant exchanges.
Minerva's Letters to William : After William had received Minerva’s initial letters, a more urgent request can be telegraphed from London to coastal ports (such as Dar es Salaam or Mombasa). However, the crate containing the manuscript will still have to be sent by sea, likely through the traditional post, or by safari caravan, which would take weeks[/i... or months.
The Government’s Request : If the British government was involved and using the telegraph to reach out to William, they would likely send telegrams to the coastal cities like Dar es Salaam or Mombasa and have them relayed inland. However, much of the communication would still require physical transportation, given the lack of telegraph lines extending into the interior of Tanzania.
Estimated Time for Telegraph Communication :
Telegraph from London to Dar es Salaam : Assuming a direct telegraphic link between London and Dar es Salaam (via existing cables and relays), a message can likely reach Dar es Salaam in a few hours to a day .
Telegraph from Dar es Salaam to Iringa : Once the message reaches Dar es Salaam, it would still require overland transport to Iringa, as no telegraphic infrastructure is likely present in Iringa itself. This could add several days or more depending on the method of communication used.
Conclusion:
While the telegraph will sped up communication between coastal ports and cities like London, Iringa may not have had direct access to telegraph lines. The telegraph will help Minerva receive responses more quickly from major ports like Dar es Salaam, but most of her correspondence with William would still rely on letters sent via ship, which would take several weeks.
This dynamic gives the story an interesting historical layer, with the urgency of telegrams intersecting with the slower, but more deliberate, pace of long-distance mail.
Telegraphy and the Expansion of Networks :
The telegraph was first developed in the early 19th century, with Samuel Morse's Morse code becoming the most widely used system by the 1850s. By 1875, telegraph networks have spread across Europe, North America, and parts of Asia.
Transcontinental telegraph lines are already in operation in the United States, and the Atlantic cable (laid in 1866) allows for direct telegraphic communication between North America and Europe. This is a significant milestone in global communication, allowing for instantaneous exchange of information between continents.
Telegraph in London :
London is a hub for telegraphic communication, with a vast network connecting it to most of Europe and beyond. The London to New York cable, established in the mid-1860s, allows for almost instantaneous communication across the Atlantic.
For Minerva Westbrook and the Museum of Antiquities, communication from London to other parts of the British Empire, or the world, is much faster through the telegraph. However, communication with distant, less-industrialized places like Iringa will still involve some time delays, particularly if the telegraphic network does not extend fully into the interior of Africa.
Telegraph from Tanzania to London :
Tanzania is not yet part of the established telegraphic network in Africa, and the inland regions such as Iringa and the Ngorongoro Highlands will not have direct access to telegraph lines. Communication from Iringa to London will still rely heavily on overland travel, ships, and the postal system.
However, coastal cities like Dar es Salaam (the closest major port in Tanzania) may have had limited access to the telegraph, especially for international shipping or business purposes, but it will not have been as widespread as in more industrialized regions. From Dar es Salaam, a telegraph message can likely be sent to London via London's overseas cables or other connecting networks.
How Telecommunication Might Have Affected the Story:
Letters to and from William : Although William is based in Iringa, it’s likely that telegraph communication can have be used for urgent matters between London and coastal locations like Dar es Salaam. However, given that the telegraph is not as pervasive in the African interior, letters will still be the primary method of communication for more distant exchanges.
Minerva's Letters to William : After William had received Minerva’s initial letters, a more urgent request can be telegraphed from London to coastal ports (such as Dar es Salaam or Mombasa). However, the crate containing the manuscript will still have to be sent by sea, likely through the traditional post, or by safari caravan, which would take weeks[/i... or months.
The Government’s Request : If the British government was involved and using the telegraph to reach out to William, they would likely send telegrams to the coastal cities like Dar es Salaam or Mombasa and have them relayed inland. However, much of the communication would still require physical transportation, given the lack of telegraph lines extending into the interior of Tanzania.
Estimated Time for Telegraph Communication :
Telegraph from London to Dar es Salaam : Assuming a direct telegraphic link between London and Dar es Salaam (via existing cables and relays), a message can likely reach Dar es Salaam in a few hours to a day .
Telegraph from Dar es Salaam to Iringa : Once the message reaches Dar es Salaam, it would still require overland transport to Iringa, as no telegraphic infrastructure is likely present in Iringa itself. This could add several days or more depending on the method of communication used.
Conclusion:
While the telegraph will sped up communication between coastal ports and cities like London, Iringa may not have had direct access to telegraph lines. The telegraph will help Minerva receive responses more quickly from major ports like Dar es Salaam, but most of her correspondence with William would still rely on letters sent via ship, which would take several weeks.
This dynamic gives the story an interesting historical layer, with the urgency of telegrams intersecting with the slower, but more deliberate, pace of long-distance mail.
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