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The Royal Society: Science in the Making

Paper, 'On the spontaneous electrical currents observed in the wires of the electric telegraph' by W H [William Henry] Barlow

Reference number: AP/31/2

Date: 1848

Description

Barlow shares observations undertaken in consequence of certain spontaneous deflections having been noticed in the needles of the electric telegraph on the Midland Railway. He explains that the telegraph is on the principle patented by Professor Wheatstone and Mr Cooke, and the signals are given by deflecting a magnetic needle suspended in a coil of fine wire, to the right or left, by means of a galvanic battery.

Annotations in pencil throughout. Includes a letter from [R S Ailley] to Barlow, dated 11 May 1848, sharing further observations.

Subject: Physics / Electricity

Received 15 May 1848. Communicated by Peter Barlow.

This paper was published in volume 139 of Philosophical Transactions as 'On the spontaneous electrical currents observed in the wires of the electric telegraph'.

Reference number
AP/31/2
Earliest possible date
1848
Physical description
Ink and graphite pencil on paper
Page extent
31 pages
Format
Manuscript

Creator name

William Henry Barlow

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Citation

William Henry Barlow, Paper, 'On the spontaneous electrical currents observed in the wires of the electric telegraph' by W H [William Henry] Barlow, 1848, AP/31/2, The Royal Society Archives, London, https://makingscience.royalsociety.org/items/ap_31_2/paper-on-the-spontaneous-electrical-currents-observed-in-the-wires-of-the-electric-telegraph-by-w-h-william-henry-barlow, accessed on 26 April 2025

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    The 'Archived Papers' collection is comprised of original manuscript scientific papers and letters submitted to the Royal Society which remained unpublished or were abstracted in the journal 'Proceedings of the Royal Society' published from 1830 onwards.

    Dates: 1768 - 1989

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