Great Telegraph Inventors

摘要

I first met the author, Fons Vanden Berghen, at the International Antique Scientific and Medical Fair when it was held in London at the Portman Hotel. At that time he was a member of the SIS and enjoyed several of our foreign trips. I was instantly attracted to Fons' stall because of a large brass and mahogany biunial magic lantern he had for sale. He was keen to 'swop' it for a nice piece of telegraph apparatus. We had a common interest - he in the telegraph and I in its successor, early wireless apparatus, but was changing my allegiance to a new passion, the magic lantern. After some gentle verbal sparring Fons agreed to sell the lantern to me if no telegraph deal was forthcoming. A month later the lantern arrived from Belgium beautifully packed. I have used it in my Victorian scientific lantern shows ever since!