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THE OPENING OF THE ELECTRIC
TELEGRAPH.
Although the forms of the old traditionary
beliefs change, ssome of their spirits still sur-
vives, manifesting itself under new forms. The
forxces of nature, which men used to incanate
and deify, are still active, and still mighty in their
operation ; only men now command as servants — wiuit they fjr
submissive creatures of the will — what they for-
merly worshipped as supernatural powers
Human commerce with
" Demons that are found,
In fire, air, flood, or under ground,
Whose power hath a true consent,
With planet or with element,"
have not ceased in our day. It is as busy as
ever. We have merely changed the nomencl-
ture of the demons, and designate them by the
homelier epithets of magnetism, electricity, lunar
or stellar influences, gravity, attraction, an so
forth. We have our wizards, too ; but we put
them to a better use than the burning or destroying ;
honouring them under the names of Stephenson,
Brunel, Morse, and Faraday. Our magic mirror
is the sensitivite glass of Daguerre ; our locomotive
in more fleet than that
"Wondrous horse of brass,
On which the Tartar king did ride ;"
the Great Eastern is our "flying island,"
and the ring of Gyges or Prince Ali's
magic tube are commonplace by com-
parison with the sentient wire which is
encompassing the world and by whose aid we
inhabitants of the " far West" are now enabled
to a communicate our thoughts and wishes to our
friends and relatives dispersed over the whole
Australasian group.
A more appropriate season for the inaugura-
tion in the Western Districts of this wondrous
invention could not have been selected, and many
a pleasant Chistmas message did the Electric
Telegraph carry on its mysterious wings between
this place and the metropolis on Thursday the
29th ultimo, when communication was first es-
tablished, since which time the wire has been in
constant requisition, and the Office has been
crowded with an almost unbroken succession of
curious spectators, and persons desirous of
transmitting messages. The Sydney Morning
Herald of Saturday last presented the novel
feature of a telegram from Bathurst, worded as
follows: —
[BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.]
[FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENTS.]
BATHURST.
Friday. 8 p.m.
THe excitement occasioned in this town by the
opening of theo telegraph still continues. The
telegraph officw was crowded all day by persons
sending messages, and the promptness with
which the replies were received has given great
satisfaction.
Business during the week has been dull. Pri-
ces remain the same as last work, with the excep-
tion of wheat, which it now quoted at 6s. 6d, to
7s. 6d. per bushel.
Weather fine.
About half-past 12 o'clock yesterday the commu-
nication between this place and the metropolis
was interrupted by a storm on the Mountains,
which had the effect of deranging the electric
current for a considerable time. We perceive
that M. Perret, of Mrs. Dunsford's establish-
ment in William-street, has already availed
himself of the hint which we threw out in our
last issue relative to the erection of a time-ball,
in connection with the Telegraph Office. M.
Perret daily obtains the current time from
Sydney at 1 o'clock p.m. by telegram, which is
displayed at Mrs. Dunsford's shop for the con-
venience of the public. We take this oppor-
tunity of expressing our sense of the obliging
conduct of the officials attached to the Telegraph
Office, whose patience must have been sorely
tried by the enquiries of the many visitors, not a
few of them of the gentler sex, who have
thronged the Office during the last few days.
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