OVERLAND TELEGRAPH & JMcD STUART ARTEFACTS
SLV Gulnare at Southport - Sweet
SLSA B9763 Gulnare at Southport Sweet
Wheatstone Bridge
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Various suggestions have been made as to the instrument carried within the leather case. Other men carry the signature 'tools of the trade' - farrier, blacksmith, surveyor etc. so it is reasoned that this would identify a technical person with specific responsibilities.
The flexible tape measure had not yet been invented so they used standard surveyors chains. All other instruments were either too delicate or unavailable in 1870. The mirror galvanometer had been used on the North Atlantic undersea cable but was impractical for field operations in northern Australia. It is proposed that a simple Wheatstone Bridge is the most likely instrument to be contained within the leather case carried as 'tools of trade' by the individual in the image of Darwent & Dalwood's Overland Telegraph Party at Southport in early September 1870, at the back of Port Darwin. It would be interesting to know the identity of the Aboriginal man sitting behind the linesman in question. |
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1898 Siemens Wheatstone Bridge
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Post Office Box Wheatstone Bridge for use in fixed stations
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Prismatic Compass
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Alfred Sawtell & Son operated a highly successful instrument company in Adelaide - one of their apprentices being a Nobel laureate for Physics. These instruments were relatively small and furnished with a fine timber casket.
Sundry OT Equipment
Mirror Galvanometer 1858 - too delicate for field use.
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Vertical Galvanometer 1830-1870 - available but not known to be used
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Sundry JMDS Stuart
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Very nice but not an Adams revolving rifle.
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Adams Self-cocking Revolving rifle c1855 RMG
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Portable Still J. McD. Stuart - SLSA PRG-280-1-10-10 Searcy Col. 1914
Both Sides of the Roper
- SLV Image H141569 - SS Taraura Roper R. Sweet 1872 -
Southport & Roper River OT Parties Compared. Mitchell, Patterson & Todd from centre to right ~ Little in Bow Tie further to right. Captain's wife in background.
OT Party at Roper River 1872 - Sweet image SLSA B69996/15