A couple of added details that may be of interest:
1) It is actually quite impossible that Napier, stationed in India (now Pakistan) could have sent such a telegram, for the simple reason that in the early 1840s the telegraph was only just beginning to be used in England and America (Morse's famous demonstration took place in 1844) and was not used in India till the 1850s.
2) Some versions of the story speak of Napier's telegraphing London. This would have been even more difficult. Intercontinental connections came even later. Thus a telegram from India to Britain was not possible till the late 1860s. A bit late to send the news!
2)Hymnsingers with a special love for the German chorale should be familiar with the name of the young lady of this story. Ms. Winkworth went on to help popularize German chorales (such as Luther's "A Mighty Fortress is Our God") by her English translations, many of them the "standard" version in English hymnbooks.
Comments by brucelj
brucelj commented on the word peccavi
A couple of added details that may be of interest:
1) It is actually quite impossible that Napier, stationed in India (now Pakistan) could have sent such a telegram, for the simple reason that in the early 1840s the telegraph was only just beginning to be used in England and America (Morse's famous demonstration took place in 1844) and was not used in India till the 1850s.
2) Some versions of the story speak of Napier's telegraphing London. This would have been even more difficult. Intercontinental connections came even later. Thus a telegram from India to Britain was not possible till the late 1860s. A bit late to send the news!
2)Hymnsingers with a special love for the German chorale should be familiar with the name of the young lady of this story. Ms. Winkworth went on to help popularize German chorales (such as Luther's "A Mighty Fortress is Our God") by her English translations, many of them the "standard" version in English hymnbooks.
March 8, 2009