CLAUDE CHAPPE

(1763-1805)
France, after the French Revolution.

Invented the first technological and actually practical system of optical telegraphy, related to hydraulic telegraphy.

In 1780 the Chappe brothers managed to send messages 500 m (half a km), using pendulums hanging from two posts; Claude Chappe presents his idea to the National Assembly on May 22, 1792. On April 1, 1793 his proposal was approved as aid for the war.

With the title of Telegraphic Engineer and the rank of lieutenant, he was commissioned to build towers, separated by 14 km from each other, from where signals were sent that were captured by telescopes, from Paris to Lille.

The first line was completed in 1794, which was the first telegraph line in modern history, far more than any previous attempt. First message transmitted on August 15, 1794 reporting that Le Quesnoy, 224 km from Paris just an hour before, had been liberated from the Austrians.