Newton's Radio

[cerebus]

1739 War with Spain. Sometimes known as the war of Shadwick’s Thumb. Magnified by Pitt and Grenville for domestic reasons, Walpole is reluctant to fight. Neither combatant is very enthusiastic.

Semaphores have been set up in Plymouth, Portsmouth, Chatham, London (Admiralty House), Birmingham, Holyhead, York, Dublin and Edinburgh. First experiments with semaphores on ships.

1740 Dutch ‘fortress’ semaphores built (wind powered). First commercial semaphore company set up, the Royal Dover Semaphore Company, with the Prince of Wales as honorary Director. The London and Southern Semaphore Company, as it is later known, is one of the few ever to pay significant dividends.

1741 Semaphore mania, twelve legal semaphore companies set up along with no less than 86 illegal share issues. These include the “London, China and East Indies Semaphore Company” and the “Company to talk to semaphores on the moon” both of which receive significant investment. Admiral Terrence attacks Porto Bello in Panama. The British are ignominiously repelled by local forces after only two weeks and most of the captured silver ends up at the bottom of the sea following a hurricane. (This is not celebrated as victory and God save the King is not written)

1742 First Royal Semaphore stations built in France. By Royal decree no semaphores can be built without a official approval and must be operated by the Royal Semaphore Officer (OSR). In practice only government stations are built.

Collapse of Semaphore bubble in London, City closes down illegal companies and launches prosecution of two notorious promoters (not for fraud or stock manipulation, which is legal, but for breaking the rules of trading). The result is a sharp drop in the legal share prices as traders cover their losses by selling, this produces a general fall in share value. The country ends up with four charted semaphore companies (London and Southern, Scottish and Northern, Royal Welsh and The Irish Semaphore) with significant capital and a lot of fleeced investors. They all use slightly different systems and compete to build coverage.

Walpole resigns as First Lord of the Treasury after the disputed Great Bedwyn election result is voted on (a traditional vote of no confidence in the executive following an election).

British invasion of Cuba is resisted strongly and the force is finally withdrawn in order to launch the attack on Florida.

James Howard Lieut.RN proposes a semaphore method of determining longitude.

1743 British invasion of Florida is a total disaster, as all future invasions will also be. Diseases, swamps, murderous Americans (OTL Indians), local Spanish forces that know the land and a country with absolutely no value. The British and their colonists, will launch a total of four invasions in the next fifty years all with much the same result. I don’t know why eighteenth century British governments fixated on Florida, presumably because it is the easiest part of Spanish America to invade. There is a traditional Carolina saying “Never fight the Russians in the winter, the Yanks in Boston or any man in Florida”.

1744 French invasion attempt scattered by storm (who tries to invade across the Channel in February?) Anglo-Spanish war merges with the eight years war. (OTL war of Austrian succession)

Franklin sells out to his brother, gives up business and devotes himself to science. He proves sparks and lightning are the same phenomenon

 

[arctic warrior]

Thande

What we are talking about here are very primitive spark transmitters. Newton discovered them almost by accident and his theories of how they work were entirely wrong. For him the important quality was the mass of the corpuscle which is only vaguely analagous to frequency.
Since Newton has a higher reputation the battles between wave and particle supporters will be more intense and vitriolic.

Then of course we must consider the QWERTY effect on technology.

Actually I think the big change will be the development of electric motors and generators essentially before steam engines. This may have far reaching consequences.

Then you'd be using induction to generate electricity like your already mentioned watermill. But other generators as bicycle like ones come to mind. However these require something stationary being driven by other forces. To have something widespread, i.e. to affect society you'd come up with some form of engine driving a generator - mix of steam and electricity?
Or say like going for something stationary being driven by wind, water or muscle power and being inside a ship to serve the morse transmitter?
Development of batteries, i.e. dry or wet elements could be another way of getting transportable energy sources, only having access to a powerline at home getting recharge from a more or less distant stationary wind, water or muscle driven generator would be necessary?

 

[cerebus]

Not sure about the position of the first stations in Britain. Birmingham seems particularly unlikley but it is the right distance to act as a relay.

Any sugestions?

 

[cerebus]

Then you'd be using induction to generate electricity like your already mentioned watermill. But other generators as bicycle like ones come to mind. However these require something stationary being driven by other forces. To have something widespread, i.e. to affect society you'd come up with some form of engine driving a generator - mix of steam and electricity?
Or say like going for something stationary being driven by wind, water or muscle power and being inside a ship to serve the morse transmitter?
Development of batteries, i.e. dry or wet elements could be another way of getting transportable energy sources, only having access to a powerline at home getting recharge from a more or less distant stationary wind, water or muscle driven generator would be necessary?

Absolutely. That is exactly as I see it. Note that chemical batteries were not invented until the 1800's and I can't see that being affected. Remember the split between electrics (AC) and Statics (DC and static electricity)

 

[cerebus]

1745 Jacobite Rebellion in Scotland, initial government complacency turns to panic after the Jacobite army destroys Cope’s army at the battle of Falkirk (19th September). Thanks to the Semaphore the news reaches the British army in Europe in a matter of hours and troops are rushed back to England. Charles Edward loses a vote in council to invade England thanks to reports leaked from the Edinburgh Semaphore (still in English hands) about preparations for defence.

Princess Sophie Augusta Fredericka Maries Prince Peter of Russia and changes her name to Catherine.

First semaphore station in America built in New Orleans by the Viscomte de Tailibere. This is the first of a chain intended to reach up the Mississippi to Canada.

1746 Massive English army under the Duke of Cumberland invades Scotland and crushes rebellion, clan structure destroyed and Highlands ravaged. Charles is wounded in a skirmish after the battle of Dunbar and dies of an infection on Skye inspiring the traditional Scots lament The Prince of the Isles.

Franklin receives the Copely Medal and is elected a Member of the Royal Semaphore Institute.

1747 Franklin invents the lightning Rod and designs an improved semaphore mast. He is elected a Fellow of the Royal Society and invited to England.

Calendar Reform Act passed in Parliament and adds 11 days to bring English dates in line with Gregorian calendar. (A few years before OTL and the start of the year is moved to 1st January for all purposes) There are major riots from those people who loose out but most landowners make a profit. (Since they can enforce the pro-rata provisions against their mortgage holders but thier tennants find it hard to get the full refund) The tax year is also changed to payment on Jan 1st , the tax windfall is used to expand the navy, including semaphore systems and to reward supporters of the crown.

1748 Peace. Everybody gets back pretty much what they started with.

New England Semaphore Company set up by Franklin and Thomas, it is not a success but by public subscription it builds the first long range Semaphore station outside Europe. Intended to communicate with ships at sea, with Franklin’s genius it achieves a range of 1300 miles.

1749 First Austrian, Prussian and Russian semaphore stations. First long range French Semaphore Stations in Canada.

Franklin travels to England with instructions from Massachusetts, New York and Pennsylvania. He receives honorary doctorates in Philosophy, Medicine and Law from Oxford, Edinburgh and CambridgeUniversities. He is feted by society and his scientific lectures receive a standing ovation. His political aims have a limited success. Pennsylvania’s charter is modified but New York and Massachusetts will have to wait.

 

[Analytical Engine]

Nitpick: they removed 11 days from the calender, not added them.

 

[cerebus]

The State of the art in 1750

Electrics is dominated by the shadow of Newton, particularly in Britain. (His reputation is, if anything, even higher than in our world) Newtonian is becoming a synonym for reason, science, logic, genius and wisdom. (Consider OTL Einstein or rocket scientist) This unquestioning adulation will not outlast the present generation of scientists and by the 1790’s the Newtonian orthodoxy will be challenged from several directions. Leibniz’s notation for calculus is too useful to be lost (but its widespread use is delayed for a decade or so) becoming common in Europe about 1760 and in England about 1800. The Newtonian notation for dx/dt and dx/dl (a dot or stroke over the variable) will remain in common use (The stroke is derived from his electrics theories and does not exist in OTL).

The prevailing corpuscular theory confuses the phenomenon of weir transmission (OTL Induction) with the production of semaphore particles (OTL radio waves). It allows no useful predictions about semaphore signals. (There is obviously no concept of wavelength and the frequency of the transmission is confused with the frequency of the AC supply and both are considered as the mass of the particles emitted. The signals are assumed to follow the curve of the earth under gravity as opposed to bouncing off the heavyside layer producing more erroneous conclusions about velocity and mass of these particles.)

The flow of electric corpuscles (OTL Alternating Current) is studied but static electrics (this will come to include OTL DC) is looked down on and considered a chemical phenomenon. Thus electric energy can not be stored but must be made when required using a Charlesworth pump. Atmospheric (OTL Newcommon steam) engines, water wheels and windmills are all used as power sources. Weirs (OTL transformers) have been developed for semaphore stations and are just being applied to the transmission of power. The first efforts to use electric pumps and turbuls (OTL generators and motors) are taking place in coal mines in Yorkshire.

A Semaphore operator or Master of Electrics with MRSI after his name (traditionally known as “Mister Sparks” at sea) is an important person. The master of an arcane skill, protected by a powerful professional body and in great demand. The leaders of the profession are becoming internationally famous. George Shuttlebotham even ends up a Russian Count and an alleged lover of Catherine the Great. (OK I know butterflies should prevent any such monarch but she is simply too good to loose)

Commercial semaphore stations are large expensive towers with tall wooden masts on top carrying thick copper cables, they are individually tuned and operated by experts (Members of the Royal Semaphore Institute in Britain). They have a range of about 300 miles but have been detected at much greater distances.

Long range stations are operated by the Royal Navy and the French Royal Semaphore Corps and are massive, imagine church towers with several three stage masts on top. They usually are operated by a “Master of Signals” (a warrant officer) and eight junior “signalmen”. It is an accepted perk that they also send non official messages (for a fee) so long as it does not interfere with official business. They need significant power usually provided by a nearby dam and water power. Some also have windmill sails to conserve water.

Sea going semaphores are also cranky and bulky, use man powered pumps (OTL dynamos) and have a transmission range of about 50 miles. They are equally expensive, need expert users (warrant officers) and the admiralty has fitted them in 12 first rates only at this point. However such a device can receive a transmission from a long range RN shore station over 1000 miles away.

Obviously the symbols used would NOT be those of OTL but with that proviso here is a diagram of a Semaphore in transmit mode.



Note there are no batteries, no crystal receivers, no amplifiers, no microphones or speakers and I see no reason why their discovery should be significantly speeded up.

Improvements to masts (OTL aerials) and increased power will increase range, the development of the powder tube (OTL coherer, not a valve despite the name) will increase the sensitivity of stations in receive posture but the spark will remain as the indicator.

An agreement is being discussed with the new Portuguese foreign minister (de Melo) to lease land on Pico Island (Peacoe Station in English) to build a Semaphore in the Azores.

In the next ten years transmissions from Cleggan (Galway) to the Peacoe ( Azores) to St Johns (Newfoundland) will become practical but semaphores, particularly long distance ones, will remain large, expensive and temperamental. Maximum range will approach 2000 miles.

 

[Atom]

I really like this, and your work shows you've really thought this through. Just a couple of thoughts:
-Obviously theres going to be more centralization of governments,
-It allows democracy to be done faster and over a bigger scale, so this could allow the English parliament to receive delegates from the colonies that are up to date on affairs back home
-Interestingly for western expansion many of the wars between Indians and settlers were caused by settlers attacking Indians, and the federal government (mostly dominated by the more settled states) was often wary about fighting another Indian war. With this there will likely be more centralization, so it could be far better than OTL for native Americans.
Random aren't they?

 

[cerebus]

Nitpick: they removed 11 days from the calender, not added them.

Yes they added 11 days to the date turning the 10th of September into the 21st

OK I just made that up

 

[Faeelin]

Actually I think the big change will be the development of electric motors and generators essentially before steam engines. This may have far reaching consequences.

Like what?

 

[Kidblast]

So will Volta invent the battery in 1800 or will it be someone else?

Also does John Harrison invent the Marine Chronometers in the TL?

 

[arctic warrior]

Its great keep it going.

Apart from military rapid reaction news will travel faster and so will rumours - those privateering warrant officers.
It'll be easier to have news within hours or days in contrast to OTL weeks. The death of Tsar Paul 1801 could have butterflied the battle of Copenhagen Roads away if this had been present.
When someone begin to wonder about weather, come on Franklin, the means are there to try some in time forecasting. Stations in the arctic come to mind.

 

[cerebus]

Its great keep it going.

Apart from military rapid reaction news will travel faster and so will rumours - those privateering warrant officers.
It'll be easier to have news within hours or days in contrast to OTL weeks. The death of Tsar Paul 1801 could have butterflied the battle of Copenhagen Roads away if this had been present.
When someone begin to wonder about weather, come on Franklin, the means are there to try some in time forecasting. Stations in the arctic come to mind.

I had not thought of weather forcasting. But you are undoubtably right. It does not even need an inventor just Mister Sparks in the caribean chatting with his colleague out at sea.

"Bloody awful weather, coming your way."

Said colleague passes it on to Peacoe station and pretty soon somebody is going to spot a pattern.

 

[arctic warrior]

I had not thought of weather forcasting. But you are undoubtably right. It does not even need an inventor just Mister Sparks in the caribean chatting with his colleague out at sea.

"Bloody awful weather, coming your way."

Said colleague passes it on to Peacoe station and pretty soon somebody is going to spot a pattern.

It is of course about a hundred years early but that sort of thing might set somebody off wondering about what is going on in the sky.

Another thing ciphers - might be used to send diplomatic messages speeding up negotiations and allow goverment or kings greater control at a distance...

 

[cerebus]

1752 Franklin invents the powder tube. The Massachusetts Assembly call him back and cut off his allowance. Franklin has made the acquaintance of Lady Mary Godolphin, a famous (married) beauty who attended his lectures and to the scandal of society they live together. Naturally he has no desire to return to Boston and his difficult marriage to plain Jane Pattern.

Joshua Darby starts production of puddled iron.

1755 Lisbon Earthquake, wrath of God not being considered a reasonable explanation this marks the start of scientific seismology and encourages natural explanations for events. Felix Capello proposes the movement of deep cracks, not visible from the surface and invents the Cappellometer to detect earth movements. Portuguese Prime Minister (de Melo) survives and his efficient response to the disaster solidifies his power and hence the British alliance. Britain sends significant aid to Lisbon including Admiral Hutton’s squadron alerted by semaphore.

Death of Frederick Prince of Wales from “conjestion of the lung”. (Money from Semaphore company changes his life a bit but cancer gets him in the end.)

Arcadians expelled to Canada and Louisiana. Hudson Bay Company Charter modified.

1756 Start of Five years war also known as the Mississippi War (in America) and the Carnatic War (in India). The Royal Navy purchases the Boston Semaphore station and the New England semaphore Company is wound up. Franklin makes a profit of over £1,000.

The French invade Minorca in May and Byng (or his very close analogue) gets there on the 11th with fourteen ships of the line (courtesy of the semaphore), three of which have semaphore and the result is a rather bloody battle which forces the French to withdraw to Toulon. French forces besieging Fort St Philip surrender on the 3rd June and Minorca is British. The French Admiral, De Châtillon is executed for abandoning the army. As Voltair said “Le Roi demande la tête occasionnelle pour arrêter les autres officiers perdant leur”.

The OTL quote “The British occasionally shoot an admiral in order to encourage the others” is thus replaced with “The King demands the occasional head to stop his other officers losing theirs”. A different French Admiral and better communications in the British fleet produce a very different battle.

Mary Godolphin writes “The Chains of Woman” an early gynalist tract proposing equal rights for women.

1757 Death of George II, George III becomes King of Great Britain, Ireland and Elector of Hanover. Birth of William Pitt the younger ( Not the same person as OTL but he inherits his father’s political skills). Mary Godolphin dies and Franklin returns to Newengland.
Carolina militia invade northern Florida and suffer huge losses, mostly to disease.

Simon Yates builds the first condensing engine used to power the Manchester semaphore station.

1758 Battle of Santo Domingo expels French fleet from Caribbean.
Harrison and Howard receive £7,500 each from the Longitude Board. The full payment of £20,000 is never made since the exact wording of the prize implies an astronomical solution.

 

[cerebus]

An account of the true history of the Wreck of the Vitesse and the glorious victory of Santo Domingo in the year of our Lord 1758

The sloop of war HMS Vitesse, under the gallant Lieutenant Wrathe sailed from Plymouth on the 29 September with a cargo of stores and mail for Admiral Timms in the Caribbean. By chance they fell in with the French fleet under Admiral De Roubé heading South West. Fleeing overwhelming odds they attempted to reach Bermuda with a warning. However a vile French Frigate had observed the ship and gave chase. While attempting to escape in a white squall the Vitesse was wrecked on the island of Christian. By God’s Providence no less than Seventeen of the crew survived the wreck including Master of Signals Clegg (MRSI), a passenger, although Lieutenants Wrathe and Morse were drowned. The ship having been deemed irreparable and the weather and the French Frigate preventing an attempt to build a boat, Master Clegg proposed the company salvage the cargo of the Vitesse and build a semaphore station. In five days the necessaries were raised from the wreck, a mast lifted and a tide wheel erected for power. On the low tide of the seventh day Master Clegg succeeded in contacting the station at Port Royal. Admiral Timms at once ordered all ships to sea and recalled Admiral Hutton from his cruise to Charles Town. The First Sea Lord approved his dispositions and the combined fleet met the French at the battle of Santo Domingo in which the French were roundly defeated.
The Loyal West Indies Merchants voted Master Clegg £500 and a set of silver plate inscribed “Science in the service of trade, trade in the service of country”.

(Actually the battle was a tactical draw with the French losing three ships to the British four (including the two lost in the subsequent storm) but strategically the French failed to protect Cuba and would not return to the Americas in force)

 

[arctic warrior]

Good - keep it coming... enjoy this.

 

[Analytical Engine]

Hmm, British North America will be interesting.

I don't see the ARW happening ITTL.

 

[cerebus]

A few thoughts

I have shown few changes in the war of the Austrian succession (1744), faster messages might help France at war in Europe and crush the Jacobites quicker in England, they might shorten the war or take some of the heat out of English politics but probably not so much anyone would notice. The military gains from the war were mostly handed back at the peace and I can’t see that being affected.

By the diplomatic revolution of 1756 however the French have an extensive continental semaphore system and the beginnings of a chain from Louisiana to Quebec, which is under attack by colonial forces from Virginia and Newengland. Britain has a commercial system covering most of the British isles. The Royal Navy has long range stations at Cleggan (Galway), Penzance, Dover, Holyhead, Gibraltar, Peacoe Station (the Azores), St Johns (Newfoundland), Boston (built with the help of a public subscription organised by Franklin and incorporating several of his inventions), Charleston, Port Royal and Mahón . The French/Colonial sparring in the wilderness is likely to receive extra British reinforcements and preventing the completion of French Semaphores in America will be a major war aim. However those stations will allow the French to concentrate better than their opponents and to defeat all but the largest incursions.

Prussia and the United Provinces also have extensive systems in place but Austria has four stations and Russia only two (Moscow and St Petersburg). Austria has a station dedicated to listening to other stations and this provides some advantages before other countries institute new military and diplomatic codes. By 1758 Dover Station (RN) will have a section designed for listening to French transmissions.

I suspect the course of the war would be significantly different but I would expect the improved communications to favour the defensive on land (that is mostly Frederick the Great) and outside Europe help the Royal Navy. Capturing and destroying enemy semaphore stations (expensive, vital and slow to rebuild and calibrate) would be a significant tactic. More effort spent on Louisiana and Mississippi to take the semaphore forts might mean less spent trying to take Canada, which holds out. Also better communications mean faster talks and a quicker treaty.

After the War the peace terms will include efforts by Lord Chattam (Pitt) to hold islands to secure British communications and to limit the communications of others. Communications with India (perhaps using the Ottomans or Portuguese and Dutch territory in Africa?) will be a priority for the Dutch, Britain and France.

Is this the period when the Dutch east indies company was going bust but nobody noticed for 100 years? Semaphore reports home may stop this, or on the other hand might cause a collapse in confidence in the Netherlands.

Tighter control may limit the excesses of the representatives of the East India Company. I am leaning towards the HEIC being confined to Bengal and North East India with the Government along with short lived competitor companies ending up in control of the West and South of India respectively.

Since there is an easy method to transmit power there will be little incentive to produce small, efficient steam engines. Running a wire (OTL cable) from a large engine would usually be easier. On the other hand semaphore stations are an obvious and valuable use for a steam engine. Even an inefficient engine would be useful to supplement wind and water power.

How will improved communications affect the next 20 years in America? My knowledge of the War of independence period is limited but I suppose it will bind the colonies tighter to home and give the American sympathisers more weight in Britain. In 1770 it will be easier to get a message from Boston to London than from Boston to New York! On the other hand easier control from London might put American backs up even more. A major French presence in Canada would also drive the northern colonies into British arms. Without the war of independence the colonies would likely remain separate until the Empire tried to rationalise the situation, perhaps in the nineteenth century. Each colony would try to spread west competing with each other and with the northern colonies of Hudson, Superior and Ohio.

I was not aiming for an Uber Britain but most of what I have looked at simply amplifies British advantages in the 18th & 19th centuries. The only other people I can see are likely to gain over OTL are the Russians. Any suggestions for others who may do better?

 

[cerebus]

1759 Allington builds the first self propelled electric vehicle, known as “Turbol” it travels round a track tethered by the cable.

1760 Robert Drake wins the battle of Mashirabad and overthrows the Nawab of Bengal. The Honourable East India Company takes over the Diwan of Bengal. This is usually considered the foundation of Company India.

1761 Treaty of Vienna, France loses West Newfoundland, Mississippi and Louisiana to Britain but retains Canada north of the St Lawrence and East of lake Superior . Many French settlers, some of which were originally from Arcadia, are shipped north (at British expense) and become the people known as “Les Louisienes”.
France also cedes Karikal but recovers Pondicherry, Chandagore, Guadeloupe and St Lucia.

Spain recovers Cuba, Florida (unlike OTL) North American territory occupied by French settlers west of the Mississippi in exchange for accepting British claims on New Orleans and “Free passage“ of British traders through all Spanish territory north of the Rio Bravo River. This last is not intended seriously by the Spanish and will be a source of much future friction.

Prussia retains Silesia but feels betrayed by the British peace offers.

1762 Lemmual Moreton invents the Spinning frame and kick starts the industrial revolution.

Tsar Peter is overthrown and Catherine II acclaimed as Russian Empress.

1765 William Frederick George (Future William IV) born at Brighton. He does not get on with his father (none of the Hanoverians did) and scandalises society by having three children by his mistress Marie-Josephine de la Pagerie, a catholic, French Creole from StLucia. Her enemies claimed she was 1/4 negro and secretly married to the prince.

1769 Louis XVI becomes King of France. George Boneapart is born in Minorca.


1776 Death of Earl of Chatham (William Pitt the Elder). His son William Pitt the younger takes the family seat in parliament at the age of 19.

Britain becomes a net exporter of cast iron.

1778 Ebenezer Hackett discovers the Stamford Isles (OTL Hawaii) and makes a treaty with King Kamehameha who he mistakes for the king of all the islands. Part of the treaty is the right to build a semaphore station.

1779 First electric train with static cable introduced at Polgooth mines.