First Chappe telegraph message from St Petersburg, early 19th century, (c1870). Artist: Unknown # 1158902

First Chappe telegraph message from St Petersburg, early 19th century, (c1870). Artist: Unknown

1-158-902 - Oxford Science Archive/Heritage Images

First Chappe telegraph message from St Petersburg, Russia, early 19th century, (c1870). Tsar Nicholas I (1796-1855), sending the first message from St Petersburg telegraph station, using a modification of Claude Chappe's semaphore system.The Tsar is turning the mechanism which altered the position of the signalling arms on top of the tower. From Les Merveilles de las Science, (The Wonders of Science), by Louis Figuier, (Paris, c1870).