Changes

In Australia, the first telegraph line linked the business district of [[Melbourne]] with its port at Williamstown in 1854. Four years later Sydney and [[Adelaide]] had lines enabling fast communication of inbound shipping. [[Perth, Australia|Perth]] and [[Hobart]] followed. By 1869 all capitals except Perth were linked to each other. Even [[Bass Strait]] had been crossed. In that year a message could be sent from Cardwell in Far North [[Queensland]] to Port Augusta, north of Adelaide or to [[Hobart]] Tasmania in minutes.  

In Australia, the first telegraph line linked the business district of [[Melbourne]] with its port at Williamstown in 1854. Four years later Sydney and [[Adelaide]] had lines enabling fast communication of inbound shipping. [[Perth, Australia|Perth]] and [[Hobart]] followed. By 1869 all capitals except Perth were linked to each other. Even [[Bass Strait]] had been crossed. In that year a message could be sent from Cardwell in Far North [[Queensland]] to Port Augusta, north of Adelaide or to [[Hobart]] Tasmania in minutes.  

Meanwhile telegraph lines were snaking ever further across [[Asia]] and down into what is now [[Indonesia]]. The technology required to lay undersea cable had been almost perfected. The problem with linking Australia – importantly the major centres of population – lay in the 3000 or so Km (about 1875 miles) of largely unknown arid and semi-arid land between the southern cities and the northern coast that had been traversed only once – in the early 1860s by a party led by John McDouall Stuart.  

Meanwhile, telegraph lines were snaking ever further across [[Asia]] and down into what is now [[Indonesia]]. The technology required to lay undersea cable had been almost perfected. The problem with linking Australia – importantly the major centres of population – lay in the 3000 or so Km (about 1875 miles) of largely unknown arid and semi-arid land between the southern cities and the northern coast that had been traversed only once – in the early 1860s by a party led by John McDouall Stuart.  

Up to this point communications with England had been solely by ship and took approximately 3 months. The completion of  telegraph communications between the mother country and its major Australasian colonies was considered to be of utmost importance. (An undersea cable would be laid between Sydney and [[New Zealand]] in 1876.)

Up to this point communications with England had been solely by ship and took approximately 3 months. The completion of  telegraph communications between the mother country and its major Australasian colonies was considered to be of utmost importance. (An undersea cable would be laid between Sydney and [[New Zealand]] in 1876.)