Earliest forms known.
- Australia 1901-1988
- New South Wales
- Queensland
- South Australia
- Tasmania
- Victoria
- Western Australia
- International
- Special aspects
The first reference to a message from Europe arriving into Australia by the cable is contained in a ship's newsletter (for the Bangalore) and it references 2 July 1872 for the arrival.
Forms showing cable messages sent in the first few years of operation of the Cable via Post Darwin either to overseas or into Australia via the Cable are very scarce. The number of messages dated between 1872 and (say) 1879 is at present SIX (6). They are:
- the five shown below for The Eastern Telegraph Company - all about wine:
11 February 1873;
23 August 1873;
24 March 1874;
15 August 1877;
11 February 1879. - the South Australian form (SC-DO-4A) from Melbourne via Glenelg to Heidleberg, Germany dated 4 November 1876;
Eastern Telegraph Company forms.
 |
The message was sent from Sidney (sic - Sydney) to Bordeaux via Malta and Marseilles. It was received on 11 February 1873 - just less than 4 months after the submarine cable had been repaired by Eastern on 21 October 1872 and direct communications between Adelaide and England had commenced. The date stamp is for Marseilles Cable. The form is marked HURRY which presumably was the accepted alternative for URGENT. The message is an order to Curcier and Adet - a major vigneron in Bordeux - from its Sydney Representative (now located in Melbourne) for various alcohols to be sent to Noumea. An extraordinary item. |
 |
The message was sent from Sydney to Bordeaux via Marseilles. It was received on 23 August 1873. The date stamp is for Marseille Cable. The message is an order to Curcier and Adet in Bordeux for an immediate shipment of fifty tons of haricot beans to be sent to Noumea and bulk claret and bulk Hennessy and Otard brandy to be sent to Sydney. The (misspelled) hartclot in the message has a pencilled X which refers to the same letter at the base to clarify the spelling. |
 |
The message was sent from Melbourne to Bordeaux via Marseilles. It was received on 24 March 1874. The message is to Curcier in Bordeaux confirming Credit lines with London Chartered Bank for £11,000 over February and March. |
 |
The message, on a revised format Message Form, was sent from Sydney to Bordeaux via Marseilles. It was received on 15 August 1877. The message was to Curcier and Adet in Bordeaux informing them of the sale of a "wharf business" and a request for 1,000 casks of claret, 1,000 cases of claret and 100 cases of each of absinthe and vermouth plus assorted tobacco and 50 "Kreig". |
 |
The message, on a Receiving Form, was sent from Sydney to Bordeaux via Marseilles. It was received on 11 February 1879. The message was to Adet in Bordeaux and was probably written in code. |