Victoria - Colonial: 1854-1900.
Original Documents including Annual Reports.

 

A large number of original documents are held by the developer which are important to reference to obtain precise details of a wide variety of aspects related to the development of the Telegraph service in Victoria.

The list below provides links to those Reports which have been uploaded to this site to date. If other Reports or Annual Reports for other years are required, please contact me at  apta42@gmail.com.

Annual Reports.

  1. 1856 - Report of the Superintendent of the Electric Telegraph ... for the year ending 31 December 1856.
    Also includes (p.11-14) a joint Report by McGowan and Todd "reporting on the expediency of establishing a line of electric telegraph between the capitals of the two provinces"
    AND a Report on the Observatory at Williamstown by Superintendent Ellery (p. 14-16).
  2. 1857 - Report of the Superintendent of Electric Telegraphs ... for the half year ending 30 June 1857.
  3. 1857 - Report of the Superintendent of Electric Telegraphs ... for the half year ending 31 December 1857.
    Annex 1: Report on the Survey for a line of telegraphic communication between Cape Otway, Victoria and Cape Grim, Tasmania.
    Annex 2: The Astronomical Observatory, Williamstown 4 January 1858.

  4. 1858 - June 30 - Half Yearly Report of the General Superintendent of Electric Telegraph.
    Includes the Fifth Half Yearly Report on the Astronomical Observatory.
  5. 1858 - December 31 - Half Yearly Report of the General Superintendent of Electric Telegraph.
  6. 1860 - Report of the General Superintendent of Electric Telegraph .. for the year ending 31st December 1860.
    Appendix dealing with the problems of laying the Bass Strait cable.

  7. 1861 - Report of the General Superintentent of Electric Telegraph ... for the year ending 31 December 1861 (with Appendices B and C).
    Appendix A: Report on Bass's Strait Submarine Cable on Proposition for Leasing the Line.

  8. 1862 - Report of the General Superintendent of Electric Telegraph ... for the year ending 31 December 1862.
    Appendix A: Map of lines (not included).
    Appendix B: Correspondence related to the purchase of Telegraphic Instruments (not yet included).
    Appendix C: Correspondence from McGowan and from Gisborne about the cable from Brisbane to East Java.
    Appendix D: List of Electric Telegraph Stations in Victoria at the end of 1862.

  9. 1867 - 18 February 1868 - Report of the General Superintendent for the year ending 31 December 1867
    (with Wilson's Promontory map) .

  10. 1880 - Report of the Affairs of the Post and Telegraph Department for 1880 - Part 1;
    1880 - Report of the Affairs of the Post and Telegraph Department for 1880 - extracts related to Telegraphs;
    1880 - Report of the Affairs of the Post and Telegraph Department for 1880 - Tables related to Telegraphs.

  11. 1881 - Report of the Affairs of the Post and Telegraph Department for 1881 - extracts related to Telegraphs.

  12. 1890 - Report upon the Affairs of the Post Office and Telegraph Department (with postal related pages omitted).
    1890 - Appendix O - Route of line with Stations.

  13. 1894 - Report Upon the Affairs of the Post Office and Telegraph Department for the year 1894.

 

Administrative Reports for Victoria.

  1. 1858 Telegraph Rates for Victoria;
  2. 1874 P&T Department - Rules and Regulations (Telegraph Branch).
  3. 1874 P&T Department - Regulations and Schedules relating to Appointment, etc of Sorters, Line-Repairers and Others.

 

Special purpose Reports.

  1. 1868 (December) - Report on the Determination of the Boundary Line of the Colonies of South Australia and New South Wales by Charles Todd F.R.A.S.
  2. 1874 Papers relating to the Boundary Line between South Australia and Victoria.

 

Reports related to the Tasmanian Cable.

  1. 1858 - Submarine Telegraphic Connection between Cape Otway and Tasmania: Survey for Laying down the Cable.
  2. 1860 - Report of the General Superintendent of Electric Telegraph .. for the year ending 31st December 1860.
    Appendix dealing with the problems of laying the Bass Strait cable.
  3. 1861 - Report of the General Superintentent of Electric Telegraph ... for the year ending 31 December 1861 (with Appendices B and C).
    Appendix A: Report on Bass's Strait Submarine Cable on Proposition for Leasing the Line.