There are many original documents which are important to reference so as 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 accessed and uploaded to this site. Each Report is in PDF format. When it loads after clicking on the desired link, the second icon from the right is a small rectangle with very small up and down arrows:
- click on this rectangle twice to enlarge the document to maximum width and so make it easy to read the information.
- scrolling down moves from one page to the next.
- when you have finished reading, simply click the back arrow in the top left corner.
Annual Reports.
- 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).
- 1857 - Report of the Superintendent of Electric Telegraphs ... for the half year ending 30 June 1857.
- 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.
- 1858 - June 30 - Half Yearly Report of the General Superintendent of Electric Telegraph.
Includes the Fifth Half Yearly Report on the Astronomical Observatory.
- 1858 - December 31 - Half Yearly Report of the General Superintendent of Electric Telegraph.
- 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.
- 1861 - Report of the General Superintendent of Electric Telegraphs ... for the year ending 31 December 1861.
Table (p. 9) showing revenue from each Electric Telegraph Station.
Appendix A: Report on Bass's Strait Submarine Cable on Proposition for Leasing the Line.
Appendix B: Interruptions to Telegraphic Communication in Victoria during 1861.
Appendix C: The several Electric Telegraph Stations and the Lines of Telegraph now in operation.
- 1862 - Report of the General Superintendent of Electric Telegraph ... for the year ending 31 December 1862.
Local Telegraphic Communication within the City of Melbourne Dec 31 1862.
Appendix A: Correspondence related to the purchase of Telegraphic Instruments.
Appendix B: Interruptions to Telegraphic Communication for 1862.
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.
- 1864 - Report of the Affairs of the Post Office and Telegraph Department for the year 1864;
Main section.
Appendix A: Interruptions to Telegraphic Communication.
Appendices B and C (B related to the Cash loss and C related to the groups of Offices along lines).
- 1865 - Report of the Affairs of the Post Office and Telegraph Department for the year 1865;
Main section.
Appendices A to C (B related to the Telegraph line in NZ).
- 1866 - Report of the Affairs of the Post Office and Telegraph Department for the year 1866;
Main section.
Financial condition of the Department - pp. 7-8 of Main section (3 tables);
Lines in other Colonies, New Zealand and to England.
Miscellaneous - new instruments and weather reports.
Appendices A to E
(C related to the Tasmanian Cable and
D related to the India, China and Australia Telegraph).
- 1867 - Report of the General Superintendent for the year ending 31 December 1867
(with Wilson's Promontory map).
- 1868 - Report of the Affairs of the Post Office and Telegraph Department for the year 1868;
Main section.
Appendices A to C: Interruptions, Receiving Offices and Stations by line - pp. 15-17 of Main section.
- 1870 - Report of the Affairs of the Post Office and Telegraph Department for the year 1870.
- 1871 - Report of the Affairs of the Post Office and Telegraph Department for the year 1871.
- 1872 - Report of the Affairs of the Post Office and Telegraph Department for the year 1872;
Main section.
Appendices C to P for Telegraphs.
- 1873 - Report of the Affairs of the Post Office and Telegraph Department for the year 1873;
Main section.
Appendices A to E for Telegraphs.
- 1874 - Report of the Affairs of the Post Office and Telegraph Department for the year 1874;
Main section.
Appendices A to D for Telegraphs.
- 1876 - Report of the Affairs of the Post Office and Telegraph Department for the year 1876.
- 1877 - Report of the Affairs of the Post Office and Telegraph Department for the year 1877.
- 1878 - Report of the Affairs of the Post Office and Telegraph Department for the year 1878;
Main section.
Appendices A to D for Telegraphs.
- 1879 - Report of the Affairs of the Post Office and Telegraph Department for the year 1879;
Main section.
Appendices A to E for Telegraphs.
- 1880 - Report of the Affairs of the Post and Telegraph Department for 1880 (pages 1 to 7);
Extracts related to Telegraphs (pages 16 to 27);
Appendices M to P - related to Telegraphs.
- 1881 - Report of the Affairs of the Post and Telegraph Department for 1881 - extracts related to Telegraphs.
- 1890 - Report upon the Affairs of the Post Office and Telegraph Department (with postal related pages omitted).
Appendix O - Route of line with Stations.
- 1894 - Report Upon the Affairs of the Post Office and Telegraph Department for the year 1894.
Administrative Reports for Victoria.
- 1858 Telegraph Rates for Victoria;
- 1874 P&T Department - Rules and Regulations (Telegraph Branch).
- 1874 P&T Department - Regulations and Schedules relating to Appointment, etc of Sorters, Line-Repairers and Others.
Special purpose Reports.
- 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.
- 1874 Papers relating to the Boundary Line between South Australia and Victoria.
2.1: Correspondence.
2.2: Additional papers.
Reports related to the Tasmanian Cable.
See listing on the Home page for the Victorian-Tasmanian cable.
Victorian special purpose Reports - communications beyond Australia.
- 1856-57: Submarine Electric Telegraph between Great Britain and Her Majesty's Australasian Colonies - PETITION.
- 1859: Correspondence relative to Telegraphic Communication between Great Britain and Australia via Singapore and Java (5 pages).
- 1859-60: Telegraphic Communication between Great Britain and Australia.
Correspondence and Papers relative to Telegraphic Communication between Great Britain and Australia via Singapore and Java (16 pages).
- 1859-60: Telegraphic Communication between Great Britain and Australia.
Additional Correspondence (5 pages).
- 1878: Telegraphic Communication via Java. (Victoria).
- 1883: Postal Conference - Proceedings of the Conference in Sydney May 1883.
Notes the need for the Australian Colonies to join the UPU and issues surrounding the use of the Port Darwin and New Zealand cables.
