#16: The “Pre-Internet” Optical Telegraph Grid of France
In the late 18th century, France employed an intriguing optical telegraph system called the Chappe Semaphore prior to the development of electronic communication. This system of stone towers, created by Claude Chappe in 1792, had mechanical arms that could transmit messages over great distances. To communicate coded messages, operators moved the arms into 92 different positions. This system revolutionized communication at the time, allowing a message to travel from Paris to Lille in just nine minutes.
