Edward Orange Wildman Whitehouse (1 October 1816 – 26 January 1890) was an English surgeon by profession and an electrical experimenter by avocation. He was recruited by entrepreneur Cyrus West Field as Chief Electrician to work on the pioneering endeavour to lay the first transatlantic telegraph cable for the Atlantic Telegraph Company between western Ireland to eastern Newfoundland. This pioneering project of the Victorian era began in 1854 and was completed in 1858; however the cable functioned for only three weeks. While Whitehouse sent the first telegraph communications on 16 August 1858 to the United States of America, he was ultimately held responsible for the undersea cable failure after he applied higher voltages in an effort to boost declining signals.
In the 1850s, Whitehouse conducted experiments that, he held, showed that feared problems with practical data rates on underwater cables would not prohibit a commercial service. Though his claims were disputed by William Thomson (Lord Kelvin), he was an able propagandist for the proponents of a proposed transatlantic cable.[1]Cyrus West Field recruited Whitehouse as chief electrician to the Atlantic Telegraph Company; Thomson subsequently became scientific advisor, convinced that Whitehouse's theories were wrong but believing him to have the practical skill to make the scheme work.[1] When the cable finally opened for business, it was beset with the problems that Thomson had foreseen.
Whitehouse's inadequate apparatus had to be replaced by Thomson's more sensitive mirror galvanometer but Whitehouse then ruined the cable by delivering massive shocks of 2,000 volts in an attempt to rectify the problems. Whitehouse continually maintained that the cable and his equipment were a success. Though he put up a desperate public defence of his conduct and was more than ready to apportion blame among all other parties, an 1861 enquiry concluded that he should bear the majority of the responsibility.[1] It has been argued that the manufacture, storage and handling of the 1858 cable would have led to premature failure in any case.[2]
Whitehouse was a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons, Licentiate of the Society of Apothecaries, Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society, Associate of the Institution of Civil Engineers, founding member of the Society of Telegraphic Engineers, and a member of the Royal Institution, the Royal Meteorological Society, the Physical Society, and the British Association for the Advancement of Science.
de Cogan, D. (1985). "Dr E.O.W. Whitehouse and the 1858 transatlantic cable". History of Technology. 10: 1–15.
Hunt, B. J. (2004). "Whitehouse, (Edward Orange) Wildman (1816-1890)", Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, accessed 24 July 2005 (subscription or UK public library membership required)
Further readingedit
Edward Orange Wildman Whitehouse (1816-1890) Website on Whitehouse's life and work, with transcripts of publications and documents on his role as Electrician of the 1857/58 Atlantic Cable project.
"Board of Trade Committee to Inquire into ... Submarine Telegraph Cables", Parl. papers (1860), 52.591, no. 2744
Bright, C. (1898). Submarine Telegraphs: Their History, Construction, and Working
Hunt, B.J. (1996). "Scientists, engineers and Wildman Whitehouse: measurement and credibility in early cable telegraphy". British Journal for the History of Science. 29 (2): 155–169. doi:10.1017/S0007087400034208. S2CID 145020534.
Scientists, engineers and Wildman Whitehouse: measurement and credibility in early cable telegraphy
Smith, C. & Wise M.N. (1989). Energy and Empire: A Biographical Study of Lord Kelvin
Thompson, S.P. (1910). The Life of William Thomson, Baron Kelvin of Largs, 2 vols.
The Life of William Thomson—The Atlantic Telegraph: Failure Extract from S.P. Thompson (above) with much material on Whitehouse.
External linksedit
Wildman Whitehouse Chronology
Wildman Whitehouse’s Patents compiled by Steven Roberts and Allan Green
April 29, 2024
wildman, whitehouse, edward, orange, october, 1816, january, 1890, english, surgeon, profession, electrical, experimenter, avocation, recruited, entrepreneur, cyrus, west, field, chief, electrician, work, pioneering, endeavour, first, transatlantic, telegraph,. Edward Orange Wildman Whitehouse 1 October 1816 26 January 1890 was an English surgeon by profession and an electrical experimenter by avocation He was recruited by entrepreneur Cyrus West Field as Chief Electrician to work on the pioneering endeavour to lay the first transatlantic telegraph cable for the Atlantic Telegraph Company between western Ireland to eastern Newfoundland This pioneering project of the Victorian era began in 1854 and was completed in 1858 however the cable functioned for only three weeks While Whitehouse sent the first telegraph communications on 16 August 1858 to the United States of America he was ultimately held responsible for the undersea cable failure after he applied higher voltages in an effort to boost declining signals Whitehouse in 1856 Contents 1 Life 2 First transatlantic cable 3 References 4 Sources 5 Further reading 6 External linksLife editBorn in Liverpool to a merchant he qualified as a member of the Royal College of Surgeons in 1840 and established a successful practice in Brighton 1 First transatlantic cable edit nbsp Transatlantic cable route 1858 In the 1850s Whitehouse conducted experiments that he held showed that feared problems with practical data rates on underwater cables would not prohibit a commercial service Though his claims were disputed by William Thomson Lord Kelvin he was an able propagandist for the proponents of a proposed transatlantic cable 1 Cyrus West Field recruited Whitehouse as chief electrician to the Atlantic Telegraph Company Thomson subsequently became scientific advisor convinced that Whitehouse s theories were wrong but believing him to have the practical skill to make the scheme work 1 When the cable finally opened for business it was beset with the problems that Thomson had foreseen Whitehouse s inadequate apparatus had to be replaced by Thomson s more sensitive mirror galvanometer but Whitehouse then ruined the cable by delivering massive shocks of 2 000 volts in an attempt to rectify the problems Whitehouse continually maintained that the cable and his equipment were a success Though he put up a desperate public defence of his conduct and was more than ready to apportion blame among all other parties an 1861 enquiry concluded that he should bear the majority of the responsibility 1 It has been argued that the manufacture storage and handling of the 1858 cable would have led to premature failure in any case 2 Whitehouse was a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons Licentiate of the Society of Apothecaries Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society Associate of the Institution of Civil Engineers founding member of the Society of Telegraphic Engineers and a member of the Royal Institution the Royal Meteorological Society the Physical Society and the British Association for the Advancement of Science References edit a b c d Hunt 2004 de Cogan 1985 Sources editde Cogan D 1985 Dr E O W Whitehouse and the 1858 transatlantic cable History of Technology 10 1 15 Hunt B J 2004 Whitehouse Edward Orange Wildman 1816 1890 Oxford Dictionary of National Biography Oxford University Press accessed 24 July 2005 subscription or UK public library membership required Further reading editEdward Orange Wildman Whitehouse 1816 1890 Website on Whitehouse s life and work with transcripts of publications and documents on his role as Electrician of the 1857 58 Atlantic Cable project Board of Trade Committee to Inquire into Submarine Telegraph Cables Parl papers 1860 52 591 no 2744 Bright C 1898 Submarine Telegraphs Their History Construction and Working Hunt B J 1996 Scientists engineers and Wildman Whitehouse measurement and credibility in early cable telegraphy British Journal for the History of Science 29 2 155 169 doi 10 1017 S0007087400034208 S2CID 145020534 Scientists engineers and Wildman Whitehouse measurement and credibility in early cable telegraphy Smith C amp Wise M N 1989 Energy and Empire A Biographical Study of Lord Kelvin Thompson S P 1910 The Life of William Thomson Baron Kelvin of Largs 2 vols The Life of William Thomson The Atlantic Telegraph Failure Extract from S P Thompson above with much material on Whitehouse External links editWildman Whitehouse Chronology Wildman Whitehouse s Patents compiled by Steven Roberts and Allan Green Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Wildman Whitehouse amp oldid 1213476455, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
