Telegraphic Imperialism

Telegraphic Imperialism researches the telegraph system of the British Indian Empire, circa 1830 to 1920, exploring one of the single most significant transnational phenomena of the imperial world, and the link between communication, Empire, and social change. The first electronic communication network, the predecessor of our internet, transformed language, distance, and time. Lahiri Choudhury studies this transnational system and how societies and perceptions changed because of the telegraph, including the issue of Persian sub-imperialism and the rapid expansion of the imperial powers and their rivalries because of the need to protect and control this new information network. The book also analyses in detail British Imperialism and the variety of strategies adopted by Indian nationalists to circumvent imperial control. During this period the British Indian Empire emerged as a crucial strategic and commercial factor in the telegraph network of the world. Larger India became a communication hub, and relatively remote points such as Fao and Gwadar were transformed from sleepy townlets and fishing villages in Middle Asia into crucial nodes of the Indian Empire. This network serviced trade and communication across nations, territories, and empires from the Americas to the Russias, China, and Australasia including Taiwan and New Zealand. In the present age of rapid and competitive technological advancement, the study of communication history is becoming essential for our better understanding of the nature of the development involved. This book provides a step towards this understanding.