Canary Islands Source Note
Title: @quevedoTelecommunicationsColonialRivalry2010 date: 2023-03-07 type: reference
tags:: #Memex2 #Telegraph #AtlanticCable
Reference¶
Quevedo, JM. 2010 Telecommunications and Colonial Rivalry: European Telegraph Cables to the Canary Islands and Northwest Africa, 1883-1914. Historical Social Research / Historische Sozialforschung 35(1 (131)): 108–124.
Annotations:¶
Summary & Key Takeaways¶
- Many powerful countries at the time observed the significance of the telegraph and saw all the benefits it could provide them. This began disputes between countries about where they were allowed to lay their cable. By connecting around the world, countries are able to organize military strategies and talk with colonies around the world. The main competitors were Britain, France and Germany. The Northwest part of Africa was not occupied by any countries, so Franco-Britain governments and German governments moved to take the area. The next area that these countries wanted to run cable through was Spain. Germany planned to settle a deal with Spain that allowed them to have their cables through its country, but Britain told Spain to think about the decision before agreeing to it. Germany resorted to the Canary Islands for their cable, which required much more line but allowed them to make the connections they wanted.