Numerical analysis of some measurements on the first trans-Atlantic telegraph cable

Recently discovered records of electrical measurements that were performed on the trans-Atlantic cable in 1857 have been analysed using the transmission line matrix (TLM) numerical technique. Comparisons between the 1857 data and TLM simulations suggest that the original measurements were made on a section of the cable, probably between 200 and 300 miles. The electrical properties of the equipment used for signal transmission and reception have been included in the models and results would suggest that the influence of receiver inductance was not a particularly significant factor in the reception of signals.