Who are you, Baron Schilling? For the biography of the inventor of the electromagnetic telegraph

Pavel Schilling (1786 - 1837), corresponding member of the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences, was a physicist and orientalist, cryptographer and founder of Russian lithographs. He invented the first electric mine fuse and created the first electromagnetic telegraph. The labeled anti-Napoleon, he was awarded nominal weapons "For Bravery" and the Order of the fighting.

His work for the benefit of its rodiny- Russia has not gone unnoticed descendants, as it happened many times in our history. He was the subject of hundreds of articles, books and memoirs of contemporaries. Countless are his friends, among which is enough to mention the name of Alexander Pushkin, to understand how the society was surrounded by the inventor. He has won just two contenders in chess, playing without looking at the board. Here's how Schilling described the naval officer, who knew him personally: "This fat man, well-connected, scientist, humorist, a great talker, who knew all the aristocracy of Europe. On it was regarded as some kind of puzzle. " Someone likened it mildly international adventurer Count Cagliostro. Indeed, the ordinary person and even strange.

Setting PL Schilling was known that he served as an officer in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and is somehow linked to the diplomatic field. The opinion was reinforced by frequent business trips abroad Baron. In fact, Schilling was the head of one of the secret units of Ministry of Foreign Affairs, namely tsifirnoy expedition, and from 1828. He had the rank of State Councilor, equivalent to Major-General or Rear Admiral.

What worked tsifirnaya expedition? This office was engaged in practical cryptography or cryptography, encrypting and decrypting various texts that fall within the ministry is not always the righteous path. Every state protects its secrets - political, economic, technological, and wants to know the secrets of not only the enemy, the opponent, but also an ally. For this purpose, and espionage and bribery, picking through garbage boxes embassies and aerial reconnaissance. Thousands of ways. But their secrets should be stored, and to solve other people's. The office Schilling and it worked. It encrypts your documents and to solve other people's texts. In those days, the lion's share of information came from e-mail messages, so perusal of letters was commonplace. But who likes to read his letters outsiders? And at a time when summoned to a duel because of trifles, to declare their profession in society, we note a very necessary, it was not appropriate. Even if censorship department Schilling subjected only to international mail. But what was the reward for this would seem to disrespect labor!

We present an excerpt from a conversation with Marshal Alexander I McDonald defeated Napoleon's army. "Of course - said the Emperor of Russia defeated enemy - we are very much helped by the fact that we are always aware of your intentions of the emperor by his own despatches." We were able to capture a lot of mails. "I find it strange that you could read them, - said the former enemy - perhaps you were given the key?". King said, "I give you my word of honor. We just decrypt them. " This event took place before the advent of Schilling in tsifirnoy expedition, but in the office of leadership has come already prepared leader. This way, Schilling lowered biographers, and we try to play.

The independent life PL Schilling came very early. According to the traditions of his family elder son of the family he was leaving for military service. His father, the commander of an infantry regiment stationed in Kazan, wrote in 1795 of his son of eleven sub-ensigns in his regiment. But in 1797. the sudden death of his father leads ensign to St. Petersburg to study at the First Cadet Corps, which he graduated in 1802. with the rank of lieutenant.

With the duty station Schilling lucky. He was assigned to the Service of His Imperial Majesty's Quartermaster. Chief was General P.K.Suhtelen suites, a man of encyclopedic knowledge, which is collected in the service of their most educated and capable graduates of the land, sea, Pazhesky cadet corps, and later from the Tsarskoye Selo Lyceum. Here in the army they receive additional knowledge in astronomy, geodesy, spherical trigonometry and after the exams were considered first-class cartographers. In the army, they were called kolonnovozhatyh, because headed columns of troops on the march.

Kolonnovozhatyh had to make a reconnaissance of the terrain, to make topographical plans, advise on raskvartirovke units in settlements or field camps. In peacetime, the quartermasters were scouting the territory of a potential enemy. This kind of service demanded extraordinary mind, courage, knowledge of several languages, accuracy and precision in intelligence gathering and compiling maps and plans. Souped kolonnovozhatyh waiting for a brilliant career, but things happen, inexplicable at first glance. PL Schilling delivers resignation "for family reasons" and went to live with his mother.

What family circumstances may have had a seventeen-year officer, who would die a bachelor? Perhaps unsettled mother? And it is not so! Katherine Schilling married Baron Karl Buhler Jakovljevic and lived her life after her husband's death. Surprises and the haste, not typical Russian bureaucracy with which official documents are issued in the new appointment retiree: 21 May 1803. it expelled from military service, and on May 22 of his rank to the Russian diplomatic mission in Munich over the state. (Means no salary).

Everything falls into place when we learn the identity of his stepfather P.L.Shilliga. K.Ya.Byuler was one of Russia's most experienced diplomats. Privy Councillor, he was awarded on presentation of the Order of St Alexander Suvorov. Alexander Nevsky for his help in the famous Alpine hikes last. So this diplomat and appointed in 1803. Russian envoy to the Bavarian court in Munich. Bayern - France's ally at the time, and who could be suspected 17-year-old boy who came to his mother, a spy?

For any disclosure of secrets sent Schilling? No doubt this latest achievements of military science at the time. It was then that France has been a leader in the development of the natural sciences, even the language of the world of science was the French. And, of course, Napoleon Bonaparte's genius frightened all the rulers of Europe, but for Russia it was also the most likely opponent.

France is home to the aeronautics and understood that she was the first to use balloons for military purposes. Back in 1783. Engineer Mёne submitted to the Paris Academy of Sciences report "On the application of balloons for military purposes." The first attempts began in 1793. at the siege of Valencia, then Maubeuge, Charleroi, Lyuttiha. The physicist Arago wrote of euphoria in the army of France of that time: "The generals were confident that they would review and strengthen the position of enemy troops, some were even air battle plans." Later, there were proposals to hang balloons bomb and smash their enemy. But the impossibility of balloons targeting made these plans unfulfilled, however, the French Government made a decision to establish Ballooning school and it was founded in 1794.

What could oppose Russia to the French? "The prevention of fire incidents and other adventures, we order to inflict the prohibition that no one dared to let those balls in the air." So Catherine II stroke of the pen for many years stopped ballooning in our country. Indeed, hanging under the broiler to heat the air ball in a wooden Russian was more dangerous than war grenadiers. But science does not stand still, and French physicist Zh.Sharl will use hydrogen for their charliere. However, methods for its preparation are very complicated, but in 1801. London scientists will for water electrolysis hydrogen. Regardless of them in Munich, it will make I.Ritter, created the first battery in the world. Napoleon, understand the possible ways it subsidizes a lot of money to create a powerful chemical source of electricity. This task will itself Gay-Lussac.

Backlog need to catch up. Italian Professor Czerny, consisting on the Russian service, was trying to fly in 1802. But it is technical problems did not take place, and its specialists were not more. Alexander I in St. Petersburg by a Frenchman A.Garnerena 10 June 1803. He organized the first flight, and on July 18 Garnerenom already flew General S.L.Lvov. However, the use in war of balloons was still far off.

In Munich, Schilling will hold nine years. Outside the state of the mission, he will be up to 1808, it is up to the moment when his stepfather K.Ya.Byuler will receive a new assignment in St. Petersburg, and after the prince will I.I.Baryatinsky. The new Ambassador of the officer became clerical servant of the diplomatic mission with the rank of collegiate assessor. To enhance intelligence Barclay de Tolly to send a mission in 1810. even its representative - Count P.H.Grabbe. By the way, this was a classmate of Paul L. on the Cadet Corps and they were friends. That they have to perform an important task of his government specific Aeronautics.

That's when a German inventor Franz Lepp proposed construction of a balloon, tied up to it with bombs, which with the help of special oars and rowers could sneak in the right place and bombard the enemy. Napoleon, disappointed unsuccessful attempts of its aeronauts affect the outcome of the battles, the inventor refused. But when he began to make himself a blimp, he ordered the arrest of the designer. It was in early 1812. and why Alexander I, who feared defeat in the impending war with the French, accepts the offer Leppiha complete this project for Russia. It was decided to steal the inventor of Germany controlled by Bonaparte.

In Munich Embassy Leppihu secretly issued a Russian passport in the name of the doctor Henry Schmitt. He accompanies his Russian Feldjäger Jordan passport on the name Feyhnera arrive in Moscow on 14 May, where the estate of Prince Repnin and begin construction of the facility. From Germany, smuggled in the suburbs and specialists, of which there are not yet in our homeland. The whole project has been shrouded in such mystery, that of a newly built airship does not know even the commander in chief of the Moscow Count Gudovich. The enterprise was called for secrecy, "a factory for making contraption charges for the guns."

The rapid advancement of the French after the Battle of Borodino made urgently to stop work on the airship and evacuate it on carts into the country. The rest of rowers to the gondola was burned. It turned out that the great mystery itself was not Napoleon. When the occupation of Moscow, he immediately sent to the site of General Lauer. He saw only the remains of the gondola and the security officer arrested 26 militiamen. After a quick voeno court-martial, they were declared to be "instigators" and shot. Immediately after the war, interest in the construction of faded and forgot about it. It would seem that Russia's efforts in this regard have been in vain. But good ideas are preserved for centuries. A hundred years during the First World War, when it begins to develop aircraft with its bombings, similar to balloons offer not active attacks on the enemy, but rather for the passive protection of its facilities, bombarded enemy. We in Russia barrage balloons first used in the Finnish war for the protection of Leningrad from enemy bombs and are serially built in World War II, the center of defense of Moscow and Leningrad from catastrophic damage. And now seen promising applications barrage balloons from certain types of enemy cruise missiles.

What is involved in Bavaria Schilling? Nothing extraordinary. Europe in the late XVIII century, entered a period of industrial revolution. There were new technologies, machines, methods of mining. Russia is hopelessly behind the most developed economies in the world while England and France. We had to catch up and it is well understood in the General Staff. That is the challenge and went to manage a Russian officer, "During his stay in Munich - later recalled N.I.Grech - doing it out of curiosity of various arts and crafts generally useful." Recall that in those days the word of art had a broader meaning than it is now, and it could be perceived as inventive activity.

With one of the inventors of lithography, Alois Zonefelderom kind and met our compatriot in the Bavarian capital. This man invented the method of reproduction of drawings on paper, drawings, characters, and even in color. The secret was the invention of the material so-called lithographic stone. This secret was kept secret by the inventor. But he was very impractical for human life and was unable to make his case, even in the business of England, which moved to live. Friendship with the inventor Schilling gave our country the opportunity to receive a first lithographic stones from Bavaria, then find the same and in our country. But topographic maps for the army at the General Staff began to make in this way. And he insisted on the application of this method, then the all-powerful Count A.A.Arakcheev.

Schilling himself, who later became a cryptographer, it is widely used in lithography, because it allowed to propagate in the required amount confidential documents encrypted in any way. After the victory over Napoleon, his office will multiply diplomatic correspondence of France, captured as trophies by our troops in Paris.

What only matters not dealt PL Schilling in the state service? This question is impossible to answer. All of this is stored in the archives of the various relevant ministries and hardly become known without special searches. We only give an extract from a letter from Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Count Nesselrode in response to a request already terminally ill PL Schilling to let him go at the European resorts for the year before his death. Note. that the rental permit gave the Tsar himself.

"Emperor was pleased to wish the Merciful assent and at the same time, in order to make your stay in foreign lands useful for the service entrusted to you to do study these subjects:

1. To familiarize with the new discoveries made in recent years in Germany, France and England in the science of electromagnetism.

2. To explore the advantages and disadvantages telegraphic systems Prussia, France and England.

3. Check in the fullness of the newly invented method of char up to 80 cubic meters. fathoms of firewood arranged especially for this furnaces .... "

Quest given the impossible, the more the patient from the beginning. While the abundance of fluid work in his office Schilling could not follow the discoveries A.M.Ampera, M.Faradeya, G.S.Oma whose flowering of creativity accounted for the period. and during the holidays it was just impossible to know. Especially touches the job to learn the secret of "specially arranged" furnaces for the fabrication of charcoal. PL Schilling was a very fat man, so he simply could not treat furnace secrets. Although I must say that this job was very important for the defense industry. After all, the industry could not be used while coal produced in mines.

It was sweetened with a postscript at the end of the letter: "Merciful Emperor commanded to save you, like a bureaucrat and abroad having to engage in the service business, you put a salary." Money is always needed, but I felt in reading this letter seriously ill people?

Still, the most important event that influenced the biography Schilling was, as it may seem strange, familiarity with the doctor of the Russian mission in Munich S.T.Zemmeringom. German physician and anatomist Samuel Thomas Semmering was a man of tremendous ability and showed himself in various fields of science. With his participation in 1783 flew the first German balloon. One of the first in Germany, he makes the smallpox vaccination, first to himself. His work in the human and animal anatomy made him the most famous anatomist of the time.

The attending physician anatomist made some circumstances. By inviting him to Bavaria, "where art and science are encouraged insightful governments", it revealed that the anatomical theater academy is not finished construction. I had to look for a job not so burdensome, so that in passing in his house to do electrical experiments, a new area of ​​research which gave the Italian anatomist Galvani. It met in 1805. Munich Schilling and Semmering. Here there and I acquired the first knowledge of galvanism Russian officer.

France at that time already enjoyed to transmit urgent messages so-called optical telegraph. These were special towers, which were special semaphores, the position of its wings within line of sight of the transmitted information. At night and in the fog a telegraph had no sense. Nevertheless, one day Napoleon received a message quickly by this method to attack Austria Bavaria, regrouped the troops and soon was a winner with his grenadiers in Vienna. Bayern was saved.

History has preserved precisely date when a new, rapid and all-weather type of communication. Bavarian King Maximilian 9 July 1809., Inviting Semmering lunch, fearing a new attack of the Austrians (Russian allies) preferred to be at the other, all-weather Telegraph. "Semmering almost on the same day took up the device units and July 22 it is already the device was ready." He worked on the principle of electrolytic decomposition of water into oxygen and hydrogen. It is known that during the decomposition of water released hydrogen is twice that of oxygen. This is the property and there are several electrodes allows to transmit information in all weather conditions. Although the prototype of the telegraph in 1812 has already passed the information on 3km at its base were basically impossible for practical use of it. In the first place its high energy content and the presence of many communication wires.

New Telegraph borrowed and the lack of an optical, so-called human factor: "a dream as often attacks telegrafschikov as fog." The joke at the time was under a real basis - it's hard to stay awake, staring into space and wait for me there and signal followed by the sender? This deficiency in the Telegraph suggested Semmering in 1811. eliminate Nuremberg physicist I.H.Shveygger installation on the device of a special ringer. Recall that in those days there was no electric bells, no light bulbs, and he advised to use a detonating gas, produced in excess when working in the electrolytic Telegraph. A portion of this gas, he offered a call to set fire to an electrical spark that could relatively easy to implement in the unit Semmering.

But the inventor of the telegraph did not use advice Shveyggera. Audible blowing gas obtained such power that could frighten to death not only sleep, but also cheerful telegraph his surprise. Semmering applied an ordinary alarm clock, which is run by the same gas, but has a special float. Shveyggera idea would have been forgotten if not involved in the experience of the Russian officer PL Schilling. The idea of ​​remote detonation by electricity it is deeply interested in, even more so that in this way it was possible to produce a subversion charge even under water.

The priority of a Russian officer in this matter is undeniable and known even to date made by the invention. Here he writes Academician I.H.Gamel in 1860, who had the opportunity to examine the documents already late Semmering: "Our Baron Schilling in 1812. I am trying to make the wire with which it would be possible to blow up mines. Eighth April Semmering noted in his diary that Schilling came to him out of breath, wanting to announce his plan to blow up the mines. The next day, Schilling came to him at least four times, and on May 13 wrote that Schilling is happy as a child to its electrical conductor. "

Napoleon's invasion of Russia precipitated the events and in the autumn of 1812. after being forced to return to Russia Schilling carries out practical tests of new weapons, undermining the mines on the opposite side of the Neva. All the advantages of the new blasting method was not immediately understood by the military of various countries, only Russia was at work in this direction. Sobering not long in coming. In 1753g. the Crimean Won. Three times tried combined Anglo-French squadron with 20000th landing approach to Kronstadt, but each time, losing in the mines a few ships, retreated.

At the siege of Sevastopol Russian miners met under the ground with the enemy. Here is what wrote while London newspaper "The Times": "There is no doubt that the palm in mine and subversive war belongs to the Russian." One reason for this was the fact that the Allies used the fire blasting method, and Russian engineers - electric. Bounce explosions have been 22%, and we have - 1%. But this is not the main merit of PL Schilling. With the development of mines needed specialists previously unknown specialties, they were called galvanerami, and for the production of conductors, insulators and chemical sources - new types of industry. So in Russia began Electrical Engineering.

Typically, the main merit of Schilling considered workable design the world's first electromagnetic telegraph. It can not be denied. He was in 1832. publicly unmistakably conveyed the text of the telegram, written by Emperor Nicholas I and in his presence. It's worth a lot. But it must be remembered that the idea of ​​such a telegraph for the first time expressed A.M.Amper, words describing the structure in 1820. At the same time invented his I.H.Shveygger multiplier applied in the design of our inventor. With them I was personally acquainted Schilling and repeatedly communicated. And the case when our compatriot, playing blindfold chess with great physicist A.M.Amperom, won the game. The trouble is that the imperial order for the construction of such a telegraph was followed by a 19 May 1837. (In five years!). And not the fault of the inventor. He died after the removal of a malignant tumor on July 25 of the same 1837. The result was the fact that the message of the defeat in the Crimean War Sevastopol in St. Petersburg brought the telegraph, built under the direction of the German Siemens. But whether it was possible to win this war if the Allies from the Crimea sent correspondence in his Telegraph newspaper in London and Paris, and the orders of the commander in chief of St. Petersburg to the Crimea carried on horseback .. It is necessary to remember the modern leadership of the country, let already lagging electronics to float freely, as it did Nicholas I.

Schilling held dozens of secret operations by reconnaissance missions in China to organizing Russian governor-general in North America. He was a relative of the chief of police Count Benkendorf and protégé of the notorious Arakcheeva. Jolly fat man and a ladies' man.

And yet, who you were, Baron Pavel Schilling?

In any case, the most talented man and a patriot of the motherland!

Author: Boris Hasapov