Across the Oceans : Development of Overseas Business Information Transmission, 1815-1875

Earlier studies have shown that the speed of information transmission developed radically during the 19th century. The fast development was mainly due to the change from sailing ships and horse-driven coaches to steamers and railways, as well as the telegraph. Speed of information transmission has normally been measured by calculating the duration between writing and receiving a letter, or between an important event and the time when the news was published elsewhere. As overseas mail was generally carried by ships, the history of communications and maritime history are closely related. This study also brings a postal historical aspect to the academic discussion. Additionally, there is another new aspect included. In business enterprises, information flows generally consisted of multiple transactions. Although fast one-way information was often crucial, e.g. news of a changing market situation, at least equally important was that there was a possibility to react rapidly. To examine the development of business information transmission, the duration of mail transport has been measured by a systematic and commensurable method, using consecutive information circles per year as the principal tool for measurement. The study covers a period of six decades, several of the world's most important trade routes and different mail-carrying systems operated by merchant ships, sailing packets and several nations' steamship services. The main sources have been the sailing data of mail-carrying ships and correspondence of several merchant houses in England. As the world's main trade routes had their specific historical backgrounds with different businesses, interests and needs, the systems for information transmission did not develop similarly or simultaneously. It was a process lasting several decades, initiated by the idea of organizing sailings in a regular line system. The evolution proceeded generally as follows: originally there was a more or less irregular system, then a regular system and finally a more frequent regular system of mail services. The trend was from sail to steam, but both these means of communication improved following the same scheme. Faster sailings alone did not radically improve the number of consecutive information circles per year, if the communication was not frequent enough. Neither did improved frequency advance the information circulation if the trip was very long or if the sailings were overlapping instead of complementing each other. The speed of information transmission could be improved by speeding up the voyage itself (technological improvements, minimizing the waiting time at ports of call, etc.) but especially by organizing sailings so that the recipients had the possibility to reply to arriving mails without unnecessary delay. It took two to three decades before the mail-carrying shipping companies were able to organize their sailings in an optimal way. Strategic shortcuts over isthmuses (e.g. Panama, Suez) together with the cooperation between steamships and railways enabled the most effective improvements in global communications before the introduction of the telegraph.

Autographed portrait of Martin Buber Portraits; Men

Handwritten dedication: Robert Weltsch in herzlicher Gesinnung MB

Mirror-backed photograph frame containing portrait of Martin Wasserzug Portraits Men

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Wedding portrait of Martin and Lotte Lewin Portraits Couples

Handwritten thank you note under photograph signed by Lotte Lewin dated February 6, 1935

Martin Buber seated on wall outdoors at breakfast time; Berne Portraits Men

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Studio portrait of Martin Goldschmidt; Leipzig Portraits Men

Signed lower right by photographer

Exterior view of Martin Goldschmidt's business; Kurfuerstendamm 34, Berlin W.15 Portraits Men

Born 1879?; Married September 2, 1903 in Leipzig to Paula Harmelin; Father of Henry H. Goldschmidt Gould and Ruth Augusta Beatrice Goldschmidt

Martin Goldschmidt reading on a park bench Portraits Men

Handwritten postcard addressed to Ruth Goldschmidt in Italy and dated 1937 from Zurich

Ruth Augusta Beatrice Goldschmidt with her parents Paula Goldschmidt née Harmelin and Martin Goldschmidt, walking on the street outside the Richmond Park Hotel; Karlsbad Portraits Family

Paula Goldschmidt, née Harmelin, born 1880; Martin Goldschmidt, born circa 1879; Ruth Augusta Beatrice Goldschmidt, born 1923?

Yasha and Riva outside their lighting store; Martin Luter Strasse, Berlin Portraits Couples

Relatives of the Judey-Barosin and Finkel families

Martin Buber with Naemah Beer-Hofmann Portraits Groups

Handwritten on verso: Prof. Martin Buber mit Naemah Beer-Hofmann in meinem Zimmer, Kurhaus Sonn-Matt bei Luzern. September 1963 fuer meine leibe Lily an einem schweren Tag, der durch sie viel leichter wurde.

Painting of Freiherr Martin von Magnus Family Portraits Family

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Martin Riesenburger portrait portraits men

Martin Riesenburger (May 14, 1896 – Apr. 14, 1966) was Prediger (Preacher) for the Jewish community in Berlin-Weissensee throughout the Nazi era (protected by his gentile wife, Natalie Riesenburger). In 1953 he became Rabbi of the Jewish community in Berlin (East) and then Landesrabbiner of the German Democratic Republic.

Wedding portrait of Martin and Lotte Lewin Portraits Couples

Handwritten thank you note under photograph signed by Lotte Lewin dated February 6, 1935