ОСНОВАЊЕ И ФУНКЦИОНИРАЊЕ НА ТЕЛЕГРАФСКАТА СЛУЖБА ВО РУМЕЛИЈА СО ПОСЕБЕН ОСВРТ НА СКОПЈЕ (1854 ‒ 1909)
ESTABLISHMENT AND FUNCTIONING OF THE TELEGRAPH SERVICE IN RUMELIA WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO SKOPJE (1854 ‒ 1909)

Summary/Abstract: The Rumelian territories were prioritized over Anatolia for the establishment of telegraph lines within the Ottoman Empire. The construction of the electric telegraph, which began in Rumelia in 1853 during the Crimean War, connected all major centers with Istanbul by the end of the Tanzimat period (1839 ‒ 1876). This paper aims to provide an overview of the foundation and functioning of the Rumelian telegraph network, which encompassed cities in what is now the Macedonian State, with a particular focus on Skopje. The research and analyses conducted show that the expansion of the telegraph network—reflected in an increase in the number of telegraph centers and the extension of telegraph lines in the second half of the 19th century—led to a growth in the number of telegraph clerks and other personnel. The telegraph network during the Abdulhamid era was fully developed in all as- pects compared to the Tanzimat period, evolving into a major bureaucratic apparatus. This modern means of communication was quickly embraced in Macedonian cities, especially in Skopje. The local population in all kazas contributed both financially and physically to establishing telegraph communications in their communities. Within a short time, telegraph lines were established throughout the Skopje Sanjak and beyond.

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