Imperial Science: Victorian Cable Telegraphy and the Making of 'Maxwell's Equations'

Abstract

Maxwell's equations of the electromagnetic field are generally, and quite rightly, regarded as among the great achievements of 19th century science. They govern everything from the behavior of light and radio waves to the workings of matter and the operation of the electric power system; their technological uses underlie much of our modern way of life. The physicist Richard Feynman once said, with perhaps excusable hyperbole, that 'from a long view of history, there can be little doubt' that the formulation of these equations 'will be judged as the most significant event of the 19th century.'1 The electrical engineer John R. Pierce saw a deeper value in them as well, declaring that 'To anyone who is motivated by anything beyond the most narrowly practical, it is worth while to understand Maxwell's equations simply for the good of his soul.'2 The four vector equations we now know as 'Maxwell's' hold an honored place in textbooks and on T-shirts, and adorn the base of the statue of James Clerk Maxwell that was recently erected in his native Edinburgh (Fig. 1).They have become icons of electrical science and engineering.