Semaphore House Traditional Cache
ELDitton: I guess 9 years in one place is a pretty good run for any cache so am retiring this one. Thanks for all the callers from home and abroad?
-
Difficulty:
-
-
Terrain:
-
Size: 
(regular)
Please note Use of geocaching.com services is subject to the terms and conditions
in our disclaimer.
“Wiv a ladder and some glasses,
you could see to 'Ackney Marshes,
If it wasn't for the 'ouses in between" Edgar Bateman
In 1795 the navy decided to construct an optical telegraph system using a chain of signaling stations to enable the Admiralty in Whitehall to communicate with the naval base at Portsmouth on the south coast. At first, a shutter technique devised by Sir George Murray was used but in 1822 the link was upgraded by Captain Sir Home Riggs Popham who chose semaphore instead.
Messages could be sent over the 108km path in about 15 minutes. The information superhighway of its age was in operation until about 1847 when the electric telegraph superceded it. The only surviving station now open to the public is at Chatley Heath in Surrey. There were 15 nodes: Admiralty; Chelsea; Putney Heath; Coombe Warren; Esher; Chatley Heath; Guildford; Witley; Haslemere; Woolbeding; Marden; Compton; Portsdown Hill; Eastney; Portsmouth High St.
This cache, a one litre clip box, is near the site at Esher where Semaphore House, the fifth in the chain as you leave London, stands on Telegraph Hill.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Ng onfr bs n 'gvr n lryybj evooba' gerr, uvqqra haqre gjvtf
Treasures
You'll collect a digital Treasure from one of these collections when you find and log this geocache:
Loading Treasures