Before the advent of the telephone, the telegraph was the fastest and most reliable means of long-distance communication. The Western Union Telegraphic Code was a standardized system of abbreviations and phrases that allowed users to send messages quickly and efficiently. This fascinating book reproduces the complete text of the Universal Edition of the code, along with an introduction that provides historical context and explains how to use the code. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.