Genre:

Letter, Spoof

Subjects:

Gender, Invention, Military Technology, Telegraphy, Commerce

    Condemns 'you men' for only 'studying and scheming to promote your creature comforts', such as 'Big Ships' (a reference to the SS Great Eastern), 'breech-loaders', and Armstrong guns, but not inventing anything for women. Proceeds to criticise men's invention of the London District Telegraph Company as a means of sending messages 'to yourselves', and because sending messages is expensive and really a way of 'killing time'. Thinks men's promises that the 'wires will be open to the ladies' is a 'paltry' excuse, because this assumes women want to send telegrams. Observes that the district telegraph is clearly not meant for women because its stations are not located where they congregate—i.e. in financial institutions rather than shops.