The Chappe telegraph was also used to communicate information such as harvest results and the price of commodities. Knowing before anyone else if the harvest w

The Chappe telegraph was also used to communicate information such as harvest results and the price of commodities. Knowing before anyone else if the harvest was good or if the price of a commodity dropped was a surefire way to corner the market: telegraph operator bribing, insider trading, spreading false rumors, and much speculation ensued. Plus ça change...