清代晚期，天津已經(jīng)發(fā)展成為中國(guó)華北的經(jīng)濟(jì)中心，最大的商埠，經(jīng)濟(jì)和軍事地位不斷上升。帝國(guó)主義列強(qiáng)出于侵略目的，力圖攫取在天津設(shè)立電報(bào)的特權(quán)，一再提出在天津設(shè)立電報(bào)通信的要求，遭到清廷拒絕。
光緒年間，直隸總督李鴻章移駐天津，處理軍事、外交等事務(wù)，書(shū)信來(lái)往頻繁，深感驛遞遲緩，耽誤事機(jī)。從防務(wù)緊急需要和阻止外國(guó)人染指中國(guó)電信主權(quán)出發(fā)，于光緒三年(1877)五月十七日，由總督衙門(mén) (今金鋼橋西)至天津機(jī)器局，試設(shè)了電報(bào)線。接著又于光緒五年閏三月(1879年5月),建成天津至大沽炮臺(tái)、北塘炮臺(tái)的電報(bào)線，試通軍事電報(bào)。這是繼臺(tái)灣電報(bào)線之后，中國(guó)大陸的第一條電報(bào)線。成為其后建設(shè)津滬、南北洋兩大電報(bào)干線的發(fā)端。
光緒六年八月十二日 (1880年9月16日),李鴻章上奏，請(qǐng)?jiān)O(shè)南北洋電報(bào)，兩天后奏準(zhǔn)，即速籌辦。光緒七年三月 (1881年4月),津滬電報(bào)線從天津、上海兩端同時(shí)動(dòng)工，由丹麥大北電報(bào)公司承辦。歷時(shí)8個(gè)月，十一月四日天津、上海間陸路電報(bào)線建設(shè)竣工，全長(zhǎng)3075里，跨越黃河、長(zhǎng)江以水線連接。十一月八日 (12月28日),對(duì)外開(kāi)放營(yíng)業(yè)。
津滬電報(bào)向公眾開(kāi)放的第一個(gè)月，免收費(fèi)用。當(dāng)時(shí)使用的收發(fā)電報(bào)機(jī)，是莫爾斯人工電報(bào)機(jī)，每分鐘可拍發(fā)漢字電碼20～25個(gè)。計(jì)費(fèi)方法參照 “萬(wàn)國(guó)公例” ,每3碼按1字計(jì)算； 每份電報(bào)至少以7字起算； 凡是零數(shù)湊不足3碼者，亦按1字計(jì)算； 收?qǐng)?bào)人姓名、地址都按字收費(fèi)。如天津至濟(jì)寧，每個(gè)字0.10銀元； 天津至清江浦 (今淮陰市),每個(gè)字0.11銀元； 天津至上海，每個(gè)字0.15銀元。緊急電報(bào)于報(bào)尾自加“急”字，此字也算1字； 私事緊急電報(bào)3倍收費(fèi)； 電報(bào)需由收?qǐng)?bào)局照原碼傳回校對(duì)的，資費(fèi)另加一半。洋文按華文加倍收費(fèi)，10個(gè)洋文字母以內(nèi)算作1字，超過(guò)的加算。
光緒六年 (1880)九月，在建設(shè)電報(bào)線的同時(shí)，經(jīng)李鴻章奏準(zhǔn)，在天津東門(mén)內(nèi)問(wèn)津行館 (又稱楊家花園，今東門(mén)里大街),設(shè)立津滬電報(bào)總局，這是中國(guó)第一家電報(bào)局，也是中國(guó)第一個(gè)負(fù)責(zé)線路工程和組織電報(bào)通信的管理機(jī)構(gòu)。李鴻章親任總裁，天津海關(guān)道鄭藻如、直隸候補(bǔ)道盛宣懷、劉含芳為總辦。并在津滬電報(bào)線沿線的紫竹林、大沽口、臨清、濟(jì)寧、清江浦 (今淮陰市) 、鎮(zhèn)江、蘇州、上海等8處，設(shè)立分局； 沿線還分設(shè)了78處巡房。全部經(jīng)費(fèi)共用湘平銀21萬(wàn)余兩，先以北洋軍餉墊支，然后再由電報(bào)總局仿照輪船招商局章程，募集商股，最后歸還官款。這是中國(guó)對(duì)公眾開(kāi)放收發(fā)官商電報(bào)的第一批電報(bào)局。
津滬電報(bào)總局建立后，清政府又先后建設(shè)了蘇、浙、閩、粵沿海陸線，以及津京線、長(zhǎng)江線、廣 (州)龍 (州)線、北 (塘)山 (海關(guān))線、山 (海關(guān))奉 (天)線、津保 (定)線等等，都由津滬電報(bào)總局承建。
光緒八年 (1882),津滬電報(bào)總局改官辦為官督商辦，后改設(shè)為中國(guó)電報(bào)總局。光緒十年三月 (1884年4月),總局由天津遷往上海。
In the late Qing Dynasty,Tianjin became the economiccenter and the biggest business seaport in NorthChina. Its economic and military power ascended. Theimperialist countries strived to monopolize the telegraphbusiness in Tianjin for the sake of their invasion. Theirrequests to set up telegraph communication weredeclined by Qing Dynasty.
During Emperor Guangxu`s regime,Li Hongzhang,Governor-General of Zhili,was dispatched to Tianjin,dealing with military and foreign affairs. There were toomany important letters to be delivered each day. Li wasworried about their delay. To meet the needs of defenseand prevent foreigners from involving China`s tele-business,a telegraph line was tested from the governor`syamen (west of Jingang Bridge) to Tianjin MachineryBureau in 1877. In May,1879,a military telegraphy linewas set up from Tianjin to Dagu and Beitang Seaports.After the Taiwan line,this was the first line opened inChinese Mainland,which later became the initiator ofthe two major lines: one from Tianjin to Shanghai,theother from North to South China.
On September 16,1880,Li Hongzhang reported thecourt to set up a telegraph line from north to south. Twodays later,the application was approved by the emperor,who urged a quick implementation of the telegraph. InApril 1881,Denmark North Telegraph Co. began tolay the telegraph line simultaneously from Tianjin andShanghai. On November 4,the construction of the line,which ranged 3,075 kilometres,was completed. Theparts covering Yellow River and Yangtze River wereunder-water lines. On December 28,the line commencedbusiness to public.
In the first month after the telegraph business wasopened to the public,no fee was charged. The manualMorris telegraph could send 20-25 Chinese charactersper minute.
In September 1880,the Jinhu (Tianjin-Shanghai)Telegraph Bureau was set-up at Mr Yang`s Garden atDongmen Street with the approval from Governor-General Li Hongzhang. This was the first telegraphbureau in charge of telegraph construction and servicesin China. Li Hongzhang appointed himself as thepresident. Its vice-presidents included Zheng Zaoru,Head of Tianjin Customers,and Sheng Xuanhuaiand Liu Hanfang,Intendants of Zhili. Eight branchesand 78 patrol offices were set up at Zizhulin,DaguEmplacement,Linqing,Jining,Qingjiangpu,Zhenjiang,Suzhou and Shanghai. Total cost was 210,000 taels,paidby military expenditure in advance. By imitating thecharter of Ship Bureau,the telegraph collected businessshares to return the military fund. It was also the firsttelegraph bureau providing services for government andbusiness.
After the setup of the Jinhu Telegraph Bureau,Qing Dynasty also built the telegraph line along Jiangsu,Zhejiang,Fujian and Guangdong provinces; and theline from Beijing to Tianjin,the line of Yangtze River,the line from Guangzhou to Longzhou,the line fromBeitang to Shanhaiguan,the line from Shanghaiguan toFengtian,the line from Tianjin to Baoding,etc. All werebuilt by Jinhu Telegraph Bureau.
In 1882,the Jinhu Telegraph Bureau was runin a business way under the supervision from thegovernment. Later,it was renamed as China TelegraphBureau. In 1884,the bureau was moved from Tianjin to Shanghai.

·1880年建于東門(mén)內(nèi)的電報(bào)總局