After having dug to a depth of 10 feet last year, British scientists found
traces of copper wire dating back 200 years and came to the conclusion that
their ancestors already had a telephone network more than 150 years ago.

Not to be outdone by the British, in the weeks that followed, an American
archaeologist dug to a depth of 20 feet, and shortly after, a story
published in the New York Times: "American archaeologists, finding traces of
250-year-old copper wire, have concluded that their ancestors already had an
advanced high-tech communications network 50 years earlier than the
British".

One week later, Australia's Northern Territory Times, reported the
following:

"After digging as deep as 30 feet in his backyard in Tennant Creek, Northern
Territory, aboriginal Billi Bunji, a self-taught archaeologist, reported
that he found absolutely *uck-all.
Billi has therefore concluded that 250 years ago, Australia had already
gone wireless..."

Good one!

Reminds me of the story back in the 60's about America supposedly inventing the smallest semi conductor C/U wire + in arrogance sent a sample to the Swiss to say look what we can do,etc. The Swiss sent the sample back with a hole drilled through it.May not be true but I like the story.

Norman, 30 years ago my BIL, who is horribly overstocked with Bovine Excrement, told the story of the US tool Co. sending a .005" drill bit to Japan for evaluation. The Japs sent it back with a hole drilled all the way through it end to end.