Is there any historical proof showing they had a way of communicating like we had today?

I ask not this question out of morbid curiosity but because of a quote I read on wikipedia and a lack of information on the subject.

"Those friends who knew Ronald and Edith Tolkien over the years never doubted that there was deep affection between them. It was visible in the small things, the almost absurd degree in which each worried about the other's health ..."

The Greeks had calculated the earth's circumference hundreds of years before, thus proving the earth was round, yet most people believe the myth that everyone back then believed the earth was flat. How did this happen?

For example how did a British ship of the line compare to a French ship of the line,a Russian ship of the line.. Etc

Were there major differences between naval designs of capital ships?

My grandfather was a staff sergeant in the 378th Infantry of the 95th Infantry Division ("the Iron Men of Metz"). I am trying to get a better idea of what he would have been doing during his time in the service.

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I'm writing an alternate history series just for fun, but I want it to be as detailed as possible, and really capture the spirit of the era. Preferably, I want the period covered to be specific to this time period, but some overlap is alright, as is just reading one section of a comprehensive book. Also, if I like the answers I get here, I'll probably come back for some of the other alt histories I'll do.

I've started reading a book on the Battle of Waterloo and it picks up with Napoleon leaving the Island of Elba. That got me wondering how Napoleon received such lenient terms to still be titled Emperor, have territory he ruled over, have such freedom of movement that he could easily escape exile, and generally be treated with such respect following his complete defeat by the Coalition Powers. Was there any thought to executing him, putting him in prison, trying him for war crimes (I realize probably novel in the 19th century), or at least some form of strict exile such as done after Waterloo? It seems his return to power following such lenient exile was foreseeable. I also vaguely had the impression (from the Master and Commander series?) that the British saw Napoleon as a terrible despot, the way that the WWII Allies might view Hitler, so was kinda surprised how easy he got off.

I just started reading The Odyssey, and Telemachus is mad because suitors of his mother Penelope are staying at his place and eating all his food. Do they have a right to be there?

I know that during the course of the Second World War, Stalin, Churchill and Roosevelt met twice before the surrender of the Third Reich (Tehran in '43 and Yalta in '45). In fact, Churchill made the journey to North America on five differnt occasions before the Tehran conference to meet with FDR and the pair met another two times in Morocco. Churchill also met with Stalin twice in Moscow before the Tehran Conference in 1943.

How were they able to move so freely and safely, most likley with 1000s of top secret documents, without being targeted by the Germans? More specifically, how the hell did Winston Churchill find a way to get to Moscow, twice, to meet with Stalin during 1940-1943?

I'm an American who just moved to Newcastle and I love the history and atmosphere but I have fuck all in terms of a basis of knowledge. My fiancé asked me the other day what those terms meant and I had no idea.

I tore down the ceiling in my bedroom and discovered some old hand-hewn rafters and trusses. So I dug a little into some old maps [G. M. Hopkins 1875 Atlas of Philadelphia] and found evidence that this building was possibly erected in before 1875. The Hexamer & Locher Atlas from 1858-60 stops on the north side of the st, but shows its densely built. So how can I find out more about this building, and determine how old it is?

Further[!] the 1940 census map marks it sc for gas service curbside discharge. Which I had no idea existed, and can't find any basic information on. So I am curious about this history as well.

Thanks!