Answers to a couple of previous questions may be of some help:

• [Was there ever an earlier form of textspeak? Perhaps in the days of expensive telegraphs?] (https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1jcvgm/was_there_ever_an_earlier_form_of_textspeak/)
• [Did morse code operators use abbreviations and emoticons like we do when we are texting?] (https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2oya6t/did_morse_code_operators_use_abbreviations_and/)

If you've got any follow-up questions, do shout.

What about the common use of S.O.S.? Did that come from the telegraph?