Bernard Finn is Curator Emeritus of Electrical Collections at the National Museum of American History at the Smithsonian Institution. He is the author or editor of a number of books and articles on electrical history, museums, and submarine telegraphy.

Daqing Yang is Associate Professor of History and International Affairs at George Washington University. His research interests and publications have dealt mainly with Japanese and East Asian history, including the role of communications technology in Japan's overseas expansion.