The Sun.
London, England, 1851-07-17 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN

SIA, If
ever there was a time when inventors were
fairly entitled to a just and unbiassed criticism of their
productions, it is now, at the Great Exhibition of all
Nations, when name, and wealth, and high standing are
expected, for once at lease, to give way to the more le-
gitimate claims of original genius and persevering in-
dustry. I am not in any way connected with the
Magneto-Electric Telegraph, but I call attention to the
description of this instrument, in the published exponent
referred to, just as a sample of the amount of justice
which inventors are to expect from the compilers of
official catalogues, unless they are keenly alive to their
own interest, and assert their rights through other and
independent channels. The so-called explanation of this
invention is more like an extract from some work on
general science than the description of anything in par-
ticular, and as illustrative of the matter of which it as-
sumes to treat, it is erroneous from beginning to end.
After a brief statement of the received theory of mag-
netism, the author (who signs himself R.H.) proceeds to
inform his readers, by what means a magneto-electric
disturbance is effected, so as to produce a continuous arid
uninterrupted stream of electricity. Whereas in Mr.
Henley's telegraph continuous streams of electricity are
entirely dispensed with, and the necessary communica-
tions are effected by a succession of momentary waves or
impulses, each of which is made to produce upon the in-
strument a totally distinct and independent action. The
writer then goes on to inform us that " the magneto-
electric machine was first employed for telegraphic pur-
poses by Professor Wheatstone.' This statement would
lead any one to suppose that the present invention was
wanting in novelty, and was borrowed from the original
ideas of Wheatstone. The real facts of the case, how-
ever, are in direct opposition to any such conclusion.
The first person who ever applied Faraday's discovery
to the working of a telegraph was Dr. Stenheil, of Bava-
ria. Afterwards, it is true, Professor Wheatstone con-
structed an instrument upon this principle, and tried it
upon two different sections of the Great Western Rail-
way. The telegraph which he employed indicated by
means of an escapement, or what is commonly known
among electricians as the step by-step motion. It
was found inoperative, and after a brief trial was
had aside, and has never been used since.
To Mr. Henley the merit is due of having first practi-
cally applied the magneto-electric power to the move-
ment et the needle telegraph, and of obtaining a result
which, for simp;icity, power, and economy, has received
the unqualified approbation of many of the leading
scientific men of Europe, and some of the first engineers
of the age. The author cannot surely be acquainted
with the numerous and trying experiments to which
this instrument was successfully subjected on the South
Devon Railway, or with the still more decisive demon-
strations which were recently given in Hyde Park and
across the Serpentine, and which one would have
thought were by this time patent to the whole scientific
world. If, however, he is really desirous to examine
into the justice and validity of his extraordinary conclu-
sions, and to ascertain the correctness of his terminat-
ing assertion, that the ordinary voltaic battery is usually
preferred in this country to any application,of magneto-
electric agency, I will not refer him to any printed re-
cords of past experiments abundant and decisive though
these are, but I will ask him to see and judge for him-
self, and to institute the most trying experiment he is
able to devise upon any line in the kingdom, in order to
ascertain the comparative excellences of the two ar-
rangements, and I have no doubt he will find the inven•
tor most ready to assist him in the trial.
I am, Sir, your obedient servant,

J. B.
[Anxious as we have repeatedly shown ourselves to
be, in maintaining the rights of inventors, and in for-
warding the cause of philosophical inquiry, we have with
pleasure inserted the above communication of our cor-
respondent.—ED. Sea.]

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.
SlR,—Yuur paper of Friday contained a paragraph
r,-lating to an article which you had copied from the
Sherborne Journal, and expressing your reproach of it,
in a manner that shows me you had been placed in pos-
session of just as much information, and no more, as
would give my statement the colour of a fabrication. I
trust, therefore, you will do me the justice of allowing
me to state the facts on which I coneider I was justified
is announcing the dissolution of the Sherborne Mercury.
A few years ago a new paper was started in Yeovil, en-
titled the Yeovil Times, and on Tuesday week para-
graphs appeared simultaneously in the Yeovil Times and
the Sherborne Mercury, to the effect that those papers
Were about to be amalgamated, and for the future would
be published as one sheet at the office of the Yeovil
Times, in Yeovil. Now here was a fact announced by
the proprietors, that the publication of one of these
papers was about to be discontinued, and that there
would no longer be a Mercury printed in Sherborne, but
from the office of the Yeovil Times a weekly sheet would
issue as usual. Surely, under these circumstances, I should
not have been justified in saying that the Yeovil Titus had
gone to the wall, yet one of the two papers having be-
come defunct it became my duty to announce it as an
article of news.

Some years ago I remember there was a True Sun as
well as a Sun paper published in London, but your en-
lightened principles eclipsed it, and you triumphantly
bore off its remains to your own office. I fear I should
give you great offence if I affirmed that the True Sun
still lived to share the laurels of your well-earned fame.
I din Sir, &c.,
THE EDITOR OF THE " SHERBORNE
JOURNAL."
Sherborne, July 12, 1851.