The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-06-25
THE MAGNETIC TELEGRAPH-WHO is
IT'S INVENTOR.

81 lis lNVENl lux.
A late letter from Mr.. Walsh, from Paris, pub
lished in the National Inelligencer has the follow
ing:
In sitting of the Chamber OF Deputies the asth of
by electrical telegraph would be completely
established between this capital and Rouen He said also:
at had been at doubted whether the current could be
transmitted from Paris to Lyons but at present no doubt
whatever existed that would be without the slightest
difficulty Arago stated that the idea Of electrical
telegraph Franklin conceived that electricity
might be applied to the transmission Of despatchesBut
the who sysematzed the idea Lesage savan Of
French extraction settled at Geneva who published his
notion in 77a in short note Arsgo explained the expert
the process Of Prof Morse to whom European oracle y
willing % allow the original and superior credit to which
The observation that ssno European oracle is
willing to allow to Professor Morse the original and
superior credit to which he is entitled" we fearis but
too just That every Country should be deslrous OF
claiming for tsefthe great discoveries and Inventions
of the age, is quite natural; and own country; is
not behind others in this natural trait of character;
vet we have too good to know that thefts OF
nc inventions and bold pagiarisms of whole works,
the offspring of American minds, have been SO COM
mon in England, that we deem it almost a matter
of course that no acknowledgment will be made
in English works, of Indebtedness for anything of
the kind in America.
As to the case in hand there is incontesable evil
dence that the electromagnetic telegraph Of Prot.
Morse is the first realization Of practicable tele-
graph The electric principle. The idea of sending
intelligence by electricity, it is perceived, originated
with Franklin and il there is honor in simply sug-
gestng the idea, then (other nations being ludges)
the honor still pertains to America; but the mere
idea carried out into the invention OF any prac-
iica5le mode, il is wel-seted and rational prin-
cpe does enttle the suggester of the idea to the
edit of being the inventor. Neither does the sys.
iea,ati=ing The idea" Ito use the words Of M. Ara
g,) unless practicable mode Of realizing the idea
VAS the result. We are perfectly safe in saying
that Lesage did not invent practicable electric
telegraph; for, without knowing the details of his
SYSTEM the state of science in 1774, (he date given
/, by M. Arago to Lesage's snotion,") forbade the
realization Of any plan Of electric telegraph.
All that was known of electricity at that period
was the common machine electricity and the cleo
trcity OF the atmosphere. Neither Volta nor Gal
vani had then made their important discoveries, with
out which, and the discoveries consequent upon
them, no practicable electrical telegraph could be
made. Reser, German, in 1874, and Saliva, a
Spanard in 1873, both planned electrical teiegmphs
TO lie operated by machine electricity; but these, in
common with all others operated by the same agent,
were found on trial to be utterly impractcable.
After Galvani's discovery, in 1884, ofan electri-
city Of different character from the machine cleo
tricty, impulse was given to the idea Of cleo
trical telegraphs and Soemmering, in 1909, devised
n plan TO consist in decomposng water by means of
hrty-ive ,oires insulated IN glass tubes The mere
mention Of delicate and complicated an apparatus is
sufficient TO show its mpracticability.
Oerstedts discovery, in 1920, of the detection. ofhe
needle by the electrical current introduced addition
al elements for realizing practicable telegraph;
and plan realized but only suggested, was pro-
posed by that distinguished French sarant AmPere,
Of using the detection OF the needle means of
Geographic communication. His plan icas also inn
practicable although it became the parent of all the
European electric telegraphs since devised. II re-
CURED at that stage Of scientific discovery, less
than seventy wires between the two points of inter
course.
The next in chronological order is that Of Profess
sor Morse, who, in October, 1892, conceived and
planned on board the ship Sully, on his return
from France, the electro magnetic telegraph, which
has not only been proved practicable, but is also
shown to be far superior TO all the European plans
subsequently devised and put into operation. Its
simplicity and efficiency at once attest It's supe-
riority Professor Morse but one ici,e between
Tho two termini. He uses the po,rer of the rLEc.
rRo-MAeNET--a feature which distinguishes his tel
egraph from all others. His telegraph ,orifes in ar
alphabet invented by him, and adapted to the capa
cities Of the instrument. II records also with grea
rapidly.
Almost simultaneously with Morse, the Baror
Schilling at ST. Petersburg, in December, 1882, and
the early part Of the year 1889 doubtless from the
suggestion Of Ampere, planned his electrical tele-
graph consisting Of So magnetic needles and as many
wires between the two Terminal plan which car
ries on its face the evidence of its impracticabity
- In 1887 Wheatstone, of London, whose plan is in
use in England, invented his telegraph, which
he calls his magneienesdis telegraph, In which he
has reduced the complicated suggestions OF Ampere
and plan of Sching, Of 36 needles TO five wires be-
tween the two termini. A recent letter from Eng
land, gives an account of avis to this establishment
at which they were quite astonished at being told
that length;of matter which required an hour for
sransmisssl ~ this method, could be communicated
bv M5fse in less then Eve minutes.
Thus il win be seen that the credit ofinventor of the
electromagnetic telegraph belongs, in perfect JUS
tire 10 Morse for beyond all question: the plan de-
vised by him in 1882, and which is now in sue
cessful operation is the FIRST PRACTICABLE rELE-
caApu on the electric principle invented
This brilliant invention is too high national
honor in the annals Of scientific and mechanical in
genuy, for usto be robbed Off even by the dctpm