The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-07-16


order, Of infringing upon his paten-it 10 great
triumph Of genius, which deserves to be rewarded.
But the mere production of letters by machine
worked by galvanism is nothing new; and If II be
at the expense Of time simplicity, however well II
may work IN room prepared for exhibition, u VIII
be found in practice to be of inferior value. While,
on the one hand, we would not deprive genius of its
appropriate reward, by dsparagng its neto combina-
tons, should not on the other throw aside that
which has been perfected and tested after years OF
piivaton and toll, after INFESTED new devices,
gotten up by those who would now step In to con-
test the palm which Professor Morse has so abo-
riousy won. During his years of study, toll, and
want, nobody envied him; but now, that he is on
the point of realizing his reward, many men will be
found stepping in with new combinations, TO reap
the harvest Of which he has sown the seed. just
press and just public will be well assured of the
originality and value Of new contrivances, before
giving their authors preference over one who has
spent thirteen years Of his life in maturing this great
invention.
New YoRK, June 9, l845.
DEAR SIR: In relation to printing teiegraphs con-
corning which you desire some information, would
say that since my printing telegraph, invented in
1882 (Which is the first ever devisedD there have
been many attempts in Europe to construct one.
Professor Steinhei of Munich, in 1887 constructed
printing telegraph making use Of the magnetic
needle to strike dots upon paper Professor Wheat
STONE, Oh LONDON, anu hltAdifucr DtiH. lOfu,
invented printing teegraphs, concerning which an an
cry controversy was for some time waged between the
two claimants. Both these plans have for their OBJ
ect to print the real letter, the common letter Of the
aiphabet-a matter of some importance, (H success
fully executed as compared with the method Mr..
Wheatstone now uses, Of merely. pointing to let
teri but of positive disadvantage in some respects,
and of none in other respects, as compared with my
mode of printing the conventional alphabet, which
have invented
AS far back as 1886, the idea of printing the COM
letter Of the alphabet, formed the subject of many
plans and contrivances, both by Mr.. Vail (my pres
ent assistant superintendent at the Washington sta
tion) and myself and they were abandoned, not be-
cause they were not practicable, but because they
could not compete with my simple plan already de-
vsed.
A few considerations will show the tallney into
which many have fallen, in supposing that any adj
vantage is gained by printing the common Roman
letter of our alphabet. The common letter of our
alphabet is but conventional sign, by which we rep
resent the words of language; and as it is con-
ventonal, it may be changed as expediency may re-
quire
The Greek signs for A, b, C, would spell the
words of our language as well as the Roman signs
familiar to us from our infancy, requiring, in order
to be familiar with the change about half an hour
study by an intelligent child. So in regard to any
other sign for letter, which convenience may sug-
gest, II, then, by the invention of series OF dots,
| 6lO ttueS, anu Spaces VdrlOusy CoHluiHcu
| conventional alphabet and thus adapted to simple
mechanism, am able to dispense with great COM
plication of machinery, and thus to simplify my
mechanism, and render il less costly, and less liable
to be deranged, consider such an invention as in
advance of any continuance which would attempt,
to print the common letter Of the alphabet
| BY means of single key, like piano key, (as
you well know,) and common clock machinery oc-
cupying space of about one square foot, can
print my letters Of the alphabet at the rate of more
than SO per minute; and they are read as fast as
they are written. letter of my alphabet is recog-
Missed the instant Il Is printed; and, certainly, more
cannot be said If the common letter were printed.
| Some have supposed that the multiplication Of
copies would be facilitated by printing in the COM
mon letter. This, also, is falacy. Experience
has shown that the public intelligence read OIL by
as received, can be simultaneously recorded by any
number of reporters that may be required And
where private or secret intelligence is TO be sent and
most Of the intelligence will be of that character
| the common letter is rather disadvantage-or, at
least of no advantage over mine, which is, in itself
a secret alphabet to the many.
! have been long Of the opinion, that much inge-
nuity has been wasted in endeavorng to print the
common, or Roman letter of the alphabet; and an,
not surprised, therefore, to learn that both Wheat
stones and Bans printing teegraphs are laid aside
The former, understand, shows the printing tele-
Il graph at one OF MS StdtiOnb HcTciy Oh
4 but does not find it compete even with his needle
telegraph.
feel confident that none has yet been invented
which can successfully compete with mine in siuap
city Of construction and in rapidly Of printing.
fought, perhaps, to say, that neither Bans moi
| Wheatstone's printing telegraphs could be intro
duced into the United States, without encroachng or
my paent-both of them using the electromagnetic '
teisgraphc purposes which is covered by my patent
With great respect, sir,
i Your obedient servant,
| SAM'L F. B. MORSE.