The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-08-17
COMMUNICATIONS.
For The Union.
Magnetic Telegraph.
No. Ill.

Discoveries connected uiM NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. OF
plans for an Electric Telegraph MoRsE's FIRST IN
vrSroN-Te eridsnees. -Englih and French TEE
graphs -MoRsE's SECOND ISvENTIoN--BrettS III Amer
fea
Our own Franklin was the first to discover that cur.
rents OF electricity may be controlled BY human power
and he is said to have been The first TO suggest the idea OF
an electric telegraph
Galyanisn, which is but modified kind of electricity
was discovered by Gavani, professor OF anatomy al Bo
logna, in 1900.
That currents of electricity and gavans possess mag
netic properties discovered by NJ Oersed professor
OF natural philosophy and secretary of the Royal Society
In 1890 it was discovered BY Nj Arago, Sir H. Davy,
and Dr. Seabeck, severay, that the electric current may
be made TO produce magnetism in iron or steel
In the same year, Ampere suggested the idea of making
use of the magnetic needle, detected by galvanie
rent, to convey intelligence
Professor Henry, of Princeton, and Professor Moll Of
Utrecht, not long afterwards succeeded in producing
magnetism by gavanc currents operating upon iron su-
| fcient to lift several thousand pounds
In lSes, NJ Victor Iriboulet proposed an electric tele-
graph by wire insulated and buried in the ground from
Paris TO Brussels, through which letters or words might
be expressed by varying the number Of motions
In 1929, Fechnet suggested magnetic telegraph be-
tween Lepslo and Dresden with twenty four wires
| In 1881, Dr. Faraday discovered the mode by which
magnetism might be made to come and go in piece Of
soft iron, by alternately letting and cutting Off cur
| rent of electricity or galvanism
Any who is DESTROYS to learn more in detail the
OF discovery IN this branch of science referred
to Alfred Wallis work, descriptive of the "Amercan
| Electro Magnetic Telegraph" and all other electric
teegraphs known to have been devised, which may be
had at many of the telegraph stations.
The invention of Professor Samuel r. B. Morse dates
from October, 1892 He was returning from Europe in
the packet ship Suly The conception of an electric tel
egraph occurred to him in general conversation with
the passengers at the table and connecting it with cleo
tro-magnetsm then becoming subject of great interest
he elaborated in his mind and described telegraph
embracing all the essential features of that now in use
OF this fact Professor Morse holds the most conclusive
testimony. The Hon. VIM. c. Rves, of Virginia. was a
passenger in the Suly. On the 2st September 1897 he
addressed letter to Professor Morse in which he said
al retain distinct recollection your having explained
the conception OF this ingenious invention during our
voyage from France the United States in the wear 1872
and was than once the subject Conversation be-
tween in which suggested difficulties which You met
and solved with great promptitude and confidence"
Captain William w. Pell, who commanded the Suly,
in letter to Professor Morse dated September 27 1887
said
81 have distinct remembrance of your suggesting as
thought newly occurred YOU the possibility of ee.
the passage progressed and your idea developed ITSELF
became frequently subject of conversation Difficulty
which your ingenuity still abored remove un your
invention passing from first state through der-
an available inse1se Nc "Yon Observed 10 me-
few day. y y, SsD ,c LEAKING the he ship n asa
The worid remember the discovery made board The
good ship Suiiy,'" &c.
In another letter, dated February /, 1885 after seeing
Morses telegraph in operation, Captain Pell said:
recognised in the principles and mechanical gaents
which, board, had heard yop so frequently explain
through all their developments"
The following is extract from communication in
the London Times dated June 10, 1917, from Sidney f.
Morse, brother OF the professor, then in England.
elected by the mpndent claims of Mr. Brett, partner Of
"R X. House, an American" viz:
"The American telegraph was invented by my brother
fifteen ago. In December, 1892 he explained
impressed with is feasibility and vast poanee sa or
some weeks could scarcely think speak of anything
in the history Of man Soon the surface OF the earth will
be covered with work of wires along nerves
the human body, the commands of central win may be
nstanrneousy and simultaneously communicated the
remotest exremes Mau will thus put the earth for
his body animate 1t with his SOUL and become indeed the
lord Of creation Some of my friends, believe thought
was insane"
None of the electric telegraphs in Europe even pretend
TO so early date. Suggestions of complicated and i'm.
effort to reduce them to practice and all those which
have been subsequently put in of more recent
date. II may therefore be asserted without fear Of
croachng upon the TRUTH that SAMUEL +. b. MORSE,
AN AMERICAN acds the first nam to concerto prach-
cable plan for Electric Telegraph And up to this
moment his plan remains the best use if not the only
ut all competent to the Office for which such tel
egraph needed
There is awide difference between Morses telegraph
and the European systems. Morses rrstes do,cn what
it transmits, in letters just as legble 10 those who have
learned the teegraphc alphabet, is the Roman alpha
bet to the common scholar The European telegraphs
| merely make signs. The English system presents two
magnetic needles, which, moved by the electric current
are made to point at the proper letters but their vibra
tons necessarily slow, and must be carefully watch
ed by clerk who writes down letter BY letter those at
which they point The French electric telegraph merely
makes signs corresponding with those used BY the old
semaphoric telegraph and is inferior to the English
The expedition of Morses system, compared with the
English, is fully fire to one; and compared with the
French about seuen TO one In point of accuracy, it is
believed to be equally superior
The truth is, the European inventors did not kno,c
until recently if they do houc Professor Morse OBJ
tans po,cer enough to make mark upon paper at the
distance of tapenfy, hundred, thousand miles They
attempted to do it, and failed They found that the power
of magnetism induced by current of electricity along a
wire, diminished the wire extended and soon be-
came TOO feeble to make mark. 1t was found suf-
cent TO vibrae magnetic needle piece of iron but
thereupon gave up the effort hopeless and were in
credulous when Professor Morse assured them he had
overcome the difficulty His process is simple as is
effective.
The vibration which constitutes the European tele-
graph he makes of only open and close another gal-
uantc circuit an egc Of has Offices and his working nsru-
ment being placed on that circuit operated upon by
local battery but fer feet distant When Washington is
connected with Philadelphia it is not the battery in Phil
but battery in the Washington Office The current
from Philadelphia produces magnetism enough in Wash
ngton to vIbate piece OF metal and then passes into
the ground. That vibration, however, is made to open
and close new circuit composed of wire but few
feet long, running from the positive TO the negative pole
OF the local battery letting tie full pocer of hat battery
upon the instrument The movements of this local cir
cult perfectly obedent the movements of the main
circuits that the operator in Philadelphia by opening
cult at Washington, and moves the instrument as he
pleases