Daily national Democrat., 1858-10-05

PRoF. 5. F. B. MORSE AND THE DAGUERREo-
TYPE.--A recent writer saws;
Just now, that the glorious success of lay
ing the telegraph cable across the depths OF
the Atlantic ocean has caused the name OF
Prof. Morse to be "in every mans mouth, "
permit me to say few words in regard to
his connection with another and no less won
derful application of science, allude to the
Daguerreotype
1t is a well-kuown fact thai Prof Nor Sc
fret succeeded IN adapting the Ddguerreotype
10 poytyditure / think it was in the wear
1888 SO that he visited England and France
for the purpose of patenting the telegraph.
During his stay in Paris the first announce.
ment of the Daguerreotype was made Prof
Moorse called upon Mr.. Walsh, the American
minister, then at the French capital, and in
quired how he should obtain an introduc-
ton to N. Daguerre. Mr.. Walsh advised
him to call and announce himself as "Prof
Morse, the inventor of the telegraph 1t
will readily be believed that he obtained a
hearty reception during the two interesting
hours he spent with the distinguished nven.
tor of the Daguerreotype. Here it may be in
cidentally mentioned that at the time of this
interview, Nj. Daguerre's laboratory was
burnt down, causing the destruction of vast
amount of interesting and valuable memo
randa and scientific papers. NJ. Daguerre
was just then negotiating with the Chamber
OF Arts to publish the process to the world,
and as soon as the arrangement was complet-
ed, he forwarded the formula of his process
to Professor Morse, who had returned to the
United States. At this time Daguerre had
only succeeded in taking objects of still life
landscapes, buildings, DC. Professor Morse
fol
adapt the process to portraiture, and the
first portraits from life were taken by him in
the cupola of the New York University.
Professor Draper aad Mr. Walcott, of New
York, are entitled also to credit for their ad
vice end assistance-the former as chemist.
and the latter as optician.
The writer of this article recolects hear
ing Prof Morse remark about this period,
with regard to the probable improvement of
the art of Daguerreotyping, that he had no
doubt it would ultimately be used extensive
yin taking views. and that the heiroglyphics
on the tablets and monuments of the East
would be copied with such correctness, and
that copies would be multiplied with such fa-
cility, that arch@ologists would have the op
portunity of studying and deciphering them
IN their own studies. The writer has recent
ly seen some exceedingly fine specimens Of
views taken in Egypt, in many of which the
hieiroglyphics are as sharply and distinctly de.
hneated as in the finest engravingS
There has been republished within few
days letter written by Professor Morse to
ex Secretary Spencer, in 1912, suggesting
the pEacticability of extending the telegraph
across the ocean. As far back as in lS4l-42,
Professor Morse expressed in the writer's
presence the almost confidence in the practi-
esaolllty OF the telegraph connecting the con-
9aeats OF Europe and America, and said he
"ad not the least doubt but that it would be
ultimately effected-so that this idea seems
70 nave impressed his mind almost with the
hrst conception Of the nrincinle