Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1872-02-06
The TelegrapA Controversy.

GEoRGITowN, ID. c., Feb: 5, IS
Editor Star The question as to whom OPP
erly belongs the honor of being the invento Of
the electric telegraph has brought out some very
interesting letters published in TIE STAR
that honor in the person of Prof. Samuel Thomas
Won Soc mmefing, who on the 2Sth Of August, 1909
exhibited the first electric telegraph in the ses-
sions Of the academy at Munich.
In the fall Of 1873 Napoleon came to NJ unich
and on the 9Th Of November, 1893, Baron Jean
Dominique Larrey, an ardent admirer OF Prof
Soemmering and body ply sician OF the emperor.
showed the apparatus to him, explaining how,
by IT'S MEANS direct communication between
Strassburg and Paris could be established. With
the somewhat contemptuous remark: "C'est uae
tdee germdnt4ne," Napoleon refused to take any
further notice of the invention. Baron Larrev
then took the apparatus to Paris, and on the 9TH
OF December, 1909, exhibited it in the session o.
the institute of France, from which a commit
tecconsisting Of NJ essieurs Blot, Caruot, Charles
and MOnge was appointed to examine into and
report on the subject. In 1911 Baron Schilling
Won Cannstadt, who, together with Prof Seem
merlDg made many new experiments, among
others TO carry the electric current through
water took an apparatus made in Munich exactly
after Prof. SoemmeTing's plan to st. Peters
Alexander, the successful experiment was made
to fire off a gun on the fortress Peeer-P p ul By
means of wire laid through the river Neva
On the 9th of July, 1911, Count P0tochi brought
therefrom in May. 1911, before Francis ( OF
Austria, operating il to the entire satisfaction OF
The only one who appears to have rightly es-
timated the worth of the new invention was the
Grand Duke Dalberg, of Frankfort the
Main. who with a very fattering letter sent
Soemmering his portrait in golden medallion.
In Switzerland and in Holland the invention
was also highly praised. Yet, notwithstanding
the recognized importance Of the invention, il
remained merely a scientific curiosity. Seem
mering on the 18th of May, 1916. gave to Sir
Lyonel Harvey, secretary Of the English lega
ton in Munich, q telegraph apparatus, with a
detailed statement of its workings, to be pre-
sented to Sir Hunphry Davy, the celebrated
English chemical philosopher. The admission
OF this apparatus into England. however, was
refused by the custom officials On the 10Th OF
May, 1919. Soemmering wrote a second letter to
Harvey, then ambassador, again requesting the
presentation of his invention to Davy, and to
the latter himself he wrote the prophetic words:
lyon will probably live to see the telegraph
laid through the canal" Thus certain he was
Of the future of his invention.
1 could give many more data and incidents
relative to the important subject before me, but
fear have eDcroached already too much on
the columns of your paper, and i'm conclusion
will say that the above is only part Of An extract
in "Keils LeipZiger Gartenlaube for 1864 !" from
book entitled "The Electric Telegraph as the
German invention of SamI Thomas Won Seem
mering, proved from his diary" This book was
published in Frankfort-on-the- Main in 1863, by
DR.. VIM. Soemmering, a son of the former.
JOHN l.. HEUPEL,