Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1886-08-27


of May, 1914, the line WAS completed.
and the first trial of it made IN ,hs
presence of the Government official,
and many other distinguished men.
This occasion was a period Of the most
intense anxiety to him, for hc Knew
that his entire future WAS st1kea upon
the result of this hour When all WAS
in readiness, Prof. Morse seated HIM
self at the instrument, and sent his
first message to Baltimore. An answer
was promptly received. and messages
and replies were sent and rccci,od
with "a rapidity and accuracy which
placed the possibility Of failure beyond
doubt. Ills heart throhbcd all the
while with brilliant triumph yet hc
received the congratulations as calmly
as nc had the SCOTS of these same men.
lie had won Il great victory and con-
ferrcd lasting benefit upon his race.
The Morse system Of telegraph Was
adopted on I'LL the principle lines OF the
United States, on all the lines of tie
Eastern continent. and exclusively on
all continental lines in Europe from
the extreme Russian north to Ihc
Italian and Spanish south. eastward
through the Turkish empire, south into
Egypt and northern Africa. and through
India, Australia and parts Of China.
Fortune was not Morse S onIyrcNarl.
lIonors were ShoWered upon him from
all parts of the world. In Isis his
ola,a matcr, Yale College. confer
red on him the complimentary degree
of J.. l.. d., and ne 3ft inward WAS
made member of nearly all the Amer
lean scientific and art associations and
academies. From European Govern
mcnts and scientific and art associu-
tonS hc received more honors than ever
fallen to the share Of any other AmcH-
can In lsls. received from the Sultan
of Turkey the decoration of the
risIotm Wichw in diamonds and
subsequently gold medals OF scientific
merit were awarded him hy the king of
Prussia. The King of WWtemhmg
and Emperor of Austria. The SIT, ot
the Emperor OF Prussia WAS set ii 20
massive gold snull-boX. In lS56. jhc
Emperor Napoleon III gave Eim tbe
Cross OF Chcyalicr of tie Legion oi
Honor; i'm lo57. lac received from Jhr
King of Denmark the Cross OF Knight
of the Dauehrug: and i'm l,5o. the Queen
of Spain sent him the Cross al IN GIT
Commander Of the order of isabel tac
Catholic. In 1853. a convention OF ,he
representatives. of the various European
powers met in Paris at the instance OF
the Emperor Napoleon III. for the rW-
pose OF determining upon the best
mcauso of giving Prof Morse collective
testimonial. France. Russia. .Weicn.
Belgium. Holland. Austria Sardinia
Turkey. and the Holy ~ca We're repre-
scented and their deliberations resulted
in the presentation to Prof. Morse, i'm
their united governments, o. .Ac m
of 100000 francs. as m honorary and
personal reward for his labors. iul..1
the telegraph compauicsot Great Britain
gave him ahauquctat London, at which
Mr.. William Fothcgill Cork. himself
the distinguished inventor Of a system
of tclegraphy, presided. Prof. Morse
was also the inventor of the Submarine
telegraph In lNl2 he laid the lIet
submarine telegraph line cycrpu, down
across the harbor of New York. and for
this received the Gold Medal of the
American Institute.
In February lS5i. Nj Cyrus W. Ficld.
of New York ignorant Of Prof. Morse,
views on this subject. wrote 10 know If
he tmought the working Of cable
across the Atlantic. practicable Mr..
Morse at once sought am interview with /
Mr. Fields. and assured him Of his ON
tire confidence in Misunderstanding. lie
entered heartily into Mr.. Fields PLAN /
and rendered great aid in the noble en- /
tcrprise which has been described else
where in these pages. Ilc.Wa, present /
at each attempt To lay the cable and F.
in his final triumph by /
which his prediction, made twenty |
three years before was verified.
Prof Morse resided during the winter .
in the city of New York. and passed /
his summers at his beautiful country I
seat near Poughkeepsieo u the Hudson.
His death occurred in New York. April .
I'd, 1872, his age being cighty-oue year,
lie was buried amid tokens of National
regret. Since mis- death the value az
his inventions To the hman race has
been constantly increasing until lac may
now be looked upon aS ONE OF the great
est public benefactors of amy age.
s~ss---sss--~--s----<~-s--ss.