Page:Hamel Telegraph history England 1859.pdf/70

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66

Steinheil's doings at Munich, which was translated into a New York paper on the 1st of September,there was,through Morse's influence, on the following day, an article printed, saying that the editors of newspapers in America,who copy such articles from European papers, do not seem to be aware that the electric telegraph which now, as the wonder of the age, seems to have excited in Europe the attention of the scientific public, was an American discovery, and that Professor Morse had conceived it five years ago (1832) on his return from France to America. It was added: "that Morse had on board the ship made no secret of the general idea, but communicated it freely to his fellow passengers of all nations, who were on the ship."

Was not this to make the Americans suppose that Baron Schilling, Weber, Grauss, Steinheil, Cooke and Wheatstone might have learnt from Samuel Morse the art of telegraphing by electro-magnetism? As it was also mentioned that Morse had his telegraph then near his lodgings, there came on the same day several curious persons to see " t h e wonder of the age." One of them was Dr. Daubeny, from Oxford, in England. Another was a young gentleman, Alfred Vail, who afterwards became very useful to Morse, for he, with his brother George, made at the Speedwell