Morse's patent : Full exposure of Dr. Chas. T. Jackson's pretensions to the invention of the American electro-magnetic telegraph / by Hon. Amos Kendall.

  • Amos Kendall
Date:
1852
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Morse's patent : Full exposure of Dr. Chas. T. Jackson's pretensions to the invention of the American electro-magnetic telegraph / by Hon. Amos Kendall. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Harvey Cushing/John Hay Whitney Medical Library at Yale University.

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    Ampere, (Expose des Nouvelles Decouvertes sur L'electrite et la Magnetisme, published in Paris, 1822,) it is mentioned, in page 71, that Soemering proposed to act by this, however, on magnetic needles marked by letters of the alphabet. He also proposed to observe the decomposition of water in separate vessels, communi- cation in both cases being effected by wires. What I claim as my peculiar discovery is the application of a galvanic current to the effecting of permanent marking upon paper, either by producing certain chemical changes on substances laid upon it, or by the use of electro-magnets to print distinct characters, which may be done at indefinite distances by means of wire communications. I also proposed several other methods in addition, which it will be unne- cessary for me to enumerate again, as they are included in my let- ter to your brother with the above. If I understand your brother correctly, he includes the above principles in his specifications, and if such is the fact he should have given me the credit which is my due. If you will send me a copy of his specifications, and 1 find therein any essential principles which I did not propose, or any parts which 1 did not, describe to him, I will cheerfully acknowledge the same in a public manner, provided he makes acknowledg- ments in a like manner satisfactory to me. Your obedient servant, CHARLES T. JACKSON. (Post marked Boston, Jaruary 25; directed Sidney E. Morse, Esq., 142 Nassau street, New York.) (K.) Prof. Morse's Reply to Dr. Jackson's Article.—From the Boston Morning Post. The Electro-Magnetic Telegraph. .Mr. Editor: In the month of January last, during my absence in Europe, an article appeared in your journal, and was thence copied into other papers, claiming for Dr. Charles T. Jackson, of Boston, the invention of an Electro-Magnetic. Telegraph. Dr. Jackson, in a letter to my brother, acknowledges himself the au- thor of that article, and has thus made himself resppftsfble for its calumnious statements. He states that he invented the Tele- graph on board the packet ship Sully, on her voyage from Havre to New York, in the autumn of 1837, and for the truth of his assertions he appeals to Capt. Peel, of the Sully, and to our fellow-passengers, the Hon. Mr. Rives, of Virginia, and Mr. Fisher, of Philadelphia. These gentlemen have heard of this claim of Dr. Jackson with astonishment. I have a letter from each of them, asserting unequivocally my exclusive claims to the invention, and one of them, at least, has expressed not only i>ur- prise but indignation at the reference made to him by Dr. Jack- son ; for, as he observes, it was notorious that the Telegraph was the subject of conversation at. almost every meal during the latter
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