heroes of the telegraph-第11节
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te enterprise。
A line between New York and Philadelphia was projected； and the apparatus was exhibited in Broadway at a charge of twenty…five cents a head。 But the door…money did not pay the expenses。 There was an air of poverty about the show。 One of the exhibitors slept on a couple of chairs； and the princely founder of Cornell University was grateful to Providence for a shilling picked up on the side…walk； which enabled him to enjoy a hearty breakfast。 Sleek men of capital； looking with suspicion on the meagre furniture and miserable apparatus； withheld their patronage； but humbler citizens invested their hard…won earnings； the Magnetic Telegraph Company was incorporated； and the line was built。 The following year； 1846； another line was run from Philadelphia to Baltimore by Mr。 Henry O'Reilly； of Rochester； N。Y。； an acute pioneer of the telegraph。 In the course of ten years the Atlantic States were covered by a straggling web of lines under the control of thirty or forty rival companies working different apparatus； such as that of Morse； Bain； House； and Hughes； but owing to various causes only one or two were paying a dividend。 It was a fit moment for amalgamation； and this was accomplished in 1856 by Mr。 Hiram Sibley。 'This Western Union；' says one in speaking of the united corporation； 'seems to me very like collecting all the paupers in the State and arranging them into a union so as to make rich men of them。' But 'Sibley's crazy scheme' proved the salvation of the competing companies。 In 1857； after the first stage coach had crossed the plains to California； Mr。 Henry O'Reilly proposed to build a line of telegraph； and Mr。 Sibley urged the Western Union to undertake it。 He encountered a strong opposition。 The explorations of Fremont were still fresh in the public mind； and the country was regarded as a howling wilderness。 It was objected that no poles could be obtained on the prairies； that the Indians or the buffaloes would destroy the line； and that the traffic would not pay。 'Well； gentlemen；' said Sibley； 'if you won't join hands with me in the thing； I'll go it alone。' He procured a subsidy from the Government； who realised the value of the line from a national point of view； the money was raised under the auspices of the Western Union； and the route by Omaha； Fort Laramie； and Salt Lake City to San Francisco was fixed upon。 The work began on July 4； 1861； and though it was expected to occupy two years； it was completed in four months and eleven days。 The traffic soon became lucrative； and the Indians； except in time of war； protected the line out of friendship for Mr。 Sibley。 A black…tailed buck； the gift of White Cloud； spent its last years in the park of his home at Rochester。
The success of the overland wire induced the Company to embark on a still greater scheme； the project of Mr。 Perry MacDonough Collins； for a trunk line between America and Europe by way of British Columbia； Alaska； the Aleutian Islands； and Siberia。 A line already existed between European Russia and Irkutsk； in Siberia； and it was to be extended to the mouth of the Amoor； where the American lines were to join it。 Two cables； one across Behring Sea and another across the Bay of Anadyr； were to link the two continents。
The expedition started in the summer of 1865 with a fleet of about thirty vessels； carrying telegraph and other stores。 In spite of severe hardships； a considerable part of the line had been erected when the successful completion of the trans…Atlantic cable； in 1866； caused the enterprise to be abandoned after an expenditure of 3；000；000 dollars。 A trace cut for the line through the forests of British Columbia is still known as the 'telegraph trail。' In spite of this misfortune the Western Union Telegraph Company has continued to flourish。 In 1883 its capital amounted to 80；000；000 dollars； and it now possesses a virtual monopoly of telegraphic communication in the United States。
Morse did not limit his connections to land telegraphy。 In 1854； when Mr。 Cyrus Field brought out the Atlantic Telegraph Company； to lay a cable between Europe and America； he became its electrician； and went to England for the purpose of consulting with the English engineers on the execution of the project。 But his instrument was never used on the ocean lines； and； indeed； it was not adapted for them。
During this time Alfred Vail continued to improve the Morse apparatus； until it was past recognition。 The porte…rule and type of the transmitter were discarded for a simple 'key' or rocking lever； worked up and down by the hand； so as to make and break the circuit。 The clumsy framework of the receiver was reduced to a neat and portable size。 The inking pen was replaced by a metal wheel or disc； smeared with ink； and rolling on the paper at every dot or dash。 Vail； as we have seen； also invented the plan of embossing the message。 But he did still more。 When the recording instrument was introduced； it was found that the clerks persisted in 'reading' the signals by the clicking of the marking lever； and not from the paper。 Threats of instant dismissal did not stop the practice when nobody was looking on。 Morse； who regarded the record as the distinctive feature of his invention； was very hostile to the practice； but Nature was too many for him。 The mode of interpreting by sound was the easier and more economical of the two； and Vail； with his mechanical instinct； adopted it。 He produced an instrument in which there is no paper or marking device； and the message is simply sounded by the lever of the armature striking on its metal stops。 At present the Morse recorder is rarely used in comparison with the 'sounder。'
The original telegraph of Morse； exhibited in 1837； has become an archaic form。 Apart from the central idea of employing an electro…magnet to signalan idea applied by Henry in 1832； when Morse had only thought of itthe development of the apparatus is mainly due to Vail。 His working devices made it a success； and are in use to…day； while those of Morse are all extinct。
Morse has been highly honoured and rewarded； not only by his countrymen； but by the European powers。 The Queen of Spain sent him a Cross of the Order of Isabella； the King of Prussia presented him with a jewelled snuff…box； the Sultan of Turkey decorated him with the Order of Glory； the Emperor of the French admitted him into the Legion of Honour。 Moreover； the ten European powers in special congress awarded him 400；000 francs （some 80；000 dollars）； as an expression of their gratitude： honorary banquets were a common thing to the man who had almost starved through his fidelity to an idea。
But beyond his emoluments as a partner in the invention； Alfred Vail had no recompense。 Morse； perhaps； was somewhat jealous of acknowledging the services of his 'mechanical assistant；' as he at one time chose to regard Vail。 When personal friends； knowing his services； urged Vail to insist upon their recognition； he replied； 'I am confident that Professor Morse will do me justice。' But even ten years after the death of Vail； on the occasion of a banquet given in his honour by the leading citizens of New York； Morse； alluding to his invention； said： 'In 1835； according to the concurrent testimony of many witnesses； it lisped its first accents； and automatically recorded them a few blocks only distant from the spot from which I now address you。 It was a feeble child indeed； ungainly in its dress； stammering in its speech； but it had then all the distinctive features and characteristics of its present manhood。 It found a friend； an efficient friend； in Mr。 Alfred Vail； of New Jersey； who； with his father and brother； furnished the means to give the child a decent dress； preparatory to its' visit to the seat of Government。'
When we remember that even by this time Vail had entirely altered the system of signals； and introduced the dot…dash code； we cannot but regard this as a stinted acknowledgment of his colleague's work。 But the man who conceives the central idea； and cherishes it； is apt to be niggardly in allowing merit to the assistant whose mechanical skill is able to shape and put it in practice； while； on the other hand； the assistant is sometimes inclined to attach more importance to the working out than it deserves。 Alfred Vail cannot be charged with that； however； and it would have been the more graceful on the part of Morse had he avowed his indebtedness to Vail with a greater liberality。 Nor would this have detracted from his own merit as the originator and preserver of the idea； without which the improvements of Vail would have had no existence。 In the words of the Hon。 Amos Kendall； a friend of both： 'If justice be done； the name of Alfred Vail will for ever stand associated with that of Samuel F。 B。 Morse in the history and introduction into public use of the electro…magnetic telegraph。'
Professor Morse spent his declining years at Locust Grove； a charming retreat on the banks of the River Hudson。 In private life he was a fine example of the Christian gentleman。
In the summer of 1871； the Telegraphic Brotherhood of the World erected a statue to his honour in the Central Park； New York。 Delegates from different parts of
