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By Root 1531 0

and Pehrson., ch. 2. Telegraph: Marland, 19. Morse soon learned/ Notice: Journal of Commerce, 28 Aug 1837. Morse clipped/ Grandest: Poughkeepsie Journal, 13 Sep 1837. Other clippings appear in M33, fr. 369. Such reports described/ Relative: SFB to Catherine Pattison, 27 Aug 1837, M6. Morse set to work/ Excitement: SFB to Catherine Pattison, 27 Aug 1837, M6. To confirm his suspicions/ The information and quotations in this and the next four paragraphs come from SFB’s correspondence of Sep 1837 in M14, fr. 248 ff. Some at least of Morse’s account/ SFB’s original sketchbook was consumed in a fire at the Supreme Court building in Washington. A certified copy of the sketchbook had been made before the fire, but apparently no longer exists. A certified copy of this certified copy, made in 184g, survives at the Electricity Division of the National Museum of American History, Washington. Some of Morse’s colleagues/ Grieved: P, p. 724. On the testimony of other witnesses to SFB’s early experiments see his Modern Telegraphy (1867) and the statement of Robert Dodge, g Jan 1851, M1 4. To further secure/ Conceived: Journal of Commerce, 27 Aug 1837. Successful: Journal of Commerce, 7 Sep 1837. Suspecting that foreigners/ Mutual: Charles Jackson to SFB, 10 Sep 1837, M14. On Jackson see Bruce, 37–38. “I lose no time/ Disabuse: SFB to Charles Jackson (copy), 18 Sep 1837, M14. “I have always entertained/ Opinion: Charles Jackson to SFB, 7 Nov 1837, M14. Too enraged to bother/ Claimants: SFB to Joshua Fisher (copy), 4 Nov 1837, M14. Morse asked Rives/ Manner: SFB to William Pell, 2g Jan 1838, M14. Novelty: William Rives to SFB, 1 Mar 1838, M14. Originator: William Pell to SFB, 1 Feb 1838, M14. In sum, Morse/ Hint: SFB to Charles Jackson, 7 Dec 1837, M14. On what Morse may have learned from Jackson see Hochfelder, “Taming the Lightning,” 63–66. The question of whether SFB sent Jackson a copy of the circular requires too elaborate demonstration to try to resolve here. But it may be added that on a copy of the circular he retained, SFB noted that he believed he sent a circular to Jackson, but was not certain he did so. See the circular of 28 Aug 1837, M14. If nothing else/ Condition: ELM, II, 77. Intelligence: see SFB’s draft of the caveat, M6, fr. 373 ff. Gale knew how/ Surprise: See Gale’s MS “Historical facts concerning Morse’s Electro Mag. Telegraph” [1872], NYU Archives, Bobst Library, New York University. The archives house additional material on Gale. With the powerful/ Proposed: Journal of Commerce, 4 Sep 1837. On Daubeny see Smith. Morse described in detail/ Indebted: New American State Papers, 44–45. Vail had been present/ Delicate: SFB, Modern Telegraphy (1867), 31–33, and Appendix, 17–18. This so-called relay/ Creative: Prof. David Hochfelder, in a version he sent me of ch. 2 of his “Taming the Lightning.” Morse’s description/ Disided: AV, untitled essay in his “Miscellaneous Telegraphy Papers,” V. On the depression see Geisst, 26, and Remini, 427. Morse and Vail signed/ Proper: copy of contract dated 23 Sep 1837, V-NYHS. On Vail generally see William Baxter, “Real Birth of the Electric Telegraph,” MS, New-York Historical Society; Cavanaugh et al.; V; Vail Papers, New Jersey Historical Society, Newark; and Vail material at the NYU Archives. At the same time/ Tedious: SFB to AV, 14 Oct and 11 Nov 1837, V-NYHS. Fullest: SFB to AV, 11 Oct 1837, V A sample page of the dictionary survives in M6, fr. 404. Morse had once before visited/ Facility: William Baxter, “Real Birth of the Electric Telegraph,” MS, New-York Historical Society. Returned to Speedwell/ Waiter: See Cavanaugh et al. Success: ELM, II, 73. Accounts of the demonstrations conflict. In one place SFB says he used about three miles of wire. SFB to William Vail, 31 Jan 1863, M29. Two weeks later/ Witness: M34, fr. 454. ATTENTION: P, p. 331. Morse demonstrated both/ Systems: Report of the Franklin Institute (copy), 8 Feb 1838, M6. Alphabet: AV to Stephen Vail, 7 Feb 1838, V-NYHS. This seems to me a crucial letter in the controversy over the origin of the Morse code. Arriving at