OP ARTS AND SCIENCES : JUNE 4, 1872. 479 



resulted in the establishment, a year later, of the "National Academy 

 of Design." He held the office of President of this society for fifteen 

 years. 



In 1829, he again visited Europe, to complete his studies in art, 

 and resided, about three years, in the principal cities of the Conti- 

 nent. 



On the return voyage from France, in 1882, on the ship Sully, the 

 feasibility of an electric telegraph was often the subject of conversation, 

 and at that time he made drawings of apparatus intended for this 

 purpose. His first instrument was finished at New York in 1835, 

 and worked in one direction. In July, 1837, he had two instruments, 

 one at each terminus, and could communicate in both directions. 



At the close of that year he was at Washington, a petitioner to 

 Congress for aid to' construct an experimental line from that city to 

 Baltimore. No appropriation was made during the session of 1837- 38, 

 and he went again to Europe. 



A patent for his system of telegraphing was refused in England ; in 

 France, he obtained a brevet cVinvention, but it proved to be of no 

 value. He returned to the United States, and, after several years of 

 disappointment and poverty, his appeal to Congress was successful, — 

 the sum of thirty thousand dollars being appropriated on the 4th of 

 March, 1843, for the purpose of encouraging his first attempt to con- 

 struct a line of electric telegraph between Washington and Baltimore, 

 a work which, after many difficulties, he completed in 1844. 



This system has now been in use twenty-eight years ; its simplicity, 

 as compared with other kinds of electric telegraph, has favored its 

 general introduction both at home and abroad. In this, as in all im- 

 portant inventions, the practical result is reached by long and patient 

 efforts of many minds, in various departments of scientific and mechani- 

 cal labor. The world is greatly indebted to Mr. Morse for his perse- 

 verance and earnest labor in combining the various parts that consti- 

 tute the present " Electro-magnetic Telegraph." 



This system is now found in operation in all quarters of the world, 

 and has, on many land lines, displaced the needle telegraph. It is not 

 of value for the Atlantic cable or other submarine lines, as they are 

 worked, in all cases, without the use of an electro-magnet. 



Mr. Morse received many honors and marks of distinction abroad, 

 and from ten foreign governments the sum of four hundred thousand 

 francs as an honorary and personal award for his useful labors. 



