PROCEEDINGS OF THE REGENTS. 95 



the galvanic current throiigli a long telegraph line. His own per- 

 sonal researches had not overcome this obstacle. They were made in 

 the laboratory of the New York University. I also learned at the 

 same time, by the conversations above stated, that he only overcame 

 this obstacle by constructing a magnet on tlie principle invented by Pro- 

 fessor Henry, and described in his article in 8illiman's Journal. His 

 attention was directed to it by Dr. Gale." 



What changed Mr. Morse's opinion of Professor Henry, not only 

 as a scientific investigator, but as a man of integrity, after the admis- 

 sions of his indebtedness to his researches, and the oft repeated ex- 

 pressions of warm personal regard ? It appears that Mr. Morse was 

 involved in a number of lawsuits, growing out of contested claims to 

 the right of using electricity for telegraphic purposes. The circum- 

 stances under which Professor Henry, as a well known investigator in 

 this department of physics, was summoned by one of the parties to 

 testify have already been stated. The testimony of Mr. Henry_, while 

 supporting the claims of Mr. Morse as the inventor of an admirable 

 invention, denied to him the additional merit of being a discoverer of 

 new facts or laws of nature, and to this extent, perhaps, was consid- 

 ered unfavorable to some part of the claim of Mr. Morse to an exclu- 

 sive right to employ the electro-magnet for telegraphic purposes. 

 Professor Henry's deposition consists of a series of answers to verbal, 

 as well as written, interrogatories propounded to him, which were not 

 limited to his published writings, or the subject of electricity, but ex- 

 tended to investigations and discoveries in general having a bearing 

 upon the electric telegraph. He gave his testimony at a distance 

 from his notes and manuscripts, and it would not have been surprising 

 if inaccuracies had occurred in some parts of his statement ; but all 

 the material points in it are sustained by independent testimony, and 

 that portion which relates directly to Mr. Morse agrees entirely with 

 the statement of his own assistant. Dr. Gale. Had his deposition 

 been objectionable, it ought to have been impeached before the Court ; 

 but this was not attempted ; and the following tribute to Professor 

 Henry by the judge, in delivering the opinion of the Supreme Court 

 of the United States, indicates the impression made upon the Court 

 itself by all the testimony in the case : " It is due to him to say that 

 no one has contributed more to enlarge the knowledge of electro- 

 magnetism, and to lay the foundations of the great invention of which 

 we are speaking, than the Professor himself." 



Professor Henry's answers to the first and second interrogatories 

 present a condensed history of the progress of the science of electro- 

 magnetism, as connected with telegraphic communication, embracing 



