146 BOARD OF REGENTS. 



Morse for the suggestions I had proposed in modifying the arrangement of the ma- 

 chine, I did so afterwards, and referred in my explanations to the paper of Professor 

 Henry, in the 19th volume of the "American Journal of Science," page 400 and on- 

 ward. It was to these suggestions of mine that Professor Morse alludes in his testi- 

 mony before the circuit court for the eastern district of Pennsylvania, in the trial of 

 B. B. French and others vs. Kogers and others. See printed copy of Complainants' 

 Evidence, page 1G8, beginning with the words " Early in 1838 I procured 40 feet of 

 wire," &c, and page 1G9, where Professor Morse alludes to myself and compensation 

 for services rendered to him, &c. 



At the time I gave the suggestions above named, Professor Morse was not familiar 

 with the then existing state of the science of electro-magnetism. Had he been so, or 

 had he read and appreciated the paper of Henry, the suggestions made by me would 

 naturally have occurred to his mind as they did to my own. But the principal part 

 of Morse's great invention lay in the mechanical adaptation of a power to produce 

 motion, and to increase or relax at will. It was only necessary for him to know that 

 such a power existed, for him to adapt mechanism to direct and control it. 



My suggestions were made to Professor Morse from inferences drawn by reading 

 Professor Henry's paper above alluded to. Professor Morse professed great surprise 

 at the contents of the paper when I showed it to him, but especially at the remarks 

 on Dr. Barlow's results respecting telegraphing, which were new to him, and he 

 stated at the time that he was not aware that any one had even conceived the idea of 

 using the magnet for such purposes. 



With sentiments of esteem, I remain yours truly, 



L. D. GALE. 



Professor Joseph Henry, 



Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution. 



It further appears, that principally for the information thus com- 

 municated Mr. Morse assigned to Dr. Gale an interest in the tele- 

 graph, which he afterwards purchased back for $15,000, as appears 

 from the following letter of Dr. Gale : 



Patent Office, August 5, 1857. 

 Dear Sir : In reply to yours of this date, respecting the interest I once possessed 

 in Morse's telegraph patent, secured to me by the said Morse, as alluded to by him 

 in his statement to the Commissioner of Patents, I would simply state that the part I 

 owned when I entered the service of the Government in this office, was originally 

 given me by the said Morse for services rendered him in making his invention prac- 

 tically effective in sending currents through long distances, &c, and that the said 

 interest was retransferred to the said Morse for the sum of fifteen thousand dollars. 

 Respectfully, 



L. D. GALE. 

 Professor Henry, 



Secretary Smithsonian Institution. 



It thus appears, both from Mr. Morse's own admissions down to 

 1848, and from the testimony of others most familiar with the facts, 

 that Professor Henry discovered the law, or " principle," as Mr. 

 Morse designates it, which was necessary to make the practical 

 working of the electro-magnetic telegraph at considerable distances 

 possible ; that Mr. Morse was first informed of this discovery by 

 Dr. Gale ; that he availed himself of it at once, and that it never 

 occurred to Mr. Morse to deny this fact until after 1848. He had 

 steadily and fully acknowledged the merits and genius of Mr. 

 Henry, as the discoverer of facts and laws in science of the highest 

 importance to the success of his long-cherished invention of a mag- 

 netic telegraph. Mr. Henry was the discoverer of a principle, Mr. 



