614 TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



graphing, commencing with the discharge of a current of elec- 

 tricity through four miles of wire, by Dr. Wilson, in 1747, and 

 described the various methods attempted to be used ; the signals 

 being made by a pith ball, by the flashing of gunpowder, by the 

 electric spark, by the decomposition of water, by the deflection 

 of the magnetic needle, and some using 24 wires. Upon one 

 plan two clocks were to be used, going equally and marked with 

 letters, the signal indicating the letter to which the index should 

 point at the moment. As to Mr. Holcomb's invention, he should 

 be disposed to add his name to the list. It may be that there is 

 no increased consumption in the battery, or that the result may 

 be explained by the concentration of the power where we can 

 use it, being moved outward from the central portions of the 

 magnet. There may be really no more force, but, being shoved 

 along to the end, we may be able to use more of it. In our ordi- 

 nary operations we do not utilize all our power. 



Mr. Holcomb believed that his combination of the electro and 

 permanent magnets does not increase the consumption of the 

 battery. The best proof of this is that a galvanometer placed 

 in the circuit will not be affected by the action of the permanent 

 magnet. The method of Ampere, deflecting a magnetic needle, 

 was a combination of a permanent and an electro-magnet. 

 Merely combining the two was not new. It was merely his pecu- 

 liar combination which he supposed to be new. In former com- 

 binations, the power deduced is only the power of the electro- 

 magnet without the permanent magnet. 



Mr. Bartlett said that it was owing to the support given to 

 Professor Morse by the American Institute that he was enabled 

 to bring his invention before the public, and thus to introduce a 

 practical American telegraph. 



Adjourned until half-past 7 o'clock on Thursday evening, the 

 21st instant. 



American Institute, Polytechnic Association, } 

 March 21, 1861. J 



Mr. Wm. Lawton in the chair. 



transverse harrow, seed sower and roller combined. 

 Edward Badlam exhibited and explained a beautiful model of 

 a new agricultural implement with the above title. It has a 

 single wheel in front and a large roller in the rear. It is drawn 



