ADDRESS OF HON. S. 8. COX. Ill 



gradations to a higher plane, where the genius of his science was 

 consummate. 



Before he began his researches something was known of the 

 electro-magnet. But it was as feeble in its energy as the child 

 who toyed with it. It was little besides soft iron. Henry 

 energized it so as to make its results stupendous and far-reaching. 

 Instead of the insulated bar surrounded by an uninsulated coil, he 

 insulated the wire. He employed many coils and begot the ton- 

 lifting magnet; and lo! there follows in time the telegraph and 

 telephone. This is accomplished simply by the arrangement of the 

 acid and zinc in one way, in his way. He adds to the cells of the 

 battery ; and there is literally no limit in distance for the effect. 

 When he found that the power of the battery must be as the length 

 of the conductor, he so intensifies the iron at such a distance that it 

 gives enchantment to this modern Merlin's magic wand of wire. 

 It was not mere by-play when he made a mechanical motor out of 

 his big magnet, nor in overcoming resistance hitherto insurmount- 

 able, for distance is resistance. It was not a sportive thing to lift 

 a ton by his magnet; nor was it an inconsequential freak when he 

 severed a current and thus dropped heavy weights at a distance. 

 Such experiments made the lightning his familiar, his demon, his | 

 servitor. He lured it into his lecture-room from out of its clouded 

 home in the thunder-storm. He tamed it so that he could bridle, 

 mount, ride, curb, and spur it at will. Thus he planted the germ 

 of a system which now numbers 492,913 miles of intelligent wire, 

 and traverses all climates and dips under all seas. 



He stood upon his vantage-ground not only to signal the world 

 by lightning, but to measure time, calculate longitudes, follow the 

 flight of the cannon-ball, and record the stellar motions and transits. 

 It is a remarkable fact tliat only one improvement in the magnetic 

 system of telegraph has been made since Professor Henry gave it 

 to us. It now transmits more than one message at a time. But 



