684 KANSAS CITY REVIEW OF SCIENCE. 
and when Mr. McLane introduced me he referred to the fact that, as I had been 
educated at West Point, I might the more readily understand the scientific bear- 
ings of Mr. Morse's invention. The President's ofifice being no place for pro- 
longed conversation, it was agreed that Mr. Morse should take tea at my dwell- 
ing, when we would go over the whole subject. We met accordingly, and it was 
late in the night before we parted. Mr. Morse went over the history of his in- 
vention from the beginning with an interest and enthusiasm that had survived 
the wearying toil of an application to Congress, and with the aid of diagrams 
drawn on the instant, made me master of the matter, and wrote for me the tele- 
graphic alphabet which is still in use over the world. Not a small part of what 
Mr. Morse said on this occasion had reference to the future of his invention, its 
influence upon communities and individuals, and I remember regarding as the 
wild speculations of an active imagination what he prophesied in this connection, 
and which I have lived to see even more than realized. Nor was his conversa- 
tion confined to his invention. A distinguished artist, an educated gentleman, 
an observant traveler, it was delightful to hear him talk, and at this late day I 
recall few more pleasant evenings than the only one I passed in his company. 
Of course, my first visit the next morning was to Mr. McLane to make my 
report. By this time I had become almost as enthusiastic as Mr. Morse himself, 
and repeated what had passed between us. I soon saw that Mr. McLane was 
becoming as eager for the construction of the line to Washington as Mr. Morse 
could desire. He entered warmly into the spirit of the thing, and laughed 
heartily, if not incredulously, when I told him that although he had been Minis- 
ter to England, Secretary of State, and Secretary of the Treasury, his name 
would be forgotten, while that of Morse would never cease to be remembered 
with gratitude and praise. We then considered the question as to the right of 
the company to permit the line to be laid in the bed of the road — the plan of 
construction at that time being to bury in a trench some eight or ten inches deep 
a half-inch leaden tube containing the wrapped wire that was to form the electric 
circuit. About this there was, in my opinion, no doubt, and it was not long after 
that that the work of construction commenced. I met Mr. Morse from time 
to time while he lived, and often recurred to the evening's discussion at my 
house in Baltimore. 
The above is the substance of what I have more than once related to other 
persons. I hope you will persist in your design of putting on paper your own 
very interesting recollections in this connection, and if what I have contributed 
of mine is of service to you, I shall be much pleased. 
Most truly yours, John H. B. Latrobe. 
March 3, 1881. 
