Obituary. 151 



wood. In this telegraph, magnetic needles were to replace the 

 pith balls, and were, on deflection by a current transmitted from 

 the sending station through a small helix, to be caused to expose 

 the particular letters intended to be signalled. The alarm was to 

 consist of a small fulminate of silver caps, attached to a separate 

 needle, which, on being deflected, dipped into the flame of a lamp 

 and exploded. He soon saw that by employing reverse currents 

 the number of wires might be reduced to one-half. Other very 

 important improvements followed, enabling him at the commence- 

 ment of 1837 to submit his apparatus to the test of actual experi- 

 ment in Regent's Park, where, with the help of a friend, Mr. Grave, 

 he performed many successful experiments. Becoming alarmed by 

 hearing rumours that Professor Wheatstone was engaged on an 

 electric telegraph, and in order to secure himself priority, he 

 deposited with Mr. Aikin, the secretary of the Society of Arts, a 

 sealed description of his invention in its then state. Davy then 

 added the electrical renewer, or relay, which made his apparatus 

 complete and practical. He had at this time most complete ideas 

 of the capabilities of the electric telegraph, and the best mode of 

 working the stations. A working model embodying all his 

 improvements was shown November to December, 1837, at the 

 Belgrave Institution, London, afterwards from December 29, 1837, 

 to November 10, 1838, in Exeter Hall. He then invented a 

 chemical recording telegraph, which he perfected before December 

 1837. He wished to take out a patent at once for this instrument, 

 but, owing to the opposition of Cooke and Wheatstone, the specifi- 

 cation was not sealed until July 4, 1838. In February 1838 he 

 removed from 390 Strand to 199 Fleet-street, and for some time 

 persistently endeavoured to get the public or the Great Western 

 Railway Company to take the matter up. In 1839 he landed in 

 South Australia, having during the years 1837 to 1838 frequently 

 for private reasons intended leaving England. For the remainder 

 of his life he resided in these colonies, busying himself in 

 acclimatising trees, grasses, &c, the seeds of which he obtained 

 in England. His leisure he filled up with writing news- 

 paper articles on hygiene and other subjects. He also 

 invented and patented " A plan for saving fuel during 

 the process of smelting ores," and was Assay Master of the 

 Melbourne Mint from 1853 to 1855. Davy then tried his hand 

 at farming, and finally settled down at Malmsbury to practise his 

 profession of surgeon. He was highly esteemed and respected in 

 the district, and, to the great regret of all who knew him, died 

 in January, 1885, at the age of 73. Not long prior to his 

 death he had been elected an honorary member of this Society, 

 and also of the Society of Telegraph Engineers, London, thus 

 living long enough to see his claims as an inventor of the electric 

 telegraph recognised both in England and in his adopted home. 



