Page:Hamel Telegraph history England 1859.pdf/15

11 of the meetings of the Institute, and have found that Baron Larrey was in his letter—as also afterwards in a printed statement—incorrect with regard to the date; he presented the telegraph on the 5th December, 1809.

Under this date the following entry is made: “M. Larrey, au nom du Docteur Soemmerring, professeur à Munic, présente un télégraphe à pile galvanique qui peut servir la nuit.” The Institute appointed Biot, Carnot, Charles, and Monge (who were all four present at the meeting) to examine the apparatus, and to report upon it, but, although I have carefully looked over all the journals for nearly two years following, I have found no report. Biot, the only surviving one of the four members appointed to examine the telegraph, and to whom I have spoken on the subject, cannot recollect the reason why no report was made. Soemmerring received his telegraph back on the 12th of May, 1811, full 18 months after having entrusted it to Larrey.

The reason why Soemmerring’s contrivance received so little attention in France, may have been that the optical telegraph lines, established by the Chappes, were considered to answer sufficiently well.

Larrey inserted in the number for April, 1810, of the