Page:Hamel Telegraph history England 1859.pdf/66

62 of three sons of the late Rev. Jedediah Morse, known for his geographical publications, having a taste for painting, and wishing to study this art, had for that purpose, from 1811 to 1815, been in England (at London and Bristol). At the close of 1829 he came again to Europe, and went by London and Paris to Rome and Naples, thence back to Paris, where he remained about a year to copy paintings in the Louvre. In the autumn of 1832 he returned from Havre to America.

On board the packet ship, the Sully, there was among other passengers, Dr. Charles T. Jackson, of Boston, who had attended in Paris, besides other lectures, those of Pouillet, at the Sorbonne. I call to mind here that Pouillet the year before, in 1831, had had made his large electro-magnet, which supported the weight of more than one thousand kilogrammes.

During the voyage, which lasted from the 8th of October to the 15th of November, Dr. Jackson repeatedly directed the conversation to the subject of electricity and electromagnetism, which gave occasion to speak about the possibility of electro-magnetic signalising or telegraphing. Dr. Jackson had with him on board a small electro-magnet, which he had bought in Paris, at Pixii fils, and also a