Page:The Homes of the New World- Vol. II.djvu/159

Rh which every discovery in natural philosophy is here converted and applied to the public advantage. Your discovery of electro-magnetic power, which led to the invention of the electric telegraph, cannot be made more use of anywhere than in this country. Everywhere along the lines of railroad, from city to city and from state to state, is carried the electric telegraph. Distant cities, persons living in New York and New Orleans converse with each other by means of the electric wire, transact affairs of business—even affairs of marriage, I have heard—and every day are attempted new developments, new applications of those powers, the relationship between which were made known by you. The Americans seem to be particularly attracted by motive powers—by any method of expediting movement and accelerating communication. Anything which can give life and action goes most rapidly “a-head,” as the phrase is, that is to say, finds most favour with them. In the Patent Office, at Washington, where models are preserved of every machine made in the United States, which has been patented, and which amount, if I am not mistaken, to twelve or fifteen thousand—I remarked that the greater number of them were for the acceleration of speed, and for the saving of time and labour. There were also some for the perpetual movement whichnow stand still. Even children seem to feel this passion for moving-machines. I saw on one occasion, a school of boys, during the time they were allowed to rest and to amuse themselves by drawing on their slates. I walked between the benches that I might see the work of the bright-eyed children and the inspiration of the moment. I saw on most of the slates smoking steam-engines, or steam-boats all in movement. But this interest in locomotive machinery has a profound connection with the movement of life itself in this country. Innumerable rivers and streams flow through this country in all directions, and give a greater facility