Editorial.

OUR ABSENCE TO EUROPE.-Ere the present number reaches many of the subscribers, we shall probably be in Europe. We sail about the middle of May, and will be gone about six weeks or two months. Owing to this absence, the June and July numbers of the COMPANION will be issued together, immediately after our return. We hope the subscribers will be satisfied with this arrangement. We promise to tell them much news about the telegraph, in numbers to be issued after we get home. We go to Europe on telegraph business, and expect to be able to inform the American telegraphers all the news pertaining to the art, that can be gathered from the practice and experience of those engaged in the business across the Adieu.

ocean.

MR. REID ON THE OCEAN LINE.-In the January Number of the Review, the Editor, Mr. Reid, expresses himself very frankly that he will not give the subject of the Ocean Telegraph any "serious faith." We do not object to his determination. But let us look at his reasoning for a moment.

He says, viz.:-"Would Mr. S. risk a cable, such as that found necessary to span the inland waters of a mile in width, under which a soft and protecting bottom is so easily found, to the caprices and unknown powers of an under-ocean, where the heaviest cable may float, without gravity to reach the ocean bed?"

Now Mr. Reid may be very correct; then, again, he may be as far from the facts in the case as the poles of the earth are from each other. Above, we have given Mr. R.'s opinion of the ocean, that the "cable may float without gravity," &c. Lieut. Maury has for many years studied the ocean currents, and probably understands the question better than any other gentleman. Here is what he says, viz. :

"From Newfoundland to Ireland, the distance between the nearest points is about 1,600 miles; and the bottom of the sea between the two places is a plateau which seems to have been placed there especially for the purpose of holding the wires of a submarine telegraph, and of keeping them out of harm's way. It is neither too deep nor too shallow; yet is so deep that the wires, but once landed, will remain for ever beyond the reach of vessels' anchors, icebergs, and drifts of any kind, and so shallow that the wires may be readily lodged upon the bottom."

Here we have the opinion of Mr. Reid, that the cable "would float," and the opinion of Lieut. Maury that it "would sink to the bottom of the ocean." The former gentleman has certainly spoken before his time on this question.

Whether or not the scientific world will cease all efforts to cross the ocean with a cable, influenced by the arguments of Mr. Reid, time alone will determine.

Again Mr. Reid says—

"To connect this mighty cable on the high seas, though apparently of small matter, may have in it the elements of great danger."

From these remarks, we judge that he contemplates great storms, and high seas; but is he not aware that the storms of the seas have become a matter within the computation of man? Do not vessels now make their voyages in much less time than in years gone by? Is not this grand consummation the result of a knowledge of the localities of the storms, and of the time to avoid them? In this, Mr. Reid is far behind the age. He started with the telegraph; but science has passed him, while perhaps he was sitting beneath some stately pine in the sunny South, "while the gentle zephyr wafted the tiny leaves of the fragrant rose by his side." While he gazed upon the rose, admiring its beauties, science passed, thinking him a wearied and worn-out pilgrim by the wayside.

Mr. Reid says:

"The British cable was made in twenty days and nights. Our transatlantic cable would therefore be completed, at the same rate, in twelve hundred days-say four years."

In answer to this, we have the opportunity to say that a substantial firm stands ready to finish the 1,600 miles in three months. We hope this will dispel his fears on the question as to time required in making the cable. Here again our friend is behind the age, particularly in the mechanic arts. The shipping of the cable presents in the mind of Mr. Reid an impossi bility. He says:

"We find that 241⁄2 miles of this cable (the British Channel) weighed 180 tons, or, say seven tons per mile. Our cable would, therefore, weigh 10,500 tons!"

Now, the cables may not be alike; and, to increase his powers of wondering, we will inform him that the proposed ocean cable is expected to be one-fourth larger than the one from which he has taken his data. We do not suppose that there will be any trouble whatever in the employment of a sufficient number of vessels. But Mr. Reid goes still further, viz. :—

"Shall they be sail or steam vessels? Sail vessels evidently cannot be relied upon. The sure decay (?) of steam is indispensable. This being so, how many tons of wire cable, laid in the coiled form necessary for easy paying out, could a vessel hold? Could a vessel of 1,000 tons carry over 500 tons of coil? We think not. If so, it will require nearly twenty-five steamvessels to carry our Atlantic cable!"

As to the use of steam-vessels, and the number of tons each may carry, and the number of vessels, we do not feel inclined to dispute, though in tonnage Mr. Reid is in error. Suppose he is correct in his views on this point, is it any obstacle to putting a cable across the ocean? We care not if it requires fifty vessels to transport and lay the cable! They can be had, even if they have to be built for the purpose; and if it be necessary to build the vessels, they will be most certainly constructed.

Mr. Reid thinks that neither he nor ourself is skilled with engineering talent for so stupendous an undertaking. In this we agree. But does it follow that because neither of us is endowed with the talent, it cannot be obtained in others? Just think of the world standing still, waiting for Mr. Reid and Mr. Shaffner to become capable to manage the progress of science! Such opinions as those uttered by Mr. Reid-a telegraph man-is enough to make the earth groan, the seas froth with anger, and the thunders of heaven descend to the earth and so impregnate his system with brimstone, that old Satan himself will be afraid to admit him within the portals of his la boratory!

J. H. WADE.-An Ohio paper, copying our remarks relative to Mr. Wade, which appeared in the January number, thus endorses what we said of that noble, generous, and sterling gentleman. If the telegraph had none but such, jealousies and ambitious scheming would not curse the system. It has been wisely said, that "the want of concert has been the greatest curse of the telegraph :"

"MERITED COMPLIMENT.-The deserved tribute paid in the following paragraph to one of the most energetic and excellent telegraph managers in the Union, we copy from the January number of the TELEGRAPH COMPANION, an able work, devoted exclusively to the large and growing interests of that important invention, now so essential in the common business and social transactions of everyday life.

Mr. SHAFFNER, the Editor, and writer of the article, is an old telegrapher himself, and every way competent to give an opinion on the subject worth something. After an intimate and agreeable business connection of several years with Mr. Wade, we are proud to consider him as our personal friend, and prepared-glad of the opportunity-to endorse all that is said of him."

MERITED COMPLIMENT.-We copy the following from a Wheeling paper. The compliment was well deserved, and we are glad to see such a manifestation of good feeling from a noble body of young gentlemen to one of the worthiest of Telegraph Presidents.

"A HANDSOME COMPLIMENT.-We mentioned the other day, that the operators of the Western Telegraph Company had presented their President, GEORGE R. DODGE, Esq., with a handsome token of their esteem, in the shape of a gold-headed cane. The cane is appropriately inscribed, and bears the names of all the operators, viz.:-W. H. Heiss, Freeman Brady, George W. Anderson, George M. Deetz, B. F. Kendall, George M. Wil liams, James Patrick, G. A. Hall, O. Tweedy, and Wm. Barrett.

The presentation took place at the Sprigg House, in this city, by Mr. Heiss, Superintendent, who spoke as follows:

Sir-A maxim founded in truth is, that merit wins its reward. I have been selected as the instrument of presenting you some slight testimonial in proof of this truism. My fellow-companions and associate operators of the Western Telegraph Company, over which you preside, have appointed me, in their behalf, to tender you this small, but truthful, evidence of their esteem and regard. The occasion of your re-election, as our presiding head, has seemed to me an appropriate one for the discharge of this agreeable duty. The past has been prolific in its evidences of the deep interest you have

taken in this Company, and of the success which has ensued. You have, sir, triumphed over difficulties almost insurmountable, and now we find the adverse picture transferred into one of prosperity. Patience, long-suffering, and endurance, are the pre-requisites of ultimate success in a new enterprise. These you have endured, and the triumphant result is a crown to your merits. A ship tossed and buffeted at sea, amid storm and tempest, will labor and strain her timbers, but when winds lull and waves cease, the heart is tenfold compensated in beholding a tranquil sea.

You have not now only gotten through the wilderness, and in sight of-but passed over into the promised land. Having, therefore, had a wearisome journey, I present you, in behalf of my companions, with this cane, as a mark of our sincere esteem. May it be a staff to your declining years, and one upon which you may lean, in the full confidence that those who presented it will cherish the recipient's memory, as a green spot in the weary pathway of life.

To which Mr. Dodge replied:

Gentlemen-I accept, with the most pleasurable emotions, this beautiful token of your esteem and approbation, with which you have honored me, and will ever cherish it in remembrance of the kind feeling which has prompted it, rather than from any consciousness of merit on my part.

We have been in intimate association for more than five years, and in all that time you have faithfully performed your duties, sometimes most onerous, and with such cheerfulness and alacrity as to elicit the encomiums of your officers in repeated instances.

To this prompt performance of your duties is, in a considerable degree, the more prosperous condition of the affairs of the Company ascribable, and by your cheerful compliance with its behests we have triumphed over difficulties, as you say, which seemed well-nigh insurmountable; those difficulties are now, I trust, among the things that were, and because we have been earnest in performing our duties.

Let us always, gentlemen, present duty as our motive and goal. Be assured we shall experience our reward while we live, and when death approaches to perform his stern duty, we may meet him, measurably disarmed of his terrors, by the consciousness that we have well performed our duties"

HOUSE'S TELEGRAPH.-A friend writes to us that we "ought to show up the House concern in their proper light, and let the world see the barrenness of their claims for public favor."

Now, this is making a request that we cannot comply with, for several

reasons.

We might write the COMPANION full on that subject, and avail nothing. It would be going beyond the objects of the Magazine. It is true, we profess to be devoted to the Morse Telegraph, and we presume no one will question our fidelity on that point; but in this we did not promise to quarrel with other systems of telegraph.

We hope this will be a sufficient explanation to our friend in the West, and that he will agree with us that there is in our own system enough to engage all the pages of the COMPANION, to bring about a proper and efficient system, calculated to advance the interest of those engaged in the Morse Telegraph.

ROGERS' TELEGRAPH.-On a recent visit to Baltimore, we had the pleasure of witnessing the operation of a new telegraph improvement, invented

by Mr. Henry J. Rogers and C. Westbrook. The improvement consists in tracing the dot and line upon a metallic disc, revolving under a pen point, composed of asbestos. The mark is a distinct black, and the formation of the letters can be perfect.

Its use in connection with the Morse Register might prove of material benefit; of this, however, we could not decide without actual experiment. Mr. Rogers is confident of its great utility, and he certainly is capable of judging, having been in the service long enough to be entitled to great confidence.

THE FIRST TELEGRAPH.-We have frequently said the Morse Telegraph was the first in the world. This assertion is based upon the legitimate meaning of the word.

Morse invented his recording telegraph in October, 1832.

In November, 1835, he had it in practical working order in the building of the New-York University, witnessed by many people.

In the spring of 1837 his combined circuits were in operation.

Early in the summer of 1837, it was worked on a longer wire, and fully demonstrated to the public.

In October, 1837, he filed his caveat.

In October, 1838, he obtained the French Patent.

In 1840, he was granted his American Patent.

In 1844, and on the 27th day of May, the line from Baltimore to Washington was put in operation successfully. It fell to the lot of the amiable and interesting Miss Annie Ellsworth to send the first dispatch, viz. :— "WHAT HATH GOD WROUGHT?"

The line from Portland, Me., to Montreal, is in successful operation.

The Morse and House lines, between New-York and Boston, have raised the tariff between those cities to 40-3.

The Bain Lines in America are as follows, viz. :-From Boston to Portland, and from Boston to Montreal, Canada, with branches to Springfield, Mass., and St. Johnsburg, Vt., from White River Junction.

W. H. Heiss, Esq., has resigned the superintendency of the Western Telegraph Line.

Judge Caton continues as President of the line from St. Louis to Chicago. He has entirely rebuilt the line, and it now bids fair to make money. No one is more capable than the distinguished Judge for the position he occupies.

The line from Louisville to St. Louis is being transferred to the railroad from St. Louis eastward, under the energetic direction of its accomplished superintendent, J. N. Alvord, Esq.

Morse's patent of 1840 expires June 20th next, upon which he has applied for an extension. Of course it will be granted, if justice be the law

in the case.