The Captain-General of the Island of Cuba has ordered the completion of the telegraph lines contracted for by his predecessor.

The Magnetic Telegraph Company between Washington and NewYork recently declared a dividend equal to four per cent. on the capital stock in the line for the past quarter.

The Western Telegraph Line, from Baltimore to Wheeling, recently declared a dividend. The line on the railroad between those cities is completed.

The St. Louis and New-Orleans Telegraph Line has cleared, over and above all expenses for the past year, about two thousand dollars. Capital stock, $114,000. Col. William Tanner deserves the hearty thanks of the stockholders.

A line of telegraph has been extended from Evansville, Ind., across the Ohio River, to Henderson, Ky.

In the April Number of the COMPANION, we noticed the Fire Alarm Telegraph of New-York City. Since then we have been informed that the telegraph we alluded to was the Police Telegraph, and not for fire purposes. We have not seen the latter, and therefore make the correction.

The Washington and New-Orleans Company is building two hundred miles of second wire, of the very best Swedish iron.

The line from Chattanooga to Nashville, Tennessee, is now progressing, and will be speedily built on the line of the railroad. The poles will be of the best red cedar.j

Buffalo.

The Morse Company has five wires from New-York to Albany and

Passing over the railroad from Washington to Baltimore, a few days since, we observed that there were two wires on the House line poles, and that in Washington there were five wires. Will friend Talcot inform us where the extra three extend?

The French Government has endorsed the bonds of the Submarine Telegraph Company from Spezzia to Corsica and thence to Africa, both for the principal and interest.

The Emperor of Russia takes a great interest in the Atlantic Ocean Telegraph.

There are about four hundred and fifty miles of telegraph in

California.

Dr. Goel is building several branch lines in the eastern part of New-Jersey.

In California, the telegraph lines use a gum insulator. In dry seasons it works well, and in wet it does not.

The Washington and New-Orleans Telegraph Company is clearing about six per cent., for the present fiscal year.

The Maine Telegraph line, from Boston to New-Brunswick, has made, for the past year, sixteen per cent. dividends.

The New-York, Albany, and Buffalo line has been paying for the past fiscal year 9 per cent. dividends.

The first subscribers for stock in the Morse American Telegraph were Messrs. Corcoran and Riggs, of Washington City, for one thousand dollars. This subscription influenced others, and induced the people to examine into the practicability of the telegraph.

The first earning from the sale of patents of the Morse Telegraph was forty dollars, which was contributed by Prof. Morse to the Methodist Episcopal Church, and paid over to Rev. Henry Slicer, in Washington City.

The Morse Telegraph has been chosen by the government of Australia as the most practical system for the official lines, in preference to the Cooke, Wheatstone, and other telegraphs.

The National Telegraph lines, from Philadelphia to St. Louis, averaged about three per cent. dividends for the past quarter.

We are rejoiced to hear that the Erie and Michigan Telegraph line, from Buffalo to Chicago, is now making money, and paying dividends on the stock.

We understand, from Mr. Charles F. Wood, supt., that the line from New-York to Boston is in splendid order, and making money.

The number of telegraph offices in America is 1186.

EXTRACT OF A LETTER FROM H. T. PHILLIPS, OF THE AUGUSTA, ATLANTA, AND NASHVILLE TEL. Co.-Your TELEGRAPH COMPANION I shall recommend to all operators, for its great usefulness. We want your telegraph map as soon as completed.

EXTRACT OF A LETTER FROM W. B. RANSOM, SUPT., SAN FRANCISCO, CAL. -We use the Grove battery, for we know we can rely upon it. California in the dry seasons is the finest country in the world for telegraphing. I am very much pleased with the TELEGRAPH COMPANION.

SHAFFNER'S

TELEGRAPH COMPANION,

DEVOTED TO THE SCIENCE AND ART OF THE

MORSE AMERICAN TELEGRAPH.

VOL. I.

JUNE, 1854.

Art. I.-PROFESSOR MORSE-THE TELEGRAPH.

No. 6.

AMONG the distinguished men whose genius has irradiated some of the most intricate paths of modern science, or, rather, which has made valuable additions to the list of sciences, conspicuous stands the subject of the present sketch. Immortal fame has been won a thousand times in the same channelwon by plodding, imitative, secondary minds. The Englishman, or the Frenchman who writes as well as Horace, though Horace may have been his master, and even his daily tutor, is commended for his originality. The soldier, who fights like Alexander, though his ambition may have been aroused, and his courage stimulated by the lessons of Plutarch, will go down to future ages as a hero born. But, while honors like those await the rhyming multitude and the destroyers of mankind, even the name of our subject is not a familiar word, except among men of learning. Morse accomplished what neither the genius of ancient, nor that of modern times, attempted: HE MADE THE LIGHTNINGS OF HEAVEN THE VEHICLE OF THOUGHT: yet how few are aware that he still lives, or that he has lived at all. He is even alluded to by one of the biographers as "an American artist, better known, perhaps, as the inventor of the electric telegraph!"—as though an invention like this were not to be accounted a matter of particular importance.

Samuel Finley Breeze Morse is the eldest son of the first American geographer, Rev. Jedediah Morse, and was born on the 29th of April, 1791, in Charlestown, Massachusetts. His great grandfather, on his mother's side, was Dr. Samuel Finley,

a man of eminent learning, and once a president of Princeton college. The name of Breeze, he derived from his mother. He received an excellent education at Yale, under the tuition of the celebrated Dr. Dwight-graduating in 1810. Having, from early youth, exhibited a very strong inclination to the fine arts, and particularly to the art of painting, of which branch he was, indeed, passionately fond, his father determined to give him an opportunity to acquaint himself with the master-pieces of the old world; and he accordingly visited London, in the year 1811, in company with Washington Allston, Esq., one of the most talented artists of his time. Soon after Morse's arrival in London, Mr. C. R. Leslie came to the city for the purpose of prosecuting his studies in the same profession. Morse and Leslie roomed together at No. 8, Bucking ham Place, Fitzroy Square, a house which, for thirty years, had been the residence of American artists. The warmest friendship grew up between them, which has continued until the present time. Morse was recommended to West and Copley, from whom he received every attention. The service rendered the youthful artist by the former gentleman, is strongly illustrated by the following authentic anecdote :-" Morse, anxious to appear in the most favorable light before West, had occupied himself for two weeks in making a finished drawing from a small cast of the Farnese Hercules. Mr. West, after strict scrutiny for some minutes, and giving the young artist many commendations, handed it again to him, saying, 'very well, sir, very well, go on and finish it.' 'It is finished,' replied Morse. 'Oh no,' said Mr. West, 'look here, and here, and here,' pointing to many unfinished places which had escaped the untutored eye of the young student. No sooner were they pointed out, however, than they were felt, and a week longer was devoted to a more careful finishing of the drawing, until, full of confidence, he again presented it to the critical eyes of West. Still more encouraging and flattering expressions were lavished upon the drawing, but on returning it the advice was again given, very well, indeed, sir, go on and finish it.' 'Is it not finished?' asked Morse, almost discouraged. 'Not yet,' replied West, 'see, you have not marked that muscle, nor the articulations of the finger joints.' Determined not to be answered by the constant go and finish it,' of Mr. West, Morse again diligently spent three or four days re-touching and renewing his drawing, resolved if possible to elicit from his severe critic an acknowledgment that it was at length finished. He was not, however, more successful than before; the drawing was acknowledged to be exceedingly good, 'very clever, indeed; but all its praises were closed by the repetition of the

เ

advice, well, sir, go and finish it.' I cannot finish it,' said Morse, almost in despair. Well,' answered West, 'I have tried you long enough; now, sir, you have learned more by this drawing than you would have accomplished in double the time by a dozen half-finished beginnings. It is not numerous drawings, but the character of one, which makes a thorough draughtsman. Finish one picture, sir, and you are a painter.'"

The subject of the first portrait of Morse was his friend, and the subject of Mr. L.'s first portrait was Morse. They painted each other in dashing, fancy costume; both the portraits are at the house of their ancient hostess. Making rapid advances in his profession, he exhibited, in 1813, at the Royal Academy, his colossal picture of "The Dying Hercules." A plaster model of this subject, intended merely to assist the author while engaged upon the painting, was awarded the prize in sculpture the same year. When this model was shown to West, he called his son, Raphael, and pointing to it, said, 'look there, sir, I have always told you any painter can make a sculptor." In reference to the picture of Morse, one of the journals of the day remarks: "of the academicians, two or three have distinguished themselves in a pre-eminent degree; besides, few have added much to their fame, perhaps, they have hardly sustained it; but the great feature in this exhibition is, it presents several works of very high merit by artists with whose performances, and even with whose names, we are unacquainted. At the head of this class are Messrs. MONROE and MORSE."

Stimulated by his success to greater exertions than he had ever made, he determined to contend for the premium offered the following year in historical composition. The premium was a gold medal and fifty guineas; the subject, "The Judg ment of Jupiter in the case of Apollo, Marpessa, and Idas.' This composition was exceedingly difficult, and required intense application for a considerable length of time; but by great diligence the picture was completed several months be-. fore the period appointed for the decision. Our young painter, however, having been absent four years, found himself under the necessity of leaving England before enjoying an opportunity of competing with the other candidates for the prize; he did not come away, though, without an expression of opinion from

"When Mr. West was painting his 'Christ Rejected,' Morse calling on him, the old gentleman began a critical examination of his hands, and at length said let me tie you with this cord, and take that place, while I paint in the hands of our Saviour. Morse of course complied-West finished his work, and releasing him, said, 'you may say now, if you please, you had a hand in this picture.","

1