mericans carry less sail than we do, for
the sake of increasing the speed. As to relative comfort on board the
two boats, an American gentleman, who had made several voyages, told me
the only difference he ever discovered was, the same as exists between
the hotels of the respective countries.--To return to litigation.

Another claim frequently set up in America is the invention of the
telegraph. Even in the Census Report--which I suppose may be considered
a Government work--I read the following:--"It is to American ingenuity
that we owe the practical application of the telegraph. While the honour
is due to Professor Morse for the practical application and successful
prosecution of the telegraph, it is mainly owing to the researches and
discoveries of Professor Henry, and other scientific Americans, that he
was enabled to perfect so valuable an invention." It is difficult to
conceive a more unblushing piece of effrontery than the foregoing
sentence, which proclaims throughout the Union that the electric
telegraph in its practical working is the invention of one American, and
in its scientific details the invention of other Americans, neither of
which assertions has truth for its basis, and consequently the
superstructure is a fiction--the only available excuse for which would
be, that the writer had never heard of what was going on in Europe. Had
he taken the least trouble to inquire into the subject before he wrote,
he never would--it is to be hoped--have so grossly deceived his
countrymen.

He might have easily ascertained that such men as Oersted, Ampere,
Arago, Sturgeon, had mastered in detail the various scientific
difficulties that stood in the way of the accomplishment of the
long-desired object; and he might also have known that Cooke in England
and Stienhiel in Germany had both overcome the practical difficulties
before Professor Morse had enlightened the Republic with his system,
which--like Bain's--is simply another method of producing the same
result--i.e., telegraphic communication.

Mr. Cooke took out his patent in conjunction with Professor Wheatstone,
whose attention had long been turned to this subject, and whose name has
been so much before the public, that not a few persons attribute the
telegraph to him exclusively. There was, indeed, some dispute between
them as to their respective claims, and the matter was referred to Sir
I. Brunel and Professor Daniell for arbitration. The burden of their
decis