Sometimes in our life there may be meetings, conversations, events, after which we inevitably begin to think differently and rise to a completely new level of development. Samuel Morse, an American sophisticated inventor and gifted artist, experienced something similar. Years after such acute experiences, the electromagnetic writing telegraph and Morse code appeared.
- He was born on April 27, 1791 in Charlestown (USA) in the family of a priest. From a young age he became very interested in drawing. Much later, another love of art will be added to the love of invention.
- Parents made attempts to give Samuel a different education, but they did not lead to the desired result. But all the same, he listened to the lectures on electricity that were given at Yale University with attention - as if he had a presentiment that they could someday serve him well.
- Father and mother were distinguished by their strictness in upbringing and did not approve of hobbies for painting. Despite this, they sent their son to comprehend his favorite art overseas - to the Royal Academy of Arts, which was located in London. There he received a gold medal for good exemplary study. And he returned to his native USA. But it turned out that Americans care very little about painting.
- This situation forced Samuel to change his strategy: instead of large historical paintings, he was forced to paint portraits of people for money. And the work sometimes brought positive results and some success. The portrait, for example, of President Monroe is now famous and is located in the White House.
- Morse was a fairly sociable and active nature, which led to the creation of the American Academy of Design. He was the first to lead it.
- Then the aspiring artist again goes to Europe in order to learn how to properly organize drawing schools. It was there that his fateful meeting awaited: Morse met Louis Daguerre and began to be interested in the latest achievements in the field of electricity.
- Returning home across the ocean on a ship, he accidentally struck up a conversation with one of his fellow travelers about the electromagnet, which was recently invented. The fellow traveler was surprised why, if the current can be made noticeable at the two ends of the wire, messages cannot be transmitted with its help. The artist also thought deeply about this problem. And I found an original solution.
- The first device was made from a simple easel, old paint brushes and watch wheels. It will take many years of the most diligent study and work before it starts to function properly. He invented a special code for the Morse mechanism (Morse code), which later will be further refined by other inventors.
- In early 1838 Morse set up an experiment on an artificial line at the University of New York. People who watched this experiment saw with their own eyes that the new invention and special code really work.
- The first message that was transmitted over the telegraph line between Washington and Baltimore was the short phrase "This is what the Lord did." A significant event happened in 1844.
- After the first successful serious experiments, as is often the case in such cases, legal cases immediately began: between Morse and partners, as well as between Morse and his competitors. But the inventor won all the courts in which he had to get involved.
- To use Morse's extremely useful invention, ten countries in 1858 paid him 400 thousand francs. This amount allowed Samuel to spend the remaining years in warmth and comfort: not far from New York, he acquired a good estate. Now this house is considered a historical monument.
- In old age, Samuel Morse, and he lived for almost 81 years, was carried away by good deeds: he began to help various schools and universities, allocated funds for biblical societies and artists in need.
