Letter from Alfred Vail to Samuel Morse, January 11, 1857
ID: SIA2011-0814 (front) and SIA2011-0815 (back)
Creator: Vail, Alfred
Form/Genre: Letters (correspondence)
Date: January 11, 1857
Citation: Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 7055, Box 2, Folder: 2
Usage Conditions Apply
The Smithsonian Institution Archives welcomes personal and educational use of its collections unless otherwise noted. For commercial uses, please contact photos@si.edu.Summary
Alfred Vail writes to Samuel Morse, saying that he has seen another article injurious to himself, regarding his book and Joseph Henry's work. He requests of Morse a copy of his 1846 letter to Joseph Henry. He also inquires about several legal matters dealing with his invention of the electromagnetic telegraph: Mr. Ellsworth's activity in the case against Francis Orman Jonathan Smith; the claim against Livingston and Wells; and the case against Bain.
Subject
- Henry, Joseph 1797-1878
- Morse, Samuel Finley Breese 1791-1872
Category
Historic Images of the Smithsonian
Notes
- Alfred Vail was a key partner to American inventor Samuel Morse and is credited with designing the machine and alpha code used in the creation of the electromagnetic telegraph.
- Joseph Henry, first Secretary of the Smithsonian (term 1846-1878), had conducted experiments in electromagnetism relevant to the work of Vail and Morse.
- For Morse's response, see the January 15, 1857 letter (Negative Numbers SIA2011-0816 to SIA2011-0821). For the letter to Joseph Henry enclosed in the January 15 letter, see Negative Numbers SIA2011-0822 and SIA2011-0823. For materials relevant to Vail's work, see Negative Numbers SIA2011-0824 to SIA2011-0830.
Contained within
Smithsonian Institution Archives, Record Unit 7055, Box 2, Folder: 2
Contact information
Institutional History Division, Smithsonian Archives, 600 Maryland Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20024-2520, SIHistory@si.edu
Date
- January 11, 1857
- 19th century
Restrictions & Rights
No restrictions
Topic
- Electric apparatus and appliances
- Telegraph
- Letters
- Inventions
- Science
- Telecommunication
- Electromagnets
- History
- Electromagnetic telegraph
- Electromagnetism
- Science--History
Place
United States
Form/Genre
- Letters (correspondence)
- Document
- Paper
ID Number
SIA2011-0814 (front) and SIA2011-0815 (back)
Physical description
Number of Images: 2; Color: Color; Size: 8.75w x 10h; Type of Image: Document; Medium: Paper