of England. It was given at the Albion Tavern. Mr. Cooke presided and
introduced the guest of the evening in the following charming speech:--

"I was consulted only a few months ago on the subject of a telegraph for
a country in which no telegraph at present exists. I recommended the
system of Professor Morse. I believe that system to be one of the
simplest in the world, and in that lies its permanency and certainty.
[Cheers.] There are others which may be as good in other circumstances,
but for a wide country I hesitate not to say Professor Morse's is the
best adapted. It is a great thing to say, and I do so after twenty years'
experience, that Professor Morse's system is one of the simplest that
ever has been and, I think, ever will be conceived. [Cheers.]

"It was a great thing for me, after having been so long connected with
the electric telegraph, to be invited to preside at this interesting
meeting, and I have travelled upward of one hundred miles in order to be
present to-day, having, when asked to preside, replied by electric
telegraph 'I will.' [Cheers.] But I may lower your idea of the sacrifice
I made in so doing when I tell you that I knew the talents of Professor
Morse, and was only too glad to accept an invitation to do honor to a man
I really honored in my heart. [Cheers.]

"I have been thinking during the last few days on what Professor Morse
has done. He stands alone in America as the originator and carrier out of
a grand conception. We know that America is an enormous country, and we
know the value of the telegraph, but I think we have a right to quarrel
with Professor Morse for not being content with giving the benefit of it
to his own country, but that he extended it to Canada and Newfoundland,
and, even beyond that, his system has been adopted all over Europe
[cheers]--and the nuisance is that we in England are obliged to