To the Hon. F. O. J. SMITH, _Chairman of the Committee on Commerce of the House of Representatives._ [13] It is proper that I should here state, that the patent-right is now jointly owned, in unequal shares, by myself, Prof. Gale of New York City University, and Messrs. Alfred and George Vail. No. 9. _Letter from S. F. B. Morse to Hon. F. O. J. Smith._ WASHINGTON, _February 22, 1838_. DEAR SIR: I have endeavoured to approach a proper estimate of the expense attendant on preparing a complete telegraphic communication for some distance; and taking into consideration the possibility that the experiment may be conclusively tried before the close of the present session of Congress, I have thought that an appropriation for fifty miles of distance would test the practicability of the telegraph quite as satisfactorily as one hundred, because the obstacles necessary to be overcome would not be more proportionally in fifty than in one hundred; while, at the same time, the _double circuit_ necessary in the fifty miles would give a _single circuit_ of one hundred for the purpose of testing the effect of distance upon the passage of electricity. Fifty miles would require a less amount of appropriation, and the experiment could also be sooner brought to a result. Two hundred miles of wire, or wire for two circuits for fifty miles of distance, including the covering of the wire with cotton, at $100 per mile, $20,000 Other expenses of preparation of the wire, such as caoutchouc, wax, resin, tar, with reels for winding, soldering, &c., say $6 per mile, 1,200 Batteries and registers, with type, &c., for two stations, and materials for experimenting on the best modes of magnets at long distances, 800 Services of Professor Gale in the chemical department; services of Mr. Alfred Vail in the mechanical department; services of assistants in different departments; my own services in superintending and directing the whole—total 4,000 —————— Total, [14]$26,000 ======= This estimate is exclusive of expense necessary to lay down the wire beneath the ground. This is unnecessary until the previous preparations are found satisfactory.