Stout spars, of some thirty feet in height, well planted in the ground and placed about three hundred and fifty feet apart, would in this case be required, along the tops of which the circuit might be stretched." A rough drawing of this plan also appears in the 1832 sketch-book.
It would seem, from a voluminous correspondence, that Professor Fisher was responsible for the failure of the underground system, inasmuch as he did not properly test the wires after they had been inserted in the lead pipe.

Carelessness of this sort Morse could never brook, and he was reluctantly compelled to dispense with the services of one who had been of great use to him previously.

He refers to this in a letter to his brother Sidney of December 16, 1843:-- "The season is against all my operations, and I expect to resume in the spring.

I have difficulties and trouble in my work, but none of a nature as yet to discourage; they arise from neglect and unfaithfulness (_inter nos_) on the part of Fisher, whom I shall probably dismiss, although on many accounts I shall do it reluctantly.

I shall give him an opportunity to excuse himself, if he ever gets here.