The Age of Invention | Page 7

the water-wheel and the rudimentary blast-furnace. The pendulum
clock appears to have been an invention of the Middle Ages. The art of
printing from movable type, beginning with Gutenberg about 1450,
helped to further the Renaissance. The improved mariner's compass

enabled Columbus to find the New world; gunpowder made possible its
conquest. The compound microscope and the first practical telescope
came from the spectacle makers of Middelburg, Holland, the former
about 1590 and the latter about 1608. Harvey, an English physician,
had discovered the circulation of the blood in 1628, and Newton, an
English mathematician, the law of gravitation in 1685.
If Franklin's desire to continue his scientific researches had been
gratified, it is possible that he might have discovered some of the
secrets for which the world waited until Edison and his contemporaries
revealed them more than a century later. Franklin's scientific reputation
has grown with the years, and some of his views seem in perfect accord
with the latest developments in electricity. But he was not to be
permitted to continue his experiments. He had shown his ability to
manage men and was to be called to a wider field.
Franklin's influence among his fellow citizens in Philadelphia was very
great. Always ostensibly keeping himself in the background and
working through others, never contradicting, but carrying his point by
shrewd questions which showed the folly of the contrary position, he
continued to set on foot and carry out movements for the public good.
He established the first circulating library in Philadelphia, and one of
the first in the country, and an academy which grew into the University
of Pennsylvania. He was instrumental in the foundation of a hospital. "I
am often ask'd by those to whom I propose subscribing," said one of
the doctors who had made fruitless attempts to raise money for the
hospital, "Have you consulted Franklin upon this business?" Other
public matters in which the busy printer was engaged were the paving
and cleaning of the streets, better street lighting, the organization of a
police force and of a fire company. A pamphlet which he published,
"Plain Truth", showing the helplessness of the colony against the
French and Indians, led to the organization of a volunteer militia, and
funds were raised for arms by a lottery. Franklin himself was elected
colonel of the Philadelphia regiment, "but considering myself unfit, I
declined the station and recommended Mr. Lawrence, a fine person and
man of influence, who was accordingly appointed." In spite of his
militarism, Franklin retained the position which he held as Clerk of the
Assembly, though the majority of the members were Quakers opposed
to war on principle.

The American Philosophical Society owes its origin to Franklin. It was
formally organized on his motion in 1743, but the society has accepted
the organization of the Junto in 1727 as the actual date of its birth.
From the beginning the society has had among its members many
leading men of scientific attainments or tastes, not only of Philadelphia,
but of the world. In 1769 the original society was consolidated with
another of similar aims, and Franklin, who was the first secretary of the
society, was elected president and served until his death. The first
important undertaking was the successful observation of the transit of
Venus in 1769, and many important scientific discoveries have since
been made by its members and first given to the world at its meetings.
Franklin's appointment as one of the two Deputy Postmasters General
of the colonies in 1753 enlarged his experience and his reputation. He
visited nearly all the post offices in the colonies and introduced many
improvements into the service. In none of his positions did his
transcendent business ability show to better advantage. He established
new postal routes and shortened others. There were no good roads in
the colonies, but his post riders made what then seemed wonderful
speed. The bags were opened to newspapers, the carrying of which had
previously been a private and unlawful perquisite of the riders.
Previously there had been one mail a week in summer between New
York and Philadelphia and one a month in winter. The service was
increased to three a week in summer and one in winter.
The main post road ran from northern New England to Savannah,
closely hugging the seacoast for the greater part of the way. Some of
the milestones set by Franklin to enable the postmasters to compute the
postage, which was fixed according to distance, are still standing.
Crossroads connected some of the larger communities away from the
seacoast with the main road, but when Franklin died, after serving also
as Postmaster General of the United States, there were only
seventy-five post offices in the entire country.
Franklin took a hand in the final struggle between France and