Samuel Morse, the American pioneer of the telegraph, had a wealthy backer called Alfred Vail who was himself a skilled engineer.
So not only was Vail able to provide Morse with financial backing, he was also able to provide production support and expertise.
But Vail was no 'sleeping partner' - he was an innovator and intellect in his own right - and it was Vail, more than Morse, who actually developed Morse Code.
