Whakaotihia te rerenga e whai ake nei: I whakawhiwhia ia hei kaitiaki i te United States Navy. I a ia e mahi ana i te moana, i mahi tuatahi ia i runga i te USS "Richmond", katahi ko te USS "Minnesota". I a ia i Ahia, ka tuhia e Sprague nga korero i tukuna e ia mo te Boston Herald. I a ia i Newport, Rhode Island, i te tau 1881, i waihangahia e Sprague te momo dynamo hurihuri. Whai muri i tana whakawhiti ki te USS "Lancaster", te kaipuke rangatira o te Pakeha Pakeha, i whakauruhia e ia te punaha waea waea hiko tuatahi ki runga i tetahi kaipuke o te United States Navy. I haere atu a Sprague ki te
International Exposition of Electricity of 1881 i Paris me te Crystal Palace Exhibition i Sydenham, Ingarangi i te tau 1882, i reira ia i runga i te kaiwhakawa o nga tohu mo nga miihini hau, dynamos me nga rama.