The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-11-16 00:00:00

THE TELEPHONE.

Some interesting and valuable experiments on elec-
tric telephony were conducted on Monday between
Norwich and London over a wire 115 miles long, and
under most adverse circumstances of bad weather and
powerful induction from neighbouring wires. These
experiments had for their object the confirmation of
some extraordinary statements that had appeared in
the American journals respecting the ability of the
carbon telephone, one of Mr. Edison's numerous in-
ventions, and, perhaps, one of the most important, to
work over great distances and under conditions
fatal to other systems—conditions which, up to
the present time, have been the chief obstacle
in the practical use of electric-telephony. Messrs.
J. and J. Colman, possessing one of the longest
private Wires in use for commercial purposes in
this country, placed it at the disposal of Mr.. Edison's
representative. This wire stretches from Messrs.
Colman's works at Norwich to their office in Cannon-
street, a distance of a little over 115 miles. The wire
runs on the same poles as the numerous other wires of
the Great Eastern Railway, and is carried overhead
from the terminus in London to Cannon-street. At
four o'clock the experiments began, and the incessant
crackling and bubbling sounds in the receivers revealed
the fact that the adjoining telegraphic wires were at
their busiest, and that induction could hardly be
worse. Nevertheless, the first exclamation uttered
into the hastily adjusted carbon telephone at Norwich
was heard perfectly in the counting-house at Cannon.
street. Conversation then ensued between the two
places ; some words were at first lost, but after a few
simple adjustments conversation was carried on with-
out difficulty, the American accent of Mr. Adams, Mr.
Edison's protessional assistant, who had charge at the
Norwich end, being distinctly recognizable in London.
Remarks passed on the weather showed that a storm
of sleet was going on at both ends, and the insultation
therefore almost at its worst. One or two important
facts were noticeable in these experiments—namely,
that the adjustments once made, no further change
was found necessary, and that conversation was best
heard when carried on a little below the ordinary tone
of the voice. Later on, towards nine o'clock in the
evening, induction disturbances grew less, but were
still considerable; the voices from Norwich were
louder, and the individuality of the speakers more
marked.

Remarkable as these experiments were, they appear
to be outstripped by what has been achieved in America
through the same instruments. According to a recent
wolk by Mr. Prescott, the chief electrician of the
Western Union Telegraph Company of America, the
carbon telephone has been successfully used "when in.
eluded in a Morse circuit ; " and further "that several
stations could exchange business telephonically upon a
circuit that was being worked quadruplex ' without
disturbing the latter." The same authority states
that the carbon telephone has been tried with success
over a wire 720 miles in length.
Mr. Edison, not content with the achievements just
indicated, has lately made a new and improved re-
ceiver to his instrument, of which, he says, in a recent
letter to Colonel Gouraud, that by its means
" B Achelor " (one of Mr. Edison's assistants) "heard
a whisper last night 151 t. away from the receiver, and
ordinary conversation comes out almost as loud as origi-
nally spoken." If th is rece i ver proves as practicable as the
carbon transmitter, a new era has opened in electric-
telephony, and soon we may hope to have the speeches
in the House of Commons heard at all the clubs in the
metropolis.—Tuesday's Times.