St. Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1845-1863, 1861-08-30
REPORTING BY SOUND,


described by an English weekly journal
Il 10 French Invention. Such thing,
in the advanced state Of science may B,
possible-we doubt it, however:
Among all the marvels Of mechanical
ingenuity which arc being daily brough,
to perfection none are more interesting
than those which aim nj the accomplish
mcnt Of some ts.k apparently requiring
intellect. in addition to mere mechanical
dextcsity. for its execution. 1t is difficult
70 ccaeeiye . mechanical operation which
requisca greater exercise Ut intellect than
that Of verbatim reporting by means oi
shers-hsnd. Yet even this art see,us like
y. before long, to be supplanted. Fo'
several years Frcpch savan, n. L. Scott
has been engaged in experiments on III.
fixation Ut sound upon prepared tablet,
in the sssne way - photography 6xcs
luminous images; and has met with con-
siderable success in this new art, which
h. has named Ph"nautogrsphy. At the
last sitting Of the French Acsdc,ny Of
Science, short communication Was made
BY the discoverer, in consequence Of the
publication Of some experiments in the
same direction made by other gsnilc,pen.
This communication was devoted
chiefly to description Of certain illustra-
tions laid before the members, and would
be unintelligible to the general reader
without the diagram and knowledge OF
what had previously been accomplished
hy Mr.. Scott. The subject. however,
being Of immease Importance. and likely
NOW to attract great attention, aud having
ourselves watched its development foI
several years. ~ we'll as having had many
opportunities Of inspecting the ph"no.
graphic representations of sound auto.
grsphieally recorded by Mr.. SCOTS in.
strument. a short account of what has al.
ready been done BY this physicist will per.
haps be considered uf interest.
The problsm which first required solu.
ton Was the artificial construction Of Oh
car, by means-of tubes and diaphragms
20, .s;to Initiate, Is nearly ~ possible, the
human cor ID its power Of collecting
sounds of evsry degree Of intensity, and
trsnsnaitAing them 70 delicate membrane
placed 1t the extremity. After numerou,
essays On apparatus Vas constructed which
possessed the above qualifications; til,
nembraas VAS seen to Nitrate visibly, aud
n . different manner, With each audible
ssuud q note; aud il /. pen or style were
fastened 70 this membrane lie point would
traes.the wonderfully beautiful aud com.
Plieated curves and circles appersaiuing to
The. slemeats- Of sound.
The pext. difkeulty consisted 10 finding
= sensitive surface upon Which this style
could mark the imprint Of its movements;
for the vibrations. ef the aerial pen were SO
Aelic.te that II any spprsciable force were
required to effect the Transcription, the
renaissance would. 1t ocoe stop all move.
snsut. This difficulty was At last over
como by emplosine !, stsip of thin psper.
npon which vas depsuissi . flm of la,np.
black Obtained from the smoke Of burning
bodies, This sentative surface is carried
along By clock-wosk agency, in front q
the vibsstius, stsle. 20 that the successive
movements ~ The latter .h.ll not ;mn;ros
ON the Other. vhen the remit is 4 ser;es q