The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-02-07
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WEDNESDAY =. FEBRUARY 7. 1877.
RICHMOND, Va, February s, 1877.

Rroaxosp. Va, February s. 1871.
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.ro,,gh to tell me, through your columns.
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The Telephone. 50.
TESTING THE NEW lNyENTioS-soas ~oSp l'f"S-
PUL EXPERIMENTS, ETC.
The Boston Transcript OF February l
saws: At noon yesterday dsstanSnsnso
marty OF gentlemen were assembled az tue
Office OF the Boston Rubber Shoe Company,
sar,es q; experiments performed on the
telenhone between the inventor, Professor
A Grsha,n Bell, here, and his associate, Mr..
Thomas A. Watson, OF the residence OF Mr.
Converse. at Maiden, about six miles dis
tant.
The telephone, In ats present form, con-
sist. Of a powerful compound, permanent
magnet, to the poles Of which are attached
ordinary telegraph coils OF insulated wire.
In front OF the poles, surrounded by these
coils OF wire, is placed diaphragm OF iron.
A mouth-piece to converge the sound upon
This diaphragm substantially completes the
arrangement. AS is we'll known, the motion
OF steel or iron in front OF the poles OF
magnet creates current OF electricity in
coils surrounding the poles Of the magnet,
and the duration OF this current OF cleo
tricitv coiuciies with the duration OF the
motion Of the steel or iron moved
or vibrated in the proximity OF the magnet.
When the human voice causes the dsa-
phragm to yibrate, electrical undulations
are induced in the coils environing the
magnets precisely analogous to the undula-
lions Of the air produced by. that voice.
These coils are connected with the line
wire, which may be of any length, pro-
yided the insulation be good. The uudula.
tions which are induced in these coils travel
through the line-wire, and, passing through
the coils OF an instrument OF precisely
similar construction ut the distant station,
are again resolved into air undulations by
the diaphragm Of this instrument.
The simplicity OF Professor BelPs system
will be at once apparent when 1t is known
that the voltaic battery is entirely dispensed
with. All that Is required for communi-
eating between the most distant points are
the instruments and the telegraph wire, the
latter taking the place OF the speaking-tubc
and the former that Of the mouth-pieces.
The short distance which separated Messrs.
Bell and Watson in their experiments yes
terday must by no means be considered a
gauge OF the powers of the instrument, as
any effect produced by electricity over a
short wire can with equal facility be pro-
duced over one extending one hundred, or,
for that matter, one thousand miles,
provided, Of course, that the insula-
ton be good. In fact, the inventors have
already conyersed through an artificial re-
sistance far exceeding that Of any Of the
Atlantic cables. Although to the uninitia-
ted this might seem to imply that conversa-
ton could be carried on across the Atlantic
by this means, yet, as all electricians and
men of science are aware, there are other
elements entering into the consideration Of
such problem besides that of mere resist
ance. As a proof Of the rapid progress
made In this science it may be stated that it
Is only within the past few months that the
instrument has been sufficiently perfected
70 allow OF free and easy conversation
.aKlng place through this new. vehicle.
The experiments yesterday We're as fol-
lows: Telephones having been connected
with the private Geographic line OF the
Boston Rubber Shoe Company, and the
operators ut either end having taken up
their station, conversation was at once
commenced. Stationed at the Boston end
OF the wire, Professor Bell requested Mr..
Watson to speak in loud tones, with view
Of nohiinO fho entire at f0
distinguish the sounds
This was 80 successful that smile Of
mingled pleasure and surprise played on
the features of those present. That it,
however, might not be supposed that loud
speaking was essential to intelligibility. Mr..
Bell explained that soft tones could be heard
across the wires even more distinctly than
loud utterances. even whisper being audi
BILE. In confirmation OF this statement Mr..
Watson commenced speaking in turn with
each member Of the company; and after the
efficiency Of this method had been
proved to the satisfaction Of all he
took up q newspaper and informed
the assemblage that gold had closed
the previous evening at New York at 1866.
As there was quite number of business
men present, the effect that this practical
of the value OF the telephone
produced can scarcely be exaggerated.
Other passages from the daily Journals were
then given, and Sy this time the desire for
having tsscoue general, Mr..
Watson was piled with questions such az,
Is 1t thaWlng or freezing at Malden2 WHO
will be the next President etc., etc. 1t
was remarkable that Mr.. Watson was able
to distinguish between the voices at the
Boston end, he calling at least one gentle
man by name as soon as the latter COM
menced speaking.
At length the company were requested to
remain quiet while lady at the other end
conveyed to them the sweet strains of music.
The assemblage thereupon listened with
rapt attention, while young lady COM
menced singing "The Last Rose Of Sum-
GSer." The effect was simn'v charming.
T Possessing, as the fair cantatrice does, a
voice OF exquisite sweetness, the sounds
penetrated into the Boston end Of the tele-
phone with distinctness equal to that
attainable in the more distant parts Of large
concert-room; and unanimous vote OF
thanks was sent by the handy little instru-
ment which had procured for the assem-
blage so agreeable an hour.
UNIFORM TME.-Most OF the advantages
of uniform time could be secured by a sim
pie device whenever plans for transmitting
Washington time throughout the country
shall be matured. Public clocks could easily
be made to show Washington time as well
as local time by additional hands, which
might be more slender or OF different color
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