Weekly Trinity journal., 1878-02-09
NUMBER 6.
TELEGRAPH WITHOUT WIRE.

The Washington correspondent of the
Hartford Times sends the following TO
his paper In these days of telephone
wonders, nothing, lift is within the range
Of anything like probability, surprises us.
Information has reached here recently
that Prof Loomis who has been in tho
mountainous region Of West Virginia for
some months conducting series of ex-
periments with his proposed aerial tee-
graphy, has demonstrated finally that
telcgraphing without wires is practicable.
His manner of operating, which has on
previous occasions been described in this
correspondence, has been indorsed by
many scientists. 1t consists of running
wire to II certain altitude reaching
particular current of electricity, which,
according to Prof. Loomis, can be found
at various heights. At any distance
away, this same current can DO reached
by similar wire, and communication
can be had Immediately. The apparatus
necessary to bring about this wonder Is
very simple and inexpensive. Ithas been
fully ascertnined that telogrOphic COM
muuicAtion res not take place over or
through the wires, but through tho
ground. This Same communication con-
tinucs when these electric currents sup.
piled by nature are used. Prof. Looms
has, as said before, telegraphed to parties
eleven miles distant by merely sending
up kite at each end OF tho distance n
certain height, attached to which in place
Of tho ordinary string was fine copper
wire. When both kites, though eleven
milos distant from each other, touched
the same current, communication WAS
had between them both, and messages
were sent from ono end to the other by
means of the ordinary Morse instrument
invented by Prof. Loomis. This showed
! that the theory on which he had worked
for many years was the correct one, and
that, by the proper means, such as sta
tionary wire arranged from natural or
artificial eminencos, il could be operated
successfully at all times. 1t is true that
aerial teegrnphy may not be- much of ~
certainty during violent storms or cleo
tric showers, but it will not meet with
moro distractions than the ordinary wio
telcgrnphing, which is not at all sure dur
ing the periods spoken of. 1t will be u
long time before orIal tolegraphing can
be carried on between places that are but
n short distance apart, il, indeed, it ever
will. In such cases tho wires will contin-
TIC to be used, though for long distances,
such as for tolegrnphlng from one side of
the ocean to another, tho oral telegraph
ing will take its place entirely. Prof.
Loomis has scheme now on foot fora
series OF ofcXpe7iments from n point on ono
Of the highest peaks on tho Alps, in
Swilzerlnnd, to ii similarly situated place
in the Rocky mountains on this side OF
the world. II this succeeds, OF course his
invention will rank in importance with
that Of tie electric Telegraph Itself, and
be even greater thnn that OF the tcle-
phone. All Of the money necessary to
carry on tho experiments has already
been promised, and it will not bo many
ycars, il 1t turns out TO be snccoss, be-
fore ocean cables will be one Of the lost
arta, as, having played its part, it will bo
laid aside. The cost OF mrial telegraphy
will not be over one cent where the other
is 81 d'Q.