The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1878-06-20
THE MICROPHONg.
How Prof. Hughes Discovod the Hleany OF
Masnifying So"nds-The Tramp OF n Fly
DistinctIy Audible.


A paper lately read before the Royal
Society announces the invention. by
Prof Hughes, of this astonishing instru-
ment or apparatus, which opens TO our
cars univese of sounds hitherto inaudi-
ble-just as the microscope revealed a
world of minute life and structure un.
known before. Like Mr.. Edison. Prof
Hughes was one day employing the tele.
phone for acoustic experiments, He
wished TO investigate the effect of sono.
rous vibrations upon tho electrical be-
havior of conductors, led to this idea by
the way In which selenium is known to
become electrically affected by light, and
also by the researches of Sir William
Thomson upon the electrical conduct of
strained wires. Tho Professor had
stretched wire OH his telephone circuit,
and, thouGi: he talked and plucked at it,
no effect followed until 1t broke. At
that moment the telephone uttered sort
OF "shh." which was very curious. He
placed the broken ends together under
weight, and obtained again faint sounds,
which were improved when the wires
were connected by iron nails. or steel
watch chain-the more pece9 ant more
diverse in substance from inc conductor
seemingly the better. Experimenting
still further with his broken circuit, es-
pecially in the direction of this whisper
from. Science about more pieces" he
found metallic powder or fine metal
filings wonderfully augment the power of
transmitting sounds; while shot, in n
bright condition, platinum, carbon, and
mercury also gave good results, particu-
larly the last. Following up this clue,
Prof. Hughes hit upon q plan of sls-
pending finely divided mercury in stick
of charcoal by heating the latter and
plunging IL into quicksilver, whereupon
the charcoal becomes infiltrnted with the
mercury in minuteat but continuous pes
ticles. Inserting "transmitter" of this
sort in his circuit an absolutely amazing
sensitiveness to sound, as we'll ~ power
Of conveying it with the utmost fidelity,
was displayed by the apparatus. A
touch of the finger on the vibrating
plate was conducted to the speaking end
In volume of vibration like the rustic of
forest; the stroking Of cAmel's hair
brush on @ card was mngnihl1 into the
sound of loud whisper; the beating OF
pulee Or the tick of watch was found
to pass with perfect clearness through q
resistance representing hundred miles
OF space; and, when n fly happened to
walk over the plate, the tramp of it's feet
was most distinctly caught, like that OF
some six legged horse trotting, and IL
was, moreover, heard to trumpet from it's
raised proboscis like an elephant in an
! Indian jungle. Sounds, in fact. totally
insudible before to human ears were ar.
rested and reported by this simple and
accidental expedient Of interrupting the
electrical circuit with finely divided
conducting material. There is almost
no doubt that the perfected microphone
gill convoy to as that hidden ripple oi
the sap ria;rg il growing .rees and
plants, which Humboldt said might be O
continuous melody in the auditory or
gans of earth's smallest creatures, Lon
don Telegraph.