The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-05-23
MIAMlSRURG.
PREACHING BY TELEPHONE,
Listening to Preacher at q Dis-
tancc of Thirty-sux Miles.

lhHlcHcster buaG dlan, April 10.
A number of gentlemen-electricians
and others-met on Sunday morning at
the office of Mr.. E. G. Warburton, Su-
perintendent Engineer Lancashire &
Yorkshire Railway Company's Telegraph
Department, Manchester, for the pur-
pose of witnessing an interesting expert
ment with the telephone. Their object
was, in fact, by means Of this instrument
to form part of the auditory of the Rev.
DR.. MellOr, who was conducting his
usual service at the Square Congrega-
tional Church, Halifax. One of the Or
dinary conducting wires of the railway
telegraph was used.
1t was fitted at the Manchester end
with four OF Bells telephones, while at
Halifax the wire was extended to DR.,
Mellors chapel, and connected with one
Of Mr.. Louis John Crossey's patent tele-
phone transmitters, which is modifca-
tlon of the microphone of Prof. Hughes.
/ he arrangements at Halifax had been
carried out by Mr. Emmott (Messrs.
Blakey Brothers & Emmott). The dis
tance between Manchester and Halifax
as he wire goes is about thirty-six miles.
Precisely at 1890 O'Clock the service
commenced with the singing of a HYMN,
which was reproduced through the tele-
phone almost perfectly, the sonorous
voice of DR.. Mcllor being heard above
that of the congregation. Afterward
there was prayer and the usual lessons
but we pass at once to the sermon, which
was regarded as the crucial test of the
instrument.
The result was, on the whole, very en-
couraging, though it was made evident
that much remains to be done before this
mode of communication is perfected.
The chief drawback to the success of the
experiment was the induction caused by
the transmission of messages along the
telegraph wires, the wire in connection
with the telephone gathering in the
sound and drowning the voice of the
speaker This difficulty, however, will
be overcome. When the wires were at
rest DR.. Mellor's powerful tones were
heard quite distinctly, but the articula-
ton was not 80 clear, and it was rarely
that whole sentences could be heard. A
dozen or twenty consecutive words might
be caught and the rest were lost, owing,
doubtless, to way which the preacher
seemed to have of lowering his voice at
the end of a sentence. In order not to
expose it to the gaze of the congregation,
the transmitter or microphone was placed
inside the pulpit, almost at the reverend
gentleman's feet, SO that when he leaned
over the pulpit or turned his head in
particular direction, hearing was rem
dered difficult. Had the instrument been
placed before him it is unquestionable
that but for the unhappy trick which the
conducting wire had of gathering in
sounds from the other wires every word
would have been distinctly heard.
The experiments will be prosecuted
further, and it is hoped in the course of
time to introduce the telephone as
means of communication between the
railway signal boxes. 1t is obvious that
it will have for that purpose many ad-
vantages over the telegraph.
After the service conversation was car
ried on between parties at Halifax and |
in Manchester, and the hearing was per-
feet. We may mention that the tele-
phone is an institution in DR.. Mellor's
Chapel, it having for some time been in
successful operation between that place
of worship and the residence of an in
valid lady, about three miles distant.
The tranSmitter used was the same one
with which the telegraph wire was con-
nnpta1 on Sunday