The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-07-16
Another Triumph of Amer
lean Genius.
THE COVER SYSTEM.
Interesting Interview with
the Inventor.
Description of the New Instrument-lts Su-
peror Force and Simplicity.


possible you havn't got the telephone hereG Every
body has one in America" And then follow details
to wholly needless extent. to show how far behind
the times we are In the capital Of civilization. But
the fact is very simply stated There is wise con-
servatism the French character after all. and the
Republic has thus far had the effect Of bringing out
this trait to unexpected degree. Because excess
was looked for restraint regns supreme. Extrav-
Agance was predicted; therefore VIC have modera-
ton. Liberty sure to become license. and SO we
liberty gathering up the reins and bringing the
team TO walk lest somebody be run over. go
wisely slow" is the national policy. and it has acted
upon the introduction of the telephone we'll as
upon other matters. The government. in whose
hands the whole matter rests have found it expedi-
ont to give this lively question careful handling.
for reasons which will appear
TELEGRAPHINa FRANCE.
This is the present state Of things Telegraphic
communication of any kind is wholly government
privilege. Nobody has had the right until within>s
few weeks, to run any sort of teegraphic or tele-
phonic wire except the Department Of Posts and
Telegraphs, which has lately been made portfolio
in the Cabinet. man might run horse on each
side of street. but the law would not allow him to
join them by wire. Anything that crossed high
way was interdictcd. The Department of Posts and
TeleRraphs would build private lines by contract.
that the wire passed through government telegraph
Office, where what was passing the line could be
examined. Lines upon the housetop are forbidden.
with the sole exception Of modest gold and stock
telegraph system, which has leave to run over
the houses because the State telegraphs would
find its currents from two Gramme machines
very bad neighbors in the sewers. (These Gramme
machines the those used for the electric
light, and the current from them would affect all the
other wires within several feet.) In Boston. New
York and Chicago the air is cut and scored with
wires. Paris has hardly one. and means to have no
more THAT visible) If she can help it. All the
vast volume of telegraphs and pneumatic tubes are
hid away. with the gas and water pipes. in those
wonderful sewers. unequalled in the world. Excel
lent place for them says Monsieur the Minister Of
Posts and Telegraphs.
THE TELEPHONE PARIS.
Under this system public telegraphy has become
cheap enough twenty words for twenty cents). and
the pneumatic tubes give the identical
message written by the sender. But private teleg-
raphy has made little progress. and telephon-
ing on any large scale has been out Of the
question. There seemed to be particular
need of the telephone. Neither the man nor
the hour at hand. But the experiments made
at the Exposition took hold on the minds Of pro-
gressive men and won the approval Of the jurors
In it. Imagination in the press let loose upon
1t. Mr. Cookery. the head Of tie telegraph depart
ment. appointed commission to examine and
port upon the telephone systems presented but the
commission either reported at all reported
the hapless telephone into the ministerial waste bas
ket The fact of thousands Of telephones being in
daily use In America made no difference. Are they
not known to be strange people, the Americans? Az
nearly could be known the position of the gov
eminent was that the Bell telephone too weak
in it's voice had good way of calling attention.
while the Edison telephone. which was louder.
quired battery and careful adjustment, and there
fore seemed like another sort OF telegraph instru-
lnent. for which the department saw no particular
necessity Nothing more came to public notice, ex-
cept stray items from the American press abiding
to growth and usefulness which was at
OF once the nresen f~ rear that e the coant d
Monce. of the first living authorities upon cleo
trical matters. presented to his colleagues at the
a..emy OF Sciences, . telephone based upon the
work Professor Bell which had no battery. which
seemed distinct and clear in its utterance q
speaking tube and which made its own signal to
COUNT pu MoNcEL's TELEPHONE.
The telephone had evidently become severely prac-
teal. and the reception given at the Academy
hearty that M. du Moncel repeated the presentation
before several other scientific bodies. Professor
Becquerel did the same at the Conservatoire des
Artes. and Meters and Professor Tyndall made the
instrument the feature of lecture with exper-
iments, at the Royal Institution in London. The
press of Paris took up the matter with interest the
scientific Journals leading off with diagrams and
full descriptions The government ordered elaborate
experiments. The army made tests and
adopted the instrument with delight Several news
put ro.s sns Il nss ps The
complete system of telephone communication
between his Offices and those of his chief
at length 1t has been rumored upon the streets this
week that the government policy or delay had
tine
been granted to the inventor and that Paris might
soon expect to possess a complete telephone system
those acquainted with the previous facts the case
and representative OF the HERALD felt It necessary
to give the matter his attention.
NEW SUCCESSFUL INVENTOR.
The author OF the new telephone. whose name will
American. Mr.. Frederic a. COVER. native Of seds
wick. Me- but for several years residing at Provi-
dcnce, X. L. whore he was well known the associ.
Ne editor Of the Providence Press. He had taken
interest In electrical developments aud the i'm
mense reld opened for the telephone on first making
He At once gave his whole time and study to the
development of the idea, and has worked
two years until he has achieved n success beyond
his expectations. He Is still in appearance under
thirty tall. strongly built athletic is President Of
known among the amateur oarsmen on tho Seine.
Receiving. tle HERALD Representative with easy
courtesy he gave clear an account OF matters that
the interview is here given as nearly as possible II
INTERVIEW WITH MIR. COVER.
ut seems, Mr.. Cover. that the government have
taken step in advance in regard to the telephoneY
Eyes; they appear to be ready to move, at last"
els IL correct. reported that they have author
ICED you to run wires for your telephone notwith-
standing the government monopoly of all electric
communicationY'
THAT Is about the size of it,"
HAS any such privilege ever been granted be-
fore?'
"No; am told that this is the first case OF tho
kind in France"
This seems to be very high compliment to you.
Mr.. Cover. and considering that you are foreigner
astonishing.
United States will be Interested to know about it.
and should be glad to have some particulars"
MR. COVERS IMPROVEMENT
well. the facts are simple enough. Bells tele-
phone was not taken up on any large scale in this
country for two reasons. One that IL not
loud enough, and the other that the patent
fortunately too late to be OF legal value Edison's
telephone. through wonderfully ingenious instru-
ment. required the of battery constant reg
uation. am told that the matter of regulation has
since been much improved, but of course the bat
terry remains, and that IL serious objection in this
country In the pnpillar mind. When came hara In