Semi-weekly interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1881-1905, 1883-07-03


Nov cable Messages are Rece6ed
Uu,il the forepart Of November the
French cable. having its terminus at
North Eastman, Mass, employed the
flash system of signaling. Now the
cable Is worked duplex on the Stems
system, using an automatic recorder,
by which the messages are received
in ink on narrow strip Of paper.
BY the system which has been dis
placed the messages we're spelled out
by flashing a ray Of light back and
forth across a standard line. the right
and left flashes corresponding with
tue dots and dashes of the ordinary
telegraphic alphabet. In this system
the light is flashed by reflection from
an extremely light mirror, which is
turned to right and left by the oppos
ing influences Of positive and negative
impulses. This system has the adj.
vantage Of being operated with slight
electric impulse, but also the disadvan-
tage Of leaving no permanent record.
To secure the latter very important
end the recording instrument has been
adopted.
A recent visitor 10 Hearts Content
describes as follows the method Of re.
ceiving messages at that point. The
recorder is horseshoe magnet, cleo
tri6ed by the usual circles Of fine wire,
and attracting a small metallic coil.
The coli is hung between the magnet
ic poles, aud by light lever and a
thread almost as fine as the strand Of
a cobweb is connected with delicate
siphon hung in a little reservoir of
ink. The ink is electrified, 80 as 10
produce a repulsion Of the particles,
making il dow more readily through
the siphon, which outside is about the
size Of a darning neeile, and the into
rior tube scarcely larger than hair.
The lower end Of the siphon rests
against paper tape playing perpen'
dicularly through rollers The whole
machine is almost Of gossamer fine.
ness and hexibility, so as to minimize
the electric strain necessary for work
ing the cable.
Let US imagine now that a coming
message has been signaled from far
across the ocean at Nalentia The
operator at first opens the simple ma
chinery that works the brass rollers.
On the centre of the tape, as it passes
between the rollers, the siphon at first
marks only straight line. Suddenly
the line swerves TO the right or left.
The message has started, and the end
of the siphon has begun its record.
Worked by two keys, and positively
or negatively electrified, the coil.
swings the siphon point now TO one
side, now to the other, along the tare.
Responsive TO the trained hand of the
operator, the iilament Of ink marks
out one notch, two notches, three
notches; then suddenly It may be a
high elevation or depression, until the
delicate line traced on the tape looks
like the tiny outline Of a mountain
range.
But it is a range whose very hilltop,
peak and valley means an alphabetical
symbol to the telegrapher's eye. The
recorder is the invention Of the famous
electrician Sir William Thomson.
How delicate an interpreter it is may
be inferred from the fact that ten jars
work 1900 miles of cable between
Valentia and Hearts Content, while
twenty-five jars OF the same electric
power would be needed to work $50
miles of land wire; in other words,
the recorder is more than twelve times
as efficient for its purpose rs the ordi-
nary Morse instrument. The record
or traces its character on the tape
about as fast as slow penman copies
a letter. Besides its delicacy of work,
the recorder, as its name imports, has
the merit Of leaving the record of the
message.
LEr THE PEOPLE REMEMBER.-Let
the people remember that the Federal
government is collecting more money
than il can honestly and economically
spend; that in the surplus lies tempta'
ton 10 extravaganza and iobbery; that
avarv ACT Of misOovarnmant of the re-