Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-03-20
The Telephone.
MODERN INVENTION" OVER TWO THoUsANp
YEARS OLD.

YEARS OLD.
From the Graphic.
1.-The principle Of the telephone has been known
for 900 years In India was the rather incredible
statement made last night by Fred Amesbury Who
has just returned to New York after a two years
soJourn In the land Of striped tigers and wonderful
fakira II DO not assert, mark you," continued
Mr. Amesbury, that they use the telephone as we
use II, or that they have any system OF general
caste people have a method OF communicating
with each other by vtbratory action ON q dia-
phrsgm, Just as we do but 1t Is confined entirely
10 tneir temples, and It's existence has remained
secret until Within very few years.
II was In towp called PAM, about 200 miles
with an English ofYicer named Harrington who
was prime favorite with the natives, because on
one occasion be had saved priest from drowning.
that peculiar magnetism about him that made and
kept friends everywhere. 1t was through Har-
rington that was enabled to learn tine existence
OF telephone communication and to satisfy myself
OF its antiquity.
There are two temples in the village about a
mile apart In the interior and on the ground
floor OF each is small circular structure which is
guarded day and night from the natives as well as
from strangers and is supposed to be the abiding
terminus OF the telephone line, which Is laid under.
ground from one building to the other.
line superstitious natives regarded this little
structure with the greatest awe and reverence,
because they had seen demonstrated before their
eyes-or rather ears-the power OF this spirit to
required 10 make their Offering In one building,
anu make known their wishes and desires Then
Immediately repairing to the second temple they
would De informed OF all they had said and done,
although neither priest had left his post This was
regarded as demonstration OF the power OF the
spirit
''We were unable to determine the composition
OF the wire that connected the two buildings 1t
was some kind OF metal, but neither steel, copper
nor brass, although 1t closely resembed the latter.
Tine transmitter was OF wood, and about the size
OF the head of a -four BARREL and to establish con-
nectlOn, instead OF ringing bell, the person wish
Ing 10 attract attention at the other end stood
close TO the curious looking thing and shouted,
Ooey! ooey! oOeyv This was answered by q SIM
liar shout, which, while faint, was distinct and
could DE heard two feet away. After Harrington
and had gained the confidence OF the priests-Or,
ratner after he had-we were given carte blanche
10 DO as we pleased, and we talked to each other
from one temple to the other for more than
an hOur, and were enabled to make an incomplete
investigation. We learned that the telephone that
we saw had been In use Tor thirty years. The
priests were very Old men and they remembered
that the line OF communication had been renewed
only once during their incumbency. They showed
US the remains or worm-eaten transmitters and
wooden c0nduits that must have been hundreds Of
years old. They claimed that the system had been
In existence since the creation. and laughed at US
when we told them that the same principle has
only been applied In England and America within
the last dozen years. In every part OF Inuia and
In Burmah this system Of secret communication
exists. although hundreds OF travellers have never
suspected It, believe that 1t dates back fully two
thousand years"