Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1890-05-30
POSSIBILITIES OF THE HELIOaRAPH.

WhaningtQn dispatch 70 the Chicago News.
The eEpeumsntsih heliogrAphiag Whieh
are now going on in Au1ona under the
directions Of Gen. Greedy Of the uiRnal ser.
vice are attracting 4 great deal Of attsa-
tion in WasbinEton. Tho experiments
ara being made on line oyer ons thol!
SsRd miles in length, extending iron Fort
stantOn in New Mexico TO whippls bar
racks IN Arizona. There are twsnty-f se
signal stations connected With the general
telegraph system Of the eountry and thus
brings into close relation With the seat Of
government that section Of Souatry where
most is to be feared shOuld the Indianp be-
cOns hostile and gs en- the warpasb.
A @sssAHe was received here the other
day from Gen. Greedy, who ia now in Ari-
sOna which was written on Bowie Peak
sRd HaShsd from sumuit to summit, over
gaps from forty to 6fty nilss in extent, to
the Western terminal station, where it was
transferred to wires and tslegraPhSd to
this city. The idea Of using the hshO-
graph was fret conceived and carrisd out
by Col. W. ]. VOlkusr Gen. Grssly re-
eoEsiEed the possible advantages offered
and has doAs everything In his power to
perfect IT,
The mystCrieus instrument which in its
rude state wsR used to such advantage
duriAg the Geronlno campaign is eItre-
mely SIMPLE to manipulate. II consists Of
a mirror about four inches square 90 ar
ranasd on tripod or other support that
the rayI Of the sun reflected frsm its sur
surfuee may be thrown on any poiat dssir-
cd and kept there by means Of revolving
screws to coapsnSate for the apparent mo
sion Of the sua. This ia a heliogrAph
Ts transmit message it will only be
necessary to iatereept the reflected rays
by means Of screen and operate the lat
ter SO as 70 reveal to the distant station
flashes of various duralieus representing
Ihe dots and dRshes Of the American
Morse telegraph code Any telegraph
operator may herefore become expert IN
the manipulation Of tho instrument with
but little practice. and it was bis fact that
led tiPn Greedy to rpcom'pend the adop-
ton Of Amcricaa Morse code fer signaling
purPoses. In addition to photographs the
hus was Rho equipped with telescopes,
Geld glasse', compASes, and in fact every
thing necessary TO enable the SiEasl Off
GERS to read the surrounding country FROM
their lofty stations and make correct re-
ports Of any uuusnal oceurcDcPs within
tho radios Of VISION to tas nearest nilitAry
pest or to tho Authorities in this city, if re-
quiTrd.
Tae possibilities Of the behograph are
not yet fully developed, ana only within
the last two years have metaagrs been ex-
changed over range of seventy miles
while quite recently Col. Vokmar has de-
mousirated that the instrument is quite
effective at distances over ninety FIVE
miles. This instruments in use we're de-
signed At the signal Office where the off
cials are always on the lookout for i'm
proYementS OF Value TO tha army. The
latest inhuoYaton Is Geld telephone
equipment. but the name walking tsle-
phoue" is much more suggestive. 1t coz
ssta of receiver, trsnsmitter, and key
lngenisusly ArrAnSsa in a small sole lsath-
sr poHsh. soldier provided with this
equipment and reel OF very hEht double
conductor wire carried in a bHHpsAek oD
his back, may move all over the field and
still be enabled to maihtAin constant con-
municntiou with ths eeatral STATEN or
startinE point. A mile Of wire is carried
wilhoat difficulty o. the Eeid IT h.l,le
sr for outpost SutJ this equipment viii oe
indispsHsRbls; il fnIsls the requirement oi
instant AAd constant communication.