The Hot Springs star. (Hot Spings [Hot Springs], Dakota [Dakota Territory, i.e. S.D.]) 1886-189?, 1891-02-20

ordinary power has recently been excit-
ing considerable attention In London
and some other cities and towns in this
country, writes . correspondent Of
Nature. It Is OF American origin, like
so many other modern improvements Of
exceptional character, being the inven-
ton Of ono I.emucl Mellct, I believe, OF
Boston. There have been many previous
mechanical telephones, % your readers
are aware, some OF which have obtained
much publicity for . short time, and
then have been heard Of but little more;
but having had IN opportunity OF exper-
imenting frequently with tho now in
strumcnt and observing its vocal pow
or, 30 to speak, under very various cir
cumstances, I can not doubt 1t has q
great future before It.
It may DO clearly stated ut oncc that
dependent Of all electrical aids OF APP
pliances, and therefore needs neither
battery power to bring it into play nor
insulation Of any of its parts to keep
them effective. 1t consists solely of two
cheap and simple instruments connected
by an ordinary n~on-insulated wire OF
copper, or, better still, Of o double steel
wire, tho two parts being slightly
lntcrtwistcd, say with about .
single turn in q couple of
feet. Tho wire Tor wircs) is simply
Topped to the instrument at either end,
tho connection. being made in q few
seconds. The instrument consists of q
disk In combination with a series of
small spiral springs Enclosed in a case
of some three OF four inches in diam
etcr. These springs, arranged in a man.
ncr that has been determined by ex-
pertinent, and SO o to produce harmo-
nizcd vibrations, appear to possess the
power Of masnifying or accommodating
upon tho wire the vibrations which tho
voice sets up in the disk; and tho wiro
seems to possess undoubtedly does
posscss-tho power Of Transmitting to
great distances, and giving out upon q
second pulsion instrument the sounds of
tho voice.
Tho ability of this simple system Of
springs, disks and wires to convey con-
vcrsational and other sounds to con-
siderable distances with great clcarncss
and distinctncss, reproducing the very
tones of tho voice and the qualities of
musical sounds with but little reduction
OF modification, is most surprising, and
to non more 30 than to the many men
perimenting with it.
Tho writcr Of this notice can not, per-
haps, do better than state his own cxpc-
ricnccs with this system. After exam
lining and experimenting ovcr several
short lengths Of wire, somc Of them OK
cccding o milo and q half, he last week
won't to the Finchlcy Road Station of
the Midland railway, from a point near
to which q line had been conveyed to
neal the Welsh Harp Station, q distance
of three miles by the line Of railway,
and of moro by the track Of the wire,
which for tho larger part was carried by
tho telegraph-posts, to which 1t was at
tached by very simple means. Conver.
sation through this length Of line, OF
over three miles, was exceedingly easy;
indeed, SO powerfully was the voice
transmitted that an ordinary hat sui.
feed for all the purposes Of the second
instrument, without going lei to which
conversation was carried on repeatedly
by means of tho hats Of three gentlemen
who were present, the tops of which
wore merely placed against the tole'
phone wire.
then went into the garden Of the
"yyelsh Harp" where . short length Of
wire had been led between two points
the wire on its way from one point *
the other being twice tightly twisted
ut m interval Of some yards, round
small branches of trees Of about ono
inch in diameter, being wound round
and round the branch three times IN
each case. Strange to say, this tight
twisting Of tho wires round the branches
in no way interfered with the transmits
sion Of the voice from end to end Of the
wirc.
A third and last experiment was made
with . wire laid obliquely across the
Welsh Harp lake, and allowed to sinl
to and rest upon the lake bottom. The
length Of the line was roughly estimated
at about one-third Of . mile, and from
end to end ~(cxcepting : few yards q,
each end where tho wire was led from
the waters edge to the telephone box
tho wire was completely immersed, and
without any other support than the bot
tom Of the lake offered It. Yet, not
~withstanding this immersion Of the
whole wire, conversation was carried OF
through 1t by means Of the pulsion in
strumcnts without the least difficulty
In fact, the voice came through the i'm