The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1892-01-16
OCEAN TELEGRAPHY
Edison Has Invented a System for
This Purpose.
NO WIRES WILL BE EMPLOYED
1t 10 Through the Air, the Instruments Being
Placed High-Ships can Communicate
Thirty Miles Off.

Especial to THE HERALD-Examiner Dispatch.
NEW YORK, Jan. 15.-Thomas a Edison
has perfected and patented another won
derful electrical invention. 1t Is one that
is intended not only to further the1nterests
of commerce but
TO PROTECT HUMAN LIFE AT SEA.
1t Is In substance a system by which tele-
graphic communication can be carried on
between ships at sea, between ships and
the shore, and between distant points on
land. The most remarkable part of it all is
that this nter-communication can be main
tanned absolutely without the use of wires
or cables. Here is one of the ways in
which the invention will work, Suppose
ships that sail the seas are fitted with the
proper apparatus. An ocean greyhound
the City OF Paris, say-becomes disabled at
sea.
NOT SAIL. is IN SIGHT.
An operator skilled in the transmission of
Morse characters manipulates a key To-
Gated, for instance, in the chart room.
Away below the horizon is another ship, so
far that not even her topmasts are visible.
The Morse signals are heard on the other
ship and answered. The disabled ship
gives her position and the other speeds to
her aid. The other ship might be small
bark or brig proceeding under sail ana in
capable of rendering aid. In such case
the lark or brig would sound her signals,
which
WOULD BE HEARD By ANY SHIP
within radius Of, say, thirty miles. Then
they might be heard by another sailing
ship, also too small and too far away to
give the assistance required; but she in
turn would begin signalling, covering
another radius of thirty miles. The signals
might pass along to half dozen ships be-
lore they reached one large enough to aid
30 Dig vessel as the City of Paris. When
they did reach one, however, she would re-
ply that she would go to the disabled vessels
assistance. The word OF cheer would be
passed back from ship to ship until 1t
reached the City of Paris again.
COLLISIONS WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE
Every ship within radius of thirty miles
would be able to tell each other who, what
and where they were. Ships out of sight
OF each other at sea could speak and ask TO
be reported. There are innumeraDle other
examples that might be used TO explain the
way the invention will work.
THE PRINCIPLE INVOLVED
is that OF induction. In his specifications,
filed at the patent Office in Washington.
Mr.. Edison says: II have discovered that
II sufficient elevation be obtained to over
come the curvature of the earth's surface
and 10 produce the minimum of the earth's
absorption, ell, ctrio te!egraphing or signal
ing between distant points can be carried
on by induction
WITHOUT THE USE OF WIRES
connecting such distant points. This dis
covery is especially applicable to telegraph
Ing across bodies of water, thus avoiding
the use OF submarine cables, or commune
eating between vessels at sea, or between
vessels at sea and points on the land. But
it is also applicable TO electric communica-
ton between distant points On land, it
being necessary, however, on land with
the exception of communication over
open prairie) to increase the elevation in
order to reduce to the minimum the Undue
ton absorbing effect of houses, tree and
elevations in the land itself. AT sea,
FROM AN ELEVATION OF A HUNDRED FEET.
can communicate electrically a great dis
lance, and since this elevation, or one suf-
hciently high can be had by utilizing the
masts of ships separated at considerable
distance and by repeating the signals from
ship to ship, communication can be estab-
hshed between points any distance apart
or across
THE LARGEST SEAS, AN1 EVEN OCEANS.
The collision of ships in fog can be pre-
vented by this character of signaling by
use Of which, also, the safety OF a ship
in approaching dangerous coast in foggy
weather can be assured. In communicat
ing between points on land, poles of great
% hall
the elevated points, whether upon the
masts OF ships. upon poles or balloons,
CoNDENsING SURFACES OF METAL
or other conductors of electricity are To-
Gated. Each condensing surface is con-
nected with the ground through the water
by an electrical conducting Wire.n
If balloon in New York should be sent
up to great height, equipped with con-
denser, and held TO the earth by a rope
cable, in which there was a strand of wire
and another similarly equipped should be
sent up from London, circuit would be
formed through the earth for transmission,
through which messages could be flashed
at greater speed than has ever been at
tanned by any other system All that is
necessary to do Is to locate the condensers
at sufficient height to overcome the cur
vature of the earths surface. This is SINH
lar In many respects TO
THE TRAIN TELEGRAPH SYSTEM
invented by Mr.. Edison, and now in use on
the Lehigh Valley railroad by moving
trains and stations. and from one train to
another. The new invention has boundess
possibilities. All that it can accomplish
can as yet only be couiectured by Mr. Edi-
son, who has unlimited faith in its efficacy.
silver Purchases.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 15.-Purchases of
silver to-day aggregated 262, 900 ounces,
prices ranging from .934S to 1850.
Receiver for Ablel, Black Fitzgerald.