Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1892-04-16
A NEW SEA TELEGRAPH.
ELECTRIC SIGNALS FROM SHIP TO
SHIP.

That Promises 10 Lessen the Dangers
OF the Sen-Us- of Eanoons-Eig Pos
sibIlities.
Among the recent patents, says the
Scientific American, is one by Thomas
A. Edison, of Menlo Park, N. J.-means
ior transmitting signals electrically,
without the interposition of connecting
wires. In his specification he says:
81 have discovered that if sufficient ele-
vation be obtained to overcome the curv.
ature of the earth's surface and to re-
duCe to the minimum the earth's absorp.
ion, electric telegraphing or signaling
between distant points can be carried on
by induction without the use of wires
connecting such distant points. This
discovery is especially applicable to tele-
graphing across bodies of water. thus
avoiding the use of submarine cables, or
for communicating between vessels at sea
or between vessels at sea and points on
land; but it is also applicable to cleo
trio communication between distant
points on land.
AT sea, from an elevation Of 100 feet, )"
continues Mr.. Edison, Il can commune
rate electrically great distance, and since
this elevation, or one sufficiently high.
can be had by utilizing the masts Of
ships, signals can be sent and received
between ships separated a considerable
distance, and by repeating the signals
from ship to ship communication can be
established between points any distance
apart or across the largest seas, and even
oceans. The collision of ships in fogs can
b" prevented by this character of signal
ing, by the use of which, also, the safety
of a ship in approaching dangerous
coast in foggy weather can be assured.
In order to communicate with each
other, vessels must contain condensing
surfaces affixed between the masts. In
heavy weather these surfaces can be
flown from one mast in the form of Il
strcamer. They may be made of canvas,
covered with flexible sheet metal or me-
tallic foil, carefully secured From the
condensing surface on each vessel a wiro
extends to the hull and through an i'll
,luction coil and revolving circuit breaker
and key to a metal plate on the bottom
of the ship, by which connection is had
with the ground through the water.
Electrostatic impulses are produced in
the condenser which pass by induction
through the air to the condenser on the
other ship, which is located at a similar
elevation. They pass thence to an cleo
troniotosraph telephone receiver placed in
'hc circuit between the condenser and the
ground plate.
The Morse characters are produced by
light vibrations Of the diaphram, and
are made audible by the eIectromoto-
graph The air is full of molecules,
which act as insulators. 1t is the pas
>age of the current through these mole
Gales which produces the induction,
which means the transmission, quicker
'han thought, of the current from one
particle to another. The body of the air
,nrms the dieiectric or insulation between
lie condensers on the two vessels, the
circuit being completed by the passage
IF the current through the water or
earth.
BY sending up captive balloons from
slips the distance through which Signals
can be sent can be vastly increased, the
object being to overcome the curvature
of the surface of the earth.
If balloon in New York sliould be
sent up to great height, equipped with
y condenser, and held to the earth by IL
rope cable in which there was strand
Of wire, and another similar equipped
should be sent up from Londu,, a circuit
would be formed through earth and air
without the aid of wires for transmits
zion, through which messages could be
flashed at greater speed than has ever
been attained by any other system. All
that it is necessary to do is to locate the
2ondensers at sufficient height to over
rome the curvature of the carth's sur
face. This is similar in many respects to
The train telegraph system invented by
Mr. Edison, and now in use, by which
messages are transmitted between NOV
ing trains and stations, and from one
,rain to another. The new invention has
Doundless possibilities.