The Hawaiian gazette., 1896-10-06
CABLE ALPHABET AND SPECIMEN OF ATLANTIC TELEGRAPHY

is the popularity of an electrified coil
of wire to so act when suspended be-
tween magnetic poles.
PRODUCING THE WAVING LINE.
Connected to one end of the coil of
wire is another thread of fibrous ma
terial. This thread runs to a fine glass
tube, which is not larger than one
hundredth of an inch in diameter. Ink
flows through this small tube. As the
tube is movable it is obvious that the
action of the coil of wire moving
backward and forward will also cause
the ink tube to move backward and for
ward. At least the coil pulls the tube
in one direction and small spring
returns it to its place. The end of the
tube rests lightly on long strip of
paper, which is kept moving along con-
stantly by an ordinary clockwork
mechanism. Thus it will be seen that
the depression of the transmitting keys
results in a waving line on paper at
the other end of the cable system.
The ink tube or siphon is so small
that great difficulty is experienced in
including the ink to flow from it. The
desired object is finally gained by
means of electricity. A static current
is sent through the ink in the tube and
is made to pass through the strip of
paper to the negative pole of tie bat
terry beneath. Static electricity, as it
has a great electromotive force, will
easily pass through paper, therefore
there is a continual succession of
sparks flowing through and carrying
the small column of ink along with it
a &c. = tho c1Irfana of the Iar
it is deposited in a waving line. This
is the line which Edison cannot read,
but which is as plain as day to the
ordinary cable operators The latter
sit and watch this tape all day long.
1t travels slowly in front of them a
distance of three feet or more before it
runs off the end of the table into a
basket. The words are generally IN
Ineligible to the operator, for it is
seldom that other than cipher dis
patches are sent over the wire
When no current or message is pass
ing, the sensitive coil of wire attached
to the siphon remains at rest and a
straight line is traced down the center
OF the paper; for, of course, the tape
keeps moving along constantly, mes
sage or not. This line is known as
the zero line and all variations from it
determine what the man at the other
end of the line is saying. Sometimes,
however, earth currents leak through
to the core of the cable and send the
siphon careening backward and for
ward in an alarming manner. Then if
a message comes through at the same
time the wild actions of the siphon
become unintelligible indeed In such
case the operator is compelled to
study the form of the line made by the
earth current and then to note the diff
ference between it and the true mes
sage. In short, he makes his earth
current line his zero mark and deter
mines his message accordingly.
1t is in this connection that we must
look for the true reason why we are
unable to telephone across the Allan
tic. 1t is this electrification of the
gutta percha that prevents it. There is
no real insulating substance. Some
substances insulate more than others,
but all are subject to eletrifcation.
When an electric impulse is sent
across the ocean the whole of the cable
covering and all, must be electrified
before the current flows through and
operates the receiving device It is
what is known as the tail END of the
charge that really carries the message.
This interferes with the sound wave.
In telegraphing there are only ten or
twelve sound waves a second. In tele-
phoning there are two or three thou
sand in the same time. 1t is obviously
impossible then to telephone across
the seas under existing circumstances.
One of the peculiar phenomenons of
cabling is the ability of one operator
to recognize the handwriting of the
operator at the other end of the line.
far away in England or France. It is