New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-09-13
AN OCEAN TELEPHONE.
F. A. PICKERNELL DOUBTS AN ALLhdED
RUSSIAN INVENTION
nrrrrc1-I.rIEs OF SUBMARINE TELtfhONE
sysTEM-EURoPE MUCH BEHIND AMERICA
IN ELECTRICAL sCIENCE-soME
FACTS ABOUT LONG-DlS-
TANCE TRANSMISSION.

TANCE TRANSMISSION.
"a cable could be constructed Tor use !" 'e'
ohoning across the Atlantic. remarked T. ~
Pickernell. chief engineer in charge OF the luis
distance telephone construction department. Va
the American Telegraph and Telephone No'"-
many but all the ships of the BRUSH Navy
would not be able 10 carry II. 1t would pe "S
BIG round as a hogshead and the hnan'iai re-
sources OF any three of the great Powers Wouiu
he taxed to their utmost TO pay Tor H. Ana IL "
were laid the cost of using ii would discount us
utility. on land II we possibly can we aVo'u
nassing telephone lines through cable because
for every mile of cable passed through the lehs'h
Of the line is increased fifty miles. The cost or
one minutes conversation over such suoma-
r,ne telephone system would be close to 500
NJ pickerneu was discussing the feasibility OF
submarine TELEPHONY and his remark above
ouoted was I'm reply to question as to the prob
ab,e utiity Of the reported invention of Rus
sian electrician NJ. Kildischewsky by name
who as reported by cable from Odessa. has made
an improvement in the telephone by which dis
lance has no effect upon the hearing Whatever
that may mean. The inference is. according 10
the EXPERTS that the Russian with a name whlch
most Americans are shy of pronounclng mas
invented what he considers an improved trans
nitter. The cable dispatch went on to announce
that in an experimental test made between Mos
COW and Rostoff. distance of $50 miles talking
and music both instrumental and vocal, were
heard with perfect dstnctness. and for the pur-
pose Of the experiment an ordinary telegraph
wire was used.
In this there is nothing unusual as expert cleo
tricians agree In fact IT is only an episode in
the development OF the telephone on the other
side of the ocean which is almost ancient his
-; do Of where the tclp-
phone Of long distance pattern is in daily use
for commercial purposes from Boston to Mem
nhis a distance of $50 miles This is the long
est circuit in use in America But there are con-
nections running over 1000 miles between Bos-
ton and Chicago. and the ong-distance line from
New-York to Chicago. and from this city TO 81
Louis and TO Cincinnati simply multiply the
factors contributing to American supremacy IN
electric science.
Another point in this connection was brought
out in the course Of a conversation with Herbert
Laws Webb an expert electrician. and for nine
wears connected with the submarine cable ser
vice The difficulties in the way, Mr.. Webb
remarked. are not in the apparatus 1t stands
to-day but they inherent in the submarine
cable itself That is the crutch of the whole
nrohlen and while no electrician will he rash
enough TO disclaim the probable success of in
ventive genius in overcoming the difficulties
still the conquest seems far removed at the
present time and it will only be made with
cable specially constructed to meet the condi-
lions Telephone lines are placed as high IN
the air AS possible for burying them in the
ground destroys their conductive car acity very
materially because of the induction, which
causes confusion among the electric waves that
conduct and make Ineligible the sound waves
proceeding from the speaker through the trans
mitter The vibrations become confused ana
the effect is that of choking the wire. the con-
sequent effect being a blur Of undecipherable
noise at the receiving end of the line
In all of the long-distance lines in this coun-
try a very much heavier wire is used In fact
Il will weigh about 42J pounds 10 the mile
while that intended for purely local service
weighs only about 100 pounds to the mile
Abroad an alloy wire IF mixed copper and
bronze is used weighing from - to 80 pounds
TO the mile This clearly shows the local nat
ure Of the European telephone service and is
part penalty for the lack Of faith manifested
toward one another by the nations of Europe.
Germany for instance. in the rev telephone
cable now in process Of construction across the
North Sea between England and her own Dor
ders. insisted that it should have its terminus
on German soil. although it could have been
run across and been passed through Belgium
Il a
pense. But Germany did not want any other
country to have access to system that might
he used against her at some future time. Be
cause Of a suspicion. the German Government
a few years ago cut the wires Of the telephone
service that ran through Switzerland. The au-
thorites thought they had proof that military
plans had been sent to Paris in that way, and
notified the Swiss Government that the line
had been discontinued. The wires have never
been restored. that there is no international
telephone system over there.
In America. on the contrary. the efforts Of the
telephone companies have been directed TO the
upbudng Of a National system. and this. as
Mr. Webb remarked. with twinkle in his eye,
is the source Of all the dsafIection upon the
question Of rental rates for telephones. 1t is
the aim here TO bring the long distance system
into general use to place il at the door of every
citizen the companies working on the suppose
ton that every individual may have business
relations with people far removed from his own
locality In consequence, the standard OF the
apparatus is very much higher than that us ID
anywhere abroad Everything IS done that can
be done too TO minimize the inductive influence.
Take the long distance lines that run to chicago
for instance. Every half-mile or mile the wires
are changed on the poles from side to side TWO
wires that have run on parallel lines for that
distance are suddenly thrown far apart on the
arms Of the supporting pole and placed in paral-
lei relationship with others running In the same
direction The effect of this is 10 neutrallze the
inductive influence. and by the very 1orce OF
new contact disturbed electric waves are re-
stored 10 their perfect balance. and the message
is clarified and made plain for the waiting ear
at the receiving end.
IL so much pains have to be taken to avoid In
duct,on on land or under the land. tyro can see
that the difficulties are vastly greater with a
wire buried in the depths Of the salt ocean,
which as a conductor has no equal, and enhanc-
ing this Is the outer coating of armor or protect
I've wire tubing through which the sensitive
wire runs This was Of the problems that