Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-01-11

6OuQOn- 1145 DuS4AS1 usual Au-
thorities Have Taken Hold of the
Matter-Machine Not Affected by
Weather-A Boon to Mariners.
London, January 10.-The British
postoffice department is experimenting
with a remarkable invention for tele-
graphing, which lately has been
brought to the notice of its officials.
OF course, to communicate without
wires is nothing new, but this appa-
ratus, which was invented by Signor
Gugliemo Marconi, who, by the way,
is only % years old, promises to have
the widest possible influence not only
on the future telegraphy, but on the
navigation of ships.
W. H. Preece, telegraphic expert Of
the postofFice department, explained at
a meeting in Toynbee hall what was
expected to be done with the new in
vention. He said that Mr.. Marconi, a
young Italian electrician, came to him
recently with a system of teleSrpahy
without wires, depending not on cleo
trO-magnetic, but on electrOstatic eff
fects-that is to say, on electric waves
set UP of a much higher rate of vibra-
tion. $50, 000, 900 a second, in fact. These
vibrations were projected through
space in starlight lines, and could be
reflected and refracted like light-in-
deed, they were capable CT all the phe-
nomena which light was allowed to
go through. The invention, which
dealt with the method of receiving and
sending messages by this means-was
first experimental with on the roof
of the postofice and then for three
quarters of a mile on Salisbury plain.
Mr.. Marconi was present, and this
was the first occasion on which the ap-
paratus had been shown, except to gov
ernment officials. The great difference
bStween the system which had already
been tried and Mr.. Maconi's system
was that in the former a wire on each
side was necessary, and in the latter
no wire was required. Vibrations
were simply set up by one apparatus
and received by the other-the secret
being that the receiver must respond
TO the number Of vibrations to the
sender.
The apparatus was then exhibited.
What appeared to be just two ordinary
boxes were stationed at each end or
the room. the current was SET in mo-
ton in one and bell was Immediately
rung in the other. To show that there
was no deception Mr.. Maconi held the
receiver and carried it about, the bell
ringing whenever the vibrations at
the other box were set up.
Continuing, Mr.. Preece said ne hau
the greatest possible pleasure IN tell
ing Mr.. Marconi that day that the
postoffice had decided TO spare no eN-
pense in experimenting with the ap-
paratus. and one of the first trials
would be from Penarth to an island IN
the channel. He might add that he
had the greatest faith in the apparatus.
The curious thing about 1t was JhaC
there was no principle introduced. the
first man who taught how to generate
these waves was Hertz. the German
nbvsicist. and they had been developed
Inv others. But in making practical
use of these waves Mr.. Marconl had
invented devices which were hIghiy
novel and very beautiful, ana "heh
they were patented and could be made
Dublc he thought they would be ad-
mired by everybody.
GREAT BOON TO MARINERS.
Lord Kelvin 1t was who dubbed the ap-
naratus first used for setting up these vi
bratiops the electric eye and in this
connection he might say that there h'o
been great deal Of nonsense written
about Professor Bose. who. beyond eN-
perimenting on these waves nod done
nothing. lie ventured 10 say that the SUD-
icct was not only interesting IN ltSeH' pul
If the experiments We're successiul-ahu
he believed they would bet would be OF
inestimable value to our ships. Tor II would
provide another easy way OF commun-cat-
ing with lightships and lighthouses.
To take an instance: Since last year
they had had cable with the Fastnet
Hcbt-the first light seen by Atlantic voy-
aears-but i'm the early part Of this year
if broke down. and they had never been
able vet TO land on the rock in order 70
rspair it. But there was possibility pe-
vond this of enabling ships as they came
near dangerous rocks and shadows 10 re-
.ceive AN intimation cf the fact by means
of these electric waves. Neither day nor
rirbt made any difference. fog nor rain
nor SHOWS would interfere with them,
o,5 if tho invention was what We believed
il 10 be our mariners would nave oesh
given new sense and a new friend Whlch
would make navigation infinitely easier
and safer than it now was.
EARLY EXPERIMENTS.
Nh. Presce stated that as far back rs
ISIS q German professor-Steinmei-" III
germany was regarded as the inventor
or the telegraph. said: 1T must he lett
- tho future TO decide whether we shah
o,.or succ,ed i'm telegraphing at great dis
+,roas without any metallic communica-
ton af all" so that even then the facts
~, which this method Of communication
5o,andad were known. In 1884 he was very
,,,,cb astonished to learn that the opera
,rrs ,n the telenhone exchange in the city
90 rorsor were able TO read messages
+bat we're going through London 10 Brao-
f.rd NV telegraph wires. The wires be-
lr,,gipr TO the postofiice were under
Ground and those belonging 10 the 'eie-
nhone company overground' and by amt
or careful experiments this very fact WAS
f,,,n5 IN he the reason why the messages
Going to Bradford were read 10y the Tee
phone company. .,..,
Further experiments showed that 'he
same effects could be traced ON wires
senarated 10y as great a distance as zen
miles. Last year the cable connecting the
tsran5 Of Null with the mainland broke
and while the cable ship was getting reaay