The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-02-07
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shall know that it is Tesla. or Edison, or
some terrestrial philosopher bowling Tor
the central office of the universe.
AS for telegraphing around the earn
without wres-ah, that is a different thing
We believe in Tesla and we believe In Edi,
son. Give them an inch OF success ana
eventually they will make 1t a mile Botn
have said that such a thing is possible and
both know what they are talking about.
EDISONS INDUCTION SCHEME.
AS early as 1885 Edison made successful
experiments in induction biography from
moving trains. sending and receiving tele-
grams on the Staten Island rapid transit
road during almost an entire afternoon.
The train from which Mr.. Edison expert
mented consisted of five cars with metal
roofs which were made continuous with
pieces of insulated copper wire, and con-
nected in the rear car with an ordinary
telegrapherS outfit. There was a leap OF
at least fifty feet from the train to the
wires running beside the track. and the
bankers and capitalists smiled when they
saw the preparations. Very few OF them
The train left Clifton at half past p m,
and before ii had gone quarter or mile
the instrument in the rear car was click
ing merrily. An operator had been sta
toned at Clifton with a special set of in
struments. To this operator the capitalists
and others upon the train had delivered
many sealed messages. Before Tottenvlle
was reached all these messages had been
received on the train. leaping through the
the cars and so to the telegraph instru-
ment. On the return trip dispatches were
sent from the train to all parts of the coun-
try. One message was In Latin, but 1t got
through the atmosphere all right Mr.
Henry Seligman, the banker. telegraphed
to his banking house for Lake Shore quo
tations and got an answer before the train
stopped running. On this occasion Edison
stated that leap of six hundred feet was
possible.
Edison began work in 1892 n marine
telegraph based upon the principle of in
duction. This invention was patented and
by ii Mr.. Edison was enabled to telegraph
q gOodly distance across water without the
use Of wires. But the great difficulty with
all these experiments, whether with induc-
ton or HertZian waves, is that the waves
will not follow the curvature of the earth s
surface In this respect they are related
TO the y rays which. in fact seem to be
a sort of Illuminated electricity.
The point to overcome in telegraphing
long distances without wires is TO obtain q
sufficient elevation to overleap the curva-
ture OF the earth's surface, and TO reduce
TO q minimum the earth's absorption of the
electric current. AT sea, said Edison in
speaking OF marine telegraphy, from an
elevation Of one hundred feet. / can COM
municate a great distance without wires.
and by repeating these signals from ship to
ship communication can be established
across seas and oceans.
Collisions in fogs can be prevented and
ships approaching a dangerous coast can
be assured OF safety"
II would be rather hard matter TO OBJ
tain one hundred feet elevations at sea.