The record-union., 1897-04-30
A GREAT DISCOVERY.

If Signor Marconis claim is sound that
he has discovered a method of tele
graphing through the air without aid
of intervening wires, up to a distance
of twenty miles, then he has introduced
into warfare a method that will revolu-
tionize ship and fort building. That is
to say it will be necessary to construct
ship and fort magazines in a way that
will be impenetrable to these electric
waves, a thing, he says, cannot be done
For these waves, excited by an alter
mating current are of a character that
are all penetrating, and will explode a
magazine at distance of twenty miles
and thus render any fort or any ship
dependent upon the use of weaponry
operated by explosives, absolutely help
less and useless.
Marconi is a young Italian who re-
ceived no recognition in his own coun-
try for his claims, and went to England
to interest scientists in them He fell
in with Mr.. Preece head of the Official
Telegraph Department of the English
Government and has been taken up by
him with enthusiasm. Preece had been
experimenting in the same direction, but
frankly admits that the young Italian
has surpassed him. Marconi does not
reveal his apparatus in detail because
his patents are yet pending, but his ex-
periments under Mr.. Preece have enabled
them to telegraph a distance of four
miles through the air with ease
He excites an alternating current in
one wire, that sets up a similar current
in another wire at a distance by means
Of so-called electric waves, which are
thought to be identical with light waves
except in length. the former being
mightier and all penetrating. The Morse
signals are used by Marconi and Preece.
and in this way messages are easily sent
through the air. Preece is so impressed
with the high value of Marconi's dis
covery that he has secured full power to
expend any necessary sum in expert
menting, and to that end has enlisted
engineers from four different depart
ments of the English Government
MarcOni claims that his waves are like
Hertz waves. except that they are re-
sistlessly penetrating. They reach an
alienation Of 80 coo 900 waves per sec
ond, and neither metal nor water will
stop them; they penetrate all substances
with equal ease. He says he can send
dispatch but twenty miles by these
waves simply because his apparatus as
at present developed is equal to that dis
tance only. AS 10 how great a distance
may be covered remains to be ascer-
tanned under construction of receivers
and transmitters Of greater power.
BY his system military commanders
can easily communicate with each other
or with their section at distances in the
field, and order up achievements. or
give directions over field of great ex-
tent. AT sea the Admiral may use it in
the same way. but here a difficulty
arises, namely, such is the penetrating
- u tiAc waves, lildl lney can De
used to explode the magazine in a ship.
or in a fortress.
What this means is easily understood
Ships and forts will have to be armed
without magazines; some other way of
throwing missiles will have to be de-
vised. Compressed air viii be available
of course, but the projectiles thrown will
have, we should think, to be free of ex-
ploslVe material, so that shells will
be of no more avail. and solid shot only
viii be possible of use, and these are
not the most effective means of destruc-
ton by any means. The possibilities
then of Marconis discovery are start
ling. 1t may be that the dreamed of
will come to pass. and war enginery be
rendered useless by the very excess of
danger of its use. II may be that the
destructive possibility of arms viii be-
come such as to make war the thing of
but few moments, or hours, or better
still, it may come to pass that war will