The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-03-20
THE NEWEST THING
In ELECTRICITY
The Important Discovery Of an Italian
Savant In London.
HE FOUND A NEW KIND OF ENERGY
A Species of Waves That Can Be Used
TO Send Messages Through Thick
WalIs--Conje ctures About Brain
Waves--Are We on the Verge of n
Revolution in the World ofScicnce! !
From the New York Tribune.

From the New York Tribune.
Within the last few months the
scientific world has been gradually
waking up to the immense possibilities
of recent discovery by young ltal-
ian named Marconi, who lives in Lon
don. This discovery promises not only
to develop a practical usefulness equal
Or superior to that of Rontgen's, which
1t resembles in some respects, put also
to give fresh stimulus to variety of
fascinating and fruitful researches in
other directions. The radiance which
the Bavarian professor found, it VIII
be remembered, is invisible, and will
penetrate many opaque substances,
and yet possesses some of the proper
ties of ordinary light. That is to say,
it produces photographs, and it will
become luminous when it falls on
certain class of substance called
''tiuorescent." What Marconi has dis
covered is form of energy which must
be called electric waves at present,
and which was d first confounded with
the so-called "Hertzian" waves, but
now proves to be quite different.
AS long ago as last autumn Mr..
Preece, chief electrician of the British
nounoement of Marconi's experiments
in telegraphy without wires by an en-
tirely new system. In the March num-
her of McClures Magazine, however
further details are supplied: and while
both the scientific and non-scientific
reader are left in tantalzing suspense
in regard to the mechanism employed
and some of the processes involved,
additional light is thrown on sub
ject which is destined in the near flu
ture to command the rapt attention of
all who are interested in the mysteri
Gus phenomena of ether waves. The
effect of this young Italians re-
searches is sure to be far reaching.
OUTSIDE A CONDUCTOR.
When electricity passes along a cop
per wire without interruption, it per-
vades the whole of the conductor from
surface to centre But when by any
means the current is made to alter
nate to and fro with great frequency,
it confines itself to the surface. Some
thing more happens, too. 1t is now be-
lieved that each time that an electric
current begins to flow in a material
conductor, what is called an electro
magnetic field" is created around it;
that is to say, a sort Of strain is set
up in either Immediately surrounding
it. AS soon as the current ceases, this
strain is relaxed, and the file" ceases
to exist. 1t may be imagined that, in
one case, an infinite series of tiny rings
of force are made from the surface; in
the other case, that these rings shrink
down simultaneously into nothingness,
But if the alterations of current in the
wire be very rapid 100000, 100000 OF
100000 to the second), then the forma-
tion of these rings of force occurs with
equal frequency and greater abrupt
ness. Thus, waves are excited which
proceed oiItwardly from the conductor
equally in all directions, like the rip
pies on water when a stone is dropped
in. Some of the energy flung off side
ways from the conductor never returns.
This electro magnetic radiance, which
is an entirely distinct thi' & from what
goes on in the wire its, =, or al its ends,
was made the subject of investigation
by the late Heinrich Hertz, of Bonn.
The brilliant results of his work pro-
voked unbounded delight among ply
sicians, and lent peculiar bitterness to
the grief to which his early death gave
rise.
Here is a curious discrepancy in the
accounts of Hertzs work. In some
places he is represented as experiment.
ing with currents having 100, 900 900 al
formations per second, while elsewhere
he is said TO have devised apparatus
which gave him 500, 900, 100000 waves a
second. The number, however, is i'm
material for present purposes. The
great discovery which he made was
that he could retract these waves by q
peculiar prism, could reflect them and
make them exhibit what are called the
interference" and polarization" phe-
nomena of light. He also discovered
that these waves or rays travelled with
the velocity of light. His conclusions
have been generally received by the
leading scientific authorities of the day.
HERTZ'S EXPERIMENTS.
Now, Hertz would set up exceedingly
rapid surgings of current in one me-
tallic conductor and then place a second
conductor at a distance from it in what
was found to be an advantageous posi-
tion. The magnetic waves thrown off
laterally from the primary conductor
through space would be caught by the
secondary, and could be made to mani
Test themselves in various WAYS The
hlghest success was obtained, however.
Wneh the secondary was tuned" SO as
ID respond; that is to say, it was espec-
lally designed to vibrate more naturally
atthe same rate as the radiance from
the primary wire than at any other fire.
quency.
When Marconis experiments were
flrst reported, 1t was said that his
waves We're the same as those with
winch the name of the great Bonn in
Vesugator Is so closely associated He
may nave believed it himself at first
ANA 1t was supposed, therefore. that
ms receiver was a tuned "resonat tor,,
Oh the Hertz pattern. But the inter
esting interview which McClre,s
magazine now prints indicates that a
ulHerent kind of radiance Is involved
for instance he says that in future he
VIII abandon the use of the parsholic
mirror hitherto employed to focus the
rays as searchlight does. He is now
satlshed that II would be of no value
NOT, at present, does he know of anv
KIND or lens that would perform the
once or concentration. He evInces
nope that invention may vet find a
way 10 stop progress in all other dirac
lions and compel the waves all ia go
IN one-a highly desirable consunma- :
tlon In practical telegraphy. But thus
tar' his rays do not seem to be sus-
ceptible Of reflection or refraction. like
light and the Hertzlan waves. More
over Marconi says that the radiance
which he employs has higher pene-
trative power than that of Hertz. He
neiieVes that 1t viii go through any
thlhs and everything. The rate of al
ternatlon he used was $50 900, 900 per
second hut he avnari,,,o,,.a,