The record-union., 1898-02-22
NEW IN TELEGRAPHY.
COMMUNICATIONS THROUGH A
CENTRAL STATION.
Hopes Inspired by Some Machines
Just Shown in London-NeW
System of Delivery.

TWO new pieces or apparatus Ad'c
been exhibited in London withln the
last two or three weeks, one at the con-
versazione Cor combined reception ana
exhibition of the Royal Society, ana
the other privately to representative
of the London News" which may e1-
feet a revolution in the use of the teie-
graph by business men, and to some ex-
tent take the place of the telephone.
One of these instruments is called the
telescriptor, and the other the zero
graph. Both are machines for printing
as Well as transmitting telegrams.
A large number of printing telegraphs
have already been invented. Some OF
these are entirely practical, though
rather costly The ticker" which
supplies stock quotations, sporting
news and other intelligence on a paper
tape, at the rate of twenty words
minute, is one of them. Another, de-
vised by one Hughes, has been exten-
sively employed by the British postal
authorities (who conduct the telegraph
as well as the mail service in the
Queens dominions) and also on the
Continent of Europe. Owing to the
expense and to other causes, these ma
chimes are used only by the telegraph
companies and by special news agen-
cies, and not by private business houses
for commercial correspondence. The
Hughes apparatus, moreover, requires
the services of a skilled operator IL
is asserted. on the other hand, that the
telescriptor is a simple device, can be
managed by a mere child and can oe
furnished for only a trifle more than
the price of an ordinary typewriter.
The inventors purpose and hope are
that his machine will come into general
use in business offices which have occa-
sion for sending many kilograms.
A necessary part of his scheme is
an exchange, like that of telephone
company, to which all the private sub
scribers shall be tributary, and where
one mans wire will be connected ION
demand) with that of the person with
whom he wishes to communicate. It
is thought that such a system VIII
prove superior to a telephone in sew
eral ways. One great advantage, no
doubt, would be the absolute distinct
ness with which the message would be
transmitted. A printed copy is pro-
duced. and there is no chance to mis-
take a word or phrase for something
sounding much like it, but meaning
something different.
The same instrument is used both
as a receiver and a transmitter, being
changed from one to the other by the
movement of single switch or lever.
And the apparatus at both ends of the
line records a message which is sent.
and a perfect copy is thus made au-
tomatically by the very act of sending
and may be retained like copies in a
letter book. If any question arises rs
to the nature of the message il can be
settled instantly by reference to the
senders copy.
Another, possibly a greater, merit Of
the new plan is that it delivers the mes
sage whether a man is there to receive
it or not A man who is on the look
out for important communications need
not feel obliged to remain in his office
all day awaiting them. He can step
out at any time, for five minutes or
an hour, as his convenience demands,
with confidence that the message will
not only be received, but viii be re-
corded, If 1t is only sent in his alb
sence, and will await him on his re-
turn.
Perfect secrecy is attainable by the
telescriptor, and that is not true in the
case of the telephone. During rusn
hours, of course, the employees at
telephone exchange are altogether too
busy to engage in eavesdropping. All
the same it is entirely possible for
telephone message to reach ears for
which II is not intended. So, too, con-
fidential correspondence by telegraph
is practically impossible without
sort to bothersome ciphers. The new
Instrument which was recently eXhio-
tied 70 the Royal Society is so con-
st-ucted that ii will not respond at all,
or make record, when another of the
same kind is in operation (even though
they be connected by suitable wire)
unless both are set on the same COM
bination. Perhaps a more accurate
way TO express the idea would be 10
say set at the same number Of vibra-
tons In this respect the telescriptor
resembles Marconi's wireless tele-
graphic system. So long as the per-
sons In correspondence keep the precise
pitch of their apparatus a secret, no.
body else can learn anything by tap
ping the wires.
One Will be reminded, perhaps. by this
description, of Gray's telautograph,
which attracted some attention in this
country four or five years ago. That
apparatus faithfully reproduced outline
pictures, as well as writing, but ii is
not proof against stealing at interme-
diate stations 1t requires two wires.
whereas the telescriptor employs the
earth for a return route. and. therefore,
needs only one. And though the speed
of the English machine is not mention
ed in the reports at hand. ii probably
transmits more rapidly than Gray's de-
vice
Although the press has not been per-
mitted to go into details in speaking
of the telescriptor and zerograph. it has
been remarked by the London News
that the latter device is better suited
TO long distance transmission than the
former is, and one can send more words
per minute. One is left to infer. how
ever. that ii is not quite so simple a
piece of mechanism. The News is
moved to say, apropos of these inven-
tions:
1T is possible that before very long
we shall have an exchange system in
London, in which the telephone will be
superseded by the telegraphic type prin-
ter. The telephone has done a great
deal toward the superseding of the tel
egram as a means OF rapid communi
cation, and IL ever the above system
comes into general use the Postoffice
VIII find its telegraphic receipts enor-
mously diminished. Instead of oppos-
ing these new inventions, the Postof-
fee should take them up and thus SIM
piify commercial and social life. No
one needs to be told of the disadvant-
fef l.