The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-10-31

WASHINGTON, Oct, So.--one point N
the annual report Of Gen. Greeley has
escaped pubic attention, owing to It's
disaagoclation with the war. It re-
lates to the discoveries Of two young
physists, Prof. A. c. crehore and Lieut.
Colonel George o. squier. volunteer slg-
nal ohicers, who have lstely pursued,
under the direction Of the chief signal
oficer OF the army certain scientific
investigations that promise to work q
revolution in methods of ocean teiegra-
ply. Gen. Greeley expresses HE beliet
that these discoveries and inventions
have assumed such 3 form and phase
as to be one OF the greatest value to the
commercial world
The discoveries outline the true scien-
TITO method Of telegraphy known - the
sine-Wave eystem. The first experi-
Inents were made at the military school
at Fort Monroe, Va, and were discussed
Theoretically in 1897 under the title Of
"the syncograph," new method Of
rapidly transmitting intelligence by the
alternating current. The next step was
the testing Of this system on a long tele-
graph line, and for this purpose Prof
Crehore and Lieut. squier visited Eng
land. where they were Afforded every ia
cihty for experimental work over the
government telegraph lines through
the courtesy Of the postmaster geAeral
and the distinguished electrician, CHIEF
Engineer WiNiam II. Preece.
These experiments, the report sets
forth, proved conclusively the superior
ity OF modern alternating current
smooth wave, the typical form OF which
is simple sine-WaVe as compared with
the system now exclusively used
throughout the world in code teleBra-
ply. Under the sine-wGve system,
words were sent and received over a
line LOO miles long at q rate Of over
5000 words per minute. Under this
new system the speed Of the Wheatstone
commercial receiver was increased as
much as threeEolt when operated under
identicaiiy the system Of the old code
biography. The superiority Of the sine
wave having been decided by expert
mental apparatus, the next step was to
construct transuAtters for actual COM
merclat conditions. Two special appa-,
rvltus were devised, one for operating
land lines and the other for the trans
mission Of messages over long cables.
The cable transnltter was completed
and the land instrument advanced when
the late war interrupted progress which
has only lately been renewed by dtrec-
ton Of Gen. Greeley.
The first practical tests OF the cable
transmitter have just been made
through the courtesy Of George Clap
perton and other officials OF the Com
merclal Gable Company, Of New York.
The experiments were made over the
cable between New York City and Cam
50, which has length OF 80 knots, an
electrical resistance OF 1890 ohms and
an electric distributing capacity Of 231
between September Is and October 16,
1888.
The change from existing telegraphlc
methods consists In the substitution for
the present appliance OF a transmitter
sending smooth waves, such as are OBJ
talned in alternating currents working
without any other changes whatever in
the elements Of the present system. The
conditions for the transmission Of mes
sages over long cables are distinctly
and widely different from those onaeriai
lines. The necessity OF increased speed
over ocean cables, the report continues,
while not generally appreciated. is stri.
loingly obvious when examined from a
commercial standpoint. Since every
cable spanning the Atlantic ocean costs
several million dollars, the value OF any
discovery that Will increase the working
power of these cables Is at once appa-
rent. Gen, Greeley says he has no
hesitation in expressing his opinion that
the slne-wave system, which also ad-
mits OF easy duplexing, will within a
year or two increase very materially the
working capacity Of every cable to