The labor world., 1899-11-18

To master this problem is Nikola Tesla.
} He made a careful study Of the 0ues-
ton and at last dismissed it with the
opinion that successful transatlantic ic
telephony would not be possible until
tho problem of le.,honing without
vines ha,i been solved. Tesla found
that the chief difficulty in the way Of
submarine telephony did not lie in
the static capacity Of the cable but
was due to the fact that the elecric
vibrations were too easily distorted by
the waves. He explained this by liken-
ing a, cable to a big reservoir through
which small disturbances must be
transmitted. The reservoir would take
up the disturbance produced at one end
and would attempt to carry them to
the other end but if there should
be any intermediate disturb
aEces very little of the original dis
turbance would still exist when the end
of the line was reached.
In making his experiments Tesla sue
cceded in conveying a sound from the
voice through 5000 miles of wire but
the sound was little more than a con-
as to it's meaning and he explained
this by the theory that the electric
vibrations had been distorted by the
waves.
Both Mr.. Edison and Mr.. Holzer are
confident that they have overcome
these difficulties. BY a certain ar
rangement of the wires they have done
away with the wave action that
troubled Mr.. Tesla a,nd, according to
their present plans, there will be one
II lay station between this country and
England. This will be located midway
in the ocean and from that point the
message will be resent by a mechanical
dcvice. In 4 measure this device will
resemble a megaphone and it will, a.s
it were, expand the sound.
In speaking of the new invention to
your correspondent Mr.. Edison said:
"Telephoning across the sea is bound
to come. There is absolutely no rea-
son why it should not be done and the
cost could be made much cheaper than
telegraphy. 1t do not mean to say
that we have perfected the invention
to such a degree that the system can
be operated as perfectly as upon lanu.
That is impossible at present and it
may be some time before it can be
done, but our experiments have proved
that it will be done eventually.
"One feature that we shall certainly
have perfected, however, will be the
receiver. This is the most important
part Of the entire mechanism and we
have spent a great deal of time. over
int
cate as possible. It will be extremely
large and will be so finely adjusted
that it will receive every impression. 7
have devoted much time to this adjust
ment for I realize how difficult it will
be to make such an instrument receive
some sounds just as they are pro-
nounced. 49,.
I'm regard to the amount of current
required to send a message across the
ocean l can only say that the old
theory of a necessarily heavy current
was not considered after we had gone
very deeply into the matter. I believe
the time is not far distant when we
shall be able to send a telephone mes
sage straight across the Atlantic with
out delay or use of relay station but
this is now impossible owing to the
present condition Of our electrical de-
vices. With some necessary improve
mnts along these lines relay stations
will be made unnecessary. AS it is we
figure that we she'l require but one
station. If a second one is needed it
can be built but we can see no reason
why there should be more than one"
Efforts are already being made to
persuade the young men to organize
a company to assist them in carrying
their work to the earliest possible com
pletion. OF course this will eventually
be done but not until the inventors
have been able to demonstrate to the
world that they have positively over
cCme the problem Of submarine tele-
phony. Then they will know just what
they are disposing Of and will be able
to profit accordingly. In the meantime
a survey of the bottom of the ocean
at the shallowest points will be made
that the cables may be anchored on the
highest elevations.
In regard to the amount that it will
cost to carry out such an experiment
as Will be necessary in order to make
an absolutely perfect test of the new
invention Mr.. Edison is Zsilent but |
from the interest that the commercial |
world has taken in the invention since |
The time when it was first announced
there is no reason to doubt that the |
requisite amount will be forthcoming |
Is soon as the two young inventors are |
ready to show the world that they
'eally have something that is worth |
While. If one may judge by their en-
husiasm that day will not be far dis |
ant.
Nanted-Several bright and Honest |
Persons to represent us as managers in |
his and close by counties. Salary $500 |
'ear and expenses. Straight, bona-fide, |