The San Francisco call., 1899-10-09

"A r EW YORK, Oct. S.-Wireless teleg-
" raphy is destined to play an i'm
ss s:s's9' fa'a5s part IT. + sSs'5 a 'ss 5s s
l. of expert opinion as gathered by
the Herald from many leading
electricians, including Thomas A. Edison
and Signor Marconi. Unable to supersede
telegraphy by wire or submarine cable,
since there can be no general guarantee
of secrecy for dispatches and operations
are at present limited to short distances,
the wireless system will yet occupy field
which these other methods OF transmits
sion by electricity cannot fill.
For communication between ships at
sea- especially when in distress, and be-
tween ship and the shore, to transmit
news or give warnings, wireless telegra-
ply is likely to prove one of humanity s
greatest boons. When ordinary tele-
graphic communication has been lost as
the result of storm, the wireless system
may be of important use as temporary
substitute. Military and naval authori-
ties hold that the new system will be an
important factor in future operations. In
directing the movements of a scattered
squadron, when ordinary signaling is i'm
practicable, to communicate between
forces in the field when miles apart
these are very obvious uses.
He succeeded where 1 failed" This IS
the tribute paid to Signor Marconi by
Thomas A. Edison. Edison was inter-
viewed to-day at his home in Llewellan
Park. and he consented to talk about
wireless telegraphy. Edison said:
There is certainly great future ahead
of it. What that future may be no one
can say. 1t would seem as If we were
approaching the limit, but, then, so 1t was
thought a long time ago. Marconi has
proved that the electrical waves can be
jumped around the curvature of the earth
and this has heretofore been an insupera-
BILE obstacle With this accomplished,
there is apparently no end to the dis
tances that can be overcome. So far IL
seems as If about 200 miles was the limit,
but yet even this distance may be as
nothing in the future.
"Is the system a new one, or is 1t only
an adaptation of old principles?"
1.-THE idea is not new. and others have
been experimenting along the line. l had
patents out on this line long before we
heard of Marconi. l tried the experiment
at Menlo years ago and kept at it for a
long time, but 1 could not get over the
obstacle of the curvature of the earth.
and about two miles was the limit that
1 could reach. Telegraphing from NOV
ing trains was in line of my invention,
but I and all others ran UP against OBJ
stacles that could not be overcome
What is your estimate of the practical
value of the invention?"
"Well, 1t will prove of great value In
a maritime direction, but / cannot say
that as at present developed 1t will be of
much value in land operations. The sys-
tenn can be made of great practical use
in sea service by stationing vessels or
tugs a certain number of miles apart, but
near enough to each other to come within
the sphere of electrical influence. In this
way lines of communication could be es-
tablished for thousand miles or more.
Islands could be connected in this way,
or perhaps groups of such islands brought
into close communication with each other.
1t is possible that some valuable use
might be made of the system on land, and
indeed some time ago in maneuverS of the
British army and fleet the wireless sys-
tenn worked well. Possibly the use of
aeroplane kites in connection with the
system may be found to have a practical
value. All this is yet to be developed
Are you working at all on this line?'
the inventor was asked.
NO" he replied II gave the whole
thing up years ago and have dismissed it
from my mind. Perhaps one of these days
1 may take it up again, but that is a con-
tingency too remote to speak Of"
Signor Marconi said to-day:
1.-TWO years ago one of the most learned
electricians in all England said that be-
yond a distance of half a mile wireless
signals could not be exchanged. At that
time l had been successful at a greater
distance, but l was then Of the opinion
that the limit would be about ten miles.
Now we are operating between stations
one hundred and ten miles apart In the
very near future | will have ready what
is known as the deflector. 1t has already
been perfected, but for personal reasons
1 have not yet given it to the public BY
means of the deflector ships will be able