The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-07-01
WIRELESS PHONE
Water Takes the Place of Wires
In New Discovery.
SiIicfan Scientist Shows a Novel
Invention.
STOPS SEA DISASTERS.
Will Also Render Submarine
Boats Useless
For Hostile PurpOses-Expla-
nation of Discovery.

Washington, July IAN invention re-
| Gently made by a Sicilian scientist is
| aimed TO prevent collisions at sea and
render submarine boats useless for
hostile opera tions. The invention IS
known as wireless telephony" and is
intended to enable officers on different
ships to talk with each other without
the aid of wires.
Commander Richardson Glover, chief
Of the Office of naval intelligence. said
| today that the invention has received
| considerable attention abroad and con-
tains elements of success. 1t is likely
that the navy department will careful
ly look into the matter with view to
the use of the invention in the Ameri-
can naval service.
Experiments have been made on the
Italian gunboat Scilla in the Gulf of
Genoa, in the presence of scientists and
naval experts. The inventor is a SiciI-
ian, Professor Mario Russo d'Asar.
wireless telephony announces in the
darkness of the night or a dense fog
the approach of ships, torpedo boats
and even of the invisible submarine
boat, indicates their direction and
places the men on watch on guard.
Concerning the invention and the
trials which have been made, this trans
latton of an article on the subject in the
Marine Gazette of Italy has been made:
1T is well known that transmissibil-
ity of sounds is in direct ratio to the
density of the means through which they
are transmitted. 1t is equally well
known that water is an excellent
means for transmitting sounds to a dis
lance. 1t has been noticed that a bath
er immersed in water hears with great
diStinctneSs the sound of a steamers
engine in motion, because the water in
which the latter is immersed is in
special state of vibration, owing to the
movement Of the engine and the screw
actuated thereby.
From these principles the inventor
derived the conclusion that if the air
could seize these vibrations of sound,
an instrument of great sensibility be-
low water would be susceptible of seiz-
ing them at a greater distance and with
greater distinctness and became con-
WINGED that a telephone apparatus
should be the point of departure for
obtaining the practical means of sig
mailing between two vessels.
THE water would take the place of
the wires It was necessary, first of all,
to construct a sound receiver which
would perform the functions of the ear
below the surface of the water, then
another apparatus that would increase
the sounds received and indicate the di-
rectiOn whence they came.
THE submarine receiver is a kind of
box secured to the hull with a number
Of depressiOns, so as to receive the
sounds from all directions From the
center of each of these an electric wire
leads to the telephone, which latter
contains an ingenious mechanism based
on Edison's well known scientific prin-
ciples.
"A dial plate on a board is divided
into two parts corresponding to the two
sides of the ship. Two hands indicate
the direction of the steamer signaled.
A system of bells at the upper part of
the dial plate and one of the receivers
on the board indicates by sound with
the greatest distinctness the rhythm of
the screw of the distant vessel.
When coming within seven kilOme-
tiers of a steamer the hand of the teIe-
phone turns and indicates the direction
of the vessel and follows it's route while
the bells and receiver beat simuItan-
eousIy the cadence of the distant screw.
The noises of the vessel on which the
apparatus is located cause no disturb
ance, because, owing to the special con-
struction of the submarine receiver,
they are not transmitted