The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-05-12
WIRELESS T~ELEGRAPAY
PROGRESS MADE IN ITS DEVELOP
MENT IN THE UNITED STATES.
Authorize tive Statement from General
Greedy of the Results of Expert.
ments by the Signal Corps.

WASHINGTON, May 1L-General Greedy
to-day made the first authoritative state
ment as to the progress making in the de-
velopment of wireless biography under the
auspices of the United States signal corps.
The important conclusion is reached by Gen.
Greedy that the wireless system is not like
ly to supplant the ordinary method Of tele-
graphic communication The results so far
obtained have been uncertain. General
Greely's statement follows:
''Since the announcement of the tests in
space telegraphy by Senior Marconi two
years ago the subject has been under con-
sideration by the signal corps of the army
and recently experiments have been begun
with the object of thoroughly testing the
value or this means of communication for
military and governmental purposes. Spe-
cial apparatus has been designed and con-
structed for these tests, which have already
shown sufficient promise to warrant further
and systematic trials. In view of the great
public interest and in order to facilitate ex-
perlmentS by other scientists in the United
States, 1t is deemed proper to put forth this
statement of operations to the present time:
"Transmltter-In the experiments thus far
several forms OF transmltter for the gem
Grafton OF HertZian waves have been used
and mucn promise has been realized from
the use or a large alternating current coil
In oil as a generator, instead OF the ordinary
coil, employed by Marconi. This
coil Is energized by a three horsepower ro-
"a Ait III La OilS y
mating potential, and this arrangement
makes a very powerful and efficient source
of Hertzian radiation.
"Receiver.-1he former receiver used has
been substantially the Brankey 'coherer,'
discovered in 1891. and the signals trans
mitted are recorded on a receiving tape.
The tranSmdtter has been mounted on the
west elevation of the State, War and Navy
building, utilizing the present wooden flag
pole as the vertical wire for the transmitter.
The receiver was first placed ut the old
naval observatory grounds about three
quarters of a mile distant, and later moved
to the signal corps station at Fit. Myer, Va.
During the experiments constant COM
munlcation by heliograph and flag between
the transmitting and receiving stations has
been kept up by the trained men of the
facilitated the work of experimenting. Sig
nails, letters and words have been trans
mitted and received between those sta tons.
but the great delicacy and constant adjust
ment required in the present. receiver
have made the transmission of regular mes
sages as vet unreliable and uncertain. The
presence of large buildings and large masses
of iron and metal necessarily present in
cities makes such places undesirable for
carrying on experiments Of this character.
The distance over which signals may be
transmitted by a given apparatus is a func-
ton of the height Of the vertical wire used
at either end, and this has naturally sug-
geSted the use Of small gas balloons such
as have already been used for signal and
other purpose by the signal corps. A sup
ply of these balloons has already been OBJ
AAAtt oAAA Whl w AoON " lhlo Dul DOSc
in the near future.
THAT there is a field Of usefulness for
space telegraphy Is u~ndoubted, but that it
will supplant to a material extent the use
Of wire for ordinary commercial telegraphy
is not believed. Its value for connection be-
tween lighthouses and light ships and the
shore at points where cables cannot now
be permanently maintained will be great.
For signaling between ships at sea and to
replace ordinary flag methods in use be-
tween naval vessels 1t should prove invalu-
able, since no kind of weather, neither fog,
darkness nor storm will avail to affect It's
use.
The use of metal refiectors to augment
and direct the radiation to particular points
has already met partial success and should
be thoroughly investigated. At present the
radiation proceeds from the transmitter in
all directions and the same message can be
received at any point within the proper
radius at which a receiver is placed. A sat
isfactory directing reflector and a receiver
OF the proper electrical capacity or, in other
words. tuned to the vibrations of the par
ticular transmitter, would make a great
advance In space telegraphy and do much
towards the extension Of its field Of prac-
teal usefulness.
while secrecy Of transmission is among
the probabilities. the present stage of ex-
pertinent does not justify its positive predic-
tiOn."