Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1900-02-22

Thomas a. Edison, Jr. expects soon
to demonstrate that, by means OF
special inventions OF his own, tele-
phone communication between Europe
and America is commercially feasible.
The experiments thus far con-
Quoted" said Mr.. Edison, have been
so satisfactory that we are negotiating
for the use of a submarine cable to
make tests under actual conditions we
must meet What cable we have in
mind am not at liberty to state; but
as soon as we reach a satisfactory
agreement with the owners there Will
be no further reason for secrecy.
"Of course, to lay cable simply for
experimental purposes would be too
expensive There is no doubt that our
present efforts will result in placing
at our disposal a cable adapted to our
requirements.
"The special transmitters and re-
ceivers for submarine telephoning will
he completed in six weeks. By the
use of these transmitters and receivers,
and of other devices, we feel confident
that we can overcome the many OBJ
stacles that have hitherto made inter-
national communication by telephone
seem impracticable.
My father, you will remember, stat
ed that, by erecting stations every
hundred miles, the thing could be
done; but as he explained this sys-
TEN would be so expensive that 1t was
out Of the question. BY our sys-
tenn. however, probably not more
| than one station would be necessary.
and could it be arranged to carry the
wire far up the American coast, this
station could be built on land.
IF necessary to have the station at
sea it would be simply great caisson
sunk deep in the water. At the sta
ton the sound could be transferred
and augmented by a mechanical de
vice.
The general principle OF the trans
mitters and receivers can, think, be
understood readily, though ! shall not
attempt to explain their mechanism.
One of the chief obstacles to be over
come IS what is known MS static Undue
ton. 1T is, so to speak, sort of pull
exerted by the magnetic pole, and it
impedes and interferes with the cur
rent on the cable,
In telephoning its effect is to pro-
duce an elongation of syllables, and
finally. where the distance is great, the
sound of conversation is something
like a prolonged groan; the words are
blended and indistinguishable.
THE old machines fail to perform
the required work quickly enough
This difficulty we overcome by adding
to the transmitter a device which null
tiples the vibrations. Suppose, for
example, the word and should be re-
peated into the transmtter at the rate
of 100 times a minute. The device
would increase the number OF ands to
| 200 minute and In spite of the static
induction the word and would still be
repeated too many times in minute
by the receiver across the ocean.
Therefore, in order to make the
sound Ineligible, the number of vibra-
tions recorded by the receiver must be
reduced and this is done by mechan-
| ical device attached to the receiver
which diminishes the vibrations to the
proper number. The result Is that the
word comes to the ear clear and sharp.
The elongaton is entirely overcom3.
we are also able to oppose the sta
tic induction by device through
which it is counterbalanced by the en-
ployment of an oppt sing force.
1T is our purpose to make our next
tests as severe as possible in order
that we may be sure of our ground
AS soon as arrangements are made we
shall exhibit the workings of the sys-
tenn
Mr.. Edison explained that the length
OF cable required between America and
Europe could he greatly shortened by
anchoring it to the SUBMITS OF the
ridges of the ocean bottom instead OF
letting ii fall into all the deep depres-
sions.
perhaps, ms | am an inventor Mr..
Edison continued. Il may seem to be
over-enthusastic, but | sincerely be-
lieve that submarine telephoning Is
bound to take the place of the subma-
rne telegraph in a great measure, be-
cause 1t will be cheaper aud more sat
isfactory. II is sure to revolutionizt
the present rates of transoceanic com
munication
1T is quite within the realm Of the
possible that a person in New York
will be able some day to talk with hi:
friend in Manila
by the way Mr. Edison said, a
the close Of the interview "a curiou!
thing happened in connection witt
this scheme Of telephoning to Europe
:, \ friend OF mine who WAS Cnthusi sit
, over the matter wrote 10 the Managers
, Of the Paris exposition. asking II ar
rangemeuts could be made provided
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