Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-10-13

simple matter, then, to create . disturb
ance Of short and long durations. as de-
The difficulties here are also very great.
rain storm. for example. In one section
Of the country would be sure to change the
electric capacity of the earth in that neigh
borhood.
The System That Always Works.
It II with relief, then, that we turn to.
plan such as Marconfs which seems APP
plicable to all conditions. Whether 1t works
through the ether above the earth, as we
have been led to believe, or through the
ether In the earth, or by disturbance OF
electric equilibrium in the earth does not
matter so much as the fact that results
are actually obtained.
1T works." says Marconf, land that is
enough
Description of the Apparatus.
The present apparatus is very simple
The whole Of it can be placed an ordi-
nary table. The cylinder, the new feature
Is of metal. and its function is to radiate
ether waves, If we hold to the Hertsian
theories, or to provide a sort of balancing
capacity If we believe I'm the electric equi-
ibrium disturbance theory. In either case
1t removes most of the difficulties of the
vertical wire system. If the law of squares
still holds good, cylinder twenty-five feet
high will be all that is required for trans
atlantic messages; thfrty-five-foot cylin-
South Africa or from San Francisco to Ma
Mia.
If the result is brought about by the dis
turbance of the earth's electric equilibri-
UNI, then 1t VIII only be necessary to make
a greater disturbance in order that the eff
feet may be detected at greater distances
than are now covered. This latter plan is
necessary because of the VARYING capaci-
ties on the earth's surface and the loss of
electricity at various points 1t is some
thing like pouring a little water into a pail
that Is already full; the water will over
How at the weakest point of resistance on
the edge. proper receiver. open for the
electric disturbance. will detect the effect
on the earth's equilibrium. In the receiver
mere Is no change save that Of sufficient
reslstances to bring it in harmony with the
transmitter The usual Cazecehi Onesti
principle of detecting electric waves is used
Some Possibilities.
al the recent meeting of the British Asso-
cation Tor the Advancement of Science
considerable attention was paid to a wire
less telegraph plan which woulfs work pro-
Vided wires were laid at the terminal sta
lions parallel to each other. Imagine try
ing TO use such a system on ships at sea
II the wires are stretched through the
water, the length of the ships messages
may be sent when the ships lie parallel to
each other and a limited distance apart
Inc inventor admits that his system will
not work II the ships not parallel. But
how often will ships miles apart at sea be
parailel! with the present Marconi system
the ships may be in any position and no
matter what the condition of weather he
can send messages from one to the other
With an apparatus which he can stow
away in his cabin the captain of shin
can communicate TO any other equipped
ship or to a land station many miles away
His command of space is wonderfully multi
piled.
It's Value on Land
On land what change can be wrought in
communications. The simpiffed apparatus
can be carried about almost as easily as a
trunk. For railway trains, news distributing
bureaus, war maneuyers etc. it should be
most useful. Army movements could be ac-
conptshed and campaigns carried on many
miles from the seat of war. The apparatus
could be set up and put into working order
in a half hour
Heretofore large part of the expense of an
installation consisted I'm getting and erecting
proper masts for the aerial wire and it
always took several days time With the
new plan the expense is about one-half of
what it was Our own government is OPEN
ing negotiations with Marconi for the use
of his system our battle ships and cruis-
ers. Some forty English ships are at pres
ent being equipped as rapidly the appa-
ratus can be constructed and put into work
ing order
A great advance has been made Narconi
Is only twenty-six years old, and with the
years of work which he has planned out
ahead the imagination is taxed in the effort
to put a limit on the possibilities of his
future In the field of wireless telegraphy.