Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1900-02-19

Thomas A. Edison, Jr., expects soon
10 demonstrate that, by means of
special inventions of his own, teIe-
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 l 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
be 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-
tenn would be so expensive that it was
out of the question. By our sys-
TEN. 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 a 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, I think, be
understood readily, though l shall not
One of the chief obstacles to be over
come is what is known as static induc-
zion. 1t is, so to speak, a sort of pull
exerted by the magnetic pole, and it
impedes and interferes with the cur
rent on the cable.
-- In telephoning, it's effect is to pro-
duce an elongatiOn of syllables, and
finally, where the distance is great, the
sound of conversation is something
ike 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
tiplies the vibrations. Suppose, for
example, the word and should be re-
peated into the transmitter at the rate
of 1850 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
soRssad ineligible, the number of vibra-
odons recorded by the receiver must be
reduced and this is done by a mechan-
ica4 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 elOngation is entirely overcome.
we are also able to oppose the sta
tic induction by a device through
which it is counterbalanced by the en-
'pIoyment of an opposing force.
1T is our purpose to make our next
tests as severe as possible in order
hat we may be sure of our ground.
AS soon as arrangements are made we
shall exhibit the workings of the sys-
gem.''
Mr. Edison explained that the length
Of cable required between America and
Europe could be greatly shortened by
anchOring it to the SUBMITS of the
ridges of the ocean bottom instead of
letting it fall into all the deep depres-
sfons
Perhaps, as | am an inventor" Mr..
Edison continued, Il may seem to be
over enthusiastic, but I sincerely be-
IieVe that submarine telephoning is
bound to take the place of the subma-
TiRe telegraph in a great measure, be-
cause it will be cheaper and more sat-
2sfactOry 1t is sure to revolutionize
the present rates of transoceanic COM
B0niCatiOn.
1T is quite within the realm of the
possible that person in New York
will be able some day to talk with his
friend in Manila.
by the way" Mr.. Edison said, at
che close of the interview, "a curious
rhing happened in connection with
mis- scheme of telephoning to Europe
A friend of mine who was enthusiastic
over the matter wrote to the managers
Of the Paris exposition, asking if ar
PsngementS could he made provided