The Irish standard., 1902-03-29
WIRELESS TELEGRAPHY.
of the Various Systems of Aerial
Comm nicatiOn.

Communications.
On account of the prominence
which wireless telegraphy has attract
ed by it's recent achievements and it's
great possibilities of becoming an i'm
portant factor in the commercial
world, it is very interesting to note the
various stages by which this impor-
tant method of communication has
been reached and of the many sci
entists to whom Che world is indebted
for the present efficiency of the sys-
TEN, says the Washington Star.
In 1850 Prof. Henry, of Washington,
d. c., discovered that particles of car
bon and steel were very sensitive to
electrical discharges, and would act
under electrical oscillations through
the air (this being the forerunner of
the "coherer"), being an imperfect
electrical contact. Prof. Hughes, of
London, in 1880 also experimental with
''aerial" telegraphy with some sue
cess.
In 1882 Prof. Amos Emerson Dol
bear, of Tufts college, Boston, Mass,
applied for basic or art patent for
wireless telegraphy and telephony.
After being held in the United States
patent Office for four years the COM
missioner of patents demanded
working model of the system, claim
ing that they could not understand 1t,
as it was new art and the practical
workings entirely unknown to them.
Prof. Dolbear supplied the apparatus.
making n practical demonstration of
the same, and was granted a patent Oc-
tober 5, 1886, it being the first patent
in the world of a practical working
wireless telegraph apparatus. Prof.
Dolbear worked his system in actual
hill and Boston light, distance of
over 10 miles. 1t is claimed that all
who are using wireless telephony and
telegraphy in the United States, there
fore, necessarily infringe upon this
basic patent, which is still in force.
Prof. Heinrich Hertz in 1899 ex-
planned the phenomena of "electro
etheric waves" and established the
fact, by demonstrating through the
spark of his induction coil, that these
waves were identical with the ordi-
nary light waves, having the power of
being reflected and refracted, thus
solving the curious phenomena which
had puzzled savants up to that time.
In 1887 Sir William Preece expert
mented with wireless telegraphy in
the English channel, and subsequently
~
conf.
In 1890 Prof. e. Branley, of Paris,
discovered the small sensitized tube
called the "coherer," the connecting
link of modern wireless telegraphy.
Prof. Marconi has attracted world
wide attention by the successful OPP
Grafton of his system, telegraphing
across the English channel between
Dover and Calais in March, 1899, and
subsequently erecting wireless sta
tions across the English and Irish
coasts. In 1899 Prof. Marconi report
cd the international yacht races. IL
ccnsc for this purpose having been
granted by the owners of the Dolbear
patent to the New York Herald, under
N''N\ HNS |INSS IoI. MdICoul was
then nployed for this purpose.
Prof Slaby, of Berlin, Germany, is
also the inventor of a system which
is now used in the German navy. and
over which Emperor William is very
enthusiastic. Prof. Slaby claims that,
in conjunction with DR.. Dietz. lie made
many experiments with "spark teleg-
raphy" before Nlarconi was ever
known to the public.
The various further Inventions and
improvements in wireless ,telegraphy
in America have since been made by
Profs. Collins, Shoemaker, Davis, Tes-
In. Pirkard. Fessenden and Ehret.
On April 1, 1901, Sig. Marconi surren-
dcred his United States patent, claim
ing it imperative and too broad, in
his claims citing that Prof. Popoff
having IS months previously published
discovery and system similar to his,
and therefore, after claiming his igno-
rance OF this fact (at the time of filing
same), he was granted modified re-
issue in June. 1901.
Quite recently Prof. Harry Shoe
maker, rising young American in
Ncptor, has made many marked inn
provements in wireless telegraphy,
for which he has received IA American
patents, as well as patents in foreign
countries. Prof: Shoemaker's patents
mark an important epoch in the art of
tclegraphing without wires, covering,
as they do, a complete "selective" sys-
tenn. by which interference is entirely
ohviated Prof. Shoemaker's tuning
system is also very remarkable, it be-
ing. it is claimed. perfectly adapted to
practical and commercial uses.
Prof. Nathan Stubblefeld, of Ken
lucky. who recently came upon the
scene with n wireless telephone. and
who is reported to have successfully
talked from his residence to the court.
house, a distance of about three
blocks. is making progress on the lines
of Dolbear's invention.
The practical field for wireless
telephony and telegraphy presents
one of great promise and possible
ties in the saving of lives as we'll as
cheapening construction and COM
munications between distant points,
and while it is not believed it will inn
mediately displace telegraph and cable
systems, any more than electricity has
displaced that of gas, yet if it makes
as much progress in the future as it
has in the past two years the death
knell of the poles. wires and cables
and expensive messages has surely