The Washington times., 1902-03-30

| Marconi came from a sleepy old italian
town, but his eyes are wide open. After
he had finished his studies at the uni
versity he began studying at home in
great earnest. He believed that an eiee-
trical current, il started in given direc-
ton, would readily pass through almost
any substance. Another thing he be-
lieved was that certain layers Of air
above the earth's surface would carry
| telegraphic messages somewhat in the
way wires have carried them ever since
Samuel Morse built the first line in"
''In 1874, Uncle Sam, between Baltimore
and Washington"
Thanks, boys. I remember where the
line was. for 1 saw 1t built, but did not
feel quite sure of the year. Well, Mar
conf began to experiment with wireless
telegraphy He does not claim to have
been the first to believe 1t possible, but
| he is surely the first to construct an ap-
paratus that would do it successfully.
More than four years ago he sent mes
sages through the air as far as nine miles.
One message, sent from Queen Victoria,
who was on shore, to the Prince of Wales
d
Eof the prince. or of the King. ne wc cow
know him. In 1893 the system was used
to tell New York paper that Sir Thomas
Upton had not lifted the cup in the yacht
races. At the Presidential election in
1900 it was used in announcing election
returns. Since then many ocean steam
ers and lighthouses and life-saving sta
/ tions have been equipped with the ap-
paratus.'
.Will that prevent shipwreeks, Uncle
Sam?"
1T will aid ships in distress wishing
to call for help from the shore, and when
the little ticker On a ship in midocean
gets busy the captain will know it is
time to SLOW up, unless it is so light and
clear he can see his way. The sinking Of
one ship at sea by collision with an
other ought never again to happen. Be-
sides these important things, people on
steamers find it pleasant to exchange
greetings with people on other steamers
within one or two hundred miles of them.
Old ocean is not SO lonesome place as
it once was. When ship leaves this
side it keeps in touch with the shore as
far out as it can, and long before 1t gets
across it reaches cut through the air to
say. Hello, we're co!ning.' So the ocean
is becoming smaller.
But the s.@rtest wonder is that on De-
cember II Marconi received signal at
st. Johns, n. F., from his station at
Lizard Point, Cornwall, England. The
signal was only three dots, which stand
for the letter S, but the great inventor
is SO encouraged that he will build a fine
station in America like the one in Corn
wall. In his experiments thus far he
held small wire in the air by means of
a kite
THAT makes us think about Franklin,
Uncle Sam, away back in 1752.''
Yes, that is the way. We learn from
each other. Perhaps Marconi did borrow
that idea from Franklin. Yet, he has
ideas of his own. Forty years ago Cy-
rus ". Field spent several fortunes and
nine years of patient toll in a most he
roic effort to lay cable on the bed Of
the Atlantic. Today Marconi runs the
wire up two tall poles, with a delicate
instrument at the top of each, and,
presto does the business through the
air. And he promises. to reduce the cost
of cablegrams from % cents word to
l cent a word. Yes, these are wonderful
times. boys, and l am right glad to know
that you want to keep up with them. I'm
generally around the woodpile Saturday
afternoons. and mighty pleased to have
you drop in.