Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1902-02-21
SPIRIT OF THE PRESS
FACTS AND OPINIONS GATHERED
FROM CONTEMPORARIES

CHEAPNEss OF WIRELESS TELEoRAPHY.
1t is needless to say that Marconi's
splendid demonstration of transoceanc
signaling means, in the near future, a
big reduction in cable tolls. Marconi
himself says that cent a word is within
sight. But even this is purely arbi-
trary figure.
In England, where the public tele.
graph is not run to enrich rich people,
| it Is possible to send twelve-word mes
sage anywhere In the kingdom for six
pence. There is no good reason why,
with healthy competition, twenty-word
message from New York to London,
Paris, or Manila should not be sent and
delivered for dime; or, for that matter,
anywhere in the United States.
The first cost is small. wireless
telegraph station is more complicated
than an ordinary Morse station, and costs
more. But, needing neither cables,
wires, insulators, nor poles, the stations
are practically the whole of the expense.
Such an installation as those of the Mar
conf company on board the ocean ships
probably costs between two and three
expense is a good induction coil, which,
| for a twelve-lnch spark, costs between
| $50 and 5000; the rest of the apparatus,
any clever mechanic, once he has seen 1t
and read the descriptions, of which the
scientific journals TEEN, can rig up for
himself
And the field is free. The shower
of patents has been large; Signor
Macorni alone has taken out 1872.
But they relate chiefly to minor i'm
provements and special devices, which,
while doubtless often of individual
value, are not block to Others to try
their hand. If, for example, Professor
Brandy had patented his discovery, and
had applied it to the reception of
signals himself, instead of leaving that
to Professor Lodge and others, then we
might have had another Bell Telephone
monopoly. AS it is, wireless telegraphy
has been made possible by men who
do not take out patents. and whose
work is not done for money.-Review of
Reviews.
5000
GREAT PREDICTIONS.
l. A system of wireless telegraphy by
which a message can be sent clear around
the world.
2. Electrical production of ozone for
sterlizlng water to rid it of its many I'M
purities.
3. The manufacture of artificial food
by oxdized oxygen.
/. The flying machine will be fact
1t will not bring universal peace, as some
suppose. Some nation will rule the air al
well as the sea.
8. Future developments will tend tt
diminish the number of individuals en-
gagged in battle. This will bring into us'
a machine which can be operated by thu
fewest possible individuals.
G. The perfection of the telautomaton
a machine having all its bodily move
ments controlled from distance, without
wires. Telautomatics are applicable t
any machine that moves on the land, in
water, or in the air.
0. Electrolytlc process Of extractin!
iron from ore and molding it into re
quired forms without fuel consumption
10. The electrolytic manufacture o
aluminium and its gradual eXterminatio
of copper, and possibly iron.
Tesla also promises "wireless light,
which will give artificial sunshine a
midnight in these ATTITUDES. On recen
occasion he darkened the windows of hi
laboratory in East Houston street. Ne'
York city, turned on an electric current
and in a moment the room was tlOOde
with what Tesla calls artificial sur
shine" The wonderful thing about tn
wireless lamp, if It's claims are substar
tiated, is that it may be carried abol
from one part of the room to another
picked up and set down at will, just 6
one would carry kerosene lamp arount
and all the time there is not so much a
a flicker Of the light. This new llgt
will be blessed boon to humanity, e
pecially in the sick room, for Mr.. les
says it will have quoting effect upo
the nerves. Any light that will give ,
less tension in life in these strenuo,