The Washington times., 1902-03-24
Fundamental Principles
Not a New Dis
c0Very.
LONG KNOWN TO SCIENTISTS
Key Discovered by Prof. Bell While Ex-
perimenting at Cambridge, Mass, in
1877 - Mr.. Stubblefeld's Invention
Capable of Development.


probability mark the development no
only of wireless telegraphy, but OF wire
less telephony, the fundamental prlnci-
pies of wireless telephony are by nc
means a new discovery, the key TO the
methods employed having been discovered
at Cambridge, Mass, in 1877, by Prot
Alexander Graham Bell, the inventor OF
the telephone system that bears his name
The principles of wireless telephony.
however. according to Prof Bell, are I'M
doubtedly capable of enormous develop
ment. and may result in the entire revolu-
ton of the present methods employed by
both local and long distance telephone
companies.
Prof. Bell Interested.
Pref. Bell is watching with the interest
o. all experienced scientist the result Of
the practical tests of wireless telephony
that are being made by Mr.. Nathaniel
Stubblefield, of Murlsv, Ky. His in
vention, according TO the demonstrations
already made. appears to be not only
practicable and feasible, but also capable
of development. In the event OF 1t being
proved to be practicable there is no rea-
son why il should not be universally
adopted. as it will obviate the necessity
maintaining telephone wires.
The key TO the fundamental principles
employed by Mr. Stubblefeld in his in
yention was discovered by Prof. Bell
while he was experimenting TO ascertain
how slight a ground connection could be
had with the telephone. With an ordi-
nary telephone receiver, and a pair OF
rods, consisting of two pokers. to which
were attached the two wires leading from
the receiver. Prof Bell drove the pokers
into the ground from so to 100 feet apart.
Heard Ticking of Clock.
On putting the receiver to his ear Prof
Bell was somewhat taken by surprise
when he heard distinctly the ticking of a
clock After studying the ticking for a
few moments he noticed that the clock
missed tick every other second. and in
this way he was enabled to identify ii as
the electrical clock On the Cambridge
University. Although half mile dis
tant from the point where the wire lead
ing from the clock dipped into the earth
he could hear the ticking distinctly
Following this experiment at Cambridge,
Mass. Prof Bell five years later under
took to test the practice bility of his dis
covery, and made a series of tests en- the
Potomac, in almost the immediate vicin-
fly Of where Mr. Stublefeld made his
tests on Thursday last, almost a genera
ton later.
Tar+c Far F-o-7 Sa+irf arto-v
The tests made by Prof Bell were far
from satisfactory. however. for. although
musical sounds transmitted by the use
of a buzzer could be heard distinctly four
miles distant, only slight success was
achieved in communicating with the hui
man voice.
The marvellous results obtained by Mar
conf in wireless teiegraDhy has called
the attention of scientists generally to
the possible development of wireless tele-
phony. Pref Bell is of the opinion that
the results obtained by Marconi, which
he adds are remarkable il the extreme
are obtained through electrical currents
through the water and earth, rather than
by ethereal waves.
Experiment by Sir William Preece.
Sir William Preece. of England, also ex-
perimented with the principles of wire
less telephony several years ago. During
the period when the cable between the
Isle of Wight and the mainland was i'm
paired he was successful in communicat-
ing with Queen Victoria at Osborne
Castle. by employing practically the same
methods as those used by Mr.. Stubble-
field.
During the progress OF the Worlds Fair
In Chicago in 1893 a system of wireless
telephony by which the electrical vibra-
tions were transmitted by means of the
rays of the sun was exploited. Communi- |
cation was had and maintained from one |
side of the main hall of the electrical |
building to the other.
Mr.. Stubblefeld's Invention.
To return TO the present, and the re-
suits of the practical tests of the inven-
tion of the scientist from the blue |
Grass State it is both possible and prob |
able that he will live to see his invention
reach the stage of development of which |
IT is capable.
The tests made by Mr.. Stubblefeld on |
board the steamer Bartholdi and on the |
Virginia shore on Thursday with NINA
ture instruments warrant the acceptance |
of his ideas that with larger and more |
powerful instruments there is practically |
no limit to the distance the human voice |
can be conveyed By the wireless system. |
Communication was not only obtained |
and maintained between the vessel and |
the shore. but tests were made on tie |
land that were cminently successful. The |
accompanying illustrations show Mr.. |
Stubble1eld, the inventor. seated at the |
apparatus on beard the steamer Barthol
di, also with receiver at ear. making a
test on the Virginia shores.
Between Steamer and Shore
The communication between the steam
er and the shore was had by dropping the
wires attached TO the apparatus over the
stern OF the beat and into the water, and /
the establishment Of stationary station (
On the shore. Not only were the sounds
Of harmonica, played on the shore. dis
tinctiy heard IN the three receivers at
tached TO the apparatus on board the
steamer. but singing and the human voice
numerals were also heard.
An ordinary conversation was less dis
tinc:, and hardly audible, but this was
attributed to the fact that the batteries
employed in connection with the appara
tus on the steamer were not powerful
enough.
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