The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-01-25
WILL RIVAL MARCONI
DE FORESTS WIRELESS SYSTEM
PROMISES TO sURPAss OTHERS.
The Pacific to BE Spawned, IL Is Said,
within Eighteen Months-Longest
i'm the World.
Washington Post.

Washington Post
During the Navy Department tests OF
the De Forest wireless telegraph system,
which he has just brought 10 success
full conclusion, DIR. De Forest sent the in
closed aerogram TO President Roosevelt
from the Naval Academy. at Annapolis:
81 have the honor TO send you the first
greetings by an American wireless tele-
graph system from Annapolis Naval Acad-
envy to Washington. with the conviction
that within eighteen months we shall do
the same from Manila, via Hawaii. to Cal
ifornia.''
In explanation OF this promise to ac-
eomplish transpacific wireless biography
in the near future, Dr. De Forest yesterday
made the following statement:
Long before the success of transat-
lantic wireless telegraphy was publicly
demonstrated, the officials of the American
De Forest Company had completed plans
for an elaborate system of gigantic power
stations for spanning the Pacific. BY next
June there will be two transpacifc cables,
and II Is safe 20 say that there will be no
more cables laid across that ocean.
Several months ago the company placed
large orders for high-power apparatus
trical apparatus fer transformers and gen.
orators. Two of the stations shortly to
De begun by the company will far exceed
lantic work. These two stations are TO be
In the Philippines. at a point not far from
Manila, and the other on the northern
most OF the Hawaiian group.
This range from Manila to Honolulu Is
the longest and most difficult in the world,
and plants for generating sixty kilowatts
are laid out for these two stations. Three
towers each $50 feet in height. are to be
erected near to high-water mark as
possible at each station, with the build
ings for power house. receiving and relay
tween the towers. The power at these two
stations Is to be generated by steam-a
full plant of boilers and turbine steam en-
gines being provided. These latter will be
coupled direct TO three twenty kilOwatts
generators OF forty-cfrcle frequency and OF
a design to furnish peculiar form OF
wave"
THE LOW POTENTIAL.
A feature of the designs is the compar-
atively low potential generated from the
transformers. Twenty-Five thousand volts
will be the maximum generated, since by
the peculiar form Of tuning capacities in
vented by De Forest this potential is found
TO have the carrying capacity Of voltages
several times as high. This low potential
renders the problem of efficient insulation
an easy matter, and has moreover the
sunlight is powerless TO discharge the
arfal conductors This latter has been
found to be serious drawback in the
Marconi long-distance installations, and
renders IL at times impossible TO transmit
signals for 1000 miles even, except at
night. In the tropics this factor is a still
more serious one, and will be thus OBJ
waited by the American method.
In addition TO the largest stations at
Manila and Hawaii, the company will sim
uItaneously erect a smaller one at Hong
Kong, China, to work with the Manila
station. This will require but twenty horse
power and will obtain its energy from a
Kerosene oil engine, The towers here will
be only 175 feet high.
The American station will be placed
near the southern end of the Lower Cali
fornia peninsula, which is on the line OF
a great circle with Hawaii. Here three
struction with those at Manila, will hold
aloof three screens of vertical wire
cable. The power required to transmit
across the first stretch of the Pacific is
estimated at forty-five K. W., and here
again steam engines will be used prim-
movers.
At all four of these De Forest stations
the electric waves radiated will have a
wave length OF one and one-half miles.
This relatively excessive length of waves
gineers after careful calculation and ex-
pertinent as that best adapted for long dis
lance transmission. The longer wave
length will traverse obstacles and be less
dissipated than short wave lengths, yet
at the same time, II too slow a vibra-
tion be chosen the "hold on the other .
as it is Technically termed. will be lost
and the wave will fail to radiate as q
Hertian oscillation.
A DISTINGUISHING FEATURE.
The De Forest system is celebrated fol
the speed of word transmission which Il
attains. IT holds the record of forty-eigh
words per minute for this style of tele
graphing. BY special forms of power-driv
en- transmitter keys designed this speed
is expected to be maintained even with the
enormous quantities OF energy which thes,
stations will involve. This speed is far IL
excess OF what is possible on long cable
and even with the two relay stations a.
Honolulu and the Philippines 1t is esti
mated that regular speed of twenty-eigh
words per minute can be kept up between
the American and China terminals of tn
range.
The estimated cost for the four stations
Is $1,000 for that at Hong-Kong. $500
each for those at Manila and Hawaii ant
$4,000 for the California plant, making ;
total OF $4,000. This investment seems ;
mere incident when compared to the cable
where simple break or defective insula
ton may involve an expenditure OF 5000
TO repair.
II is stated that actual construction O,
the California and Honolulu stations is L
be begun by the American De Forest Com
pany. within the next twelve weeks. Tn
complete plans and specifications are prac
tically finished now. II is thought that tn
four stations Will be practically complete,
by February, 1904. so that the actual omen
Ing for commercial business of this long
distance, transoceanic, wireless TELEGRAPH
enterprise Will take place within the eight
cen months mentioned In the aerograr
10 President Roosevelt.
The first long-distance stations of tn
company at Block island and Cape Hat
teras, 800 miles apart. will be opened with
in ninety days. A Providence paper is co
operating with the company TO erect tn
Block island station, from which the pape
Is TO establish regular news service wit