The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-03-26
WIRELESS TELEGRAPHY.



Reno B. Welbourn, of Union City, scien-
fist. lecturer and scholar. gave an interest
ing lecture at Roberts Park Church last
night one of the Y. NJ c. A lecture
course attractions. his subject being Vic
tory Over Space" Mr.. Welbourn has made
wireless telegraphy a special study and
with the aid of numerous little machines
and devices he was able to illustrate the
working of the wonderful Marconi system.
While his subject was broad one he con-
fined himself mostly to the use of wireless
telegraphy and declared the system will be
practical and that all difficulties will be
overcome.
In explaining the many objections that
have been raised against the wireless sys-
TEN and the declarations that it would be
impossible to make the system practical be-
cause of the seeming impossibility of main
tanning secrecy in sending messages, he
said this has already been overcome by
constructing the sending apparatus so that
Ii can be made TO give out different vibra-
tons of wave sounds and the receiving APP
paratus used for the receiving of the mes
sage would be adjusted that it would re-
ceive those vibrations and no others. He
declared that the Marconi system would be
in general practical use on both land and
sea within a very short time.
Mr. Welbourn said the system used in
wireless telegraphy embodies the Hertzian
wave, which flows as fast as a beam or
light He explained by the use of expert
menting apparatus the working of wire
less teegraphy system. the sending and re-
ceiving stations occupying the roStrum of
the church. He said the Hertzian waves do
not pass straight and Marconi found that
they go in any direction. To overcome the
distance between the sending and receiving
stations it is necessary to have instruments
in the sending station of the greatest pow
er and instruments in the receiving station
of the greatest fineness and accuracy.
Mr.. Welbourn said it was first believed
when wireless telegraphy was discovered
that it would be necessary for the sending
and receiving stations to be on a straight
line, but when experiments were made
across the Atlantic this was found to be
unnecessary. The Hertzian waves. he said.
passed over the ocean waves. as the salt
water is a good conductor. Numerous little
illustrations were given by the lecturer to
demonstrate the peculiar qualities of the
Hertzian waves and the various articles
the waves will pass through, terming them
as transparent, and the articles the waves
would not penetrate, terming them as
waves, as demonstrated by Mr.. welbourn,
was that the waves would pass through a
square hole and would not pass through a
IOuuQ nOie. LIE instruments uSeQ IN the
experiments by Mr.. Welbourn were fur
nished by Dr. o. j. Lodge. of Liverpool,
England, of the Royal Institute of Eng
land.
Mr.. Welbourn declared that it would only
be a short time when messages could be
sent through the ground the same as
through the air, and generals on the battle
field would be able to send messages to
each other by placing their swords in the
ground.
He showed experiments that will perfect
the life-saving stations by the use of wire
less telegraphy. Ships will be equipped
with bells and receiving instruments and
stations along the coast will send out the
Hertzian waves. Bells on the ships will
ring when the ships are too close to the
dangerous places. The same idea will be
used, he said, railroads, so that engi-
neers can tell by the ringing of bells in
their engines and the burning of red lights
when another train is within the wave
sound. He said the system could be used
for fire alarms and also for burglar alarms
in private residences.