The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-02-25

A Maryeleus NIachine.

New York Times.
A Marvellous Machine.
The invention described in the Matin
was announced by DR.. Morage at the
Sorbonne the other day, seems at first
glance to be more curious than useful.
1t is side development from the Won
derful system of telegraphing devised
by Messrs. Pollak and Virag, by which
messages can be transmitted at the
rate of 10000 words an hour, and auto
mat1cally transcribed al the receiving
end. No clerk, of course, could trans
init message at a tenth of this speed.
The tranSmitter is fed with perforated
strips, which are produced by a sort OF
typewriting machine, and the perfora-
tionS determine the intervals between
the currents. A dozen clerks at as
many perforating machines would be
working on different messages or on
different parts of the same message, in
order to feed the transmitter fast
enough. The advantage is in the
enormously increased capacity of a sin
gle wire. 1t is the transcription APP
paratus that is the essence of the in
vention. This consists of an oscillating
mirror which reflects a ray of light
from lamp placed in front of it on
to a moving Photographic film. In the
Geographic device the movements of the
mirror are determined by the intervals
in the electric current, and the ray OF
light, at is were, writes the message on
the Photographic film, which is auto
maticalIy developed and fixed. The
adaptation of this apparatus to the
purpose of "photographing the voice"
apparently consists in the substitution
not for Geographic purposes-of sound
vibrations for the electric current as
the agitator of the mirror. The person
whose voice is to be photographed
speaks into microphone, and the yaria-
lions of sound determine the vibrations
of the mirror, and this makes photo
graphic record, described as Tighter
fIa.a
sounds uttered and the quality of the
voice. By experience one would learn
to recognize the particular modification
of the tstreaks" which corresponds to
qualities of tone. 1t is said that the
record can be read easily with little
practice. If that is so, the invention
might perhaps create new phonetic
writing which would put the controver-
sy about phonetic spelling out of date,
and would enable the business man or
author to dispense with an amanuensis.
The business man, for example, could
his correspondent a photograph of his
observations. But doubtless these de-
velopments are tolerably remote
Manchester (Eng.) Guardian.
Cut Whale In Two.
I'D very we'll dislike to ship on a
vessel named st. Joseph" said Mate
Spice, of the good ship St. Andrew,
Phenix Line. in yesterday with mer-
chand fse4and- yarT1-frona Antwerp
The first officers opening remarks
were in the nature of a joke, Mr.. Spice
The ST. Andrew had hit
a whale on the trip over, he explained
further. Still further, it hit a whale
on trip this way several months ago,
and Mr.. Spice opines that whales have
a fondness for ships named after the
saints. He told of other ships thus
named that were everlastfngly run
ming down whales.
"In twelve hours last Wednesday,"
said Mr.. Spice, I'VE run into whale
and a waterspout-not the whales
rains but it pours. but 1 prefer my
whales without waterspouts or my
without whales.
'It was just breaking day and 1 was
on the bridge. What was 1 doing
I was scanning the western horizon.
Spice isn't thin) was damned against
the bridge rail. The grunt that came
from me greatly startled the skipper,
who had already been tossed from his
bunk.
as'''. "A -derelict, 1 think, sir piped the |
look out I sent a man over the bow
to examine our injuries. He reported |
plates intact, and also brought back |
the information that the wreck we hit |
must have held a large cargo of red |
paint We saw the water crimson /
streaked on all sides of us. We had |
not only run down a whale. but had |
run through it. Part of it was fouled |
N our propeller."-New York Sun.
Not All Mr. Huntington's.
At an entertainment given for a |
charming bride-to-be the subject OF
came up. One of the guests
told the following story:
certain 1adV started from Los Ange- /