Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1909-02-04

Ia N and brave operator OF the Wire
less instrument on board the White
Star liner which sank at sea last
week, the real hero OF this epoch
making event in the wor DIS caisn-
dar wears the youthful face of the
young Italian wizard:
w liam Marconi
IL sounds Ike the shserest fairy
tale OF fiction to be told that this
Prince Marvellous or twentieth CEN
furry magicians. who has actually
&C ipsed the WORKOUT wonders OF the
Arabian Nights" aud written the
most br lliant page in the history OF
modern science, is still on the sunny
side of S5, says the Atlanta Geor-
gian.
But more than a decade has elaps-
ed since William Marconi first al
nounced to the scientific world his
master-feat OF juggelry w tn the e'ec
trio spark.
III ever youth was ridiculed and
lampooned for exploiting the vaga-
| ries of an Immature mind, IL was
this young Italian.
The miracle OF max ng iron swim
on the water was commonplace and
trifling compared with this feat of
transmitting wireless messages all
around the & ODE Even the wisest
Of the savants shook his head. The
consensus OF opinion among the ex-
perts Of both hem spheres was con-
| fensed in the ole word.
Impossible!
| Thus the world laughed at Robert
Fulton when he babbled about pro-
pelling his little boat with steam
But the Clermont moved like a swan
up the waters of the Hudson when
he tried the experiment; and today
he Lusitania makes the trip across
The broad Atlant in less than FIVE
days.
Thus the world laughed at Cali
leo when he prated about the circu-
ar form of the earth; at Morse
when he appealed to congress for
sympathetic aid in experimenting
with the telegraph; at Edison when
ne vaguely limited at the motor car
and the incandescent light. Thee
nen were all hopelessly .nsane-fit
subjects for the lunatic asylum. But
he hilarlty has ceased; and the
men VINO were once laughed to scora
are today the recipients of the
worlds admiring homage.
Young Marcom was ,es5 than 16
when he began to dream about wire
'ess kilograms. He knew that the
Electric current was capable of pass
ng thru any substance and of keep
ng an unDroken course e once
started in any given direction; and
this was the basis upon which he
began TO experiment on his fathers
arm at Bologna. He invented an
apparatus for wireless telegrapny,
but he rece we'd little announcements
rom the Italian government and lit
Tie recognition from the italian scien
lists. This was due partly to the
;rudenesS of his outfit. 1t was not
by any means perfect; and the young
ster was at once promoted to the
chief seat among the numb-skulls
and the crack-bralas.
But he was not dismayed. He turn
ed to England At tbs time Sir
William Henry Preece, the chief cleo
trician OF the English Postal TeIe-
graph, was making experiments
along the same line in London; and
Marconi at once sought this brother
card. The result of the visit was
hat the apparatus was Thoroughly
,ested, and, to the mute amaze nent
Of the great electrician who had
spent years in fluitless experiments.
I was found that the young Italian
had actually solved the great prob
EN-.
Despite the fact that Marcon''s
mother was OF Irish birth and mar
entage, and his VIE an English szirl
Of noble blood, the British govern
hent refused TO give him the recog-
milton TO which he was properly en-
titled. This. was due TO an Anglo
saxon prejudice n favor Of Sir Will
am Henry Preece, whose electrical
tUd.es antedated the advent of the
young italian; but Marccai could
not be deprived the laurels which
ne had fairly won.
Successful tests of the Maroon
method were subsequently made by
the italians ministry Of marine I'm
sending a message from spezia to a
vessel some di-taace on the Medit-
erranean
Later, signals were successfully
exchanged across the Brit sh chan
mel; and, before the beardlezs youth
rad attained his majority, he was
proclaimed the greatest Of the world
/ wizards.
The only parallel in all history In
this precocious example OF youthful
achievement s found in the child