The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1911-10-19
(Kansas City star.)

That there is nothing new under
the sun seems to be true when the
foreshadowings of many modern in
MENTIONS and discoveries are traced
back for centuries. sometimes to the
beginnings of history. The following
ton OF Lucretius." by Famianus Stra-
da. printed in 1917. suggests the prin-
ciple of the modern wireless tele-
graph:
The loadstone is a wonderful sort
Of mineral. Any articles made Of iron.
like needles. if touched by it. derive
by contact. not only peculiar power,
hut also a certain property Of motion
by which they turn yer toward the
north pole. BY some peculiar CORE
spondency Of impulse any number of
needles which may have touched the
loadstone preserve at all times a pre-
cisely corresponding position and mo-
ton. Thus 1t happens that ii one
needle be moved at Rome. any other.
however far apart. is bound by some
secret natural condition to follow the
same motion.
If you desire. therefore. to COM
n1unicate intelligence &c q distant
friend. who cannot be reached by let
ter. take a plain. round. fiat disc. and
upon its outer rim mark down the let
tiers of the alphabet. y, Il. c. etc. and.
traversing THE middle of your
disc have a needle (Which has touched
loadstone) So arranged that it may be
made to touch upon n particular let
ter ad lihitum. Make a similar disc,
with corresponding letters on its mar
Sin. and with a revolving magnetized
needle. Let the friend you propose
corresponding with take. at his de-
parture. n disc along with him. and
let him agree with you beforehand on
what particular days and at what
particular hours he will take obser-
vations on his needle. to see If it be
vibrating and to learn what it marks
on the index.
with this arrangement understood
between YOU both. if YOU wish to hold
a private conversation With your
friend. whom the shores of some dis
tant land have separated from you.
turn your finger to the disc and touch
the easy moving needle. Before YOU
lie. marked on the outer edge. all the
various letters. Direct the needle to
such letters as are necessary to form
the words YOU want, touching a little
letter here and there With the need
les point. as it goes traversine round
and round the board. until O throw
together. one by one. your various
ideas. Lo: the wonderful fidelity Of
correspondence: Your distant friend
notes the revolving needle vibrate
without apparent impulse and fly hith-
er and thither round the rim. He
notes its movements. and. reading. as
he follows its motion. the various let
tiers which make up the words. he per-
ceives all that is necessary. and learns
your meaning from the Interpreting
needle. When he sees the needle
pause he. in like turn. touches the va
rious letters and sends back the am
swer.
"Oh. that this style of writing were
brought into use. What friendly mes
sages might fly hither and thither.
quicker and safer. defying snares Of
robbers or delaying rivers: Would
that the prince himself would finish
the great work with his own hands!
Then We race Of scriblers. emerging
from u sea of ink. would lay the
Quill an offering on the altar of the
l~oadstone."
This idea of strada is based upon
the erroneous impression entertained
generally at the time when he wrote.
that magnetic power. when impaired
by the loadstone to metallic articles
like needles communicated tn them a
kind of homogeneous impulse which