The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1917-08-09
Every big Bertha" in World
Conflict Is Fired by Press
ing a Button.
WIRELESS IS ALWAYS BUSY
Invention Stimulated by Demands OF
War-Trench Orders Given by Tel
ephone-Magnets Take Place @
of Surgeons Probe.

New York.-Electricity, child OF
peace, has been adopted by war as its
own especial ward. Without electric
ity this war could never have reached
the proportions which it has; perhaps
could never have been fought at all.
Every "Big Bertha" is fired by an cleo
trio spark. Every order from head
quarters reaches the trenches, not by
courier as in days of old, but by tele-
phone. The wireless crackles STAG
cato accompaniment to every sailing
of ship and submarine. The torpedo
itself is propelled by electric motors.
Invention has been stimulated al
most Historically by the demands of
war. Armies on the march or in the
field have now hundred conveniences
which were not known last year.
There is a radio telephone and tele-
graph equipment, for instance, which
can be attached to a motorcycle. 1t
was given to America only a little
while age by New York inventor.
The transmitting power is approx
mately one h1owatt, with resultant
radius for the wireless telegraph Of
from 80 to 100 miles and about half
that distance for the radio telephone.
Current for this compact field set
is supplied to the telephone or tele-
graph by high voltage direct current
generator connected directly to an in
dependent motorcycle engine connect
ed with the side car. For the equip
ment is contained in small metal side
car attached to the cycle.
Wireless Equipment.
The wireless equipment comprises a
completely independent unit, which
can easily be detached and pushed by
hand or loaded on a wagon and trans
ported over rough ground. An extra
wheel is provided which can be at
tached to either hub Of the side car or
to the front or rear Of the motorcycle.
The antenna is supported by a light
weight metal mast Of tubular con-
struction. The telescope form Of it
makes it possible to collapse the mast
and strip it out of the way on the cars
side. And when erected, it can take
messages from field and airplanes with
equal ease.
The French have developed the
wireless to a fine point. They now
have what they call an "ondophone"
detector for receiving messages, the
value of which lies in it's small size
and extremely compact makeup. The
whole affair, as a matter Of fact, can
be carried in an officers breast pocket.
With this little detector at a dis
lance of 20 miles from the transmit
ter all that is needed is an open UNI
brella held as high as the hand can
reach-or a sword, if you prefer
while a small metal contact piece con-
nected to cord lies upon the ground
and makes the earth circuit. At 60
miles one need only plant a knife in
a tree, preferably a pine tree, or
gimlet will answer as well. One OF
the cords with it's metal clip is at
tached to this "antenna" while the
other clip is placed in the ground.
The entire receiver weighs but IL
ounces and yet in spite of it's size it
is meticulously made and is a most
accurate apparatus.
For Long, Distance Work.
For long distance, for instance to
the extreme borders Of France, one
clip is joined to telephone line which
serves as an antenna and the other
goes to gas or water pipes for the