The Eureka sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1902-current, 1921-04-30


ed to a record which even a person
unskilled in the Morse code could
readily translate.
The machine, this morning, had
been In the bureau of standards, a
few miles away. In the afternoon 1t
was installed downtown. the anten-
nae were run up on light poles. and
the message caught in the drawing
room of the house.
With this machine it is possible to
record simultaneously. with the same
pen. the seconds of local time. as
furnished by the local standard
chronometer, and compare them with
the standard time as sent out by wire
less from observatories, without any
errors incident to lag" of the instru-
ments.
In this way the latitude of a spot
far away from cables or wires. and
out of touch With the world a be
determined to within two-hundredths
of a second Of time, or about thirty
three feet, on the earth's surface.
This makes the invention extremely
valuable to geographers, astronomers
and surveyors.
A machine designed to perform
much the same functions has been
out in France, but its completely and
non-portability, together with its
high cost and irregular action, pre-
vented 1t from being more than a la
boratory experiment. German scien-
lists tried to work nj the problem
during the last eight years. but it re-
manned unsolved in any satisfactory
way until our own Government scien-
lists got on the job.
The new instrument will possibly
play an important part in the lives Of
many people living in isolated sec
tions Of the country. For example,
a trading post in Alaska. apart from
civilization, lacking all news of do
ings. back home" may be able to buy
one of the machines, when they get
the manufacturing perfected, for
about $500. The instrument could
be set up and tuned by a layman, in
accordance with marks indicating
sending stations which could be
placed on the head of the condenser.
By setting the machine for these GER
tain ray lengths, everything which
that station sem out would be re-
corded, and the paper drum would
mark off all the news of the day. as
Paris, London or Moscow. The rec
it was flashed from Washington,
ord could then be deciphered at leis-
ure.
Prices of farm products in cities
could be collected each afternoon and
sent out by radio under the supervis-
ion of the Department of Agriculture.
Newspaper Offices will be able to
catch radiograms direct from distant
lands, transcribe the accurate record
and give you even more rapid SER
vice than under present conditions.
Warships equipped with the re-
corder, would avoid errors in the re-
ceiving of messages which are now
possible. Should an admiral of the
fleet wish to send radiograms to the
various ships the commanders will
have a record of what was sent,
which can be filed away and brought
up in connection with the orders
should any slip occur. The RESPONSE
bility, now placed on the hearing of
one or more men on the receiving
end, would be eliminated.
Merchant ships, by having the re-
corder placed beside the ships chron-
ometer, would have an automatic
check on their timepiece every day
when signals are sent out from OBJ
servatories.
The invention will mean much to
ships lost or in distress. Even II the
wireless mar on board got seasick or
died, the ship would be able to re-
ceive information, by having certain
marks on the condenser head show
ing where to turn to listen for power
full sending stations. Even a layman
could turn a knob until the arrow
pointed to Annapolis. Paris or Lon
don. and the record would be taken
down in black and white. to be read