New-York tribune., 1922-06-25

Twelve years before Heinrich Hertz
announced his radio discoveries, Pro-
fessor Elhu Thomson, professor Of
chemistry in Philadelphia high
school. produced and operated the first
apparatus to transmit electromagnetic
waves through space without wires.
This statement is made by Professor
l. VI Knoll. now head Of the physics
denortmcnt of the Central High School
In PHILADELPHIA. According 20 Protcs-
so- Knoll. II was Professor Thomson,
nou director of the Thomson Research
Laboratory OF the General Electric
Company. in Lynn. Mass. who success
fully demonstrated that electrical IN
nulsos NAV be transmitted without tho
use Of wires. az least twelve years be-
fore tire announcement bv the Ger
man scientist. Heinrich Hertz. OF the
University Of Bonn. Hertz. m 1881,
informed the scientific world or his
discovery that electromagnetic waves
sent out By induction coils or other
suitable apparatus may be caught By
q receiving apparatus without the use
or wires
Following IN tho experiments Of
Hertz. Marconi produced the first prac-
tical wireless apparatus and adapted
II 10 commercial use. Professor Thom-
son. according 10 Professor Knoll,
made no practical application Of his
work. but conducted it solely as an
experiment.
Thomson Describes Experiments
In "The General Electric Review" Of
May. 1918. Professor Thomson describes
= his experiments with the first radio
set. His statements are corroborated
in an article IN the March 20 issue
Of the same publication BY Professor
Monroe B. Snyder. a former instructor
in a Pennsylvania high school.
In the carly issues OF the journal
OF the Franklin Institute for 1875 ap-
pear articles by Professor Thomson de-
scribing radio experiments begun as
far back as 1871. Credit is given by
Professor Thomson TO his colleague, f.
J. Houston.
Central High School. az Philadelphia. "
writes Professor Thomson, this cX-
pertinent was made. about the latter
part Of 1875. An induction coil with a
two-inch spark gap was used. For the
receiver we used black box open on
one side. with two graphite pencil
points adjusted fraction Of an inch
apart inside, one pencil being connect
ed with large brass ball outside.
Tin Can for Aerial
Owe observed a tiny spark between
the two pencil points. II was an indi-
cation of shock, commotion or wave,
electrical in It's character. in the ether.
As an aerial on our sending apparatus
We used a large tin can on TOD o. a
glass jar. insulating II from the table.
the can being connected 10 one wire Of
the secondary Of the induction coil.
Tests for detecting the impulses
were carried on not only in rooms on
the same floor the basement) in which
the induction coil was located but we
went from floor 20 floor. finally reach
ing the Astronomical observatory on
the roof, more than ninety feet from
the physics room and separated from il
by five brick walls. We found here
that even metal pieces not connected
with ground wires would yield sparks.
III was understood by Us AT the time
that after each discharge OF the coil
there was a shock or wave IN the
ether. consisting Of a quick reversed
electrical condition. and il was even
imagined there might be in the process
the germ Of a system Of signaling
through space.
This old work was almost forgotten
when IL was recalled b. the later work
Of Hertz in 1857"
Professor Snyder Corroboratcs Tests
Writing in corroboration Of his for.