Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-12-28
BY II. Il. SHELDON.


L tifac accomplishments. It seems
safe to predict that a reviewer five
years from now would agree that 1880
has been notable chiefly in engineering
rather than in the pure science. And
II one were to look farther into the
achievements Of the year he should
probably again agree with the present
reviewer In presenting the medal Of
honor, II there were one, to the COM
munication engineers.
When one sits with pages before him,
each Of which is filled with but o one
line mention Of each Of the great ac-
complishments, one might easily say
that this must have been the greatest
Of all years for scientific achievement
This may be so, although last year
was characterized as showing a dearth
Of real scientific achievement. The year
before, 1928, was one of great contribu-
tons In pure science.
Rapid Strides Made.
Let US see why we have chosen the
field Of communications for first honors,
q fitting choice in the tenth year Of
broadcaSting. BroadcaSting itself has
taken rapid strides; the general use Of
screen-grid tubes in receivers has inn
proved the reproduction Of programs
to such an extent that there seems no
room for further Improvement. Yet
further improvement is certain to comel
Already there has been exhibited the
first pentode receivers, which promise
results which even the screen grid can
never hope to attain. The introduction
of radio in automobiles promises to
keep us In touch with the world
wherever our devious ways may take us.
None of these things mentioned are
new; they are difficult achievements
which the engineer has been able to
perfect with materials already at hand.
Another such achievement, more diff
ficu1t than any Of these, is the syn
chronization of all stations carrying a
chain program. This promises to clear
the air for many more programs than
now exist. It has been theoretically
possible all along but a perfection Of
Synchronization such as to permit two
or more stations to operate on the same
wave length with the same program
without the usual squealing, Is truly
remarkable achievement.
Probably the only strictly new devel-
opment Is the arc loud speaker, first
introduced by s. P. Grace in his lee
ture before the New York Electrical
not strictly new, having been known
by the great telephone pioneer, Bell.
The perfection of it to the point where
it can be used as loud speaker re-
quired many new developments, how
ever.
This loud speaker holds great prom
Use, especially since 1t can reproduce all
the higher overtoneS which are forever
impossible to the ordinary type loud
speaker because Of the inertia OF the
moving parts.
The year In radio Is crowned by the
funds which have been given to create
a radio center In New York. This pro-
ject will occupy several square blocks,
will include theaters, broadcaSting
studios, etc.
TelevisiOn Shows Gains.
There are already more than 80 sta
tons equipped to send out television
programs, and most Of these are expert
menting regularly.
TeleVision has been perfected in con-
nection with the telephone to the point
where it Is now possible to talk with
friend at distance and have his image
before you as you do so. Such sys-
tenn is in operation In New York be-
tween the ofices and laboratory of the
Bell Telephone Co.
DR.. e. F. w. AlexanderSon has per-
fected his system of television SO that
he can now project the received image
I'D TO several feet in diameter-large
enough for a small motion picture
theater. Facsimile transmission of pic
lures has been accomplished from ship
to shore.
Perhaps the really new development
in teleViSion comes from California.
Philo T. FarnSworth has developed a
system which is quite different from
those now in use. This system has the
advantage of having no moving me-
chanical parts. The scene Is imaged
upon a photo-electric surface, and the
electrons, which come of from this, are
focused upon an aperture by means OF
a changing magnetic field. The cleo
irons which come from each element Of
surface are proportional in number to
the intensity of light falling upon the
surface, and each element in turn has
its electrons passing through the aper-
ture. The scene Is thus scanned cleo
trically.
During the year q method Of tele-
phoning from o moving train 70 any
distant point was perfected and put into
use on the Canadian National Railways.
Telephony from plane to plane and
from plane to ground has become quite
common.
The dial telephone Is coming into very
wide use and method has been devised
whereby a dialed number coming into
central, may be stored by an operator
until she Is ready for 1t, at which time
the number is spoken to her by the
mechanism.
Transportation Advances.
Next to communications there comes
another division of the same thing,
transportation. In this field perhaps
special mention must go to the mono
rail. There was built near marlborough,
Scotland, q few miles of monorail, pro-
peller driven. Much attention has been
given to the possibility Of monorail In
Queens Borough. This proposition has
been studied by the authorities in that
borough for some time and It now seems
a certainty that such line will be
built, construction perhaps to start in
the near future.
A stream lined propeller driven car,
designed by DR.. Kruckenberg, in Ger
many, has reached a speed of 100 miles
an hour. It is unlikely that the Queens
Borough line, If 1t Is built, will be pro-
PEELED in quite so radical a manner,
however.
While advance in aeronautics has
kept pace with other phases OF trans
portation It has not been as great as
In past years. The further development
Of the autogyro; the success Of the giant
airplane, the DO-X; the transatlantic
crossing Of the R-101 and the sad fate
of the R-100, mark the major events.
Speed Is Increased.
Speed has been raised, as Is evident
by the accomplishment Of Capt. Hawks
and others-2O minutes from New York
to Philadelphia, for example. The ex-
tention of the postal service and the
plans to establish q regular trans
atlantic mail service deserve mention.
The automobile, which for some time
has shown but little change, Is now
coming in for more attention. Ex-
IRENE stream Lining is becoming COM
mon on stock cars. Free weeling is
another innovation that Is being