Year: 1878

ord OF lis transactions, Ibus restricting
its use to simple conversational chit.
chat, and such unimpOrtant details Ct
business as are not considered of sutfi-
cient importance to record. Were this
different, and our telephone conversation
automatically recorded, we should find
the reverse OF the present status OF the
telephone. 1t would be expressly re-
sorted to as means of perfect record.
In writing our agreements we Incorpo-
rate in the writing the summing up OF
our understanding using entirely new
and different pnraSeology from that
which we used 10 express our under
standing of the transaction in its discus
sion, and not lnfrequeDtly thus begetting
perfectly innocent causes of misunder-
standing. Now, if the telephone,
with the phonograph to record its say
ings, were used in the preliminary dis
cdssion, we would not only have the
tull and correct text, but every word OF
the whole matter capable OF throwing
light upon the subject. Thus i! would
seem clear that the men would find 1t
more advantageous to actually separate
hal mile or so in order TO discuss impor-
tant business matters than to discuss them
verbally, and then make an awkward at
Tempt to clothe their understanding In q
new language. The logic which applies TO
transactions between two individuals IN
the same office, applies with the greater
force to two at distance, VINO must dis
cuss the mater between them by the tel
egraph or mail And this latter case, in
turn, is REINFORCED by the demands OF en-
economy Of time and money at every
mile Of increase of distance between
them.


Chow can this application be msde?'
will probably be asked by those unfamiI-
lar with either the telephone or phono.
graph.


Both these inventions cause aplate or
disk to vibrate, and thus produce sound
waves IN harmony with those OF the voice
Of the speaker. \ very simple device
may be made by which the one vibration
disk may be made to do duty Tor both
the telephone and the phonograph, thus
enabling the speaker to simultaneously
transmit aud record his message. What
system Of telc cgraphy can approach that?
A similar combination at the distant end
of the wire enables the correspond
ent, if he is present, to hear it while it Is
being recorded. Thus we have mere
pa sage cf words for the action, but q
complete and durable record tt those
words as the result of that action. Can
economy Of time or money go further
than toannihilate time AMI space, and
bottle up for posterjty the mere utter
ance without other effort on his part than
to speak the words?


In order to make this application, it is
only requisite that the phonograph shall
be made slightly more sensitive to re-
cord and the telephone very slightly in
creased in the vibrating force OF the re.
ceiver, and 1t is accomplished. Indeed
the carbon Telephone" invented and
perfected by the writer, will already well
nigh effect the record on the monographs
aud, s. he is constantly improving upon
it. to cause a more decided vibration Of
the plate of the receiver, this addition to
the telephone may be looked for coincl.
dent with the other practical spplica-
tiOns of the phOnograph, ana with moat
equal certainty.


The telegraph company OF the future
and that no distant one--wlll be simply
an organization having huge system
of wires central and sub-central stations
managed by skill,ul attendants, whose
sole duty will be TO keep wires in proper
repair, and give, by switch or shunt ar
rargement, proper attention to subscriber
No. 923 in New York when he signals
his desire to have private communication
with subscriber No. l,00l In Boston
ior three minutes. The minor and
totally inconsequent details which
seem TO arise as obstacles in the eyes OF
the groove-trsveing telegraph man, we'd
ded TO existing methods, will wholly dis
appear before that remorseless Jugger-
raut, "the needs OF man." for will not the
necessities OF man surmount tritles IN or.
der to reap the full benefit of TN inven-
ton which practically brings him face to
face with whom he will, and, better still,
doing the work Of conscientious aud
inlallible scnbe2


THOMAS A. EDISON.