- Email: [email protected]
Telegraphy without wires
Dec.. ~897. l
X<~/c.~ atz
46 3
l o w i n g t h i s n a t u r a l d e c l i v i t y it r e a c h e s t h e Black Sea, o p e u i n ~ into a m;~,~: n i f i c e n t r o a d s t e a d b e l o w t h e K e r s o u . T h e total l e n g t h of t h i s colossal xw~ erw a y will be s o m e t h i u g like L6oo k i l o m e t e r s (about Looo m i l e s ) , a n d it will ,b~: e x c a v a t e d to a d e p t h of 8 ~ m e t e r s ( a b o u t 2 7 feet). T h i s will allow t h e largest i r o n - c l a d s to n a v i g a t e it freely f r o m o n e e m t to t h e other. T h e e s t i m a l , ' d cost is p u t d o w n at $5oo,ooo,ooo. I t s s t r a t e g i c i m p o r t a n c e does n o t n e e d d e m o n s t r a t i o n . By t h e selection ,~i a course r u n n i n g at a safe d i s t a n c e f r o m t h e f r o n t i e r , it p l a c e s b a c k of ~he R u s s i a n forces s t a t i o n e d in P o l a n d a n u n a s s a i l a b l e base of o p e r a t i o n . F u l l y p r o t e c t e d a l r e a d y b y a w h o l e n e t w o r k of fortifications a n d railways, t h i s c a n a l is i n t e n d e d to act as a f e e d e r for all t h e w a r m a t e r i a l . As to t h e c o n c e n t r a t i o n of t h e w h o l e R u s s i a n fleet in t h e B l a c k Sea, t h i s m e a n s an a b s o l u t e c o n t r o l ~)f C o n s t a n t i n o p l e a n d t h e Straits. B u t if t h i s e n t e r p r i s e is of t h e u t m o s t i m p o r t a n c e in a m i l i t a r y p o i n t of view, it will also p r o v e u n q u e s t i o n a b l y v e r y beneficial to t h e a g r i c u l t u r a l alld i n d u s t r i a l i n t e r e s t s of t h e c o u n t r y . It p l a c e s v a s t g r a i n - p r o d u c i n g r e g i o n s in c h e a p c o m m u n i c a t i o n w i t h Odessa, t h e c h i e f p o i n t of e x p o r t , w h i l e t h e i m m e n s e coal fields of S o u t h e r n R u s s i a will c o m e into easier c o n n e c t i o n with t h e i n d u s t r i a l d i s t r i c t s of P o l a n d . T h e r e a r e reasons, too, to believe t h a t n e w f a c t o r i e s will d e v e l o p along" t h e c a n a l on a c c o u n t of t h e c h e a p n e s s of t h i s n e w m o d e of t r a n s p o r t . If t h i s s c h e m e h a s b e e n a d o p t e d , t h e r e is no d o u b t t h a t t h e R u s s i a n t e n a c i t y will b r i n g it to success.
TELFGRAPttV
WITHOUT
WIRES.
T h e f o l l o w i n g i n t e l l i g e n t s u m m a r y of t h e p r e s e n t s t a t u s of t h e p r o b l e m of t e l e g r a p h y is c o n d e n s e d f r o m a r e c e n t editorial u t t e r a n c e of t h e S'cie*zti/ic .4,zerican, a n d will be f o u n d of i n t e r e s t : N i k o l a T e s l a h a s lately a n u o u n c e d t h a t h e h a s c o m p l e t e d h i s wireless tek.g r a p h to s u c h an e x t e n t as to p e r m i t of t e l e g r a p h y t h r o u g h t h e e a r t h for a dist a n c e of t w e n t y m i l e s or n m r e , a n d h i s e x p e r i m e n t s s a t i s f y h i m of t h e feasibility of w i r e l e s s t e l e g r a p h y on a m u c h m o r e e x t e n d e d scale. I n fact, h e a i m s at n o t h i n g less t h a n t h e e s t a b l i s h m e n t of a s y s t e m of t e l e g r a p h y t h a t s h a l l i n c l u d e t h e w h o l e e a r t h , a n d b y w h i c h i t e m s of n e w s m a y be d i s t r i b u t e d from o n e political or c o m m e r c i a l c e n t e r to e v e r y o t h e r s u c h c e n t e r t h r o u g h o u t t h e world. This, Mr. T e s l a c l a i m s , is possible w i t h o u t t h e i n t e r f e r e n c e of o n e set of s i g u a l s w i t h a n o t h e r . He has constructed and tested both transmitting and receiving apparatus. a n d h a s f o u n d t h a t a s u r p r i s i n g l y s m a l l e x p e n d i t u r e of e u e r g y is r e q u i r e d . It is i m p o s s i b l e , at t h i s w r i t i n g , to s e c u r e d e t a i l s of t h e a p p a r a t u s , b u t it is k n o w n t h a t h e utilizes t h e s t a t i c e q u i l i b r i u m of t h e e a r t h . T h i s h e d i s t u r b s at o n e point, m a k i n g s i g n a l s w h i c h c a n be d i s t i n g n i s h e d at o n e or m o r e distant points. I n h i s earlier e x p e r i m e n t s in h i g h f r e q u e n c y c u r r e n t s Sir. T e s l a a t t a i n e d a f r e q u e n e y of io,ooo p e r s e c o n d ; n o w 2,eoo,ooo o s e i l l a t i o n s p e r s e c o n d is not deemed extraordilmry. It is said t h a t t h e s u c c e s s of t h e s y s t e n i is assured, b u t h e will n o t c o m e before t h e p u b l i c u n t i l e v e r y detail is c o m p l e t e d . It is u n d e r s t o o d t h a t t h e t r a n s m i s s i o n of p o w e r f r o m place to place b y m e a n s of a s i m i l a r s y s t e m is c o n t e m p l a t e d .
4(;4
_'~5)/¢s a n d Comments.
[J. F. I ,
W h i l e Mr. T e s l a h a s b e e n w r e s t l i n g w i t h t h i s g r e a t p r o b l e m in t h i s c o u n try, Mr. M a r c o n i , a y o u n g A n g l o - I t a l i a n , h a s b e e n w o r k i n g oi1 t h e s a m e line in E n g l a n d u n d e r t h e d i r e c t i o n of Mr. P r e e e e . It is r e p o r t e d t h a t Mr. P r e e e e h a s s u c c e e d e d in t e l e g r a p h i n g w i t h c e r t a i n t y a n d sufficient r a p i d i t y f r o m P e u a r t h to W e s t o n - s u p e r - M a r e , a d i s t a n c e across t h e w a t e r of s e v e n or e i g h t miles, w i t h o u t wires, a n d it is b e l i e v e d t h a t t h i s d i s t a n c e c a n be g r e a t l y e x t e n d e d . IL is said by 7))e En~zneer t h a t t h e a p p a r a t u s d e v i s e d by M a r c o n i is e x t r e m e l y i n g e n i o u s , a n d h a s for its o b j e c t t h e g e t t i n g o u t of t h e H e r t z i a n v i b r a t i o n s sufficient w o r k for t e l e g r a p h i c p u r p o s e s . Tile a p p a r a t u s e o m p r i s e ~ a t r a n s m i t t e r a n d receiver. T h e f o r m e r c o n s i s t s m a i n l y of a s m a l l R u h m k o r f f i n d u c t i o n coil e x c i t e d b y a c o u p l e of b a t t e r y cells. T h e s e c o n d a r y or h i g h t e n s i o n w i r e s t e r m i n a t e e a c h in a m e t a l l i c ball. B e t w e e n tile two balls is p l a c e d a cubical b o x c o n t a i n i n g oil. I n t h e o p p o s i t e s i d e s of t h e box are fixed two b r a s s balls, oil-tight, so t h a t o n e - h a l f of e a c h ball is in t h e oil in t h e b o x a n d t h e o t h e r h a l f o u t s i d e of t h e box. T h e balls do n o t t o u c h . T h e w h o l e a r r a n g e m e n t h a s b e e n d e s i g n e d by a n I t a l i a n professor, R i g h i . O n s e n d i n g a a c u r r e n t t h r o u g h t h e i n d u c t i o n coil, H e r t z i a n v i b r a t i o n s a r e s e t u p in t h e balls a n d c o m n m n i c a t e d to tile e t h e r . Tile oil h a s a p e c u l i a r effect, a c t i n g as a species of b r a k e , t h e r a p i d i t y of t h e w a v e v i b r a t i o n s b e i n g o n l y a b o u t o n e h a l f of t h a t s t a t e d b y Dr. L o d g e . T h e s e v i b r a t i o n s a r e t h e n g i v e n off i n t o s p a c e all a r o u n d in e v e r y direction. So far as k n o w n , n o t h i n g s a v e m e t a l s a p p e a r s to be o p a q u e to t h e m , a n d h e r e , t h e r e f o r e , we h a v e a n a n a l o g y w i t h t h e R 6 e n t g e u ray. M a r c o n i ' s r e c e i v e r c o n s i s t s of a t u b e a b o u t ~ i n c h in d i a m e t e r a n d 3 i n c h e s l o n g , in w h i c h a r e two silver p l u g s t e r m i n a t i n g in wires, t h e e n d s of w h i c h a r e s o l d e r e d to t h e silver p l u g s . T h e wires a r e f u s e d i n t o t h e glass. T h e t u b e is e x h a u s t e d to a n e a r a p p r o a c h to a b s o l u t e v a c u u m . T h e faces of t h e t w o silver p l u g s are v e r y close to e a c h o t h e r , a n d t h e s p a c e b e t w e e n is filled u p w i t h a n i m p a l p a b l e m e t a l l i c dust. O n t h e n a t u r e of t h i s d u s t m u c h d e p e n d s . I t m u s t suffice to s a y t h a t t h e r e a r e in it t h r e e c o n s t i t u e n t s , o n e of w h i c h is nickel. U n d e r o r d i n a r y c o n d i t i o n s t h i s p o w d e r will n o t c o n d u c t electricity, save feebly. I t s r e s i s t a n c e is v e r y h i g h . If a H e r t z i a n r a y fails o n t h e little tube, t h e d u s t is p o l a r i z e d like t h e filings in a H u g h e s t e s t t u b e , a n d t h e p o w d e r b e c o m e s a c o n d u c t o r . It will be s e e n at o n c e t h a t we h a v e h e r e a m a k e a n d b r e a k w h i c h c a n be a c t e d on f r o m a d i s t a n c e , a n d a n o r d i n a r y M o r s e s o u n d e r does t h e rest. B u t m a t t e r s , a f t e r all, a r e n o t q u i t e so s i m p l e . I t is e a s y to d i s p a t c h i n t o s p a c e H e r t z i a n w a v e s at i n t e r v a l s c o r r e s p o n d i n g to d o t s a n d d a s h e s , b u t t h e p o w d e r in t h e receiver, o n c e polarized, r e m a i n s polarized. T o g e t o v e r t h i s obstacle, a t i n y h a m m e r is so a r r a n g e d t h a t , t h e m o m e n t a c u r r e n t p a s s e s t h r o u g h t h e t u b e , t h e h a m m e r t a p s t h e side of t h e t u b e a n d d e p o l a r i z e s t h e p o w d e r r e a d y for t h e ~ e x t signal. T h e r e is n o t h i n g in c o m m o n b e t w e e n e t h e r e a l or w i r e l e s s t e l e g r a p h y a n d t e l e g r a p h y b y i n d u c t i o n ; t h e p h e n o m e n a a r e w h o l l y distinct. T h e H e r t z i a n r a d i a n c e is a k i n to l i g h t , a n d t h e p o l a r i z a t i o n of t h e p o w d e r in t h e r e c e i v e r finds its a n a l o g u e in tile m o l e c u l a r c h a n g e w h i c h is w r o u g h t b y l i g h t in a sensitized plate.
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l o w i n g t h i s n a t u r a l d e c l i v i t y it r e a c h e s t h e Black Sea, o p e u i n ~ into a m;~,~: n i f i c e n t r o a d s t e a d b e l o w t h e K e r s o u . T h e total l e n g t h of t h i s colossal xw~ erw a y will be s o m e t h i u g like L6oo k i l o m e t e r s (about Looo m i l e s ) , a n d it will ,b~: e x c a v a t e d to a d e p t h of 8 ~ m e t e r s ( a b o u t 2 7 feet). T h i s will allow t h e largest i r o n - c l a d s to n a v i g a t e it freely f r o m o n e e m t to t h e other. T h e e s t i m a l , ' d cost is p u t d o w n at $5oo,ooo,ooo. I t s s t r a t e g i c i m p o r t a n c e does n o t n e e d d e m o n s t r a t i o n . By t h e selection ,~i a course r u n n i n g at a safe d i s t a n c e f r o m t h e f r o n t i e r , it p l a c e s b a c k of ~he R u s s i a n forces s t a t i o n e d in P o l a n d a n u n a s s a i l a b l e base of o p e r a t i o n . F u l l y p r o t e c t e d a l r e a d y b y a w h o l e n e t w o r k of fortifications a n d railways, t h i s c a n a l is i n t e n d e d to act as a f e e d e r for all t h e w a r m a t e r i a l . As to t h e c o n c e n t r a t i o n of t h e w h o l e R u s s i a n fleet in t h e B l a c k Sea, t h i s m e a n s an a b s o l u t e c o n t r o l ~)f C o n s t a n t i n o p l e a n d t h e Straits. B u t if t h i s e n t e r p r i s e is of t h e u t m o s t i m p o r t a n c e in a m i l i t a r y p o i n t of view, it will also p r o v e u n q u e s t i o n a b l y v e r y beneficial to t h e a g r i c u l t u r a l alld i n d u s t r i a l i n t e r e s t s of t h e c o u n t r y . It p l a c e s v a s t g r a i n - p r o d u c i n g r e g i o n s in c h e a p c o m m u n i c a t i o n w i t h Odessa, t h e c h i e f p o i n t of e x p o r t , w h i l e t h e i m m e n s e coal fields of S o u t h e r n R u s s i a will c o m e into easier c o n n e c t i o n with t h e i n d u s t r i a l d i s t r i c t s of P o l a n d . T h e r e a r e reasons, too, to believe t h a t n e w f a c t o r i e s will d e v e l o p along" t h e c a n a l on a c c o u n t of t h e c h e a p n e s s of t h i s n e w m o d e of t r a n s p o r t . If t h i s s c h e m e h a s b e e n a d o p t e d , t h e r e is no d o u b t t h a t t h e R u s s i a n t e n a c i t y will b r i n g it to success.
TELFGRAPttV
WITHOUT
WIRES.
T h e f o l l o w i n g i n t e l l i g e n t s u m m a r y of t h e p r e s e n t s t a t u s of t h e p r o b l e m of t e l e g r a p h y is c o n d e n s e d f r o m a r e c e n t editorial u t t e r a n c e of t h e S'cie*zti/ic .4,zerican, a n d will be f o u n d of i n t e r e s t : N i k o l a T e s l a h a s lately a n u o u n c e d t h a t h e h a s c o m p l e t e d h i s wireless tek.g r a p h to s u c h an e x t e n t as to p e r m i t of t e l e g r a p h y t h r o u g h t h e e a r t h for a dist a n c e of t w e n t y m i l e s or n m r e , a n d h i s e x p e r i m e n t s s a t i s f y h i m of t h e feasibility of w i r e l e s s t e l e g r a p h y on a m u c h m o r e e x t e n d e d scale. I n fact, h e a i m s at n o t h i n g less t h a n t h e e s t a b l i s h m e n t of a s y s t e m of t e l e g r a p h y t h a t s h a l l i n c l u d e t h e w h o l e e a r t h , a n d b y w h i c h i t e m s of n e w s m a y be d i s t r i b u t e d from o n e political or c o m m e r c i a l c e n t e r to e v e r y o t h e r s u c h c e n t e r t h r o u g h o u t t h e world. This, Mr. T e s l a c l a i m s , is possible w i t h o u t t h e i n t e r f e r e n c e of o n e set of s i g u a l s w i t h a n o t h e r . He has constructed and tested both transmitting and receiving apparatus. a n d h a s f o u n d t h a t a s u r p r i s i n g l y s m a l l e x p e n d i t u r e of e u e r g y is r e q u i r e d . It is i m p o s s i b l e , at t h i s w r i t i n g , to s e c u r e d e t a i l s of t h e a p p a r a t u s , b u t it is k n o w n t h a t h e utilizes t h e s t a t i c e q u i l i b r i u m of t h e e a r t h . T h i s h e d i s t u r b s at o n e point, m a k i n g s i g n a l s w h i c h c a n be d i s t i n g n i s h e d at o n e or m o r e distant points. I n h i s earlier e x p e r i m e n t s in h i g h f r e q u e n c y c u r r e n t s Sir. T e s l a a t t a i n e d a f r e q u e n e y of io,ooo p e r s e c o n d ; n o w 2,eoo,ooo o s e i l l a t i o n s p e r s e c o n d is not deemed extraordilmry. It is said t h a t t h e s u c c e s s of t h e s y s t e n i is assured, b u t h e will n o t c o m e before t h e p u b l i c u n t i l e v e r y detail is c o m p l e t e d . It is u n d e r s t o o d t h a t t h e t r a n s m i s s i o n of p o w e r f r o m place to place b y m e a n s of a s i m i l a r s y s t e m is c o n t e m p l a t e d .
4(;4
_'~5)/¢s a n d Comments.
[J. F. I ,
W h i l e Mr. T e s l a h a s b e e n w r e s t l i n g w i t h t h i s g r e a t p r o b l e m in t h i s c o u n try, Mr. M a r c o n i , a y o u n g A n g l o - I t a l i a n , h a s b e e n w o r k i n g oi1 t h e s a m e line in E n g l a n d u n d e r t h e d i r e c t i o n of Mr. P r e e e e . It is r e p o r t e d t h a t Mr. P r e e e e h a s s u c c e e d e d in t e l e g r a p h i n g w i t h c e r t a i n t y a n d sufficient r a p i d i t y f r o m P e u a r t h to W e s t o n - s u p e r - M a r e , a d i s t a n c e across t h e w a t e r of s e v e n or e i g h t miles, w i t h o u t wires, a n d it is b e l i e v e d t h a t t h i s d i s t a n c e c a n be g r e a t l y e x t e n d e d . IL is said by 7))e En~zneer t h a t t h e a p p a r a t u s d e v i s e d by M a r c o n i is e x t r e m e l y i n g e n i o u s , a n d h a s for its o b j e c t t h e g e t t i n g o u t of t h e H e r t z i a n v i b r a t i o n s sufficient w o r k for t e l e g r a p h i c p u r p o s e s . Tile a p p a r a t u s e o m p r i s e ~ a t r a n s m i t t e r a n d receiver. T h e f o r m e r c o n s i s t s m a i n l y of a s m a l l R u h m k o r f f i n d u c t i o n coil e x c i t e d b y a c o u p l e of b a t t e r y cells. T h e s e c o n d a r y or h i g h t e n s i o n w i r e s t e r m i n a t e e a c h in a m e t a l l i c ball. B e t w e e n tile two balls is p l a c e d a cubical b o x c o n t a i n i n g oil. I n t h e o p p o s i t e s i d e s of t h e box are fixed two b r a s s balls, oil-tight, so t h a t o n e - h a l f of e a c h ball is in t h e oil in t h e b o x a n d t h e o t h e r h a l f o u t s i d e of t h e box. T h e balls do n o t t o u c h . T h e w h o l e a r r a n g e m e n t h a s b e e n d e s i g n e d by a n I t a l i a n professor, R i g h i . O n s e n d i n g a a c u r r e n t t h r o u g h t h e i n d u c t i o n coil, H e r t z i a n v i b r a t i o n s a r e s e t u p in t h e balls a n d c o m n m n i c a t e d to tile e t h e r . Tile oil h a s a p e c u l i a r effect, a c t i n g as a species of b r a k e , t h e r a p i d i t y of t h e w a v e v i b r a t i o n s b e i n g o n l y a b o u t o n e h a l f of t h a t s t a t e d b y Dr. L o d g e . T h e s e v i b r a t i o n s a r e t h e n g i v e n off i n t o s p a c e all a r o u n d in e v e r y direction. So far as k n o w n , n o t h i n g s a v e m e t a l s a p p e a r s to be o p a q u e to t h e m , a n d h e r e , t h e r e f o r e , we h a v e a n a n a l o g y w i t h t h e R 6 e n t g e u ray. M a r c o n i ' s r e c e i v e r c o n s i s t s of a t u b e a b o u t ~ i n c h in d i a m e t e r a n d 3 i n c h e s l o n g , in w h i c h a r e two silver p l u g s t e r m i n a t i n g in wires, t h e e n d s of w h i c h a r e s o l d e r e d to t h e silver p l u g s . T h e wires a r e f u s e d i n t o t h e glass. T h e t u b e is e x h a u s t e d to a n e a r a p p r o a c h to a b s o l u t e v a c u u m . T h e faces of t h e t w o silver p l u g s are v e r y close to e a c h o t h e r , a n d t h e s p a c e b e t w e e n is filled u p w i t h a n i m p a l p a b l e m e t a l l i c dust. O n t h e n a t u r e of t h i s d u s t m u c h d e p e n d s . I t m u s t suffice to s a y t h a t t h e r e a r e in it t h r e e c o n s t i t u e n t s , o n e of w h i c h is nickel. U n d e r o r d i n a r y c o n d i t i o n s t h i s p o w d e r will n o t c o n d u c t electricity, save feebly. I t s r e s i s t a n c e is v e r y h i g h . If a H e r t z i a n r a y fails o n t h e little tube, t h e d u s t is p o l a r i z e d like t h e filings in a H u g h e s t e s t t u b e , a n d t h e p o w d e r b e c o m e s a c o n d u c t o r . It will be s e e n at o n c e t h a t we h a v e h e r e a m a k e a n d b r e a k w h i c h c a n be a c t e d on f r o m a d i s t a n c e , a n d a n o r d i n a r y M o r s e s o u n d e r does t h e rest. B u t m a t t e r s , a f t e r all, a r e n o t q u i t e so s i m p l e . I t is e a s y to d i s p a t c h i n t o s p a c e H e r t z i a n w a v e s at i n t e r v a l s c o r r e s p o n d i n g to d o t s a n d d a s h e s , b u t t h e p o w d e r in t h e receiver, o n c e polarized, r e m a i n s polarized. T o g e t o v e r t h i s obstacle, a t i n y h a m m e r is so a r r a n g e d t h a t , t h e m o m e n t a c u r r e n t p a s s e s t h r o u g h t h e t u b e , t h e h a m m e r t a p s t h e side of t h e t u b e a n d d e p o l a r i z e s t h e p o w d e r r e a d y for t h e ~ e x t signal. T h e r e is n o t h i n g in c o m m o n b e t w e e n e t h e r e a l or w i r e l e s s t e l e g r a p h y a n d t e l e g r a p h y b y i n d u c t i o n ; t h e p h e n o m e n a a r e w h o l l y distinct. T h e H e r t z i a n r a d i a n c e is a k i n to l i g h t , a n d t h e p o l a r i z a t i o n of t h e p o w d e r in t h e r e c e i v e r finds its a n a l o g u e in tile m o l e c u l a r c h a n g e w h i c h is w r o u g h t b y l i g h t in a sensitized plate.