MUSIC BY WIRELESS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1901, 8 November 1913, Page 8

MUSIC BY WIRELESS.

A VESSEL OF WONDERS.. ', J _\Vhen the Iliroiidclle, tho Prince of Monaco's ioinurkublo combination Of yacht and scientific laboratory., enter* i ed New York Harbour on September 9, : her arrival was made known, to' all wireless stations in the vicinity by a. con-! cert, the music boiiig heard and enjoyed by all who were at the receivers of wiroloss apparatus. The "wireless . piano" that was the_ source of this music .fa part of tho wireless plant of tho yacht, winch is remarkable for its power ntiol ingenuity. It>is a German invention,: but is controlled by a French company. We quoto from ait jiccoimt in the &e\v York ''Herald" (Septenihor. 11): "Albert I, Prince of Monaco, sportsman and scientist, of world-wide fame., arrived in the Hudson River yesterday morning oil. board tho steam yacht ltiroiidelle, while melody from her wireless was wafted through -tho air. . . "This vessel of unusual typo reached Quarainmo ou Tuesday night, her toniiftg made known by the- music which 1 vibrated from the antennao high pn her masts. . ; . Tho voice of thin sea swallow was due to. a, pianolike attachment to what is- considered tlio most remarkable wireless equipment which ever has 'cproo to this port* 'llie notes may bo. heard over sea and land for many a inilo, 'ooveral.in.coming vessels,.including thp. Grosser liurfurst, of tho Jvorth. German Lloyd line, reported hearing siren, (Arabia ns' they ncared tho coast, and the' mystery is now solved.

omveu. . " y "The Hirondello last night at halfpast nine .o'clock gave a, wireless concert, having first asked tho "Herald" station to notify. all - vessels within r?' llg< kr ■ ?f°. «'cro popular selections, tlio MaTscUaiSo' aiid•- 'America* upoii tbo pregrariime. Tho, .music...was heard; by operators. at -wireless' stations formally miles and at tho Brooklyn Navy j ard and by persons wlio were permitJ®. Pit oil the t-piep-lfflnfe head-pieces. at.ths stations. Tho vessels within call thanked tlio Hirondelle for tho entertainment. .. v ■

"'truly a vessel of wonders is this craft, where ■ science reigns and equip* with_ appliaiiees which -have- been used in fathoming the riddles of nature. • Much,'of, tho apparatus employed was invented by the owner, and there are workshops aiid a ivcll-equijiped laboratory on board where his new ideas can'be putviato practise.-■ "All the electrical equipment represents tho last 'Word, but. tlio wireless pia.no causes looks of astonishment to cor n° up6 U ' tho faces of operators ashore ■and aflcrat, Tho wireless svstGui .in nso on tho Hirondello is the invention of liaroit von Lepot, titicL' the patents are controlled by tlio Compagmo Generalo Rauiotefegifi.phiqto;; of.-wtiffe. *" It oriii ploys a continuous current with a high pressure of i.oOLI volts, wliich charges' th.» condensers n tran&forrtier.'! It has a revolving sparker, a series of small wheels. The spark is only a tenth of an inch in length nitd is always tno samo for tlio diffe,rent powers. Tim wliole apparatus is remarkably compact, rci* bath, the "sending - Jintl rocQivil'ig appliances easily are placed on ono small table.

"Wrtlv this system,- which is called afl impulsive one, it- is possible to got high-frequency oscillations. The vibrations are so many that often it is impossible .far the car to perceive thcnr and tho ftqte to. bo heard; Tlio inventor has put on the sparker. another' osi(l» Jatory, circuit and a variable .condense*. Ha can thus lower the. frequency of the system. _ The use of ft, variable condenser in th.e second circuit makes it possible to get different frequencies, winch way bo tuned to. musical notes. The variations aro made by striking a bank of ten keys, arranged in til© form of .a keyboard of a piaiio," . ; ."The operator, Pierce BoutteVille, sifcat the table, can let his. fingers stray over thorn tmdvhy.eertaiji adjustliients can get .'twenty'variations! This js a stoe'k_ of. notes. ..enough for . a.. Padereiyski, From the.wireless pia.no of the Hirondelle have, come "God, Save the King," national anthems, and' even waltzes from yiwh s.prJgbtiv operas as 'The Merry Widow.' .. '■ ''The Prince, was highly amused when I told win of the seusaticm which tho musical debut 301 c.' Hirondelle' had ■made iu these/latitudes. . "'lt al\vays causes astonishment;' said he, 'and wo have been asked'at sea if the music WJ'tild possibly "be made iii this way, Yet It is. all very, simple, rile harmony is ;produeed as easily as-, ■plaj'iii'g on a piano. ■ The system 011 board is_ really a, remarkable one. Much better, in fact-, than others, wliich aro far behind tho times, and s.eom to bo devoted to slapping progress. We are. able to communicate fifteen hundred miles, and so, in crossing the At'laiifcic, are not, likely to bo out of touch with: land for very long. There is one in--stance where wo. received messages from both sides of tlio Atlantic.'"