“ALMOST IN INFANCY“

Evening Star, Issue 22442, 12 September 1936, Page 4

“ALMOST IN INFANCY“

INCREDIBLE DEVELOPMENTS TO COME Marconi—who has now achieved all the fame that any man could desire, and he has reached the ago when even the greatest deserve to enjoy in an easier life the fruits of their glory—is still working, and he intends to go on working “for as many years as it will please God to allow me in His infallible judgment.” “ I cannot deny that wireless is almost in its infancy, and that those who come after us will see many developments which to our eyes still seem almost incredible,” he stated recently. For instance, it is more than likely that in the next 20 or 30 years we shall see the following important developments taking place:— 1. Facsimile transmission of telegrams in the sender’s handwriting. 2. The growth of television to make it as popular as wireless is today. 3. The .transmission of power by wireless. 4. The curing of disease by wireless rays. 5. The development of directed waves. “ When I am asked about the future of wireless my imagination does not take wings and fly to other planets millions of miles away. Why think about Mars when there is so much useful work to be done on earth? I do not say that communication with other planets is impossible. If the other planets are inhabited by people of the same intelligence as ourselves, I do not see that communication with them will always be impossible. But I must solve all the problems that, confront me on this planet before I turn to the other planets. Although wireless is in general use throughout the world, and television is rapidly becoming commercially practicable, the realm of wireless science still contains many unexplored regions in which we are obliged to grope in darkness. “ I am much less interested in these fantastic speculations than, for example, in the question of wave direction, on which I have worked for years. The practical importance of direct waves is great. Wireless waves diffuse themselves in all directions. Direct waves go only on the required line, and can be received only by the station for which they are intended. Since I first received the letter ‘ S ’ across the Atlantic, the happiest moment of my scientific life was in 1923, when I received the first directed waves, between London and Australia. Think what these directed waves will mean. “The diffusion of waves costs much more than would messages directed straight at their destination. By concentrating ou the beam system of directed waves, and the development of ultra-short wave lengths, wo shall speed the life of the world immensely. The ether will be filled with myriads of messages proceeding like lightning along their selected path, instead of being broadcast at random into space. This would ensure the secrecy that has been lacking so far in the transmission of wireless messages. That will he a tremendous advantage in war time—if you can call anything that facilitates the waging of warfare an advantage. ~, ■ . , “ Spies will have portable .sets and will be able to communicate with other spies or with their headquarters without the risk of their messages . being intercepted. It will also be possible to speak by word of mouth by the beam system to aeroplanes in the air. To do so it will be necessary to know their situation and altitude, so that the beams may ho directed to them and not picked up by enemy aeroplanes. My own impression is that the development of wireless will tend to make war less’ likely. When we can speak to countries thousands of miles away as readily and as cheaply as we can put through a local call to a neighbouring street, the world will be living in greater harmony. The more you know people the better you like them. Mutual understanding, which wireless will mako possible, will diminish the possibility of war. I am not a nrophet. But logic and common sense bring me to believe that there wall be a happier humanity when the diffidence, distrust, and misunderstanding brought about by lack of knowledge of other races are removed.”