A TELEPHONIC TRIUMPH.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XII, Issue 88, 16 April 1877, Page 4

A TELEPHONIC TRIUMPH.

THE FIRST NEWSPAPER DESPATCH SENT BY A HUMAN VOICE OVER THE >: > WIBBS. (fThe following special despatch was e^ntr by telephone to the Boston Globe.— , rHalem, Feb. 12, 1055 p.m.—Profes--Bor A. Graham Bell, the inventor of the telephone, lectured on his invention a|'.ijy6eum Hall: this evening . The 1 set are, was one of a conrse of the Essex Institute and about 500 persons were pVeiwnt; 1 "" Professor Bell briefly explained ; the construction of the instru* nje«t, '%$& sketched his studies of the aystero of transmitting sounds. An intertaittent current was first sent from SMb'iiby Thomas A. Watsop, Profeßß^r Beli'a associate which caused a noise very similar. : to. a ; horo, from the teiephode. The Morse telegraph alphabet was then seni 'by musical sounds, and could be beard throughout the hall. The audience burst iuto loud applause at this experinja^^. .A (elephon^ organ, waij thea got into, operttion at Boßtpn. Attld Acquaintance be Forgot," and " Y«p|ee,. PoVife*" were! read ;ily heard throughout the hall, and heartily recognised. . Professor Bell asked Mr abif forVaQDg, and "Auld tang sWtf' came from' the mouth-piece of th y e inetruaoeut almost before his words, v^eYe ended. -Mr Wats6n was vtheV askpd to make a apiiech to the audience. H^-.espre?Bed- himself as having r tnore cVnMVnce 18 ".; miles away than if he were p^e^eat. His speech wasas follows: "Ladies and gentlemen^-It gives me great pleasure to addreaa you. this evening, -although I am in Boston' and,,, you are in Saleaa." This could ,be heard 35ft distant— that^ is, all over the hall— and brought down the house with applause. A system of quefltioniug was then carried on, and Mr Watson was aa^ed if he heard :tjbe applanse. . ; The answer was,. '♦ I was not listening; try again." The appjauae was given; and ifi receipt at orice acknowledged injßostoOki^ppßghing and singing,. w§re, \then heard Lftndia variety of questions were asked from the Salem end, and- among tfii&jmY";Wh v at fle^B from the Electoral (yommission? "followed by the. distinct anaw^ iOJ ( * I don't know of any \-l But the news came fleeting along that the engineers of the Boston and. Main Railroad had struck. General Cogs. well, > aaked if the trains were running,! the aoawer was clear and. distinct that they • were not at 530 o'clock. Professor ; Bell introduced the Rev E. C. Bowlep, who i aaid, "I shake hands with you' cordially, "in imaginatioD, 20 miles away.'* The Rev E. S. Atwood asked, "Does, it rain?" "It does not in BostdD," was Mr Watson's answer. Professor Gage, the electrician, then spoke through the telephone, endeavoring «o have his voice recognised. This could opt be done as Mr Watson was Dot familiar with the voice. Mr Shoje Z'sawa was recognised, Mr Watßon being perfectly familiar with his tones. One" of the assistants in Boston then said that "Hold the Fort " would be eung in Boston, and the tune which followed was readily recognised. Among those present were Dr H. Wheatland, Pres. of Essex Institute} Rev C. E. BowleP, Ph. D.; Prof. D. B. Hager, of the State Normal School;, (Sen. Win. Cogswell, Rev E. S. Atwood, 1 Prof. John Robinson, Dr. Acnoap H; Johnson, ! Ex-Mayor Williams, Dr Qnorge iß. Loring, A. C. Goodell, jjap.y and many others who are identified or particularly interested in scientific puirfluitß; Thjs special: by telephone^to' tft& (slobe has been transmitted in the fXresp-Qce of about 20 persons who have thus been witnesses to a feat never before attempted-— that is, the sending of a idewlpaper^ despatch over the space of eighteen miles < by the human voice, —ail ttiis wonder being; accomplisb'ed' in a time not much longer than would ba coneumed by an ordinary cooyereatipft between two people in the eaoie room.