IMPORTANT TELEPHONIC DISCOVERY.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume X, Issue 1147, 14 September 1882, Page 2

IMPORTANT TELEPHONIC DISCOVERY.

The name of M. Van Rysselberghe, of the Royal Observatory of Brussels, may yet rank with that of Edison. He has made the discovery that the ordinary telegraph wire can be used for telephonic transmission. The experiment has already been tried between Paris and Brussels; and the human voice sending the message from the one end has been distinctly heard at the other. More than this. The wire which was employed for the conveyance of sounds was used at the same time us the medium of a despatch by the Morse instrument. As a London contemporary points out, this opens up a vista full of the grandest possibilities. Doubtless the day will come when distance will form no obstacle or hindrance to telephonic communication, and when we may, with direct speech, hold conversation between Brussels and St. Petersburg, between Paris and New York, between England and Bombay. It is stated that by M. Rysseiberghe’s plan, which is said to be very economical, the noise of induction is neutralised. Atmo-

spheric disturbances are, moreover, overcome, and it is averred that the nicest modulations of the speaker are recorded with remarkable precision. The discovery was made by M. Van Rysselburghe whilst he was pursuing studies connected with meteorology. Many other great discoveries have been made in like manner by accident. The French (Government are negotiating with the inventor for the purchase of his patent right, and probably before long NEr Fawcett will follow this example, and will try to secure this wondeeful auxiliary for the postal department over which he presides.