THE BRITISH ASSOCIATION.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXX, Issue 7, 26 August 1914, Page 3

THE BRITISH ASSOCIATION.

[By Electric Telegraph—Copyright] .. ..[United Presb< ' ,! n,i! >•:«' '' l Sydney, August 23.' . j iAt 'the-Science; €ongress Sir' Oliver Lodge- Opened , a '. discussion oir I Mireless'' telegraphy, comparing. wire-less 1 and ether telegraphy. The one- was like shouting a message outside/ and the'other whispering in a tube; The difference was so great and the method of shouting so natural, that wireless might easily have been discovered first. Then cabled telegraph had been an improvement thereon; Wireless was much cheaper, but lacked secrecy.

Sir Douglas Mawson opened a discussion on Antarctica, illustrated by many beautiful lantern pictures. He said that geology indicated that the South Polar regions were once attached to Australia. Had land connection been maintained, cold air from the Polar plateaux would have made the southern part of Australia unbearable to live in. (Received 9.20 a.m.) Sydney, August 26. Sir Oliver Lodge, referring to the fact that wireless messages travelled further at night time and better at sunrise and sunset, pointed out that high up in the atmosphere there was too low a pressure, while below it was too high. Between the two must be a good conducting layer of air. This would provide a steady and constant means of travel at night when the disturbing influence of sunlight was not present. Mr Balsillie, Commonwealth wireless expert, stated that he sent messages 2000 miles at night as against 450 in the day time. If the wave length was increased, the range would be greatly extended in the day time, but not at night.