THE TELEPHONE.

Thames Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2847, 30 March 1878, Page 4

THE TELEPHONE.

At a.meeting of the Iloyal United Sorvice Institution on Friday, Sir D. Lysons in the cbair, a lecture was given bj Mr ! W. H- Preeee, of tbo Postal Telegraphs, on the telephone and its application to military and naval purposes- Ho pointed out the enormous value of the electric telegraph for warlike puposes. " It; has ■well-nigh revolutionised the art of war. It has become a great weapon of offence, as well as a great shield of defence. Operations that were a few years ago impossible are now regarded as essential. The strategist in his office can now grasp a continent in his combinations. The actual mancouvres of arms can be controlled and directed like the toy figures of the gamo of Kriegs-spiel. The maintenance of the lines of telegraph to an army in the field is as important aa that of the more material lines of communication. The telegraph in fact, has become a necessity of the age. No war could now be undertaken without its aid. .'' Moreover, it facilitates the supply of food, it regulates the traffic on railways, and it aids the transport home of the sick and wounded ; it satisfies the craving for news, and it alleviates the anxiety. So important is efficient telegraphy now considered for the British Army that six officers and 160 men aro being trained and maintained in efficiency in the British postal telegraph system, so as to be available in time of war. They aro, im fact, daily rehearsing that part which they may have some day to perform in earnest in an enemy's country; Moreover, we have our field telegraphs in constant training at Aldershot, Chatham, and elsewhere, though it is very doubtful whether this department has been nearly sufficiently developed, or is anything like being properly equipped, for such an army as ours." The present system in uso for field telegraphy is the Morse recording apparatus, which needs trained men. The telephone requires no training. It has, further, this advantage—that no tricks can be played by an enemy " tapping " the line, as the voice of the sender of a message can be recognised. The greater part of the lecture was occupied ■with the principles of sound-waves, and the way in which the electric telephone reproduces sound, with all the qualities of timbre and modulation at a distance. In illustrating how a telephone acts, the different parts—the magnet, coil, and iron disc—were shown separately and then put together, giving the best example that has been shown, at least in London, of the construction of a telephone, The great simplicity so impressed the audience, that the description was followed by warm applause. " How far the telephone can be employed in warfare remains to be seen. We do know this— that it transmits to a distance far beyond the reach of the ear, or of the eye, the the words of command, the tones of voice, the distirct and unmistakable articulation of the general aa well as of the private. Such an apparatus must be valuable for military purposes. How far it can be utilised for naval purposes remains to be seen. Wherever a wire can extend there can the voice_be ient; In com- - municating between the bridge and the wheel, between the turret and the engineroom, between the look-out and the officer of the watch; it ought to bo useful.. For diving operations it is invaluable. In torpedo operations and range-finding it may prove useful. But at present it is a mere child. It has startled us all by it 3 novelty, its beauty, and its simplicity. Time alone is required to establish its utility. Probably no instrument that has ever been devised has created more sensation, or lias attracted so much atten« tion." Many illustrations of the instrument were shown at the close of the lecture. —Times.