France's Great Figure In Radio

Radio Record, Volume IV, Issue 20, 28 November 1930, Page 10

France's Great Figure In Radio

Memorial to Branley AMIEN 8, the birthplace of Branley, has recently acquired for its Museum a bust of that inventor, whom the French call the Father of Wireless. Branley first studied medicine, but eventually dropped this to take his degree in Science and to study eleciricity, which fascinated him. In 1894 he obtained a coveted position as Professor of Electricity at Sorbonne, and the following year he turned his attention toward resistance. Desirous of verifying the Ohm law he spread some finely-powdered iron on a glass sheet and ascertained that it was almost an insulator. Whilst he was experimenting with maximum reresistance he discovered the germ of a great invention; using a Rumkhoff coil he found that. when a spark flashed, his plate became a conductor. A. year later he found that Marconi, who at this time had been studying Hertz’s theory in his garden at Bologna, in Italy, had, with the practical assistance given him by the English, discovered the coherer. When in 1899 Marconi, after his trials at Vintimille, found his invention of wireless telephony recognised by the English Post Office, he sent a message of courteous thanks to Branley for his admirable discovery which had permitted him to succeed with his own invention. When the Post Office made its first’ transmission across the Atlantic, and whilst the "Carlo Alberto" was making a cruise in constant communication by the same means with Rome, the French Government ignored the invention of the great Frenchman, forcing him to give up his laboratory and resume a medical career long since abandoned. It was left to subsequent French inventors and enthusiasts, following in his path, to draw public attention to him.