HERTZIAN WAVE WIRELESS TELEGRAPHY. i6i 



which would be obtainable over the open sea, and that this loss in 

 distance varies with the height, thickness, contour and nature of the 

 land; (2) material particles, such as dust and salt, held in suspension 

 in a moist atmosphere also reduce the signaling distance, probably by 

 dissipating and absorbing the waves; (3) that electrical disturbances 

 in the atmosphere also act most adversely in addition to affecting the 

 receiving instrument and making false signals or strays, as they are 

 called; (4) that with certain forms of transmitting arrangement, inter- 

 ference effects may take place which have the result of creating cer- 

 tain areas of silence very similar to those which are observed in con- 

 nection with sound signals from a siren. 



It is clear, therefore, from all the above observations, that Hertzian 

 wave telegraphy taking place through the terrestrial atmosphere is not 

 by any means equivalent to the propagation of a wave in free or empty 

 space; and that just as the atmosphere varies in its opacity to rays of 

 light, sometimes being clear and sometimes clouded, so it varies from 

 time to time in transparency to Hertzian waves. The cause of this 

 variation in transparency probably being the presence in the atmosphere 

 of negatively charged corpuscles or electrons. If there are present in 

 the atmosphere at certain times 'clouds of electrons' or 'electronic 

 fogs,' these may have the effect of producing a certain opacity, or 

 rather diminution in transparency to Hertzian waves, just as water 

 particles do in the case of sunlight. 



We may therefore in conclusion review a few of the outstanding 

 problems awaiting solution in connection with Hertzian wave wireless 

 telegraphy. In spite of the fact that this new telegraphy has not been 

 accorded a very hearty welcome by the representatives of official or 

 established telegraphy in Great Britain, it has reached a point, un- 

 questionably owing to Mr, Marconi's energy and inventive power, at 

 which it is bound to continue its progress. But that progress will not 

 be assisted by shutting our eyes to facts. Many problems of great 

 importance remain to be solved. We have not yet reached a com- 

 plete solution of all the difficulties connected with isolation of sta- 

 tions.' In the next place, the question of localizing the source of the 

 signals and waves is most important. Our kumascopes and receiving 

 appliances at present are like the rudimentary eyes of the lower organ- 

 isms, which are probably sensitive to mere differences in light and 

 darkness, but which are not able to see or visualize, in the sense of 

 locating the direction and distance of a radiating or luminous body. 

 Just as we have, as little children, to learn to see, so a similar process 

 has to be accomplished in connection with Hertzian telegraphy, and 

 the accomplishment of this does not seem by any means impossible or 

 even distant. We are dealing with hemispherical waves of electric 



VOL. LXIV. — 11. 



