CONQUEST OF DISTAXCE BY WIRE TELEPIWXV 373 



that will be suitable for use on loaded or non-loaded lines and which will give the 

 desired amplification without a great deal of distortion. 



"(3) A mathematical and laboratory study of two-way repeater circuits with a 

 view to determining the best form of repeater circuit to be used in combination 

 with any desired repeater element and any kind of loaded line. 



"(4) A mathematical and experimental investigation of loaded line characteris- 

 tics in the existing plant, and a determination of what changes, if any, must be 

 made in the construction and installation of loading coils and cables in order to 

 make loaded lines suitable for the application of telephone repeaters." 



The executive decision to make the "all-out" attack on the repeater 

 problems as an economically necessary step to transcontinental telephony 

 was largely influenced by Jewett's advice and his confidence in the possi- 

 bilities offered by the recent advances in electron physics. The decision 

 I)roved to be very timely. B}- starting in time, and by continuous, vigor- 

 ous, activity in the allied research, development, engineering, manufactur- 

 ing, and construction problems, it was possible to have the Transcontinental 

 Line ready for commercial service when the Pacific-Panama Exposition 

 opened at San Francisco early in 1915. The advantages to all concerned in 

 having the Transcontinental Line ready prior to the Fair are obvious. 



Responsibilities for the Work Under the Plan 



Returning to the discussion of the plan, the specific program for group 

 and individual responsibilities in doing the work conformed to proposals 

 made by Jewett in his memorandum to Gherardi, "Repeater on Loaded 

 Lines," dated December 22, 1910, from which the following paragraphs are 

 taken : 



"As a result of my study of the matter it seems to me that as the results from 

 all four investigations must ultimately mesh with an existing, or to-be-built, 

 telephone plant, the general supervision of the problem, the formulation of the 

 specific problems and the general coordination of the work can probably best be 

 done by someone in this Engineering Department rather than by someone at the 

 Western Electric Company. 



"With regard to the probable best assignment of the specific divisions, it seems 

 to me that the investigation of the present carbon-button type of repeater is clearly 

 a problem for the Western Electric Company under the general supervision noted 

 above. Also, it seems clear that as the investigation of new repeater principles 

 will undoubtedly involve a large amount of laboratory work, this also is a matter 

 for Western Electric investigation. As regards the other two, namely, the study 

 of repeater circuits and the investigation of loaded line characteristics, I believe that 

 best results will be obtained by having as much of the detailed work as possible 

 done here. Primarily, the investigation of repeater circuits is a matter for theo- 

 retical and mathematical consideration, and secondarily, a matter for experi- 

 mentation. In the making of this investigation it will be necessarj' to utilize all 

 of the results obtained from the work on repeater element and line characteristics. 



