8 Mr. John M. Finnegan on the Production of Electric Waves. 



the Marconi system, the lecturer said it was in March, 1899, that 

 the first message was sent across the English Channel, and 

 shortly afterwards the Admiralty definitely adopted and installed 

 it. It was now an essential part of the equipment of all large 

 liners, and there had just occurred a notable example of its 

 usefulness in the disaster to the s.s. Republic. Should the 

 historian desire to answer the question to whom should the 

 invention of wireless telegraphy more particularly be attributed, he 

 should certainly first give the name of Hertz, the genius who 

 discovered the waves ; then that of Marconi, who was the first to 

 transmit signals by the use of Hertzian undulations ; and should 

 also add those of the scholars who, like Morse, Popoff, Sir W. 

 Preece, Lodge, and, above all, Branly, had devised the arrange- 

 ments necessary for their transmission. But to-day Voltaire's 

 famous apothegm in the " Philosophical Dictionary " was more 

 true than ever. Science becomes more and more impersonal, and 

 she teaches that progress is nearly always due to the united efforts 

 of a crowd of workers, and is thus the best school of social 

 solidarity. 



On the motion of Mr. John Brown, F.R.S., who called 

 attention to the fact that there was no wireless telegraphic 

 apparatus in Belfast, and referred to the drawbacks attendant 

 upon the omission, seconded by Mr. E. J. Elliott, a vote of 

 thanks was warmly accorded to Mr. Finnegan for his lecture, 

 which, as the seconder of the motion said, contained material for 

 a series of lectures. 



