256 



SIGNALING THROUGH SPACE WITHOUT WIRES. 



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Fig. 4. 



-Diagram illustrating the way in which hills are bridged by 

 the electric waves. 



It is curious that hills and apparent obstructions fail to obstruct. 

 The reason is probably the fact that the lines of force escape these 

 hills. When the ether is entangled in matter of different degrees of 

 inductivity, the lines are curved, as in fact they are in light. Figure 4 

 shows how a hill is virtually bridged over by these lines, and conse- 

 quently some electric 

 waves fall on the 

 relay. Weather seems 

 to have no influence; 

 rain, fogs, snow, and 

 wind avail nothing. 



The wings shown in 

 figure 2 may be re- 

 moved. One pole can 

 be connected with 

 earth, and the other 

 extended up to the top of the mast, or fastened to a balloon by means 

 of a wire. The wire and balloon or kite, covered with tin foil, becomes 

 the wing. In this case one pole of the transmitter must also be con- 

 nected with earth. This is 

 shown in figure 5. 



There are some apparent 

 anomalies that have devel- 

 oped themselves during the 

 experiments. Mr. Marconi 

 finds that his relay acts 

 even when it is placed in a 

 perfectly closed metallic 

 box. This is the fact that 

 has given rise to the rumor 

 that he can blow up an iron- 

 clad ship. This might be 

 true if he con Id plant his 

 properly tuned receiver in 

 the magazine of an enemy's 

 ship. Many other funny 

 things could be done if this 

 were possible. I remember 

 in my childhood that Cap- 

 tain Warner blew up a ship 



at a great distance off Brighton. How this was done was never known, 

 for his secret died shortly afterwards with him. It certainly was not 

 by means of Marconi's relay. 



The distance to which signals have been sent is remarkable. On 

 Salisbury Plain Mr. Marconi covered a distance of 4 miles. In the 

 Bristol Channel this has been extended to over 8 miles, and we have 



Fig. 5. 



-Diagram of Marconi connections when using pole, 

 or kite. 



