THE TELEPHONE.

Press, Volume XXIX, Issue 3895, 16 January 1878, Page 3

THE TELEPHONE.

The telephone, an instrument by which sounds may be transmitted so indefinite dietance by means of a copper wire and an electro-magnet, has become a common object of exhibition in America, where, according to the reports in the papers, wonderful effects have been produced. For example, an audience assembled in a publio room at Washington has enjoyed music, both vocal . £our£oxs3€cLixi. a town fcwes&T miles away, and words spoken at one end of the wire have been heard at the other almost as distinctly as if they had been pronounced in the same room. These accounts have been received out of America with considerable incredulity, but believers have not been wanting. In scientific circles in Melbourne the subject has been discussed for some time, and recently it was suggested by Mr Byron Moore, of the Lande Department, that the invention might be turned to practical account in the new Government offices. In such a lirge building the ordinary speaking tabes are useless beyond a certain point, for they will carcely carry sound a greater distance than 200 ft., while some of the apartments are 600 ft. from others which have to be communicated with. It is, besides, much easier and less expensive to lay wires than speaking tubes. After some little preparation experiments have been tried. A telephonic apparatus has been constructed by Mr Josephs, of Swans ton street, under the direction of Mr ' Ellery, Government astronomer, and very encouraging results have been obtained from it. The telephone, says the " Argus," was placed on its trial at the Observatory on Saturday night, in the presence of some twenty or thirty public officers, including Mr Ellery (Government astronomer), Mr S. W. McGo wan (acting- deputy Postmaster-General), Mr Byron Moore, and others. A wire was carried from the Government astronomer's o!" ■ "-o the great telescope room, a distance o* >or 90 yards, and observers were s ed at each end. When there was p »rfect enV.Jti it was found that words spoken in one room could be distinctly heard in the other, and a regular conversation, in fact, could be kept up. The playing of a flute, a whistled tune, or a song, was faithfully transmitted by the wire, faintly, it is true, but clearly. It was noticed that words spoken distinctly and with the voice scarcely raised were better heard than sentences pronounced in loud, high tones. As to distance, it does not appear that this is of much importance. By the use of induction coils, a resistance equal to that which would be produced by lengthening the wire to the extent of 500 miles was obtained, but the sounds were transmitted as accurately as before. It muet be understood, however, that it was the operators only who could speak to each other. The sounds did not penetrate the room, but were heard only by the person who placed the telephone to his ear. As the apparatus, however, had only undergone a preliminary trial, the result is considered to be very good, and it is impossible to say to what extent it may be improved upon.