A Household Telephone.

Evening Star, Issue 7298, 24 August 1887, Page 3

A Household Telephone.

Last March our Paris correspondent gave particulars of some successful experiments in telephoning between Paris and Brussels. The instrument employed was a micro-tele-phone—an invention of Dr Cornelius Herz. Other experiments have been made since then in order to show how the forts around Paris and throughout France can be put into communication by telephone, and we understand that the French Government have it in contemplation to connect the 36,000 communes or parishes of France by Dr Herz’s micro-telephone. As yet the new invention is little known in this country, but it will probably be introduced at no distant day. While Dr Herz’s micro-tele-phone is well adapted for transmitting messages over long distances, it is still better fitted for use in dwelling-houses, hotels, and all large buildings wherein it is desired that messages should be speedily conveyed from one room to another. Ihe experiments made in this country have fully confirmed those made in France. Sir Charles Bright, a great authority on all subjects relating to electricity, has pronounced Dr Herz’s micro telephone a practical invention. Mr W. H. Preece, the highest authority in this country, has spoken as favorably of it, after having made a personal trial of the micro-telephone in his own room at the General Post Office. It may be only necessary to affect an arrangement with the existing telephone companies for the new instrument to be extensively used. For a little more than three years the patent rights possessed by these _ companies may give them the power to hinder the competition of other companies, but in the present case an arrangement should not be difficult, as the use of the micro-telephone might be confined for the present to the interior of the buildings ; while the connection between buildings at a distance from each other might be made by the ordinary telephones. The special advantages of Dr Herz’s invention are its compactness and cheapness. The cost of fitting one in a room can be reckoned by shillings, whereas that of the other telephones is reckoned by pounds. Moreover, the telephones in use are unsightly, and occupy a certain amount of space. The micro-telephone does not offend the eye, nor docs it take up much more room than the shield of an electric boll. To all appearance, indeed, this instrument is an electric bell shield of a slightly larger size. In this case, as in that of the bell, there is a button to bo pressed which causes a bell to ring. When the person at the other end touches the button there, the two are prepared to converse. In order to do this, the shield, which forms the receiver and is attached to the instrument by a wire of any desired length, is removed from the wall and applied to the ear; the part exposed is a disc of carbon, and any sound uttered at or near it is conveyed to the opposite extremity. There is no need to remain close to the disc ; on the contrary, one may remain a yard away from it and speak in an ordinary tone of voice at that distance. The instrument is so sensitive that sounds are conveyed by it which would not be transmitted over the wires by the instruments in use. The batterypower need not be greater than that for actuating electric bells. In buildings fitted up with electric bells it would be easy and inexpensive to introduce the micro-telephone. Were this done, then not only would it be possible to summon a servant by pressing the button which rings the bell, but also to inform \ servant as to the purpose of the summons. It is scarcely needful to point out how great a saving would be thus effected, especially in hotels, both in time and labor. We are inclined to think that some such instrument as the micro-telephone is needed to give an impetus to the spread of telephony. It is true that the charges made by existing^companies are so high as to be proiiibitive in many cases. Yet, even were the instruments less costly, they are too cumbersome to be generally acceptable. On the other hand, a small, compact, and pot unsightly instrument—one resembling, as has been said, the shield of an electric bell—would be gladly admitted into a room. It can be made at once ornamental and useful. When to this is added the greatly reduced cost of the micro-telephone, as well as the greater ease and comfort in using it when compared with existing instruments, it would appear that the invention of Dr Herz is admirably fitted to serve the purposes of a household.— 1 Times.’ __