A Step to Threepenny Telegrams.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XL, Issue 7064, 25 July 1901, Page 4

A Step to Threepenny Telegrams.

Some important experiments in connection with a new telegraph system, which is claimed to considerably cheapen the cost of telegrams, have recently been conducted by the postal engineers between London and Glasgow. .;.•'■■.

The new apparatus is the invention of a French engineer named Mercadier, and by", its means it is possible to send"l2'separate messages over one wire at the same time- The system is.also capable of being duplexed, by which. 24 separate messages can be senfat one time over a single wire. .'_

The details, of the apparatus are comparatively simple. The'wire is attached at either end to twelve shorter wires, which lead in one case to twelve sending keys, and in another case to 12 receivers. -At the sending end the currents are interrupted by 12: rapidly vibrating metal reeds, each reed vibrating at a different, rate of speed. At the receiving end are 12 telephone receivers, with membranes of different thicknesses, capable of vibrating at a certain rate^ but at no other. The different rates of these receivers are identical with therates of the reeds at the sending station.

-When a message is sent or when 12 separate messages are sent,. what happens is this: The 12 currents enter the wire, each impressed with a distinct vibration "rate. At the receiving station they pass thfouigh a microphonie receiver, which gives them added strength. : They are then, discharged through 12 receivers. As each of these receivers only responds to vibrations of a certain rate, they select each the currents belonging to its own particular -message, but are ■■' impervious to all the others. By this means the messages are accurately sorted out and kept' distinct. ' '. . . ... . ■ .

The experiments in England were fairly successful, but were frequently interrupted by the bad weather. Eventually some parts of the apparatus failed and bad to be returned to the inventor in Paris for repairs. On ' completion of these the experiments will be resumed.

'; As the. main:.' : "cbst' of; telegraphing is 'in : the expense of erecting" and maintaining lines, thev.value'bf any system .which increases the' carrying capacity of the present rwires cannot be exaggerated. .... ':.-' ■ . ■".'.-. \...:,-;;

It is claimed for the present system that it.increases the capacity twelvefold. It is some such invention as this that will bring us threepenny telegrams,— Daily,Mail. .." :•'•'