heroes of the telegraph-第46节
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d convey it to the carbon button； on which Edison had laid considerable stress； was non…essential； for the microphone； pure and simple； was operated by the direct impact of the sonorous waves； and required no tympanum。 Moreover； the microphone； as its name implies； could magnify a feeble sound； and render audible the vibrations which would otherwise escape the ear。 The discovery of these remarkable and subtle properties of a delicate contact had indeed confronted Edison； he had held them in his grasp； they had stared him in the face； but not…withstanding all his matchless ingenuity and acumen； he； blinded perhaps by a false hypothesis； entirely failed to discern them。 The significant proof of it lies in the fact that after the researches of Professor Hughes were published the carbon transmitter was promptly modified； and finally abandoned for practical work as a telephone； in favour of a variety of new transmitters； such as the Blake； now employed in the United Kingdom； in all of which the essential part is a microphone of hard carbon and metal。 The button of soot has vanished into the limbo of superseded inventions。
Science appears to show that every physical process is reciprocal； and may be reversed。 With this principle in our minds； we need not be surprised that the microphone should not only act as a TRANSMITTER of sounds； but that it should also act as a RECEIVER。 Mr。 James Blyth； of Edinburgh； was the first to announce that he had heard sounds and even speech given out by a microphone itself when substituted for the telephone。 His transmitting microphone and his receiving one were simply jelly…cans filled with cinders from the grate。 It then transpired that Professor Hughes had previously obtained the same remarkable effects from his ordinary 'pencil' microphones。 The sounds were extremely feeble； however； but the transmitting microphones proved the best articulating ones。 Professor Hughes at length constructed an adjustable hammer…and…anvil microphone of gas…carbon； fixed to the top of a resonating drum； which articulated fairly well； although not so perfectly as a Bell telephone。 Perhaps a means of improving both the volume and distinctness of the articulation will yet be forthcoming and we may be able to speak solely by the microphone； if it is found desirable。 The marvellous fact that a little piece of charcoal can； as it were； both listen and speak； that a person may talk to it so that his friend can hear him at a similar piece a hundred miles away； is a miracle of nineteenth century science which far transcends the oracles of antiquity。
The articulating telephone was the forerunner of the phonograph and microphone； and led to their discovery。 They in turn will doubtless lead to other new inventions； which it is now impossible to foresee。 We ask in vain for an answer to the question which is upon the lips of every one…What next？ The microphone has proved itself highly useful in strengthening the sounds given out by the telephone； and it is probable that we shall soon see those three inventions working unitedly； for the microphone might make the telephone sounds so powerful as to enable them to be printed by phonograph as they are received； and thus a durable record of telephonic messages would be obtained。 We can now transmit sound by wire； but it may yet be possible to transmit light； and see by telegraph。 We are apparently on the eve of other wonderful inventions； and there are symptoms that before many years a great fundamental discovery will be made； which will elucidate the connection of all the physical forces； and will illumine the very frame…work of Nature。
In 1879； Professor Hughes endowed the scientific world with another beautiful apparatus； his 'induction balance。' Briefly described； it is an arrangement of coils whereby the currents inducted by a primary circuit in the secondary are opposed to each other until they balance； so that a telephone connected in the secondary circuit is quite silent。 Any disturbance of this delicate balance； however； say by the movement of a coil or a metallic body in the neighbourhood of the apparatus； will be at once reported by the induction currents in the telephone。 Being sensitive to the presence of minute masses of metal； the apparatus was applied by Professor Graham Bell to indicate the whereabouts of the missing bullet in the frame of President Garfield； as already mentioned； and also by Captain McEvoy to detect the position of submerged torpedoes or lost anchors。 Professor Roberts…Austen； the Chemist to the Mint； has also employed it with success in analysing the purity and temper of coins； for； strange to say； the induction is affected as well by the molecular quality as the quantity of the disturbing metal。 Professor Hughes himself has modified it for the purpose of sonometry； and the measurement of the hearing powers。
To the same year； 1879； belong his laborious investigations on current induction； and some ingenious plans for eliminating its effects on telegraph and telephone circuits。
Soon after his discovery of the microphone he was invited to become a Fellow of the Royal Society； and a few years later； in 1885 he received the Royal Medal of the Society for his experiments； and especially those of the microphone。 In 1881 he represented the United Kingdom as a Commissioner at the Paris International Exhibition of Electricity； and was elected President of one of the sections of the International Congress of Electricians。 In 1886 he filled the office of President of the Society of Telegraph Engineers and of Electricians。
The Hughes type…printer was a great mechanical invention； one of the greatest in telegraphic science； for every organ of it was new； and had to be fashioned out of chaos； an invention which stamped its author's name indelibly into the history of telegraphy； and procured for him a special fame； while the microphone is a discovery which places it on the roll of investigators； and at the same time brings it to the knowledge of the people。 Two such achievements might well satisfy any scientific ambition。 Professor Hughes has enjoyed a most successful career。 Probably no inventor ever before received so many honours； or bore them with greater modesty。
APPENDIX。 …
I。 CHARLES FERDINAND GAUSS。
CHARLES FERDINAND GAUSS was born at Braunschweig on April 30； 1777。 His father； George Dietrich； was a mason； who employed himself otherwise in the hard winter months； and finally became cashier to a TODTENCASSE； or burial fund。 His mother Dorothy was the daughter of Christian Benze of the village of Velpke； near Braunschweig； and a woman of talent； industry； and wit； which her son appears to have inherited。 The father died in 1808 after his son had become distinguished。 The mother lived to the age of ninety…seven； but became totally blind。 She preserved her low Saxon dialect； her blue linen dress and simple country manners； to the last； while living beside her son at the Observatory of Gottingen。 Frederic； her younger brother； was a damask weaver； but a man with a natural turn for mathematics and mechanics。
When Gauss was a boy； his parents lived in a small house in the Wendengrahen； on a canal which joined the Ocker； a stream flowing through Braunschweig。 The canal is now covered； and is the site of the Wilhelmstrasse； but a tablet marks the house。 When a child； Gauss used to play on the bank of the canal； and falling in one day he was nearly drowned。 He learned to read by asking the letters from his friends； and also by studying an old calendar which hung on a wall of his father's house； and when four years old he knew all the numbers on it； in spite of a shortness of sight which afflicted him to the end。 On Saturday nights his father paid his workmen their wages； and once the boy； who had been listening to his calculations； jumped up and told him that he was wrong。 Revision showed that his son was right。
At the age of seven； Gauss went to the Catherine Parish School at Braunschweig； and remained at it for several years。 The master's name was Buttner； and from a raised seat in the middle of the room； he kept order by means of a whip suspended at his side。 A bigger boy； Bartels by name； used to cut quill pens； and assist the smaller boys in their lessons。 He became a friend of Gauss； and would procure mathematical books； which they read together。 Bartels subsequently rose to be a professor in the University of Dorpat； where he died。 At the parish school the boys of fourteen to fifteen years were being examined in arithmetic one day； when Gauss stepped forward and； to the astonishment of Buttner； requested to be examined at the same time。 Buttner； thinking to punish him for his audacity； put a 'poser' to him； and awaited the result。 Gauss solved the problem on his slate； and laid it face downward on the table； crying 'Here it is；' according to the custom。 At the end of an hour； during which the master paced up and down with an air of dignity； the slates were turned over； and the answer of Gauss was found to be correct while many of the rest were erroneous。 Buttner praised him； and ordered a special book on arithmetic for him all the way from Hamburg。
》From the parish school Gauss went to
