THE TELEPHONE ECLIPSED.

Inangahua Times, Volume V, Issue 30, 25 March 1878, Page 2

THE TELEPHONE ECLIPSED.

Wo havo already pnblisbod a short ncoount of tho Intest invontion in tbo wny of talking machines, but the subject is so wonderful nnd revolutionary that somo further desoription will not bo out of place.

In Nature- (quoting from tho Scientific American of Dec. 22), is given an account ofa new mnchine called tho talking phono* grapli," which (if it does not provo to be a scientific American joke) is destined to celipso tho tolephono, nnd othor groat wonders of the day, in its effects. Tho editor of tho Soientifio Amorican says that the inventor rocontly called at his office, placed a littlo maobino on his desk, turned a crank, and after (urthor conyer*. Ration, bid him a cordial good night. All tho remarks wero perfeotly audiblo to a dczon or more pooplo who wero prcsont. lbisinstrumentisfittod withn mouthpiece, and on sound boing uttered into it, a mctnl diaphragm is causod to vibrate, and a rootal point attached to it to mako contacts with a strip of tinfoil laid round a rovolving cylinder, supported on a serewtreaded frhaft. On th© cylinder is cut a spiral groove of liko pitch to that on tho shaft, nnd thus an exuet record of tho sound uttorod is made by indentation* of the vibrating metal point on the tinfoil whero not hackod by tho solid cylinder. So far the phonograph is morely a writer, hut by anothor ingenious contrivance Mr Edison* the inventor, makes tho machine

produce the original sound engraved on I tho tinfoil, being a reversal of the process J hy wbich it receives the sound. This machine combines iv itself two separate devices— tho phonograph, or recordtug apparatus, and tho talking contrivance. By separation of these tho first maoiine could record, and bo transmitted by mail elsewhere, of oouiso with exact information of tho velocity of rotation of the cylinder. Tho recipient then, by sotting bis apparatus to rev-dvo at exactly the samo speed, would hear the frozen tones >ftho phonograph thaw into tho sounds vhieh it originally received, so tbat tbe •rozen violin of tli-a » ••>•>'• "■■•■«■■• w,,, ' n •laced nour tho warm lire, «»"-• l, »' 11 ' !,, ° rounds that were intended by the player vheu ho moved his bow across tbe strings in thoir frozen condition, is almost likely o bo realised aftor all. Other machines havo boon inventod which have succeeded in poducing some thing liko articulation in a siuglo monotonous organ no'.e. But this machine docs far more for it is said tbat it is impos* siblo to listen to its mocha uioal speech without oxporioneing the idea that one's sensos are deceiving ono. Tho article concludes thus I-" Wo havo nlroady pointed out the startling possibility of tho voices of the dead boing rehoard through this device, and thero is no doubt but that its capabilities aro fully equal to other results )ust as astonishing, When it becomes possil lo as it doubtless will, to magnify tho sound, the voices of such singers as Parepa and Titiens would not dio with thorn, but will remain as long as tho metal in which they nny bo embodied will hut. The witness in Court will find his own testimony repeated by mnchine, confronting him on cross-examinntion ;. testator will repeot his last will and testament into tho machine, sr> that it will bo roproducod in a way that will leave no questions os to bis devising capacity or sanity. It is already possible hy ingonious optical contrivance* to throw stereoscopic - photographs of people on screens in full view of an audience. Add the tulking photograph to counterfeit, thoir voice, ond it would bo difficult to carry tbo illusion of real presonco much further.' Fbr our own part wo ponder with awo and dread over tbe frightful possililies oponcd up hy the idea of a recording and talking— not angel— but maohine. Hansard reporters will bo no longer required* only set tho machine to go slowly, and printer* will s.-t up typo from the roai tones of the speakei*. Yo gods !to think of a verbatim report of tho Assembly debates. Only think of a mau carrying such a macbiuo in his pocket. It can lend to nothing olso but silence— a universal silenco— a silence that will be loir. Lot Darwin tell us in how nluiy ages after tho perfection of thi*. embryo machine tho art of talking will havo boon forgotten.