heroes of the telegraph-第20章
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arseilles is subject to sudden incursions of dry northerly winds； termed the MISTRAL。 The recorder never failed to indicate the mistral when it blew； and sometimes even to predict it by many hours。 Before the storm was itself felt； the delicate glass pen became agitated and disturbed； the frail blue line broken and irregular。 The electrician knew that the mistral would blow before long； and； as it rarely blows for less than three days at a time； that rather rude wind； so dreaded by the Marseillaise； was doubly dreaded by him。
The recorder was first used experimentally at St。 Pierre； on the French Atlantic cable； in 1869。 This was numbered 0； as we were told by Mr。 White of Glasgow； the maker； whose skill has contributed not a little to the success of the recorder。 No。 1 was first used practically on the Falmouth and Gibraltar cable of the Eastern Telegraph Company in July； 1870。 No。 1 was also exhibited at Mr。 （now Sir John） Pender's telegraph soiree in 1870。 On that occasion； memorable even beyond telegraphic circles； 'three hundred of the notabilities of rank and fashion gathered together at Mr。 Pender's house in Arlington Street； Piccadilly； to celebrate the completion of submarine communication between London and Bombay by the successful laying of the Falmouth； Gibraltar and Malta and the British Indian cable lines。' Mr。 Pender's house was literally turned outside in； the front door was removed； the courtyard temporarily covered with an iron roof and the whole decorated in the grandest style。 Over the gateway was a gallery filled with the band of the Scots Fusilier Guards； and over the portico of the house door hung the grapnel which brought up the 1865 cable； made resplendent to the eye by a coating of gold leaf。 A handsome staircase； newly erected； permitted the guests to pass from the reception…room to the drawing…room。 In the grounds at the back of the house stood the royal tent； where the Prince of Wales and a select party； including the Duke of Cambridge and Lady Mayo； wife of the Viceroy of India at that time； were entertained at supper。 Into this tent were brought wires from India； America； Egypt； and other places； and Lady Mayo sent off a message to India about half… past eleven； and had received a reply before twelve； telling her that her husband and sons were quite well at five o'clock the next morning。 The recorder； which was shown in operation； naturally stood in the place of honour； and attracted great attention。
The minor features of the recorder have been simplified by other inventors of late； for example； magnets of steel have been substituted for the electro…magnets which influence the swinging coil； and the ink； instead of being electrified by the mouse…mill； is shed on the paper by a rapid vibration of the siphon point。
To introduce his apparatus for signalling on long submarine cables； Sir William Thomson entered into a partnership with Mr。 C。 F。 Varley； who first applied condensers to sharpen the signals； and Professor Fleeming Jenkin； of Edinburgh University。 In conjunction with the latter； he also devised an 'automatic curb sender；' or key； for sending messages on a cable； as the well…known Wheatstone transmitter sends them on a land line。
In both instruments the signals are sent by means of a perforated ribbon of paper； but the cable sender was the more complicated； because the cable signals are formed by both positive and negative currents； and not merely by a single current； whether positive or negative。 Moreover； to curb the prolongation of the signals due to induction； each signal was made by two opposite currents in successiona positive followed by a negative； or a negative followed by a positive； as the case might be。 The after…current had the effect of curbing its precursor。 This self… acting cable key was brought out in 1876； and tried on the lines of the Eastern Telegraph Company。
Sir William Thomson took part in the laying of the French Atlantic cable of 1869； and with Professor Jenkin was engineer of the Western and Brazilian and Platino…Brazilian cables。 He was present at the laying of the Para to Pernambuco section of the Brazilian coast cables in 1873； and introduced his method of deep…sea sounding； in which a steel pianoforte wire replaces the ordinary land line。 The wire glides so easily to the bottom that 'flying soundings' can be taken while the ship is going at full speed。 A pressure…gauge to register the depth of the sinker has been added by Sir William。
About the same time he revived the Sumner method of finding a ship's place at sea； and calculated a set of tables for its ready application。 His most important aid to the mariner is； however； the adjustable compass； which he brought out soon afterwards。 It is a great improvement on the older instrument； being steadier； less hampered by friction； and the deviation due to the ship's own magnetism can be corrected by movable masses of iron at the binnacle。
Sir William is himself a skilful navigator； and delights to cruise in his fine yacht； the Lalla Rookh； among the Western Islands； or up the Mediterranean； or across the Atlantic to Madeira and America。 His interest in all things relating to the sea perhaps arose； or at any rate was fostered； by his experiences on the Agamemnon and the Great Eastern。 Babbage was among the first to suggest that a lighthouse might be made to signal a distinctive number by occultations of its light； but Sir William pointed out the merits of the Morse telegraphic code for the purpose； and urged that the signals should consist of short and long flashes of the light to represent the dots and dashes。
Sir William has done more than any other electrician to introduce accurate methods and apparatus for measuring electricity。 As early as 1845 his mind was attracted to this subject。 He pointed out that the experimental results of William Snow Harris were in accordance with the laws of Coulomb。
In the Memoirs of the Roman Academy of Sciences for 1857 he published a description of his new divided ring electrometer； which is based on the old electroscope of Bohnenberger and since then he has introduced a chain or series of beautiful and effective instruments； including the quadrant electrometer； which cover the entire field of electrostatic measurement。 His delicate mirror galvanometer has also been the forerunner of a later circle of equally precise apparatus for the measurement of current or dynamic electricity。
To give even a brief account of all his physical researches would require a separate volume； and many of them are too abstruse or mathematical for the general reader。 His varied services have been acknowledged by numerous distinctions； including the highest honour a British man of science can obtain the Presidency of the Royal Society of London； to which he was elected at the end of last year。
Sir William Thomson has been all his life a firm believer in the truth of Christianity； and his great scientific attainments add weight to the following words； spoken by him when in the chair at the annual meeting of the Christian Evidence Society； May 23； 1889 ：…
'I have long felt that there was a general impression in the non… scientific world； that the scientific world believes Science has discovered ways of explaining all the facts of Nature without adopting any definite belief in a Creator。 I have never doubted that that impression was utterly groundless。 It seems to me that when a scientific man saysas it has been said from time to timethat there is no God； he does not express his own ideas clearly。 He is； perhaps； struggling with difficulties； but when he says he does not believe in a creative power； I am convinced he does not faithfully express what is in his own mind； He does not fully express his own ideas。 He is out of his depth。
'We are all out of our depth when we approach the subject of life。 The scientific man； in looking at a piece of dead matter； thinking over the results of certain combinations which he can impose upon it； is himself a living miracle； proving that there is something beyond that mass of dead matter of which he is thinking。 His very thought is in itself a contradiction to the idea that there is nothing in existence but de
