heroes of the telegraph-第51章
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e timber。 The baseboard is with advantage borne by four rounded india…rubber feet； which insulate it from the table on which it may be placed。 To connect the microphone up for use； a small voltaic battery； say three cells （though a single cell will give surprising results）； and a Bell speaking telephone are necessary。 A wire is led from one of the carbon brackets to one pole of the battery； and another wire is led from the other bracket to one terminal screw of the telephone； and the circuit is completed by a wire from the other terminal of the telephone to the other pole of the battery。 If now the slightest mechanical jar be given to the wooden frame of the microphone； to the table； or even to the walls of the room in which the experiment takes place； a corresponding noise will be heard in the microphone。 By this delicate arrangement we can play the eavesdropper on those insensible vibrations in the midst of which we exist。 If a feather or a camel…hair pencil be stroked along the base… board； we hear a harsh grating sound； if a pin be laid upon it； we hear a blow like a blacksmith's hammer； and； more astonishing than all； if a fly walk across it we hear it tramping like a charger； and even its peculiar cry； which has been likened； with some allowance for imagination； to the snorting of an elephant。 Moreover it should not be forgotten that the wires connecting up the telephone may be lengthened to any desired extent； so that； in the words of Professor Hughes； 'the beating of a pulse； the tick of a watch； the tramp of a fly can then be heard at least a hundred miles from the source of sound。' If we whisper or speak distinctly in a monotone to the pencil； our words will be heard in the telephone； but with this defect； that the TIMBRE or quality is； in this particular form of the instrument； apt to be lost； making it difficult to recognise the speaker's voice。 But although a single pencil microphone will under favourable circumstances transmit these varied sounds； the best effect for each kind of sound is obtained by one specially adjusted。 There is one pressure best adapted for minute sounds； another for speech； and a third for louder sounds。 A simple spring arrangement for adjusting the pressure of the contacts is therefore an advantage； and it can easily be applied to a microphone formed of a small rod of carbon pivoted at its middle； with one end resting on a block or anvil of carbon underneath。 The contact between the rod and the block in this 'hammer…and…anvil' form is； of course； the portion which is sensitive to sound。
The microphone is a discovery as well as an invention； and the true explanation of its action is as yet merely an hypothesis。 It is supposed that the vibrations put the carbons in a tremor and cause them to approach more or less nearly； thus closing or opening the breach between them； which is； as it were； the floodgate of the current。
The applications of the microphone were soon of great importance。 Dr。 B。 W。 Richardson succeeded in fitting it for auscultation of the heart and lungs； while Sir Henry Thompson has effectively used it in those surgical operations； such as probing wounds for bullets or fragments of bone； in which the surgeon has hitherto relied entirely on his delicacy of touch for detecting the jar of the probe on the foreign body。 There can be no doubt that in the science of physiology； in the art of surgery； and in many other walks of life； the microphone has proved a valuable aid。
Professor Hughes communicated his results to the Royal Society in the early part of 1878； and generously gave the microphone to the world。 For his own sake it would perhaps have been better had he patented and thus protected it； for Mr。 Edison； recognising it as a rival to his carbon…transmitter； then a valuable property； claimed it as an infringement of his patents and charged him with plagiarism。 A spirited controversy arose； and several bitter lawsuits were the consequence； in none of which； however； Professor Hughes took part； as they were only commercial trials。 It was clearly shown that Clerac； and not Edison； had been the first to utilise the variable resistance of powdered carbon or plumbage under pressure； a property on which the Edison transmitter was founded； and that Hughes had discovered a much wider principle； which embraced not only the so…called 'semi…conducting' bodies； such as carbon； but even the best conductors； such as gold； silver； and other metals。 This principle was not a mere variation of electrical conductivity in a mass of material brought about by compression； but a mysterious variation in some unknown way of the strength of an electric current in traversing a loose joint or contact between two conductors。 This discovery of Hughes really shed a light on the behaviour of Edison's own transmitter； whose action he had until then misunderstood。 It was now seen that the particles of carbon dust in contact which formed the button were a congeries of minute micro… phones。 Again it was proved that the diaphragm or tympanum to receive the impression of the sound and 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
