Marconi and Tesla

Whether Tesla will be able to put his startling promises into actual operation or not remains to be seen; but there is no doubt that young Marconi, who was the first to demonstrate the feasibility of wireless telegraphy, is steadily developing his system and has already made it commercially practicable and profitable.

Marconi achieved a triumph when be succeeded in sending a message without wires over a distance of only three miles, or even a few yards. But that was only a beginning. To-day he can telegraph without wires across 200 miles of space, and he now has a contract with the British government for the right to equip thirty-five war vessels with his apparatus, and for installations covering a period of fifteen years, on which his royalties will amount to $262.500.

In a former article on this subject the Democrat and Chronicle called attention to the fact that Marconi has already overcome the necessity for the tall masts, at least for a distance of sixty miles, which were ad prat essential to the success of his operations. With cylinders only four feet high he has been able to send messages the distance named above. This in significant in view of the recent announcement that one feature of Tesla's proposed system is the use of captive balloons to be maintained at a great height from the earth. In the nature of the case such an arrangement must be uncertain, even if it be otherwise successful.

Marconi works quietly and steadily, making few sensational promises, though he producer sensational results. The first the public knows of his work is after he bas achieved results. That is the better way. Tesla has a vivid imagination, and, while he is by no means a mare sciolist, bis disposition to indulge in glowing predictions of what he will do in the future has to some extent impaired his standing with the public. However, his latest assurances are so definite and positive that there seems to be good reason to expect something tangible in the way of results.