NEW ACCOMPLISHMENT FOR CRUFT

The Cruft Memorial High Tension Laboratory recently heard from stations on the pacific coast. A while ago it was announced that a message had been received from Berlin. This is not equally remarkable, as will be explained later. Messages from Germany have been received frequently since, and are now no longer the exception. The wireless has also received calls from various southern posts over a thousand miles away. The reach seems to be constantly developing under the expert guidance of the men back of the undertaking.

There are three reasons why it is a much more difficult proposition to receive messages from the Pacific Coast rather than from the other side of the Atlantic. This is dependent on the fact that there is land to deal with in one case, while there is only water, or nearly so, in the other. Firstly, the sun's rays are radiated from the earth so extensively that they take much of the energy in the electric waves. This fact is particularly true at this season of the year, for at present these rays of the sun are at very nearly their greatest intensity. In the second place, this radiation also tends to defract the waves upward so that they will pass far above the comparatively low aerials of the wireless posts and thus permit no message to be noticed. This is an objection which applies more directly to the flat and more light-colored districts which would thus better reflect the sun's heat. The third cause of difficulty in land operations is, in general, unfavorable conditions of topography. This applies more strictly to mountains which actually serve as effectual blocks to the waves. The accomplishment of making an experimental wireless laboratory, which has proven so efficient, not only shows that the men behind the undertaking have not only obtained wonderfully satisfactory results but have also merited warm praise from every one connected with the University.