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The Telephone 169 Even the 1,000 miles through the ether proved a simple, straightforward matter. Thereupon it was decided to attempt to talk across the continent. In order to facilitate this experiment the United States Government was approached for permission to use the naval wireless station at Arling- ton, which is adapted to long-distance work. The receivers were set up at the naval wireless station on Mare Island, California, and Pearl Harbour, Hono- lulu, Hawaii, while special aerials were erected at other stations within range and connected to the ordinary wireless instruments. Only receivers were set up, the experiment being to ascertain whether the voice would carry two thousand miles or so through the ether. All arrangements were completed for the trials on September 29th, 1915. At first sentences were spoken out from Arlington. These were readily caught and understood at Mare Island. Intimation of the suc- cessful receipt of the message was conveyed by the ordinary telegraph and overland trunk telephone wires. Then Mr. Vail, seated in his sanctum in New York, picked up his telephone transmitter to call to his chief engineer at Mare Island, “ Hallo, Carty ! This is Mr. Vail! ” The words were carried from New York to Arling- ton over the trunk telephone wire, and upon reach- ing the wireless station were re-dispatched auto- matically into the ether, a special device having been designed for this re-transmission from wire to wireless. Later came back by telegram a message repeating the words which Mr. Vail had spoken, together with the information that the words had been clearly and