The most remarkable piece of telephoning yet attempted has been just
accomplished by the engineers of the ‘International Bell Telephone
Company,’ who successfully carried out an experiment by which they
were enabled to hold a conversation between St Petersburg and Bologæ,
a distance of two thousand four hundred and sixty-five miles.
Blake transmitting, and Bell receiving, instruments were used, and
conversation was kept up notwithstanding a rather high induction.
The experiments were carried on during the night, when the telegraph
lines were not at work. The Russian engineers of this Company are
so confident of further success that they hope shortly to be able
to converse with ease at a distance of four thousand six hundred
and sixty-five miles; but to accomplish this astonishing feat they
must combine all the conditions favourable for the transmission of
telephonic sounds. If it is found possible to hold audible conversation
at such extraordinary distances, it is possible that this fact will
be speedily improved upon, and we shall be enabled to converse freely
between London and New York, and by-and-by between London and the
antipodes.