The talking machine world (Jan-Dec 1908)

6 THE TALKING MACHINE WORLD. THE PHONOGRAPH IN AUSTRALIA. Exhibited at the Sydney Exhibition in 1881 — Mr. Gladstone Sent a Phonogram to the Governor of New South Wales — The Improved Machine Heard in 1890. It is hard to say now who first brought the phonograph to Australia. Perhaps the first machine to be publicly exhibited was the Edison tinfoil phonograph which was on view at the International Exhibition, held in Sydney in 1881. One who saw this crude machine said: "You turned the handle and shouted into a funnel, and then turned a handle, and it shouted back to you, hut you couldn't understand what it said." The first improved phonograph seems to have made its appearance in Australia ahout 1890, or at all events the first public> exhibition of it for that year is claimed by a Professor Douglas Archibald. In his booklet, which bears the date 1890, and is entitled "The Perfected Phonograph," the announcement is made: "Edison's latest phonograph now exhibited for the first time in Australia by Professor Douglas Archibald, M. A., Oxon, under the direction of Messrs. MacMahue." The phonograph was of the concert type, and was driven by an electric motor. It had the usual diminutive trumpet, which shows that the superior acoustic properties of large trumpets were not yet recognized, or. which is more likely, that they had not yet been manufactured. In the booklet referred to above there is a brief description of the machine, but thearticle written by Edison for the North American Review, describing his improved machine, and giving a brief history of the invention, is quoted in full. Edison indulges in many predictions as to the uses the phonograph will be put to, and many of these predictions have been fulfilled to the letter," says J. Smith of New South Wales in the Talking Machine News. Professor Douglas Archibald, besides being the first public exhibitor of the improved phonograph in Australia, was also responsible for a phonogram spoken by Mr. Gladstone, which was probably the first phonogram which ever came to Australia. This was the phonogram sent by Mr. Gladstone to Lord Carrington: Spoken in London on March 8, 1890, by the Right Honorable W. E. Gladstone, addressed to His Excellency Lord Carrington, Government House, Sydney, and conveyed thither by the hand of E. D. Archibald, and respoken on June 8, 1890, by the phonograph in the presence of their Excellencies, Lord and Lady Norman and suite: "10 St. James Square, London. "My dear Lord Carrington: — I gladly avail myself of this opportunity to assure you with how much pleasure I hear of you and your career as Governor in New South Wales. I am also honored and gratified in being the first person to make a communication through the phonograph to Australasia, as worthily represented by the great colony at whose head you have been placed. In the phonograph is a new bond of amity between Australasia and the United King dom, and I regard each addition to these free and friendly ties as an inspired benefit and a fresh guarantee for the endurance of a connection alike honorable and beneficial on that side of the water and on this. I am, my dear Lord Carrington, very faithfully yours, W. E. Gladstone." THE VALUE OFCOMPETITION. How a Business Is Frequently Helped by a Rival Discovering Some Newly Developed Possibilities — Always Do Something Better. Frequently a business, energetically started and capably captained, thrives and flourishes until the situation seems splendidly controlled, when with human indulgence the leader lets down steam, assumes that all's well and just keeps the boat off the rocks, letting the stream carry and fix the rate of progress. No need of promoting from the crew a new hand at the tiller, as the ship cr.lls alon» well under her own headwaj'. Then comes an awakening, when another enterprise is start3d to take up some newly developed possibilities heretofore unnoticed by the confident commander. Maybe the new enterprise is engineered by a break in his own forces not sufliciently recognized by him, or is controlled by new ambition seeking profitable field for endeavor. GET rp steam! That's the spur that thrills the old ship or makes her clear decks ready for action. Overboard with the fossils and the dead wood! Scrape the barnacles off the keel! Get up steam! Before you know it undreamed of possibilities disclose themselves, bigger and better business develops, and a grand, live institution results, because the "old man" got pushed to do his best. Nine times out of ten he hates the fellows who woke him from his trance, instead of being grateful for the shock that sent him forward to the work he best could do. But, then again, they didn't mean to help him. All of which proves that consciously or otherwise, we humans are so tied together that every action has some influence on our fellows and makes our every move of some concern to the whole world. You are your brother's keeper, and you will not attain happiness if you attempt to dodge the responsibility. ADVANTAGES Ol'' BEGIXXERS. Given youth, courage and industry, any man with a small capital need not fear the competition of any large store into which years have always brought red-tape and conservatism. The impetus of a beginner, the eagerness of youth and the industry of ambition more than offset the big store's advantage in purchasing power, which cannot average more than 5 per cent., against a wide-awake skirmisher. This small percentage is more than offset by buying and office expense incident to large undertakings. THE WORTHY AIM. It is frequently seen that a smaller shop will outweigh in puljlic regard a larger rival on some one specialty; and there is the meat in the focoanut. Do something better than the other fellow, and keep on doing that something better until you're found out. "Doing something better, allied to a little patience, always results in being found out; for the hungry world, with its myriad eyes and million appetites, is always looking for the chap v.'ho can do anything a little better. THE GAELIC RENAISSANCE. The Part The Talking Machine Is Playing in This Movement — Acacemy of Sciences of Vienna Interested. One of the most important uses to which the talking machine has been put within recent years is the preservation of the fast dying languages and dialects of the olden races in all parts of the world. Centuries hence, the customs, habits and languages of these races will be thus brought to the knowledge of Interested people in a much more forcible and valuable manner than through books. But the fact that these records will supplement the written knowledge shows the importance of the talking machine. German scientists are particularly active in this field, and only recently the Imperial Academy of Sciences of Vienna, becoming interested in the Gaelic movement in Ireland sent one of its professors. Dr. Rudolph Tribitsch, to the Emerald Isle for the purpose of making phonographic records of Irish as spoken in the different provinces of the country. The revival of Gaelic in Scotland is a!so noted with satisfaction, says a writer in the Westminster Gazette, by enthusiasts in the North. It is said that nearly all the younger members of the old Scotch families are studying the language of the Gael to a greater or less extent, and that several of them have attained considerable proficiency. The movement is to receive a new recruit shortly in the shape of a weekly journal. Alba, which will be edited by the Hon. Stuart Erskine, and printed in Gaelic. Dr. Tribitsch has already visited Aberdare, where he secured several genuine records of real Aberdare Welsh, and he has also spent some time in North and Mid-Wales. He is now hoping to complete his collection with some records of the music of the triple harp, the ancient harp of Wales, which is still found at Llanover. The Germans have long been interested in Gaelic and their desire for further research is but natural. W. J. KILIEA'S SUCCESS. William J. Killea, formerly a telegraph operator for the Associated Press and who conducted a talking machine business on the side, has found the latter growing to such an extent that he has decided to devote his entire time to the selling of machines and records. He is conducting a store at 74 South Pearl street, Albany, N. Y. A dictograph has been installed at the Metropolitan Opera House and through this means Manager Conried is enabled to hear in his office the performance of opera on the stage as though he were sitting in a first-clays orchestra seat. The Gibbs Stop Attachment for Edison STANDARD Phonograph (Patent Allowed.) HOME PHONOGRAPH This is the only device on the market having an indicator that can be instantly set to accommodate any record in the Edison catalogue and automatically stops the machine when the music is finished ; thereby preventing the sapphire from being damaged in running over the end of the record. Nolhiim to break or not out of ordi'r. (".an he .ipplied in less than a minute, and requires no tools except an ordinary screw driver. Kct.Til Prices of .\ttaclnncnts— For ".■^t-Tiuhud" I'luiiioRrapli, $1.00 each; for "Home" I'lionoRraph, Sl .'iO each. ORDER FROM YOUR JOBBER \\*c will .send propaiil to any dealer a sample atlaclimeiit for the "Standard" on receipt of 50e., or for the "Home," 75c. Does not mar or injure the but adds to its appearance. Made of metal and nickei-plated. phonoKraph Dealirs Profit is 100% ( l-";u'h AttacliuuMit (iunraiitci.-d.) The Gibbs Mfg. Co. CANTON, OHIO