the distinctness of the human voice are clearer and far more
intelligible. One simple regulation of the microphone suffices for the
installation, for there is no danger of its getting out of order.
Owing to its peculiar construction, this new microphone is very firm
and solid, and for this very reason offers another advantage, namely,
the possibility of transmitting sound over very long distances. In the
competitive trials instituted by order of the imperial postal
department, apparatus of various systems and constructions were
subjected to tests, and the apparatus we are speaking of showed the
favorable results just mentioned. This microphone has overcome in
particular the difficulties connected with the using of combined lines
above and below ground, and with the aid of it the excellent
telephonic communication is carried on in Berlin, in which city the
telephone net is most extensive and complicated. At the same time this
microphone transmits the sound over long distances (up to 200 kilom.
even) in the most satisfactory manner. Another peculiar advantage of
this construction is that it exercises a very small inductive effect
on cables and free lines, and consequently the simultaneous speaking
on parallel lines causes but little disturbance.

After repeated trials made by the German imperial postal department
with the microphones constructed by Messrs. Mix and Genest, these
apparatus have been introduced in the place of the telephones and
Bell-Blake microphones hitherto used in the telephone service. At
present we understand there are about 8,000 of these apparatus in use.

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