[D0231AAJ], Letter from Eugene Howard Lewis to Thomas Alva Edison, May 23rd, 1902
https://edisondigital.rutgers.edu/document/D0231AAJ
Transcription
Letterhead of Eaton & Lewis New York May 23, 1902. Thomas A. Edison, Esq., Orange, New Jersey. My Dear Edison: Since writing my letter to you this morning, I have received a letter from Mr. Frederick H. Betts, to whom has been referred an investigation of your patent by the Marconi Company, from which I extract the following statement: "I observe that the patent describes a system of apparatus for telegraphing or signalling between distant points 'by induction', and the patent describes the system of telegraphy as one practiced between elevated condensing surfaces." "I should be very glad to know whether it is claimed on the part of Mr. Edison that the system and apparatus described in his patent really operates, not upon the principle of 'induction' or by reason of elevated plates acting as 'condensers', but by the production of Hertz oscillations; and if so, what ground there is for that contention, if such is the case". You will readily perceive from the nature of Mr. Betts' query, what the direction of his thoughts is. It looks as though Mr. Betts was going to advise the Marconi Company, that in view of the fact that at the time of your application, such a thing as herzin ways were not known, and further in view of the fact that in your patent the purpose of the elevation seems to be to avoid the curvature of the earth's surface, and in view of the further fact that the principle of induction seems to be the principle of your patent, that therefore your patent would not be of any use in adverse hands, to prevent the operation of the Marconi System. Of course it does not follow from that fact that your patent might not be of considerable use in the hands of the Marconi Company, to stop anybody who sought to make use of the principle and apparatus described in your patent. I am handing you for your convenience, a copy of your patent, 465,971, and copies of the Marconi patents, Nos. 624, 516 and 627,650. I haven't answered Mr. Betts' letter, containing the foregoing extract, and shall await an answer to this letter before I reply to his. Yours truly, Eugene H. Lewis