PIONEER OF WIRELESS: WORKED AT CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF PARIS
Professor Edouard Branly, one of the pioneers to whom Marconi owed the success of his development of wireless, died in Paris on Monday. lie was 96 years old.
Professor Branly was born at Amiens in 1844. After attending schools in Paris, he taught at Bourges Lycee, and became in 1869 joint director of the physical laboratory of the Sorbonne. He had to work in a room overlooking the street where the vibration of the traffic made accuracy impossible.
In 1875 the head of the Catholic University offered to give him a laboratory there. He was installed " temporarily " in a disused room, and was still there 58 years later. His discoveries were made with makeshift apparatus. His entry into the Catholic University set all the Sorbonne against him, and he had to look round for something else.
In 1882 he took his medical degree, and while teaching at the university had to practise for many years in order to earn money for his researches, At the age of 87 and in poverty he was made a Grand Officer of the Legion of Honour.
Professor Branly carried out experiments into the conductivity of a number of substances under various electrical conditions and published the results In 1891. Marconi utilised the discovery, and after attaining success in his experiments he sent Branly a radio message from St. Margaret's Bay: " Marconi sends M. Branly his respectful compliments across the Channel. This fine achievement is partly due to the remarkable researches of M. Branly."
The French Government granted Professor Branly the honour of a national funeral.