J. L BAIRD: SUCCESS AND FAILURE.

From about 1923 until his death in 1946, J. L. Baird devoted his energies to the advancement of various aspects of television engineering. The author produced 178 patents in this field, and demonstrated television, albeit in a rudimentary form. He endeavored to anticipate many likely developments of television, and was the first inventor to succeed in establishing the feasibility of an all-electronic high-definition color television receiver using a single cathode-ray tube. There are several points of similarity between the early work and aspirations of Baird and Marconi, and these are brought out in the paper. In addition, the paper examines the various factors which had a bearing on Baird's fortunes and compares his attitudes to business advancement, patent holding and patent acquisition, the employment of professional engineers and consultants, and new developments, inter alia with those of Marconi. It is concluded that, for the progress of the various Baird companies, too much reliance was placed on the ideas and patents of one person, whereas the well being of the Marconi companies depended on the ideas and patents of many persons; as a consequence, these companies prospered.