The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1899-11-23
CROSSES MISSION
How Honolulu Promoter
Got His Franchise.
The Hawaiian isltnds w II Soon be
Conn c.@d by Wireless
Telegraphy.

Mr.. 2. J. Cross, the promoter OF
wireless telegraphy for the Hawaiian
Islands, returned from a successful :rlE
TO New York by the Australia yesteI-
| day. Mr.. Cross was seen at his home
at Makiki in the evening by a repre-
sentative of the Advertiser and save
the following account of his 1oings
while away:
ITO go back TO the beginning" said
he, Il was first interested in wireless
telegraphy in the year 1892, when Nj
kola Tesla made the assertion that it
was coming and was going to be a sue
cess Since then various persons have
experimental with it, but it remained
for Bromley and Marconi to perfect the
receiving apparatus, until at the pres
ent time | consider it an unqualified
success; that is, in so far as adopting
i. for use between the Islands is con-
cerned
81 first got into correspondence with
Marconi's company, which is the Wire
less Telegraph & Signal Co., of Lon
don. They advised me to meet Marconi
in New York, which / did, but not with
out some obstacles being placed in my
way. The facts are these: When
reached San Francisco | sent the fol-
lowing telegram 10 New York, as sug-
gested by the Wireless Telegraph Com
pany of London, 10 Robert Goodbody
e Co., who appear TO have also been
connected with the New York syndi-
cate then about forming to control the
American patents:
- Robert Goodbody & Co., SO Broad ST..
New York:
when and where can | meet Mar
conf or Robert Goodbody? Answer.
IF. J. CROSS
ITO this / received the following
unfavorable reply:
New York, Oct. IL, 1899.
=. r. J. Cross. of Honolulu, H. L., care
Occidental Hotel, San Francisco.
Cannot sell Honolulu patent sep
arately from whole United States pat
ent. ROBI. GOODBOD1-
In spite OF this discouraging recep-
ton. | went to New York, and IL was
well | did. There l saw Marconi and
brought the matter to a successful con-
clusion, as you will see.
Il was present at the United States
naval experiments, and was on board
the u. s. cruiser New York as the
guest of Marconi. The system was
tried at various distances between the
New York and the battleship Massa-
chusetts-the extreme distance being
thirty-six miles. During all of one
day the experiments were carried out
in a severe storm, and the instruments,
| must say. worked to perfection. They
did not drop a single letter in tie
transmission and reception of large
number of messages, some of which
were in cipher and very difficult. The
time of sending and receiving messages
by the system is about as long again as
in the ordinary method of telegraphy,
or. in other terms. at the rate of from
forty to fifty words per minute.
| took with me maps and complete
data concerning the Islands, together
with width OF the channels, etc. After
careful consideration Mr.. Marconi con-
Guided there would be no difficulty
whatever in connecting the Islands with
his system. In fact. he said to me that
he would not object TO penalty being
imposed upon him in the event of fall
ure. He told me I could go ahead, as
the Goodbody people had acquired no
rights. They had tried merely to bluff
me out.
When left him Marconi was under
the impression that he would connect
Honolulu direct with the Island of Ha-
waii and would be cable then, of course,
to reach the remaining Islands in the
same way. This will make each Island
an independent station and will greatly
facilitate the transmission of messages.
In the contract il is agreed that
three experts shall be sent TO the ISL
ands to install the system perfectly and
to remain four months after it is in
operation 10 thoroughly instruct the
operators. In fact, tried not TO leave
a stone unturned in making it q sue
cess; and l believe have won. / eX-
pect to receive q letter from Marconi
within the next three weeks in which
he will locate where we are to erect
the towers or poles. We will Their be-
gin preparatory work.
Il have not only received the exclu-
sive right to the use of the patents at
present granted Marconi but to the use
of all future improvements which may
be controlled by him and his company
by our Island system we will lie
able TO communicate with vessels at
sea; and, if the local companies desire.
their steamers can be furnished with