New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-05-07
THE FUTURE OF MARCONFS SYSTEM.
QUESTIONS OF DISTANCE. SECRECY AND INTER
FERENCE TO BE SOLVED.

QUESTIONS OF DISTANCE SECRECY AND INTER
FERENCE TO BE SOLVED.
It has been predicted that the method Of
telegraphy with which Signor Marconi has been
so closely identified would find its chief field OF
usefulness in communication between ships at
sea. or between land stations and moving yes
sels The cost Of submarine cable-say' across
the English Channels so great that there is
distinct economic advantage in telegraphng
without wires. But the style of wire used on
land is so cheap. and some Of the extra sp-
paratus needed in the Marconi procedure is so
expensive, that for distance of thirty or forty
miles the scheme would offer no gain from
a purely pecunary point of view.
However 1t has been noted in the Philippines
and elsewhere during war. that telegraph
wires are cut by enemy who cannot be
caught and punished. This phase Of the sub
iect has led Cecil Rhodes to consider the pos
sib,e advantages of the Marconi system along
some parts Of his "Cape-to-Cairo" railroad In
Africa II II shall be found necessary to have
stations every forty or fifty miles TO take and
repeat messages the Marconi telegraph will be
a costly affair. Nevertheless, conditions and
situations may occasionally exist somewhat ex-
ceptional in character that Will justify the use
OF wireless telegraphy between land stations
alone
At present there are three questions to which
Marconi is devoting himself One is the dis
lance to which he can send messages. This. OF
course 10 70 be determined by experiment and
he will utilize that means for obtaining an an
swer as rapidly circumstances Will admit.
To some extent success will depend upon the
focusing Of electro-ma ghetto waves, as light Is
focused by the parabolic mirror Of search
light In the current North American Review"
Dr. J. A. Fleming says that Marconi is now
making tests to ascertain how far this Is prac-
t,cable. from which statement 1t Is to be inferred
that definite results have not yet been secured.
Then. there is doubt about the amount Of acci-
dental or Intentional interference that may be
caused by the use Of more than one set Of Mar
! conf transmitters. DIR. Fleming remarks that
of South ForeIand two masts have been erected
| bearing vertical wires one 100 feet high and the
other 70 feet Each is connected with suitable
receiving apparatus. II a message begins to
come on both receivers, it is assumed that it is
| being sent from the nearer station, the Goodwin
Sands lightship, twelve miles away. But If it
| Is detected by only one receiver. 1t Is evident
that II comes from the more distant station. on
the French coast. Now, IL there were only one
receiving instrument at South Foreland, and tive
messages came simultaneously. the receiving OPP
orator might be bothered. The limits Of pos
sible confusion Of this sort yet to be ascer-
tanned.
| Finally. there is the matter Of secrecy. The
! chance that two messages might be sent to one
receiver has just been mentioned. 1t Is also
within the range Of possibility that two receiv-
| ers might be set to catch a message from one
| transmitter-one legitimately and the other IL
| Ieoitimately Whether the tuning OF TIT
sending and receiving instruments VIII ooviate
the trouble here suggested has not yet been
made altogether clear.