Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-05-12
RESULTS ARE UNCERTAIN
Signal Corps Experiments With Wireless
Telegraphy. !
The New Method Useless for Certain
Purposes. hut Not Likely 10 Sup
plant the Commercial Systems.

General Greedy has made an suthorita-'
tive statement as to the progress made M
the development OF wireless biography un-
der the auspices of the United States signal.
corps :
The important conclusion is reached by
General Greedy that the wireless system =
not likely TO supplaBt the ordinary method
of teIegraphic communication. The results
SO far obtained have been uncertain.
General Greedy says. In part:
Since the announcement Of the tests in
space telegraphy by Senior Marconi two
years ago the subject has been under con-
sideratiou by the signal corps Of the army,
and recently experiments have been begun
with the object Of thoroughly testing the
value Of this means Of communication for
military and other governmental purposes.
Special apparatus has been designed ana.
constructed for these tests, which have al
ready shown sufficient promise to warrant
further and systematic trials. In view or,
the great public interest and IN order tu,
facilitate experiments by other scientists,
in the United States, ii Is deemed proper
TO put forth this statement OF operations 10
the present time.
The Local Experiments.
The transmitter has been noun Ell
upon the west elevation of the State. War
and Navy building. utilizing the present.
"'VN'iA hdS fplt as AAS vi IN o. WIZ ASi
the transmitter. The receiver was first
grounds. about three-quarters OF mile
distant, and later moved to the signal
corps station at Fort Myer. Va.
During the experiments constant COM
munication by Photograph and flag between
the transmitting and receiving stations has
been kept up by the trained men OF the
regular signal corps. and this has greatly
facilitated the work Of experimenting. Sig.
mails. letters and words have been trans
mitted and received between these stations )
but the great deicacy and constant adjust
nent required in the present receiver have
made the transmission of regular messages
as yet unreliable and uncertain The pres
ence of large buildings and masses Of iron
and metal. necessarily present in cities
makes such places undesirable for carrying
on experiments of this character. The dis
lance over which signals may be- transmit
ted by a given apparatus IS a function u
the height Of the vertical wire used at
either end. and this has naturally suggested
the use of small gas balloons. such as have
ALREADY been used for signal and other pur-
poses by the signal corps. A supply or
these balloons has already been obtained
and Will be used for this purpose in the
near future.
VIII Not Supplant Ordinary Methods
That there is field OF usefulness for.
space telegraphy is undoubted. but that 1t
Will suppiant to material extent the use
OF Wire Tor ordinary commercial biography :
is not believed. Its value for connection
between light houses and lightships and IN.
shore at points where cables cannot now b..
permanently maintained will be great. For
signaling between ships at sea and Il, re-
place ordinary flag methods In use between
naval vessels it should prove invalua bic. d
since no Kind of weather, neither fog. dark
ness nor Storm avails to affect its use
me use of metal refiectors to augment
ana direct the radiation to particular points
mas already met with partial success. ana
should be thoroughly Investigated. Al pres--
ent the radiation proceeds from the trans
mitter in all directions. and the same mes
sage can be received at any point within
me proper radius at which a receiver j.
Placed A satisfactory directing reflector
and receiver OF the proper elsct ricaI ca
paclty or. In other words tuned to M. Vi
prdtions OF the particular TRANSMITTED
would make great advance in spaca tal,.,,
iapsy ana 90 much toward the extension of
us neId OF practical usefulness
W nile secrecy of transmission Is a,narO,
Ihe probabilities, the present stage of ex.
diction.' "''i'iNe pre-