The times., 1899-10-23

siguor Msrccni. having completed his
contract 10 report the international yacht
races by wireless biography. transferred
his apparatus from the Grande Duchesse
to the flagship OF the North Atlantic
squadron. the New York. Saturday, for the
purpose OF demonstrating the value Of his
invention to the officers Of the United
States Navy.
Under orders from Secretary Long, the
New York and the Massachusetts will be
equipped with Signor Marconis apparatus,
and. a series Of exhaustive tests viii be
made. Rear Admiral Farquhar, who re-
Gently succeeded Rear Admiral Sampson in
command Of the North Atlantic squadron.
will have general direction Of tho expert
ments. which VIII be conducted by Signor
Marcoui and his assistants
The electrical batteries, induction coil,
sending. key. and receiving apparatus that
Eiguor Marconi used in person in sending
bulletins Of the yacht races from the
Grande Duchesse are now installed on the
New York. A duplicate outfit, which was
used to receive SiguoT MarconTs reports
a. the Highlands of Navesink Will be set
up on the Massachusetts. Another set Of
apparatus, that was used on the cable
steamer Mackay-Bennett. may also be
utilized, either on third vessel or on land.
-Four naval officers, specially detailed by
Rear Admiral Bradford, of the Bureau Of
Equipment, TO watch the reporting Of the
yacht races. will also be present during
GERS are Lieutenant Commander E. f.
Qualrough Lieutenant Commander John
E. Newton. and Lieuts. George W. Den
field and John B. Blish. In rotation these
officers were on the Grande Duchesse, the
Ponce, the Mackay- Bennett. and at the
Highlands. so that each saw both sending
and receiving different days.
All expressed complete satisfaction with
the work that was done during the races.
They do not hesitate TO declare that the
system has been shown to be practicable
for general operations al sea. Messages
were sent and answered as readily when
the Grsnde Duchesse was at the outer
mark. fifteen miles beyond the hghtsnip,
as when she Was near the Highlands. Fur
ther tests have been ordered TO prove
whether wireless teIegraphy is Of value or
nor for naval and military purposes
Signor Marconi visited the New York and
the Massachusetts, on Saturday and took
luncheon with Rear Admiral Farquhar on
the flagship. The proposed tests were dis
cusscd and orders were issued to equip the
masts Of each warship with spar, IN
creasing their height 10 $50 feet, as was
done on the Grande Duchesse and the
Ponce. From each Of these spars an in
EuIated wire viii be suspended and mes
sages VIII be passed through the air from
one wire 10 the other. These spars viii be
provided by the navy yard and will be
riRged today.
When the spaTs are in place and the re-
ceiving and sending apparatus has been
installed the ships viii 90 to sea and the
tests viii begin.
Signal men. with their wig-wag flags by
day and colored lights by night, viii be
dispensed with, and Admiral FaTquhar viii
issue his orders TO the Massachusetts by
wireless Jelegraphy.
While 10 definite programme has been
mapped cut for the tests. il is believed that
there aiu be experiments to determine the
rapidity Of giving an order and receiving its
acknowledgement; tests at different dis
tRnces and with the perpendicular wire at
different attitudes.
Long distance sending and sending IL fogs
when systems now in use are practically
useless viii be tried If conditions permit
II the experiments between the two war
ships are satisfactory land station may
be established and tests made to determine
the value Of the equipment Of lighthouses
10 warn approaching vessels Of danger and
the feasibility Of communicating between
the army and navy while conducting mill
tary operations.
Sguor Marconi speaking yesterday OF the
manner IN which the yacht race bulletins
were transmitted. said:
1T was no experiment we simply tele-
graphed the messages ashore as you might
send through a wire on land. Everything
worked all right, and there was not the
slightest trouble al any time.
''It was by no means q severe test for the
system. In fact, it was easy. There were
incredulOus persons On board the steamer
and il was difficult 20 get some Of them to
understand how we could telegraph
through the air the same as If we had
wires. bur they saw the messages written
and sent and read them when they stepped
ashore. in newspapers printed hours earl
fer They also saw stock market bullet
ins and others that we received from the
Highlands. Ii is all very simple. but they
seen to think il was wonderful"