New-York tribune., 1901-03-17
HERTZ WATE TELEGRAPH.

The system Of telegraphy with the evolution
of which Mr.. AIarcOni has been cOnSpcuOusly
identified is likely to undergo further improve
ment in many respects within the next few
years, and hence opinions to the limits TO its
future usefulness should be advanced with eau
ton. Al present certainly it does not threaten
10 replace the Morse telegraph for ordinary
commercial or press messages. But If the cost
Of the requisite apparatus can be reduced and
the number of words sent n minute can be
increased the new system may yet be able to
compete on even terms with the old.
But there are several comparatively narrow
fields in which wireless telegraphy already offers
facilities distinctly superior tn those now exist
ing. For communication between shore stations
and lightships it is both cheaper than a sub
marine cable and less subject to interference by
accident 1t is unquestionably more efficient
than the steam siren as a fog signalling device.
inasmuch its is apparently unattended
by phenomena corresponding TO the mysterious
belts of silence that sometimes alternate with
those of sound around a foghorn. And it is
only n short step from this application of wire
less telcgraphy to the employment of II for con-
veying warnings TO the merchant marine of
coming storms from such eligible points as Hat
teraS and Key West. Again. one of the objects
Of Mr.. Marconis present visit 10 the United
States is to provide for the establishment of
stations for reporting incoming steamships. This
is another highly promising scheme. Indeed.
its practically and value have already been
demonstrated to limited extent on the other
side of the Atlantic And it is not an over
sanSuine prediction that within the next five
years all passenger ships from north European
ports to New-York will announce their arrival
While passing Nantucket
For military service wireless tclegraphy pos
scsseS marked advantages. Bodies OF troops on
the march can report their progress and he con-
trolled from headquarters more conveniently by
this means than by either the hellograph or
existing fCld telegraph But the superiority To
present methods of communication is more mani
fest at sea than on land. Neither flags nor Ian
terms can operate In Il fog, and even in clear
weather they are effective at insignificant dis
tances compared with the range of the Hertz
wave. England has already authorized th.
equipment of many of her naval vessels with
wireless telcgraphic instruments. and the adop-
ton of the same policy by other nations is only
a question of time. Whether the invention has
yet been developed sufficiently TO warrant its
Immediate Introduction to the American Navy
may he questioned. perhaps. 1t is altogether
possible that Mr.. FesSenden. Mr. Tesla. DR.
Slaby or even Mr.. Marconi himself may ere
long make marked improvements on the appa-
ratuS of to-day. although one is justified in
making positive prediction to that effect
Even as it is, messages can be sent two hun
dred miles. And in this respect there Is little
more TO he desired in naval usage
Since Mr.. MarcOni began to attract attention
by his achievements he has Increased the eff
cheney OF his system materially. Not only has
he extended the distance TO which he can com
municate, hut he has made his apparatus moro
compact. and so modified it rs to lessen the
chahce OF either interference or stealing a mes
sage. When some one finds n more sensitive
receiver than the Branly coherer and devises an
automatic Hertz wave repeater the world will
derive still more benefit from the invention
with which Marconi's name will ALWAYS he so
hOnorably associated