The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1901-12-17
SAFEIY ON THE OCEAN
'aiue OF Wireless Telegraphy
on Transatlantic Liners.
FAR BETTER THAN FLAG sIGNALs

between Lioyds ana ,he Marconi
Company.
Inc "details of the agreement between
the Marconi International Marine
communication company and Lloy,ls
are given In the current number OF the
LONDON Electrician. by the terms Of
''ihls agreement the Marconi system of
wireless telegraphy is placed upon
secure and enduring footing for NOR.
camille marine signaling aud intercom.
inunication between ships and coast
ABnal stations. AS Is well known. IN
10 the advent OF the Marconi system
communications between passing ships
AT sea and between vessels and the
lLloyds signal stations have been by
nag signals. Against this system.
which has been I'm use for centuries.
many objections have been made. Dis
uance was always n drawback. as the
range of vision even on a clear day
is limited, and in foggy or stormy
weather or in the night no signaling
except the pilot dare" and the signal
OF distress is in vogue. Further than
this, It has often been necessary for
vessel to 20 out Of her course to sig
nal coast stations. thus losing valuable
time and often running into danger in
the effort to get near enough TO the sta
ton to give and answer messages.
Besides this, the system of flags is
cumbersome, and only n few phrases
can be sent back and forth.
I Now that the Marconi system has
been proved success it seems strange
that there has not been more haste In
taking 1t up on all merchant vessels.
on course the question of monopoly
Will arise, for, according TO the agree
ment, Lloyds viii employ no other
system of wireless telcgraphy than
that OF the Marconi company for the
next fourteen years, but as the Morse
system. and the telephone were monop-
olies it should be no drawback. They
will receive commercial messages at
their signal stations from any vessel
supplied with the Marconi apparatus
and will also send messages to any
such vessel, but they will receive or
transmit no wireless telegraph COM
munication whatever where a vessel is
equipped with apparatus not supplied
by the Marconi company. BY this
agreement the monopoly is established.
for 1t will be necessary for vessels de-
string TO communicate with shore in
that way to get that particular apparn-
tus. II would be interesting to know
what would be done In the case of sig
nails of distress. but 1t is more than
likely that this great possibility of the
systAm will not stand in the way of
humanity and that the stations will
promptly report any vessel which may
be in difficulties whether or not she
has the Marcon apparatus on board.
The agreement further provides that
whenever center for commercial
wireless telegraphy with ships would
be advisable the existing Lloyds sta
tions at these points shall be worked
on the Marconi system, or II no station
exists within about twenty miles new
Lloyds station will be built and of
course be placed in ordinary telegraph
j1c communication with the British
been made by which Atlantic liners fit-
ted with Marconi apparatus will be
supplied with all the latest important
news as soon as they come within
about n hundred miles Of the coast of
America or the British Islands.
The rental system which has been in
force with the Marconi company will
not be used under the agreement. but
a tariff system will take its place. Sig
nal stations will be allowed free use
bf the apparatus for the ordinary re-
,Ceipt of Lloyds signals, and vessels
signaling TO one another are permitted
n certain number of service messages,
hut for all commercial messages a
charge of siXpence per word in addi-
ton to all land charges will be made.
There can be little doubt that business
men on steamers, finding that they can
communicate with land Il hundred
miles out at sea, will be prone to use
the system and that the dissemination
OF important news on the vessel is
likely TO promote private messages.
with this system I'm vogue, 1t seems
os II there should be n decided I'm
movement In the security of ocean voy-
ages. Vessels equipped with the wire
less instruments may almost always be
tn touch with other ships on transat-
lartsc voyages, and any trouble can at
once be flashed through the air. COM
munication being possible for at least
n hundred miles. Under these circum-
stances any steamship that floats
around disabled and lost to the world
would do so simply because the owners
of the vessel have neglected to equip
her with the wireless system and thus
Nailed TO take one of the most ordinary
nrecautons against trouble and worry.
Overdue vessels will be able to tell
where they are and what has delayed
them. so that anxiety may be allayed'
ana a call for help at sea from hum
dred miles away should rarely or never
fail 10 be answered. Those who so
dawn TO sea in ships in the future are
more than likely to ask questions In re-