Evening star., 1902-08-19

Part of Wireless Telegraph Apparatus.
way II. Arnold. Commander Geo. l., Dyer,
Commander Charles J. Badger, Lieut.. A M.
Beecher and Lieut.. J. NJ Hudgins. The
last-named officer went abroad to be in
structed in the use Of appliances for the
tests.
The Navy Department purchased abroad
duplicate sets of appliances from Octave
Rochefort Of Paris, and these are now in
stalled at the navy yard in this city and at
the Annapolis Academy. Mr.. Rochefort,
who is son of the noted French journalist,
came to Washington at his own expense to
be present at the test of his appliances
Another duplicate set was purchased from
Ducretet of Paris. Both of the makers
named supply more or less of the appliances
for wireless telegraphy now in practical use
In the French navy. Wireless telegraphy In
the French navy is kept absolutely a secret
in the department.
Object of the Tests.
The object of the United States Navy De-
partment in making tests is, as explained
by Admiral Bradford to an Evening Star
reporter today, to ascertain the actual ex-
pense of the system that shall be considered
the best in the market. Admiral Bradford
believes that the system adopted should be
bought outright by the department. The
department. Admiral Bradford believes
pliances in quantity in case any particular
type of apparatus Is selected.
The Marconi system is not being consid-
cred by the board. for the reason that the
inventor refused to set the price that he
will sell his appliances outright to the
government The Marconi company has
made an offer to furnish appliances at
$1,000 set and $500 a year royalty during
the life Of the patent. The Navy Depart
ment is unable to make such an agreement,
even II 1t were advisable, by reason of the
fact that 1t Is illegal to obligate the govern
ment to pay money beyond the fiscal year
for which funds are appropriated by Con-
gress. The Marconi company In the United
States is a branch of the English company,
which has headquarters in London.
The German companies with which the
United States government has made ar
rangements for apparatus for testing pur-
poses are the Slaby-Arco, two duplicates Of
which are on the way to Washington, and
which have been used in the German navy;
also two duplicate sets from Braun-Siemens-
Halske. The Siemens are the greatest cleo
tricians In Europe. These duplicate sets
are expected any day now.
Down at the navy yard Is a high pole
Is held in place by stays. Nearer the wharf
Is small house that was constructed for
the purpose, and which contains the in
struments that were used by the board in
particularly complex. The one used first
today was easily placed upon an ordinary
table. The ordinary reader unless he be
well versed tn the technical terms of cleo
trfcity. understands very little of what
wireless telegraphy means
What Wireless Telegraph Is.
Admiral Bradford has given much atten-
tion to the subject. The statement made
by him today is full Of interest He said:
Wireless telegraphy is exciting much at
tention. It's field OF usefulness Is essentially
on the sea. 1t is doubtful II 1t will be of
much service on land, where aerial tele-
graph lines can be established. Ships of
all continental navies are being supplied
with wireless telegraph apparatus; also, to
some extent those of the small navies of
South American countries.
THE apparatus is by no means perfect
It will not work In very hot weather; why,
Is not fully known. After the heat of the
day Is past, however, messages are trans
mitted without difficulty. Messages can
be sent during fog and bad weather. AS a
matter Of fact, the transmission of mes
sages is facilitated by the presence of fog
Cold weather does not seem to interfere
with its use. Communication, however Is
as a rule entirely interrupted during the
prevalence Of thunder storms.
When the transmitting apparatus at a
wireless station Is IN operation no other
transmitting apparatus within Its radius
Of effect can be used without conflicting
with the message being sent by the first
mentioned and rendering 1t entirely unin-
telligfble. This quality Is known as inter
ference and Is, Of course, a very great
drawback 1T Is claimed by some makers
that the difficulty Of interference may be
overcome by tunin; the apparatus used SO
as to create a certain syntony of waves.
do not believe. however that any practical
appliances accomplishing this result have
been devised. If all stations are under the
jurisdiction of a single person this DIM
Guilty can be arranged. While messages
may be received and read at all stations
within radius Of effect of the trans
mitter, message may be kept secret by
the use of codes.
Advantage at Sea.
at will be readily understood what
great advantage this system Is at sea, as It
enables ship to report her location and
condition or ask for assistance from other
ships mag miles away probably at least
sixty to 1OO without difficulty. Messages
can be transmitted over the sea with much
more facility than over the land. and prob