New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-03-02
MARCONFS LATEST FEAT.

Without waiting to reach America MarcOnl
has made new test of the range OF his trans
hitting apparatus at Poldhu. While on board
the steamship Philadelphia, on his way here last
week he sought to find how long he could keep
up communication with the new station In Corn
wall. He asserts that a definite message was
received at a distance exceeding fifteen hundred
miles, and that more elementary signals were
discernible twenty-one hundred miles away. In
asmuch as the officers of the vessel and the re-
cording tape on the ship corroborate the state
ment it will doubtless convince those who were
sceptical last December For that matter the
character of the experiment was better calcu-
lated to inspire confidence.
IN the light of this latest performance II Is
justifable TO believe that Marconi was not mis-
taken in thinking that he detected impulses on
Signal Hill. Newfoundland which proceeded
from a point in Cornwall nearly eighteen hun
dred miles off The fact that ineligible mes
sages were not obtained at so great a distance
on the Philadelphia makes 1t questionable, Of
course whether the Poldhu tTansmitter Is yet
sufficiently powerful for satisfactory trans
oceanic operations. Any deficiency of that kind
however, can now be made good. IL Is perfectly
safe TO say. The experiments OF the last few
days will afford valuable indications concerning
the improvement needed there, and also as TO
the proper capacity of the station about to he
established in Nova Scotia When one cOnsd-
ers what jump 1t Is from three hundred miles
the greatest distance heretofore covered by com
mercal wireless telegraphy at sea, to fifteen
hundred, the mere doubling of the latter figures
will seem comparatively easy task The prn-
ciples on which such an extension must depend
have apparently been worked out fairly well
The new era in communication between Europe
and America, therefore, may be expected TO
dawn before many months provided that
secrecy and non-interference are assured.
The principal use made Of wireless biography
thus far has been 10 enable steamships TO re-
port their arrival and TO talk with each other
while invisible 10 each other. Both in the mcr-
chant marine and the navlcs Of the world its
service will rapidly develop IN the next few
years. 1t viii also prove valuable means Of
issuing storm warnings from points Ike Hat
teras 10 passing vessels Being cheaper and
more convenient than submarine cable. too. II
will enable lightships to keep in touch with the
land and put adjacent islands in communlca-
ton with each other The only other promising
opening for it mt present is as a competitor with
long ocean cables. These such costly ar
fairs that there is chance TO underbid them
But it does not look as If the present system Of
telegraphy land was likely to be displaced
very soon, If ever. The equipment of II station
with Morse instruments Is far less costly than
with Marconi apparatus Wires ana poles are
an item of expense. to be sure, and these will
offset the economy just mentioned If the line be
n long one. II must be remembered. though.
that more words can he sent in n minute by the
Morse system than by the new one The QUAD
rupleX" and machine telegraphy Increase the
capacity of n wire enormously. 1t would prob
aI,It talya Rra .
ments TO send the messages which a first class
wire will carry when worked to its limit No
formidable revolution Is threatened in this di-
rectiOn, therefore, in the immediate future