The age-herald., 1902-04-27

suspended wires were about one hundred and 50 feet high in all cases and the dis tance to which the messages were sent varied from five to twenty miles. The in- struments were located in the chart rooms of the ships, and messages were sent at intervals of not more than fifteen minutes, In every case, in spite of storm or fog, the messages I sent were accurate and much in advance of all other means of transmitting the news.
 Having demonstrated to the world the serviceability of my system for commer- cial use, the governments of Great Brit ain and the United States began very rigid examinations and subjected wireless telegraphy to tests. The results are well known. The British government adopted my system for the South African war and for the fleet; and the United States Navy Commission recommends that the system be given a trial by the navy The tests of the United States Government were most interesting. Installation was made at the Highlands Lighthouse of Navesink and instruments were placed on the New Y ork and Massachusetts. The Commission reported:-"We respectfully submit the following findings as the result of our investigation of the Marconi sys- tenn of wireless telegraphy: 1t is well adapted for use in squadron signalling under conditions of rain, fog darkness, and motion of speed. Wind, rain, fog, and other conditions of weather do not affect the transmission through space but dampness may reduce the range, rapidity and accuracy by impairing the l insulation Of the aerial wire and the in- struments. Darkness has no affect We have no data as to the effects of rolling and pitching. but excessive vibration at high speed apparently produced no bad effect on the instruments, and we believe | the working of the system would be very 1 little affected by the motion of the ship l The accuracy Is good within the working 1 ranges Cipher and important signals may be repeated back to the sending sta l ton if necessary to insure absolute ac- curacy." The Commissions report con cluded in these words:-"The Board re- l specfully recommends that the system be 1 given a trial in the navy"
 1 Again, a most convincing proof of prac- ticability was given on the afternoon of l November 15. 1899, on board the St. Paul. in which I was returning to England. l lad notified my company in London that l would communicate with our stations at Alum Bay and the Haven from the in coming steamer. Because of the hurried orders to South Africa, these two land stations had been dsmantled and the in- struments taken to London but the day l before my arrival, Major Flood-Page and l MT. H. Jameson Davis, with assistants
 rigged up the stations and awaited sig nals from me On the ship we waited until the morning of the 18th, and then se- cured our vertical wire to a spirit fasten- ed to the mainmast and set up our in- struments in the smoking-room. It was | while we were still sixty miles from l Southampton that we received the sig nals. Within another hour, still over for ty miles away we had received their: 'Is l bat welcome home! Where are you?' Then came war news, four hours before we landed. and we sent telegrams ashore for officers and passengers of the ship The enthusiasm of all those aboard led to the publication of a paper, which was sold