The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1904-05-28
SOLACE GETS INTO COMMUNICATION WITH
HONOLULU BY WIRELESS WHILE FAR AT SEA
NAVAL WIRELESS
STATION FOR OAHU
OFFICER ARRIVES BY SOL
nee FOR PURPOSE OF
SELECTING SITES.

A wireless telegraph station is to
be established on the island of Oa-
hu by the Navy Department. Lieu-
tenant G.. {. Sweet who has been
specially detailed to select sites for
wireless stations in the island pos
sessions of the United States, arriv-
ed by the L. S. S. Solace this morn
ing. Lieutenant Sweet is also in
charge ofthe entire wireless plans OF
the government for the island pos
sessions as well as the vessels OF the
Asiatic fleet. He is now going out
to the Asiatic station for the pur-
pose of completing arrangements
to equip the various vessels OF the
fleet with the wireless apparatus.
The wireless system has come,
said Lieutenant Sweet, ito be rec
ognized as a practical thing in naval
service and a great deal OF consid-
Grafton and study has been given it
by the Navy Department. The op-
erations in the Russian Japanese
war have demonstrated the fact
that wireless telegraphy is a very
essential branch of naval equip
ment. The Japanese have been very
successful in the use Of the wireless,
as thcv have succeeded in intercept
/ ing similar messages OF the enemy
and prohting by such information.
/ Wireless is no longer a new
| thing with our Navy for we have
about so vessels on the Atlantic
equipped with it already, as we'll as
eight shore stations. Nearly every
vessel Of the North Atlantic squad
ron is fitted with the wireless ap-
iparatus. The intention of the dc
partment is to equip the vessels OF
the Asiatic fleet with wireless out
fits and to establish wireless sta
tons at Oahu, Guam, Cavite and
other places. | will pass the time
during the stay OF the Solace in
Honolulu in selecting one or more
sites for the location of wireless sta
tions for the Navy Department.
! We may locate two on this island,
one at Barber's Point and the other
at Diamond Head, or else a central
site may be selected. A mast I3O
feet in height for the Oahu station
was brought by the Solacc today. l
presume that the wireless station
will be in operation by the end OF
the year. ! will stop at Guam and
select a site for the station at that
place.
In addition to the stations about
the islands, the fleet is to be equip
ped with wireless instruments and |
am to install the apparatus on them
during my stay on the Asiatic
station.
The government uses what IS
known as the Stoby-Arc system.
! Our instruments are not high-pOw-
cred ones, the idea being to be able
to send and receive a distance OF
about 100 miles. If it weEc neces-
sary stronger sending apparatus
could be put on the various vessels,
but for the present this has not
been considered necessary
I'VE have been quite successful
with the present tests on the SOlace.
We left San Francisco May 2I and
were able TO maintain communica-
ton for at least so miles away from
shore. We tried to pick up the oper-
ators at BARRIERS Point and Molo-
kai last night but without success.
1t was not until about 4:5O o'clock
this morning that we picked up the
New York wireless station. We
were about % miles from shore
when this message was received by
the SOlace. | understand that the
officers of the cruiser New York
got signals from us last night about
10 o'clock. We were then about Is
miles off shore, We ran very slow
! y during the night
The first message that the Solacc
received today was from the New
York station and was Good Morn