New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-04-17
WIRELESS TELEGRAPHr N WAR.

The question OF the value Of wireless teleg-
rapliy in war has already been considered. Now
Il is supnlemented 10y that of its legality.
The Russian government has practically served
notice that il regards it as Illegal AT any rate.
the use % such device at the seat Of war will
he treated as a breach Of neutrality. Core
spondents telegraphing without wires viii be
shot as spies. and vessels equipped with wire
less telegrapEic apparatus Venturing near the
scene Of war viii. If caught. be confiscated as
contrabrand Of war. So far as correspondents
accompanying the Russian army are concerned.
we may unhesitatingly concede the Russian
right Of censorship. That is a matter OF course
A belligerent power has the undoubted right TO
decide whether il will permit correspondents to
accompany its army at all. and if it does let
them do SO. il can Of course. prescribe what
matter they may send through the lines and
how Similarly. in may exercise n censorship
over news vessels entering its territorial waters
or the waters implicated in the sphere OF
belligerent action. But \ general outlawinG OF
wireless telegraphy IN that part OF the world
would be much more extreme matter.
1t IS. for example. scarcely TO be maintained
chat vessels equipped with wireless telegraphic
apparatus are ipso facto beIiigerents. or con
traband Of war. \ large number Of ocean going
steamers are now thus equipped. We must hold
that they have good right as any others 10
ply the high seas Off The East Asian coast. or 10
enter neutral ports on that coast. and that with
out throwing their apparatus overheard. The
question is not ole Of possession hut of use. A
vessel might convey news signals 10 the other
belligerent with flags. or rockets. or Hastings OF
q mirror: but il is surely not to he held that
flags and rockets and mirrors are essentially
coEtrabrand of war. and that 4 vessel having
them aboard is subject 10 confscation En-
forcement of this Russian rule would debar from
those waters The best ocean liners afioat. iu-
Gliding. we believe some OF those which Russia
herself has Just been trying 10 acquire. We
cannot think the Russian government means TO
establish any such extraordinary principle
Wireless telegraphic apparatus has become
common and almost necessary equipment OF
first class vessels. and the use OF IL has become
a common means OF transmitting information
That fact must surely be recognized by the Rus
sian government. and its protest is properly to
be made. not against the fact, but against the
misuse Of IT, II is TO be hoped that possible
misunderstanding and unpleasant complica-
tons wiz be averted by making plain the con-
ditions or the notice Just issued, namely, that
IL Is the transmission of belligerent or contra
band Information that is prohibited. and not the
mere possession OF some familiar scientific APP
paratus.
We cannot help thinking, TOO, that I'm this the
Russians are crying before they are hurt. With
on appreciation OF the value Of wireless telegra-
ply, we have seen no reason 10 suppose that the
use OF II by correspondents is likely in the least
70 menace Russian interests II a correspondent
should use that system. for example TO impart
10 an eager and papitating world the rnomen-
lons Information that the water was too rough
1 H'in 10 venture out Of harbor. or that there