Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1905-08-25
est possible distances at which wire

less messages may be sent.
A chain Of stations extending from
Cape Elizabeth, Me-, to the Caribbean
Is already IN practical operation; also
stations on the Pacific coast and at
Cavite in the far away Philippines 1t
is the purpose, too, of the bureau ult1-
mately to make it possible for war
ship anywhere in the West Indies to
be within Geographic communication
with home station, which means with
Washington.
The equipment now being installed
generally permits Of communication
with dependable reliability between
warships at sea and between ships and
shore for q distance Of 125 miles,
while communications have been sue
cessfully carried on in the naval SER
vice for a distance of 225 miles, and
messages have been overheard by sta
lions at a distance of over 400 miles.
But a short time ago the commander
Of feet was able to communicate di-
rectly with vessels at no greater dis
tunce than five miles, the distance at
which signals may be read with reli-
ability. One officer is now assigned
especially to the Bureau of Equipment
to give wireless installation his special
attention That officer at present is
Lieut.. S. S. Robinson, whose expert
knowledge of wireless qualities him
for the work.
All the newer ships Of the navy have
been equipped with wireless appar-
atus, while the work Of installation
on the older ships Of the navy has
been in steady progress, so that in
short time all the larger vessels Of the
navy, at least, will be fitted out with
the apparatus now in USE
A most interesting project is that
which contemplates connecting New
Orleans with the Isthmus of Panama
by wireless. This will necessitate the
erection Of two powerful stations at
New Orleans and Colon. New Orleans
was selected because there is a clear
seaway between the two points. The
distance is about 400 miles, and mes
sages sent from one to the other will
be flashed all the way across the Gulf
of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea- Ne
gotiations are now pending for the
necessary apparatus. Every confidence
is felt in the success of the project
The first message to be sent to the
department at Washington from a ship
at sea came from the cruiser Colorado.
She was coming up the coast, and
when 100 miles south of the lightship
at Nantucket, her captain sent mes
sage directed to the department an
nouncing his position. 1t went by
wireless to Nantucket, and from there
to Washington over land lines. This
illustrates the possibilities Of commu-
nication between the naval authorities
at Washington and ships off the coast
at distances which could not be
reached very few years ago. A Pc
culiar incident occurred in connection
with the Colorado's message. The
operator of the wireless station at the
Washington Navy Yard heard the mes
sage going from the Colorado to the
Hghtship and telephoned the fact to
the department.
When the Dolphin started for
Charleston recently to take the Score
tary Of the Navy, then DR.. Morton. and
party from the latter place to Porto
Rico, the department received a re-
port after her departure that a wreck
lay In her course. a wireless MESA ge
from Cape Henry ordered sent by the
department was received by the Dol
phin apprising her Of the danger, thus
putting her on the lookout.
The advantages of wireless have
been demonstrated in the maneuvers
of the North Atlantic fleet, when or
ders were sent to vessels of the com
mand that had gotten far beyond sig
mailing distance. AS the feet was COM
ing north one of the vessels picked up
by wireless the battleship Hines.
whfSh was outside the Virginia capes,