Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1905-09-02

cessfully carried on In the naval ser.
vice for n 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 fleet was able to communicate dl.
rectly with vessels at no greater dis
lance than five miles, the distance at
which signals may be read with reli.
ability. One officer Is now assigned
To give wireless installation his special
attention. That officer Mt present L.
Lieut.. =. =. 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 u
short time all the larger vessels OF the
navy, at least. will be fitted out with
the apparatus now In use.
4 most interesting project Is that
which con,emplates connecting New
by wireless. This will necessitate the
erection Of two powerful stations at
New orleans ana Colon. New Orleans
was selected because there Is a clear
scaway between the two points. The
distance IL about 400 miles. and mes.
sagcs sent from one TO the other will
be flashed all the way across the Gulf
of Mexico aud the Caribbean Sea. Ne.
gotlatlons 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 a 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-
Mica ton between the naval authorities
at Washington and ships OF the coast
at distances which could not be
reached a 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
lightship and telephoned the fact to
the department.
When the Dolphin started 70.
| Charleston recently to take the Secrs.
tary Of the Navy, then ar. Morton, and
a party from the latter place to Porto
Rico. the department received q re-
port after her departure that a wreck
from Cape Henry ordered sent by the
department was received by the Dol.
phin apprlsing her Of the danger. thus
putting her on the lookout.
The advantages Of wireless have
been demonstrated In the msneuvers
Of the North Atlantic neet, when or.
ders were sent to vessels OF the COM
msnd that had gotten far beyond zig.
mailing distance. As the feet was com.
ing north one Of the vessels picked up
by wireless the battieship Illinois.
which was outside the Virginia capes,
and an extensive exchange Of messages
was carried on, the ships being 100
miles apart.
Some interesting reports have come
TO the deps rtment from the Washington
Navy Yard. The operator there has
overheard messages being sent from
Cape Cod for the benefit Of ships nj
sea, and has overheard cOmmunica.
tons passing between Boston and
nearby points. These instances now
attract but little attention from the ex.
perts at the department because they
expect such things TO be done and ex
pect even greater things from the
wireless system now being established