New-York tribune., 1906-10-29
MISCHIEF FROM HERTZ WAVES.

The use of nearly every really valuable lnVen-
ton, especially during the early stages of its
history, has been attended with unforeseen dlI-
ficulties which proved more or less formlda-
BILE Wireless telegraphy is no exception TO the
rule. The principal trouble has been that one
Hertz wave message will sometimes interfere
with another that is being sent simultaneously
in the same neighbOrhood. Again, telephomc
conversation is occasionally rendered impracti-
cable because the wire employed for the pur-
pose will pick up the clicking of telegraph In
struments, the sound being so magnitied as to
render otherwise distinct speech hopelessly un-
ineligible. In recent report of the eectrl-
cal bureau of the National Board of Fire In
derwTiters mention is made of still another
trouble. Incandescent lamps in doctors Of
flee on the opposite side of the street from a
wireless telegraph station became temporarily
unservceable because the Hertz waves ruined
the fuses in his house circuit. A small electric
motor in the same building also disabled.
Gases of the kind here described are undoubt-
edly rare. THE Electrical World recognizes
the fact by prefacing its quotation from the
report referred TO with q request to its readers
to send it accounts of similar incidents. if any
have come to their knowledge. For various
reasons the sites for some of the more power
full wireless telegraph stations on land have
been chosen In sparsely settled localities, and
experience at such points might not be particu-
larly significant. On the other hand, the Hertz
wave apparatus has been installed in close
proximity TO lighting plants on scores of war
vessels and merchant steamers and If phenom-
ena like that of which the underwriters have
taken notice were at all common the world
would have heard of II ere this. Nevertheless.
since there is at least one we'll attested group
of instances on record, it is desirable to know
of
past, and also whether the conditions that
threaten to make wireless telegraph station a
nuisance to q community are yet fully under
stood.
4 repetition of the annoyances here men
toned was averted, it seems, by an alteration
in the position Of the physicians service line,
so that it was no longer parallel with GER
tain wire at the adjacent station. A modiflca-
ton was also effected In the arrangement Of
some of the Hertz wave equipment. though the
amount of benefit to be expected from that
action is, in the judgment of "The Electrical
World" open to question
Up TO the present time the only proposition
to control wireless telegraphy In the United
States has emanated from the national govern
ment. Just how much power should be granted
to the federal authorities by Congress for this
purpose is a question not easily determined To
some extent the question Is an international
one, for all maritime countries have an interest
in the matter, and hitherto communication by
Hertz waves has been held almost exclusively
between ship and ship and between shin and
shore. 1t is conceivable, however, that offences
may be committed, Willingly or unwittincIy.
which will not directly violate any regulation
that the federal government may adopt If
so, it should be a simple matter to devise state
and municipal restrictions which would suppress
the evil, if, indeed, already existing statutes
and ordinances do not accomplish that object