Omaha daily bee., 1909-02-04
WIRELESS FOR BIC SHIPS
representative Burke Defends Meas.
ure to Require Its Use.
BILL WOULD AFFECT THOUSANDS
Congressman Asserts Steamships Can
Re Equiped at Cost Of Thousand
Dollars ERch-Government
GatherlnR Data.

WARRINGTON, Feb. 3.-Following closely
he introduction OF a bill by representative
James Francis Burke OF Pennsylvania to
require ocean going passenger vessels to
be equipped with wireless ~telegraphy. the
house committee on merchant marine and
fisheries today took 1t up for consideration.
An immediate report is being urged so
that the bill may become a law at this ses-
sion.
Representative Burke attended the meet
ing to explain his bill. Since its introduce
ton, which followed the wreck of the
Republic off Nantucket the Pittsburg con-
gresham has been making an extensive
study OF the subject and has collected a
mass pf data.
'since the Introduction Of my BILL" he
told the committee, II have had communl-
cations commencing the measure from indi-
viduals and commercial bodies throughout
the country. and I hope for its passage at
this session."
There can be no possible objection TO
my bill as it affects only vessels carrying
al least fifty passengers and whose out
going Journey is at least 500 miles. 1t might
even be applied to other vessels on shorter
trips. possibly on the lakes and In the
coast trade. but all those will follow later"
The cost of equipping a ship is about
$1,000, according to the estimate made by
Representative Burke.
The number of people affected by the
proposed legislation may be judged, Mr..
Burke told the committe, from the fact
that the ships not now equipped with wire
less carry on an average OF 10000 per trip
into New York; about 1900 each into
Philadelphia and Baltimore: and about
$500 Zach INTO san Francisco and Port
Townsend. This is exclusive of the first
and second class passengers varying from
100 10 800 each trip.
government Catherine Data.
To acquire a full knowledge of the eff
cheney of the wireless service aboard
naval vessels, Assistant Secretary Satter-
lee, has issued an order directing all COM
manders of vessels and of naval stations
equipped with wireless apparatus to report
TO the department on the last days Of each
month concerning the efficiency OF the
wireless and the personnel. These reports
shall also include the names and ratings OF
the wireless operators, distance to which
messages are sent and from which mes
sages are received, together with remarks
that viii permit the department to know
about the probability of the wireless.
wireless saves Mexican hip
MEXICO CITY. Feb. 3.-Wireless tele-
Eraphy has saved it's first Mexican ship.
The revenue cutter Josevius Lemantour
became disabled fifty miles off the coast,
near CullIacan, a few days ago, according
to report received here. and its calls for
assistance, by wireless, were caught up
by the AlAmos. which Immediately steamed
out and brought the dlsables cutter safely
10 port.
Value Tested by False Alarms.
NEWPORT, r.. T., Feb. 3.-Crossed cleo
trio wires caused sounding of the automatic
fire alarm on board the Fall River line
steamer Providence, bound from New York
for this port and FAN River, while on its
way UP Long Island sound early today,
Although it created on excitement on the
vessel the report flashed out by the wire
less telegraph operator made a decided stil
on land when the message was picked uT
by the wireless stations.
When the fire bell on the ship began tc
ring the operator jumped to his key and
clicked off a general message that the