The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1909-04-23

Wnat was considered lne dream vi
a visionary inventor few years ago
wireless telegraphy-is now an ac-
cepted fact, and the most skeptical
admit it's practical use when the war
and navy departments assign officers
to develop the new invention and be-
gin to drill recruits as operators. says
Lillian e. Zeh, in an article in The
Christian Herald.
Our government has decided to
make the most extensive use of wire
less of all the nations of the world,
and the navy department has just
asked bids for the erection of high
powered station in Washington. This
will keep the navy officers in touch
with ships 5000 miles out at sea, both
might and day. The recent triumph
of wireless in summoning quick aid to
the Republic, thus saving thousands
of lives, has forcibly demonstrated the
l great value of this method of commu-
nication. The practical training of
young sailor electricians for this new
and important branch of the service
has been progressing rapidly since
the day Marconi startled the world
by sending his message across both
sea and land without the aid of pole
and wire.
The wireless school is quartered in
the second story of the Bureau of
Equipment building in the Brooklyn
navy yard, and the students live on
he Hnn0nRK
Lieutenant Commander Williams,
u. S. N, is executive officer of the
electrical and wireless school, and
Chief Electrician Rice is the principal
instructor. The class now being
drilled in this new branch of naval
work have come up from the electrical
class located below. where for three
months they have been put through
a course of study on electricity in gen
eral. The general course is especially
applicable to ship and station require
ments. where they are destined to be
sent for future duty. Actual work is
given in the handling of electrical ma
chinery, dynamos, and the manipulate
ing of the electrical switchboard,
which regulates the interior commune
cation of a modern battleship. After
- weeks of preliminary work in the
lower school, they receive their final
training by going through a months
practical instruction in the wireless
class. After completing four months
of thorough and systematic instruc-
ton. having obtained in this interval
a fair knowledge of adjusting and man.
ipulating the apparatus, they are pre-
pared to graduate. An interesting
and picturesque sight is afforded by
neon into this novel wireless school
room. Passing down the long corri-
dor of the equipment building, and en-
tering the spacious classroom, the Wis
itor is plunged into veritable bee
hive. all is hustle and sound Seated
around long tables are some one hun
bred bright-appearing young sailors.
each deeply absorbed in mastering the
wireless apparatus. For a limited
time n SQUAD is drilled daily at the
sending key: the remainder, at tables
with pen and paper. are engaged in re-
ceiving and translating the sound mes
sages sent from the transmitting ROOM
The wireless navy code alphabet is
made up of a series of dots and dashes
- relative length These are indicat-
al = buzzes received in the ear
,nbone which must be accurately
,aorned nv the beginner. They are
also printed by the automatic Morse
,ecorder on a tape lire. Receiving by
cor IS however. the most speedy and
Inc method generally employed in ac-
NJ service by operators in ships and
shore stations. On weekly examina-
lion DAYS. the instructor tests the
eh,Iitv of each individual Of the class
re, 10 y words per minute is the
average sendirg capacity. Expert
enced operators. under favorable CIR
cumstances. send from IL 10 10 "oTus'
nd receive as many as 80.
Chief Electrician Rice imparts the