Los Angeles herald., 1910-02-17
WHAT HATH GOD
WROUGHT?

~ pies of twentieth century progress
are the marvellous achievements
OF wireless telegraphy, a mode of quick
communication which is hardly less
wonderful than the Thought transfer
enoe' of which fanciful scientists have
dreamed. The practical results of wire
less commend it to the grateful con-
sideration OF mankind.
In its brief career, it has been a rec
ord breaking life saver and one of the
most practically useful of the friends
OF humanity.
1t is nearly thirty years since a mem
Der of the faculty of Tufts college dis
covered the principle of wireless teleg-
raphy. AS he was a theorist and an
experimenter. and not a practical man
of a commercial disposition, he neither
attempted to make money with it nor
to apply it to everyday purposes.
1t was within the last generation
that Marconi brought to bear on the
problem appliances embodying new
principles and accessories which put
wireless communication on a practical
basis.
Wireless is particularly adapted to
maritime uses and to maritime needs.
The waves sent out by wireless have
an unobstructed and unimpeded track
over the water
They are not embarrassed by over
land wires, mountains of ore, steel
bridges and all the other kinds of en-
barrassments and Interruptions that
may check these waves and send them
to the ground or back into the element
whence they came.
One of the most obvious as we'll as
one of the greatest benefits conferred
on mankind by wireless is in the elm
ination of the unknown from the risk
of ocean travel
No longer viii ship news agencies
and other watchers and walters on
shore be kept in suspense while a shin
is between ports. No longer will a
leave-taking of friends aboard an out
ward-bound ship have in it somewhat
of the awesomeness of a last farewell.
No longer will friends disappear en-
tirely from the ken of their fellow NOR
tails until their ship is reported. The
progress of a ship viii be traced; nay.
more, the passengers will communicate
with the loved ones they left behind
them and with those whom they ex-
pect to greet at the end of the voyage.
Danger of loss of ship and loss of
life has been greatly reduced by wire
less. We could speak of dozens of in
stances within the last season in which
ships in distress and danger sent out
their signals through the stress of the
storm and help came to them in time
to prevent loss of life. Notable among
these instances of the practical value
of wireless was the rescue of seventy
persons from the Kentucky. Another
remarkable instance OF the value of a
wireless appeal for help occurred De-
cember 27, when the steamer Iroquois,
bound from New York to Jacksonville,
when off the dangerous Frying Pan
shoals was struck astern by a tremen-
dous wave which carried away her rud-
der and left her a helpless plaything
at the mercy Of the storm, only fifteen
miles removed from sure destruction
and the certain death of all on board.
The accident to the ship happened at
night, and within two minutes the
operator had sent out his IS. o. s."
signal which within half an hour
was picked up and answered by no
fewer than seven ships at sea, all of
which ships at distances ranging from
twenty to 200 miles away, offered as
sistance. The captain of the imperiled
vessel gave his exact position; and,
keeping in communication with those
who were coming to his rescue, gave
them exact information as to condi-
tions and surroundings, so that the
steamer San Marcos was able to
pick up the Iroquois' hawser at day
light, and the rescued vessel was towed
safely to port at Charleston.
During the recent blizzard in the
east the Boston Herald located the
steamships Memphis, Bohemian, Bos-
ton and Priscilla at sea. kept in COM
munication with them throughout the
storm and exploded a false report of
collision at sea with great loss of life.
Untold injury to the relatives and
friends ashore was thus averted. Re
lief was given from needles anguish
and a great humanitarian service was
performed by mankind's newest aux
Hilary. The steamer Arizona on Lake
Michigan lost her cylinder heads in an
explosion which left the ship helpless
amid ice foes. Wireless brought two
ships to the rescue, and the vessel was
safely towed into port.
No modern discovery has at such an
early stage OF it's applied usefulness
made a record equal to that OF wireless
telegraphy. 1t is the friend of man
kind, will help commerce, aid shipping
and play a prominent part in the es-
tablishment of the international rela-
tions which will lead to permanent
peace.