New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-06-28
MarConi Company Will Install
Great Stations in Egypt, India,
Hong Kong, Australia and
South Africa.
STATIONS TO BE FORTIFIED
In Case of War England Could
Thus Maintain Her Communi-
cations While Cutting Gables
Serving the Enemy-Wire.
less Convention Work.
[sy Transatlantic Wireless to The Tribune

[By Transatlantic Wireless 10 The Tribune
London. Tune 27.-The wireless con-
vention, now in session here, which has
found its great difficulty TO lie in deal
ing with wireless telegraphy as a COM
mercia agent, has at last learned some
particulars of the agreemen. between
the Marconi company and the British
government. England. like other Euro
pean countries regards wireless as
great instrument IF war and the agree
ment with the Marconi company has
been made with this as the leading
thought.
It provides that the British govern
ment supply the Maroon! company with
IS. 100000 with which TO build five great
wireless stations, Australia to supply
$500. 1000 for another station and the six
II form a wireless circuit around the
globe al known points.
One station is u be in England one
In Australia. one in India and fourth
at Port Said. The other two. IT is pre-
sumed, will be in South Africa and at
Hong Kong. There is already station
at Glace Bay, while land installations
cross the Dominion Of Canada
II is estimated that if the work is be-
gun Immediately the stations will be fin
ished in a year and that England will
then have a circuit Of communication
around the earth independent of cables.
Advantages Will Be Great.
The ADVANTAGES Of such a system in
the event of war are enormous. II has
long been pointed out by naval experts
that in case Of war belligerents at once
proceed to drag the ocean bed for cables
landing in the enemy's country and
thus cut off communication. Although
one or two Warships might be lost in
such an operation, the gain would far
overset the sacrifice, while for England
to be cut off from communication with
distant parts Of the empire would be
particularly disastrous. 1t is also
pointed out by English naval men that
the majority of cables landing in Eu-
rope are owned in France, but it is be-
l!eved that the wireless system TO be
adopted will do away with this danger,
and il is al an instrument Of war that
The British government is adopting wire
less. Each station will he a separate
entity, containing all the apparatus.
boilers, engines, dynamos, etc, necessary
for developing wireless communication.
Each station is 10 be built as a fortress
CAPABLE Of successful defence. While
the stations are TO be built by the Mar
conf company, they will be the property
Of the government. When completed
and ready for service the Marconi in
terest ceases.
The $3,O0o0OO supplied by the gov
eynment will pay only for the wireless
installation. The ground. the buildings
and everything except what relates solely
TO wireless communication will be fur
nikhed by the government.
Fronn this viii be seer the power and
completeness Of the equipment planned.
and from this also vii. he seer thr re-
lance which England is prepared to
place in wireless as dr instrument Of
war. But though the primary purpose
Of the stations is that Of national de-
fence they will be used fo- commercial
business and as in time of war solely
under government control.
Wireless Convention Helpless
The British government noW owns all
the country's telegraph and telephone
systems and will now also own its own
round-the-wOrld communication This is
the reason-this government monopoly
that the wireless convention stil finds
ha1 Lo
latiOns for commercial wireless il was
believed that knowledge Of the provi-
sions Of the British governments agree
mont with the Marconi company would
simplify the question Of commercial
rules but despite this it still appears that
the convention will adjourn with nothing
done u regulate commercially the wire
less business.
The traffic agreement between the
Marconi company and the government
viii not change the situation. Although
wireless IS 20 be extended as world
competitor 20 the cable in business
privately owned wireless companies
must be nursed and pampered, not regu-
lated into bankruptcy and not permitted
70 60 through the history OF organiza-
ton and reorganization and the vicarious
making and breaking Of millionaires
that is the story of the railroads. In
particular, too, the convention will not
attempt TO regulate the cost of wireless
messages.
The convention finds itself confronted
with a situation in which wireless is still
FAR from being a commercial success.
owing to the failure up 10 the present
OF all efforts 20 find a means Of prevent
ing the tapping Of messages; also to the
inability TO devise a means Of prevent
ing the various stations from interfer-
ing with one another while sending or
receiving messages
II Is also found that the initial cost Of
installing station and the expense Of
its upkeep and operation increase in a
geometrical ratio with the power OF the
station. The convention. therefore, has
the difficult task Of seeking 10 make
proper rules for the commercial use Of
wireless without regulating the infant
industry into chaos.
TRANSPORT CAPTIVE OF ICE