The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1912-05-02


of their Information TO one or
more newspapers, including the
New York Times.
In spite of the fact that the
fourth of the messages read was
signed "MarCOni," he said that Inc
knew absolutely nothing about
any of them.
WASHINGTON, ID. c. Special
The senate commIttee investigating
the Titanic disaster met at 1920
O'Clock Thursday morning, with Gug-
dielmO Marconi as the rSt witness. The
head of She wireless company arrived
Thursday. He CHANGED to be in Wash
sngton.
AR, (Marconi, who is chief engineer
as Well as chairman of the Marconi
Wireless Telephone Company of Lon
don, told the committee that as such
@n officer he is consulted regarding
the details Of equipment on board
ships, though, he said. Godfrey =.
1saacS, general manager OF that COM
pany. attended TO a large part of
these matters.
Marconi said that he was under an
exclusive contract with the British
Government, through the head of the
postal service of the empire. He ad-
vised them in matters relating to
telegraphy and has undertaken the
responsibility for the designs for the
long distance stations.
Mr.. Marconi gave details regarding
his contract with the British Govern
ment under its postal system for the
use of his wireless apparatus and in
ventions.
Witness said that his company had
esta blished wireless stations az St.
Johns. Cape Race and Cape Ray. n.
f., equipped with long distance ships
wireless capable of carrying 500 or
600 miles by day and 1000 by night.
Senator Smith asked him concern
ing the wireless equipment OF the sew
eral ships.
OF the Frankfurt. the steamer
which Bride the Titanic's surviving
operator. says answered the &C. j.
O." and then failed to respond, Mar
conf said he did not know her exact
equipment, but believed it TO be
equipped with good instruments.
Because the Germans are careful
about wireless was Marconis reply
He said the Titanic should have
been able TO do 500 miles 10y day and
j 200 by night. but that the Carpa-
thia had a smaller radius.
Never Heard of Vessel.
He said the Californian had me-
dunn radius.
Marconi told Senator Smith that he
had heard OF the Mount Temple. the
Canadian Pacific liner reported from
Canadian ports TO have been near
enough to the Titanic for some Of
her passengers to see the last plunge
or the giant liner.
Il think she carried a medium or
short distance outfit" he added. She
could probably communicate 200
miles by day and 500 or 600 by
night"
Future of Wireless.
Marconi said the longest distance
he had ever known n wireless mes
sage to be transmitted was from q
point in Ireland to BuenOs Ayres.
Witness was at the receiving end. He
said the Geographic signals were fash
led in, perhaps, one-twentieth of a
second.
Senator Smith questioned Marconi
concerning his early work in Italy.
England and New York. He then
asked:
what do you ultimately expect
with wireless?"
II expect that wireless will be one
OF the principal means or methods OF
communication between various ports
OF the world. I am not quite certain
at present that il will be used fol
communication between places a shor1
distance apart, but between, say, New
York and England, or New York anC
San Francisco, / believe it will ulti
mately be the only means of commu
nication."
"Have you any idea that this sys
tenn will be substituted for telegraph
in the operation Of railways?"
1T may be, but I am not certain
Witness said the Carpathia Cali
fornian and Mount Temple had only
one operator. 1t was possible, there.
fore, that calls might have been sent
but not received.
Marconi said he was in New York
at the time the Titanic sank. but re-
ceived no word directly until about
7:45 Monday evening. At that time
he said, Manager Bottomly, of the New
York Office of the Marconi company
advised him that the Titanic sank with
great loss of life. He said he did not
communicate this to the White Star
Line. Marconi told of going aboard
the Carpathia and meeting Operator
Bride, Of the Titanic. Later Operator
Cottam, of the Carpathia, who had
gone ashore, called him on the phone
and asked if he might give a story
10 the press.
AS TO Selling Stories.
i should explain said the wit
ness, that there is a rule that oper-
ators must send messages in the or
der in which they are received, but
they shall not send stories of their
own. To do so is an offense in Eng
land and Germany. In this instance
] think it would be well If / had
sent some story OF the disaster. Cot
tam asked me If he might tell his
story to the Journalist, as he was to
be paid for it, and / told him Yes.
that 1t would be all right"
Chairman Smith read to Marconi
four aerograms, intercepted by the
United States steamship Florida.
Thursday night sent to the wireless
men-Cottam, of the Carpathia, and
Bride, of the Misunderstanding them
90 keep their mouths shut hold their
stories and meet Marconi at the
Strand Hotel.
''Have arranged for an exclusive
story in four figures" was part Of
one of the messages. One of these
aerograms was signed ]. NJ. Sammis
- II.