New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-04-22
MARCON| Co. OFFICIALS
PRAISE WIRELESS TYROS
Vice.President BottomIey Says
the Host Of Amateurs Should
Be Encouraged.
SLUR ON CALIBRE IN NAVY
Declares Men Direct from Gov
eminent Service Lacking IN
First Glass 0perat-
ing Ability.

John Bottomley, vice-rresdent and gen
eral manager Of the Marconi Wireless Tele-
graph Company of America, declared yes
t.rday that the thousand or more amateur
wireless equipments in this city had no
effect whatever upon the wireless trans
mission TO or from the Cunard liner Car
pathia. which brought 10 port the Tltanlcs
survivors. II had been difficult TO get
much information from the Carpathia a1ter
she picked up the Titanics passengers
from the liners lifeboats on Monday morn
Ing but the short range of her instrument
at first and later the exhausted conoltloh
Of the ships operator caused by the great
bulk Of service business put upon him were
responsible for the delay in getting news
to land.
Mr.. Bottomley declared that the Marconi
system had attained such state Of pertec-
ton in it's operators and its attunement
that il could not be affected by interior
snce.
THE man who complains of interference
he said, "is usually a poor operator OUT
men do not complain at all. Amateurs are
said by government reports TO be nulsahces
and to be interferers' with regular business
also to be aggressors in sending out raise
reports we admit, frankly, that amateurs
OF which we are informed, there are ABOUT
a thousand in and around New York. nave
interfered with US. No fake report mas
ever been foisted upon us, both OF which
circumstances we attribute to the class OF
operator which we employ. as skilled OPP
orator can readily. if provided with proper
apparatus cut out amateur interference
and the touch of the key to an experienced
operator will disclose an amateur senulhs'
Little Skill in tho Navy.
"A great deal of the trouble. IN my opin-
ion. and in the opinion of our cher engi-
neer, is caused by the fact that the oper-
ators employed by the navy are, although
skilled engineers and excellent men in their
own line. not what are termed sKllleo
operators In fact, during the last year we
have examined many men whose terms Of
enlistment had expired and who wished 10
Join his company, but in only one in
stance have we been able TO take on any
Of the men as skilled operators. Moreover.
If the government were to employ skilled
GENERATORS many Of its troubles would dis
appear.
we are strongly of the opinion that
sances Of themselves, should be encouraged
There may be lurking among them Mar
conf or a Lodge, and they should have a
chance TO work out their salvation. But
again the wave length comes In, and the
amateurs should be restricted to the use
not only Of very low powered apparatus
but also TO the use OF A very short ana
restricted wave length"
10 Of 10
Titanic, Mr. Bottomley said: She had the
finest that is made, and storage batteries
that would keep her instruments going for
at least eleven hours If the feed from the
dynamos should give out Also she was
prepared TO operate It by small donkey
engine in which steam could be made in
short time"
Deny Choatie Conditions.
Frederick VI. Sammis chief engineer Of
the Marconi company, said yesterday that
the wireless conditions as they actually
existed in connection with the sinking Of
the Titanic and the rescuing of her sur
Vivors should be made known. In view of
the many reports in this country and
abroad, he said, that the wireless condi-
tiUns were chaotic during the time Of the
disaster made It necessary in justice to the
company that the actual wireless condi-
lions should be fully explained. He said.
Il have had an opportunity Of discussing
the situation at length with Harold Bride,
IN, second Marconl tclegraphcr Of the
Titanic 1t develops that the Titanic wire
less equipment tthc finest and most COM
Ilcte afoaU was kept in constant use until
tho boat deck was awash or at least that
rortion of it near the Marconi cabin which
vas VIII forward, when the ships dynamos
went out Of commission, Arrangements
were made 10 place the auxiliary storage
battery set in operation. BY this time the
vessel was sinking rapidly that the Mar
ccni men were told by the captain TO look
out for themselves, and II VIII he noted
from the press that while actually engaged
In their work they were compelled to fell a
fireman who entered the room and at
tempted to interfere.
The log Of the Titanic, which uniortu-
rately was not saved, but which have re-
ceivcd verbally from the operator, shows
that communication was instantly estab-
ushed with several ships and that com
nuniCatiOn continued NJ to the very last.
After the Titanic man had been taken
on board the Carpathia and placed in tho
hospital for treatment Of his injured feet
here ne remained FOR some ten or twelve
hours IT will - seen, therefore, that the
ole operator on the Carpathia was re-
oured TO handle all Of the business. and
strictly in accordance with rules and regu-
lations he gave the owners business and
urgent personal kilograms priority. press
matter is never attended to until the above
named business is cleared. owing 10 the
thousands Of messages offered for trans
mission to the ship and the hundreds Of
passengers kilograms filed for transmits
sion from the ship, at no time was the cir
cult sufficiently clear to accept or transmit
any press matter whatsoever, and after the
first Carpathis man began 10 feel the strain
Of the work the second Titanic operator
was brought Up from the hospital and
placed 70 that he could handle the circuit
In order TO allow the regular Carpsthia
telegrapher to obtain much needed rest"