Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-05-21
Hy David Snrnon,
General Manager, Radio Corporate
OF Anl,rIL.I

sScncral Manager, Radio Corporation
OF America.
( Quite naturally radio was FIRST ON
SployeG in Ship TO shore traffic. lor
Eprior to mat time there was no way
sof COMMUNICATING with Il moving YES
ssej. Marconi had taken his inveu-
stion 10 England where lie had been
eGreatly encouraged by the British
most Once: there hsd been placed
.at this disposal every available ia j.
@cili;y, and "a number Of tests wcrr
s,nade which proved that wireless
could travel, first, II mile, then i've
Snilcs. then fifty miles. and SO on
SThen ship Was equipped with wire
Cess apparatus and sent out to sea.
: The first American vessel to car
try radio was the steamer PhilaGcl-
rphia, OF the American Line. Il ship
Sstill in existence The installation
comprised tho induction coil and the
tcohcrcr receiving apparatus. Mar
sconi himself made a trip for cxperl-
snentation: and communication was
Sestablished with 4 coastal station
greeted on shore in England. the ship
lnaintaining contact with the shore.
first. over very short distance. and
Chen over increasingly larger dis
SancGs. until the practicability OF this
sinethod OF communication between
ship and shore had been thoroughly
demonstrated.
i installations on many ships fol-
Bowed but the real significance OF
abe invention TO the maritime world
avas not appreciated until 1t played
5or tho first time "A dramatic role in
Snarino disaster. That was in 1909.
when the steamship Republic. OF the
ANhitc Star Line. met In collision an
stalian ship tho Florida. off the
Banks near Nantucket Island. The
r'rash came in the middle OF dark
ought. II WIS then that radio came
Onto its own. When a young wireless
generator. named Jack Binns. pressed
9Iis key and through the agency of
radio called for the suCcor and re-
Sief OF 1900 human beings on n sink
ring ship. his signal sent thrill
around the world.
Distress C:.iI Used.
Tho famous distress call. c Q D
Chen represented the international
lncaning, Il am in distress; ! want
aelpr BinRs followed this call by
ihe position OF the ship in latitude
-snd longitude. Then. az now. when
y wireless operator hears the distress
a:gnal all else must stop until help
IS given. or until the situation is
2nade thoroughly clcar. To-day the
distress signal is : O. 5. hut the mean
snE and procedure are the same
on tho night that Binus sent out
she famous c - it was picked up
not only by number OF ships. but
by little station at S!asconsct on
Nantucket Island. Mass. Jack Irwin.
Hhe operator on watch ;hnrc. re-
Seived the call and Immediately no.
Allied other ships OF the appeal from
N on
vessel. Help came quickly. and l5Co
2tves were saved.
x ParcDthctically. il is interesting 10
note here that tho same operator. Ir-
win. later had occasion to send tho
distress call and 10 receive the same
much needed assistance. which Il rev
Years before. he had been called 10
render. His radio appeal was sent
from the ill-starred g,lrShip America.
which. under the piiotage OF Vann,-
man and Wel!man, started on an air
Journey. but came 10 grief after nav
NIB flown 1000 miles. The wireless
gall for help was heard by the steam
ehip Trent, the vessel specGcd To the
location given, of the Bcrmudas. and
picked up the crew OF SIX mon. whose
descent from tho dd+smod .kas bag
had been Effected by-7oMc-ins a small
Afeboa; and setting il adriu by cut
Eng the ropes
Story OF Titanic Dramatic.
The next dramatic part played by
fadio te!cgraphy came with the sink
ing Of the steamship. Titanic. ten
years ago. II So happened that ! wa.
then wireless operator assigned
u tho Wanam. ..r station in New
york. on the 10y Of the building
large plant had been Installed for the
nj !.