New Britain herald., 1927-01-07
Name of First Person to Use it Commercially Withheld, Though A. P. Gets Early News Story From Foreign Office.
Storm Off Coast of Maine Hampers Conversation Somewhat, Though Some Persons Talked Five Minutes.

Ihe first news dispatch to be re- celVed by The Associated Press oye, the newly inaugurated radiophone commercial service between London ana New York came from its Lon. don bureau at 1o:02 o'clock. today when the New York headquarter, got a connection over the wire ana fadlo circuit Of the American Tele, phone and Telegraph Company oper. atlng in conjunction with the British post office
 Connection Made.
 The connection with the London bureau was established shortly after lo o'clock when Carl S. Brandebury. an editor in the New York office Was advised that the land and air circuit had been established. Over the receiving apparatus came first the roar and clicking Of static and New York called:
 Hello, London A. P" Hello, New York office. This is Frank King talking. How are VOL 2" Came the voice which rose and then faded away to almost a whisper as the static storm of Houlton, Me, be- ! clouded the circuit. What's your big newso" asked the New York editor. Here it is." replied King. I'll dictate it to you"
 "Go slowly" replied Brandebury. and I'll take 1t on a noiseless type writer"
 Voice Fades Away. Then King dictated his dispatch on the projected visit of the Prince of Wales. At times his voice faded so that it was quite impossible to understand his dictation. Then it came clear again as the roar of tho static passed.
 Sometimes 1t was only a. blur of iumbled words and Brandebury had to call for several repetitions. Some words. absolutely unintelli- gibe, were interspersed between three or four words that sounded az clearly as if they might have been uttered from some nearby local sta tion.
 So the news of the Princes visit was carried while the static ele- ments sputtered and cracked as it to fight mans commercial entrance into it's aerial doman. When the dispatch was finished, King asked to be remembered to everyone in tho New York office and Charles Ste phenson Smith. the chief of staff of the London office. came in on the wire.
 Exchange Greetings.
 Hello. Brandebury, this is Smith talking. How is everybody in the New York office?"
 Fine" replied Brandebury, "and everybody wants to be remem bered to you and the staff"
 Then Brandebury, concluding that these adio-telephonic amenities were running at the rate of $25 minute, cheerily said Goodbye" and Smith replied Goodbye, old man." And the first commercial call of the Associated Press to ita LondOn bureau was over.
 10 Minute Wait.
 It was 9:20 o'clock when the long distance operator in the New York office notified the Associated Press to hold itself In readiness for q cali 10 London within few minutes.
 There was a scurrying of copy boys around the switchboard with a vain hope that they might catch in some way word or two that might come from London. A noiseless typewriter was quickly placed with in telephone booth with a headset placed over the editors ears.
 There was & long wait Of forty minutes before the voice of the Lon don operator came weakly over the new circuit that the London call was ready.
 Outside the telephone booth in the the New York office the clicking of telegraph instruments and mechan- ical sending machines dispatchins 10 all points of the compass the news of the world added in small measure to the hum Of the static on the London connection.
 Editors and operators peered into the telephone booth from time to time but to them it was only another mechanical event and step toward the perfection of instantaneous and efficient transmission of the news of The Associated Press.
 Not First Air News.
 While today's dispatch was its first to be transmitted over the At lantic ocean by commercial radio phone, The Associated Press receiv. cd the first news dispatch transmit ted by voice through the air from London to New York on March [. 1926.
 In that experimental dispatch. Ambassador Alanson B. Houghton. who was sailing on the steamer President Roosevelt from London. disavowed persistent rumors to the