Evening star., 1932-02-28
WORLD AIR PARLEY
WILL MISS FERR|E
French Scientist Was One OF
Foremost Radio Experts
in Europe.
BY MARTIN CODEL.

BY MARTIN CODEL.
w YHEN the radio-using nations
"A of the world convene in
NV Madrid next September to
bring up to date the inter-
national radio treaty drawn
up in Washington in 1927 one OF the
worlds most distinguished radio Sclen-
| fists and administrators, present at
practically every radio conference since
the beginnings of wireless, will be among
| the missing Death from appendicitis
| in Paris February 16 took from world
radio the services of Gen. Gustave
Ferrie, inspector general OF the French
army's communications services and
one of Europe's foremost radio experts.
Gen. Ferrie was well known in
America, where he was an occasional
visitor and where he had many friends
| in radio circles. His own contributions
| to radio included many inventions and
adaptations of new developments In
nearly every branch of radio. When
death overlook him, at the age OF 81, he
was working on new broadcastlnS
plan for France, involving the erection
of a dozen high-power stations to
serve the nation regionally and as a
network.
Many nations honored Gen. Ferrie in
| lie, L1lC SAAAACAAOe1AA ooNStAA
ment, which awarded him the Distin-
guished Service Cross. He was active
| in radio up to the time of his death,
being especially well known on the
| Continent and internationally for his
work as director of Frances E1ffel
Tower broadcasting and short-waVe
station.
| Made Friends Via Waves.
| Venerated In radio circles throughout
the world, Gen. Ferrie developed many
of his friendships with professional and
amateur radiomen via the radio waves
themselves. Jock w. Scanlin, the
Navy's first wireless operator, who en-
listed as a signal boy in 1891 and Is
still in active service in the office OF
naval communications in Washington,
tells an anecdote about Gen. Ferrle
that not only indicates how the
Frenchman made some of his friend
ships, but also recountS an important
phase of early wireless development.
The incident happened in 1912, while
Scanlin was in charge of the erection
of what is now NAA, Arlington, Va,
the Navys central radio station.
while building NAA," says Scanlin,
ct experimental to see what receiving
$40 o'clock 1 would pick up weak
signal sending a series of dasheS SPELL
ing the letter ID and the numeral 6.
I reported these to the superintendent
of radio, at that time Capt. D. w.
Todd He informed me the signals re-
sembled the time signals used by
France.
Upon his orders I managed to re-
ceive a fairly good copy the night OF
December 29, 1912, which the superin-
tendent turned over to the State De-
partment with request that they for
ward 1t to the French authorities for
veriication. The copy read: 'Atten-
ton signal Paris ObServatoire - 4.
- Signauz horaires.' Then followed q
series of dashes, series of DIS and series
of 6's, between each series being dot.
This would be followed by number OF
figures which showed the exact fraction
of the minute each dot was sent. The
entire signal was followed by the call
FL
"On this particular night, the signals
were followed by RAJ Bailloud Sahara
tout bien sauhait bon voyage FL
Gift Presented to Station.
THE French authorities were very
much elated to think that the Eiffel
Tower signals were heard in America,
and negotiations were begun which re-
suited in sending a committee Of French
army and navy officers here, with a
professor from the Sorbonne. They
; carried on experiments between Airing
ton and Eiffel Tower for about a year
determining by radio the exact longi-
tudes Of Washington and Paris.
During these experiments, which
were entirely successful, l became quite
friendly with Gen. then Major) Ferrie
and he told me how we came very neal
getting him into trouble by our copy
ing the signals. France, it seems was
yerv strict ON radio secrecy and no un-
Official work was allowed at all. But
the general had brother ofhcer who
was with an expedition In Africa, anc
he had arranged to send him q little
word of greeting to see If they could
hear Eiffel in Africa.
Unfortunately or not, he chose thu
night Of December 20 TO send the greet.
ing, which was the foregoing message
: AS he put it to me, OF all the night:
throughout the year you had TO plcl
> the same night to report that I hac
picked TO break the French regu.
lations. If it were not for the excite
ment and elation we felt when w
found cur signals had been heard II
: America, would have been disciplined
S for that message"
y The French commission was s.
: pleased with the cooperation of Ma
o that at the end of the experimenting
C France presented the Navy station witt
n a beautiful figure of mariner done u
y bronze-an emblem that still graces tn
aafaon hoteA .-.---.-s-l,--l-ia.-,-l--i-.