Part 13

“There is not the least doubt but that the Marconi system is successful. All this talk about lack of secrecy and interception of messages is nonsense. At least ten men know the contents of every cable message, and none of them receive very high salary. Personally I have no doubt whatever that the Marconi system is both a commercial and scientific success.”

_A Cable Manager’s Views of Wireless Telegraphy._

At the annual meeting of the Commercial Cable Company on March 3, 1903, Mr. Ward, the Vice-President and General Manager, referring to wireless telegraphy, said: “At the last annual meeting some remarks were made by me in regard to wireless telegraphy and its effects upon submarine cables. We see no reason to change the opinion expressed at that time.

“Admitting the recent transmission of a message across the Atlantic without wires, radical improvements would have to be made in its development before wireless telegraphy could possibly hope to meet the demands of trade and commerce, and engage in successful competition with submarine cables.

“A good deal has been said and advertised about the wireless systems for the past three years. As yet there is nothing to show that messages can be transmitted without wires even across short distances with anything of the regularity, reliability, correctness and secrecy at any time and all time during the day or night demanded of the present telegraph systems, and necessary for the protection, interests and the development of the telegraph business.

“Furthermore, the transmission of messages between European and American coasts of the Atlantic is far from constituting a transatlantic service as it exists to-day.

“The essential adjunct of an extensive inland system for the distribution and collection of messages on the North American Continent must not be lost sight of. A large part of the traffic passing by the Atlantic cables is destined for places remote from the seaboard. Messages to and from Chicago, St Louis, San Francisco, Montreal, Toronto, Winnipeg, Ottawa, Vancouver, etc., require and receive transmission which are measured by minutes. This important traffic would be practically extinguished if the sender could not rely on extremely rapid and accurate service.

“For the benefit of those who do not share my confidence I may say that the etheric waves will be as obedient to us as to anybody, if it should ever be found practicable to dispense with cables and wires.

“On the other hand, we have not been standing still in the matter of improvements.

“The Commercial Cable Company will maintain its pre-eminence, and has nothing to dread from the competition of wire or wireless telegraphy. At the same time we are satisfied it has its limits.”

_An Interview with Signor Marconi._

The following interesting interview had with Signor Marconi by a representative of the _Montreal Star_, Sept. 10, 1903, is worth reproducing:--

“Seated in the rotunda of the Windsor Hotel to-day was a slightly built man with a keen expressive face and grey eyes that flashed incessantly. Probably not one of the guests that thronged the spacious lobby was aware that the little man sitting there so quietly was Signor Guiglielmo Marconi, the ‘Wizard of the Wireless.’

“Signor Marconi reached the city early to-day from New York, where he has been for the past ten days. He is now on his way to Ottawa, where he is to have an interview with the Government in regard to his future plans. When approached by a _Star_ reporter Signor Marconi chatted pleasantly of those plans and gave some interesting information of what had been done in the past and the prospects of the future.

“He speaks English fluently with a slight accent, and appears to be more eager to interview than be interviewed.

“‘I am glad to be in Canada once more,’ said the distinguished inventor. ‘Canadians have always been extremely interested in my work and I am beginning to feel quite at home when I get here.’

“‘Do you know,’ he said with a smile, ‘that this is my fourth visit to Canada?’

“‘What is the object of your present visit to Canada?’

“‘I am here partly on a holiday trip and partly on business. I am leaving for Ottawa to-night, and while there I shall go into a matter I have long been considering, but which as yet I have not been able to accomplish, namely, the establishment of Canadian stations for the transmission of overland messages. These stations will reach from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and I hope that in a short time the wireless system of telegraphing communications will be thoroughly tested and perfected overland.

“‘In case I obtain the permission I desire, I shall begin operations as soon as possible, and Canada will offer exceptional advantages for the testing of the system by reason of its tremendous distances.’

“‘It is merely a matter of time, then, before these stations are built and experiments begun?’

“‘Yes, merely a matter of time. There is one point in regard to wireless telegraphy that the general public do not seem to grasp quite, and that point is the length of time that must be taken up by the incessant private experiments in order that the system may be perfected. One cannot go at matters of this sort too quickly; each step has to be thought out carefully, and often weeks are spent in perfecting some little detail; the progress of the work is, therefore, slow.’

“‘Can you tell me anything of the negotiations you are conducting with the British Admiralty?’

“‘All I can say is that a contract between myself and the British Admiralty has already been signed and sealed for the adoption of the Marconi system on all the ships of the navy. Sixty-three of the battleships are already fitted up with the apparatus and the whole of the navy is to be equipped.’

“‘The terms of the contract will allow me to use the different stations of the navy for the erection of my receiving station and my masts; negotiations have been going on for some time, and now everything is arranged and the British navy will be equipped with the Marconi wireless apparatus.’

“The distinguished inventor then gave a very lucid description of the effectiveness of the wireless agency over marine areas; the unbroken surface of the ocean enabled great distances to be obtained.

“In regard to the overland service, if the land was low lying, the same conditions prevailed as at sea. Over tracts, where the usual diversified topographical features were found, the potency of the vibrations might be reduced. The vibrations seemed to reach farther in fogs than in a clear atmosphere, but, as a rule, atmospheric conditions did not appear to affect the transmission of messages. In regard to the location of stations Signor Marconi said that proximity to the sea was desirable for a station, as some geological formations were perverse and others responsive.

“Before his return to England he would visit Cape Breton and his Receiving Station at Glace Bay.

“He expected to be in Canada for some weeks.

“Signor Marconi spoke of the voyage he made on the ‘Campania’ a few days ago. On that trip the ‘Campania’ was in constant touch with Poldhu until nearing the Coast of America, when she picked up the Narraganset Station.

“Throughout the voyage a daily bulletin was issued of the world’s leading events, and the result of the yacht races were known on board a few minutes after the conclusion of the various races.

“A few minutes’ chat with the ‘wizard’ is convincing proof that the distinguished inventor has implicit faith in the future of his system.

“The great tone of assurance in which he speaks is only equalled by the modest way in which he refers to the marvellous results that have been obtained already.”

_The Trip of the SS. “Minneapolis.”_

“Signor Marconi has scored another triumph with his wireless telegraphy.

“The passengers on the Atlantic Transport Company’s steamship ‘Minneapolis,’ which reached London on Tuesday, enjoyed the distinction of being the first transatlantic travellers to keep in touch with the rest of the world throughout their voyage from the New to the Old World.

“The ‘Minneapolis’ left New York on January 31, and for five days kept in touch with the Cape Cod Station; after that the wireless plant began to respond to the messages at Cornwall.

“The varying phases of the Venezuelan question, the domestic troubles of European potentates, the definition of true philanthropy by John E. Rockfeller, jun., King Edward’s illness, the contest for the Fair millions, the hurricane that destroyed 1,000 inhabitants of the Society Islands, Sir Thomas’ latest plans, Count Montesquious’ New York debut, the latest gossip from Washington and St. James’, these were among the tit-bits of news that varied the monotony to ocean travel.

“When the English pilot picked up the ‘Minneapolis’ his two-day old newspapers were accepted with disdain, and he was informed of the latest news that had been flashed to the liner.”

_Valuable Use of Marconi System made by Disabled Steamer._

Queenstown, Dec. 10, 1903.

The saloon passengers of the steamer “Kroonland” are enthusiastic over the utility of the Marconi wireless telegraph system, by means of which news of the accident to that ship was received here yesterday.

The breakdown of the steering apparatus occurred at noon Tuesday, when the “Kroonland” was 130 miles west of Fastnet. Captain Daxrud immediately sent to Crookhaven a wireless message to the agents of the line at Antwerp describing the damage and informing them that the steamer must abandon her voyage. A reply was received within an hour and a half. Whereupon Captain Daxrud complied with the instructions sent to him to return to Queenstown. Meanwhile, three-fourths of the saloon passengers and a number of those in the second cabin sent wireless messages to friends in various parts of Great Britain and Europe, and many of them received replies before Fastnet was sighted from the steamer.

Some of the wireless messages were cabled to the United States. In some cases the senders asked friends for money, and the replies authorizing the purser to advance funds to them, which was done before land was sighted.

The “Kroonland’s” twin screws steered the ship easily, the only difference being steam was reduced.

_Another Use of Wireless Telegraphy._

New York, Oct. 17, 1903.

Wireless telegraphy was successfully used in tracing lost baggage on the last outward trip of the Red Star Liner “Finland,” on Oct 10.

A passenger, who discovered some time after the steamer’s departure, that he left some baggage behind on the dock, communicated with the officials at the Pier through the Marconi Station at Babylon, L.I., and in twenty minutes received a reply that the baggage had been found and would be forwarded by the next steamer.

_A Newspaper’s Opinion of Wireless Telegraphy._

The Montreal _Witness_, in its issue Nov. 18, 1903, says: “Whatever may be the actual achievement of the Marconi wireless system, so far as telegraphing across the Atlantic is concerned, that system is now an assured success in communicating from ship to ship and from ships to lighthouses on the coasts. In this respect the system has passed the stage of scientific curiosity and has become a necessity. The Cunard and Allan Lines now, for instance, are able to communicate with stations established on the south and northwest coasts of Ireland, so that their owners as ‘Syren and Shipping’ puts it, are no longer in a quandary during bad or thick weather as to whether their boats are calling at Queenstown or at Moville, as the case may be. The Marconi system was first installed upon the ‘Lucania,’ and so satisfied were the Cunard people with results that it is now in regular operation on the ‘Campania,’ ‘Etruria,’ ‘Umbria,’ ‘Ivernia,’ ‘Saxonia,’ ‘Aurania’ and ‘Carpothia.’

“Other shipping lines have similarly found the Marconi system indispensable, so that now it is quite an ordinary occurrence for a ship on the North Atlantic to be in electrical communication with passing steamers or the shore during nearly the whole of the voyage.

“Such remarkable success as already attained is sufficient warrant for the general belief that this system of aerial telegraphy is but in its initial stages, and that its commercial success over wider spaces is only a question of time. Presently the system will be used on the Canadian Coast line, and then it is hoped that shipwreck caused by want of knowledge of locality will be largely a thing of the past.”

_Wireless Telegraphy._

There has been no announcement in connection with science of recent date which has such an important meaning as the very modest statement recently made by Signor Marconi to the members of the Royal Institute of London. His discoveries in connection with wireless telegraphy have exceeded the expectations of many of the greatest scientists of the day who gave him all credit for the work which he had done, but could not bring themselves to believe that he could perfect his system within so brief a time.

One of the principal handicaps which Mr. Marconi has endeavored to overcome has been that of rapid and reliable transmission of messages. For a time he found it very difficult to mechanically record messages which were transmitted with high speed. It necessitated the use of a telephone receiver which meant that the operator might take down the message, but there was no mechanical record which would cause a mistake in receiving it to be instantly detected.

Mr. Marconi says: “I have perfected a receiver which will permit the transmission and receiving of messages at the rate of 100 words per minute on an ordinary Wheatstone recorder. This obviates the difficulty of relying upon the operator to take the message by sound and permits of a double record of every message received.”

The ability to transmit and correctly receive wireless messages at this rate means that this latest invention of science is now in a position whereby it can compete on even terms with the great telegraph and cable services of the world. Mr. Marconi further stated that his new invention further combined accuracy with absolute reliability, and it means that the future development of wireless telegraphy has received an impetus which will carry it into a broader field than has heretofore been conservatively looked for, and that this unlimited possibility can and will be made an actuality in the immediate future.

No more important announcement could be made at this time when Mr. Marconi is about to install the new, high-powered apparatus which will allow uninterrupted communication between Glace Bay, Nova Scotia and Poldhu, England.

_Wireless Telegraphy on the SS. “Parisian.”_

Through the courtesy of Major Fishback, Canadian Manager for the Marconi Telegraph Company, the writer had permission to visit the Marconi Cabin on the SS. “Parisian” in order to learn the _modus operandi_ of wireless telegraph at sea.

On boarding the ship the first object noticeable is a wire leading from the cabin to the peak of the main mast ending in a triangular form, connecting the apparatus with the ether and another wire to the ship’s hold going to earth.

Mr. McGee, the young man in charge, politely pointed out and explained the uses of the various appliances comprising the Marconi outfit.

First was a large Rumford coil, a glass cylinder through which the electric spark was discharged and a key or transmitter constituting the sending apparatus.

Second, on the left was a large oblong box containing the coherer, the chief instrument in wireless telegraphy, and in the centre an automatic self-inking Morse register with an alarm bell attachment, these being the receiving instruments, and underneath the accumulators or storage batteries and six cells of a home battery to work the Morse instrument. When the key was depressed for an instant a bright electric spark emitted from the contact points in the glass cylinder, giving a hard hissing sound; this imprinted a dot on the register, and a longer impression marked a line, the two forming the letter “a” of the Morse alphabet.

The characters or code used by the wireless system is what is known as the European or Continental Code, that is the spaced letters are eliminated and dots and lines substituted the same as the cable system.

All the vessels equipped with Marconi apparatus on the St. Lawrence route have a capacity of eighty miles’ transmission, but a possible one hundred and twenty, this distance being deemed great enough for all practical purposes.

On the New York and Liverpool route the steamships have a much more extensive equipment, which enables them to keep in touch with the one side of the Atlantic or the other during the entire voyage.

The cost of the Marconi equipment of the former averages £200--or $1,000.

Five Marconi stations have been erected on the Lower St. Lawrence during the present summer and a fair, profitable traffic carried on so far. These stations will be closed during the winter, but a station is being erected at Cape Race, Nfld., which will be open throughout the year.

The rates charged is two dollars for ten words and twelve cents for each additional word plus cable or land line rates.

Mr. McGee informed me the “Parisian” was enveloped in a dense fog when in the vicinity of Belle Isle on her inward trip. The captain was surprised at not hearing the fog syren and the Marconi station was communicated with to learn the reason. A response immediately came that the fog horn had been and was then blowing since the fog had fallen, thus showing the ship was out of range and in safety.

Many passengers took occasion to Marconigram friends of their whereabouts and their probable arrival at Montreal.

Passengers by the St. Lawrence route are now enabled to communicate with friends three days after departure and before arrival at Montreal by means of the Marconi telegraph system. All the Marconi stations are connected with the Canadian telegraphs.

Mr. McGee also stated this was his first trip as operator with the Marconi Company.

He had attended the company’s Instructive School in London for a period of three months, at the end of which time he was considered duly qualified and was appointed to the “Parisian.” This shows the wonderful and mysterious wireless telegraphy is acquired more rapidly than the Morse system, which takes from six months to one year to become fairly proficient.

The operations of the one is very similar to the other; each ship or station has an individual call or signal, and should the current affect any instruments within range, no attention is given unless its own particular signal is heard.

Many objections have been raised against wireless telegraphy, for the reason that any one with a wireless outfit could intercept a message.

The very same thing can be done on land by any competent operator if he feels inclined to gratify his curiosity and incur the penalty for so doing.

Taken altogether, the wireless system on shipboard will prove an immense convenience to ocean travellers and shipping interests, and will ensure greater safety to both life and property.

_The Future of Wireless Telegraphy._

When, at the close of 1901, Marconi first announced to the world his marvellous achievement that he had received a signal from Poldhu at St. John’s, Nfld., many were incredulous and doubted its possibility, even many scientific men were sceptical and suggested many reasons why there might be an error in the experiment made. Amongst these were Edison, Graham, Bell, Sir Wm. Preece and others but, when the facts became known, all had to admit the success of the experiment and the accuracy of Marconi’s statement.

Mr. Edison became a warm believer in wireless telegraphy, and is now identified with its development. Soon after this triumph of the young Italian, the voice of the company promoter was heard in the land.

A wireless telegraph company was organized in England. This company had the audacity to claim an exclusive monopoly to operate the Marconi system, but this the British authorities refused to grant. Following this a company was formed for the same purpose in the United States and one in Canada, these being all more or less co-related.

The principal object being to establish wireless communication between Europe and America, a wireless station was erected at Glace Bay, Cape Breton and one at Cape Cod, Mass., early in 1903. When these were completed communication was for a short time carried on.

A congratulatory message from President Roosevelt to King Edward was transmitted and a reply returned by the King, but the system broke down and it has so remained.

Mr. Marconi has been (ever since the mishap) devoting his inventive genius to the perfecting of his devices, and, it is believed, transatlantic communication will be once more re-established within a very short period. Meanwhile, these companies are not standing still, but are very busily engaged in equipping passenger steamships with Marconi wireless instruments, enabling vessels to communicate with each other or with the stations on land on either side of the Atlantic. The wireless telegraph business is constantly increasing and becoming very lucrative. Traffic is now interchanged between the British Government telegraph lines, the American and Canadian telegraph companies and the wireless companies, so that a message can now be sent from any telegraph station to a person aboard ship, or _vice versa_, by payment of the tolls required for each company’s service. This seems to be naturally the proper sphere for wireless telegraphy.

In time every ship that floats, whether naval or mercantile, will eventually be installed with Marconi apparatus. This should be made one of the conditions of insurance, if not compulsory. As far as being successful competitors with existing land or cable telegraph systems, it is more than doubtful, except in places where no other telegraph system can be maintained. Wireless telegraphy for a long time to come will merely be auxiliary or supplementary to the land and cable systems, and mutually beneficial to each instead of being antagonistic.

The wireless system of telegraphy will be of immense benefit to Canadian shipping interests owing to the long stretch of river navigation from Montreal to the Gulf.

Several minor stations have been erected recently on the Lower St. Lawrence and are now working satisfactorily.

The Canadian Government recognized the importance of wireless telegraphy in its inception and granted Marconi a substantial sum to enable him to build his wireless station at Glace Bay. The public hardly yet realize its great possibilities.

_Dominion Wireless Telegraph Company, Limited._

PRINCIPAL OFFICE: 160 ST. JAMES STREET, MONTREAL. CAPITAL STOCK, $1,200,000. PAR VALUE, $5.

This company proposes to build and operate stations at all important points in the Dominion of Canada and do a general telegraphic business between stations in the United States or elsewhere, owned or controlled by the American DeForest Wireless Telegraph Company or any of their subsidiary companies. It will also build and operate stations on both the Atlantic and Pacific Coasts for transmission of messages abroad, and will work in harmony with like stations built by foreign DeForest companies, will erect and operate stations along all of the important rivers, gulfs and lakes, as well as on the sea coast, and will equip vessels with Wireless Telegraph instruments, keeping them in touch with their home office until their destination has been reached.

This company proposes to erect and operate stations as follows:

ONTARIO.