“S.O.S”

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2164, 1 June 1914, Page 8

“S.O.S”

THE WIRELESS APPEAL FOR HELP. 1 -Wireless telegraphy has a glorious record of lives saved during the few years in which it has'been used at sea. There have bceu. many instances of the use and value of wireless telegraphy to steamers. One of the most recent cases where wireless telegraphy was tho means of saving many "lives was the firo on the big [ liner Volturno, which broke out in. midAtlantic on October 10, 1913. Her cry of "5.0.5." was responded to by no fewer than ten ships. On this occasion over five hundred lives we're saved. The whole world knowns tho call "S.O.S."—three '.dots,'three dashes, three dots. On January i, 1901, the famous "C.Q.D." (now "5.0.5.") call was instituted by the Marcoui Company, and embodied in its "general ' orders." The "C.Q.D." call achieved a lasting fame on ,the. occasion of the-wreck of the s.s. Republic (which collided with the s.s. Florida, 170 miles east of New York, on January 22, 1909). "C.Q." was the recognised signal used by one ship to attract another, so that telegraphic traffic could be commenced nnd transacted, and it was thought that tho most appropriate distress signal would be arrived at by adding the letter "D" (denoting "distress") to "C.Q.,',' the general call to attention. The International Radiotelegraphic Com vention of Berlin superseded the old "C.Q.D." call by the new "5.0.5." call in, July, 1908. These letters vere selected simply on account of the ease with which they can be sent and identified even in the most exciting circumstances. Ono of the most valuable accessories to wireless of the present day is that of the direction finder, or as it lias been termed, the wireless compass. By means of this invention it is possible to detect, independent of weather conditions—to which visual means of, signalling are subordinate —the direction of one vessel in respect of another. The range of this instrument in the average mercantile equipment extends up to 50 or GO miles. Another most valuable accessory to wireless telegraphy in summoning assistance to a distressed vessel is the submarine signalling apparatus. which is arranged with one receiver m Hie port side a'id another on the 1-nv of tho ship, for direction finding. But

<is the detection of sound by this nieans is limited at present to between 10 and 15 miles it can only be used as an adjunct to the direction finder and as a check upon the readings of the latter. Amongst the most notable rescues effected as a result of wireless summons are:— 1903—5.5. Kvoonland, broke down in tho Atlantic; saved all on board. 1909—5.5. Slavonia, stranded off the Azores; saveel 410. 1909—5.5. Republic, collided January 22, with s.s. Florida, 170 miles east of New York;.s.s. Baltic rescued nearly all on board. 1911—S.s. Delhi,' aslioro off north coast of Africa; warships and other vessels Teseued nearly all on 'board. 1912—5.5. Titanic, wrecked April 15, by striking an iceberg. Olympic, Corpathia, and other vessels summoned. About 1500 lives were lost, but 703 survivors were rescued. 1912—5.5. Oravia, struck a rock off tho Falkland Islands saved all on board. 1913—5.5. Vpltnrno, burned in 'mid-Atlan-tic, October 10; saved 521.