LIGHT OR WIRELESS COMPASS?

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2184, 24 June 1914, Page 7

LIGHT OR WIRELESS COMPASS?

LADLER'S ADVANTAGE

IT WARNS IN ALL WEATHERS

TALK WITH MR. FISK. The advantages of the wireless compass over any other kind of alnrm on the Three Kings were discussed by Mr. E. T-.Fisk, technical manager for Amalgamated (Australasia), Ltd., in an inter view with.a reporter yesterday. Mr. Fisk lias been in Auckland recently, and, while there, he has been pointing ° u t_ to tho people most interested the desirability of tho wireless compass as an adjunct to safe navigation. The "Small Ship" Objection. . "I met several of the shipmasters, including representatives of the Shipmasters' Association, and I explained the working of the compass to them," said Mr. Fisk. "They all agreed that the appliance was very useful, but their objection was that a number of the small ships were not ficted with wireless' apparatus, and that they would not be able to make use of the compass. I obtained a return of the ships passing in and out of Auckland in the past six months, which showed that about 60 per cent, of them are already fitted with wireless, and, of course, as tho new regulations come into force more ships will be fitted. The "New Zealand Herald," commenting on the proposal, argued, with some f9rce, the installation of a wireless direction-finder station at the Three Kings would provide immediate protection to all ships carrying the thousands of passengers round that point, and in all weathers. In the case of fogs, when a light would offer, no protection, tho wireless compass is just as_ useful as at any other time. The Shipmasters' Association people, whom I saw, were very much concerned about the smaller ships, which'would not be protected by the compass, and they were anxious to have both safeguards—compass and a light set up at the Three Kings. Where Wireless Boats Lights. It seems to mo the whole question turns oil whether the .wireless compass should be put there to provide immediate protection for thousands of passengers, or whether a light should be put there which will bo useful to every ship passing that way, so. long as Lhoweather is clear, but which will oe no use in foggy weather. It was : n a tog, vou may remember, that the JilinKamito came to' grief. She ran on to the rock in a thick fog at ten o'clock in the morning, She might have escaped disaster if she had had a wireless set. and tliero had been a compass on Tho Kings, but a light would probably not havo saved her. What Would Suit Small Ships. "To meet the shipmasters' objection regarding' small ships, I pointed out that, if a Telefunken compass station were erected at The Kings, all that ships would need to carry Would be a wire and a receiver, without any power at all. , lliis could be fitted for about £50. per ship. .'Another advantage wlrch I pointed out was that tliero would not be 'the same danger in the l, c ?se .of the compass .failing,..as..there, wrong. supposing, as sometimes happens, a light on tho Three Kings were to go out, tho probabilities are that ships, not knowing :of . the failure of the light, would, como in to pick it up, and run into danger. If, on tho other hand, anything went wrong with tho compass station—not at all a likely contingency, I may remark—the big wireless station at Awanui would at once bo aware of it, and would send warning messages which would reach all ships—even the small vessels fitted only with receiving apparatus. It seems to me that this is a very important point in favour of the wireless compass. I have not seen, the Minister of Marino since I saw the shipmasters, and I do not know yet what his decision will be;