"WIRELESS" ROMANCES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 98, 22 May 1909, Page 4

"WIRELESS" ROMANCES.

MANY MAR YE MAIL'S MARCONI MESSAGES. The. magnificent pluck of Mr. .lack Bums, who sat for ten hours iu the dark cabin of a doomed ship, signalling through the air for help, which finally came, marks a new era in the development of wireless telegraphy. But the feat is too astonishing to be realised by the lay mind, though the great courage shown by the telegraphist can be easily recognised. As it happened, by remaining at his post, he saved the lives of hundreds of persons, and he fully doserves all the honors he has received. I IN THE NICK OF TIME.

Curiously enough, in the early days Of wireless telegraphy, a. similar accident occurred, though on a. much smaller scale. The East Goodwin lightship was run into and badly damaged by a steamer. There seemed a faint prospect of bringing help, and only a wireless message saved the sinking ship, for help came in the nick of time.

It was shortly after this' that the] same means of signalling saved the life of a seaman who, as the result of an accident, lay dangerously ill, and could not be conveyed to shore. It was a matter of life and- death, and all within a brief space of time; so a wireless message was conveyed to shore, and a doctor returned' With the necessary medicine and instruments for effecting a clever I operation.

Of course, the possibilities of communication without recourse to wires arc tremendous. Did not the Japanese prove that during the war with Hussinf And it is not unlikely that the Marconi method may work wonders in the cause of peace, because it will, in the course of time, make it impossible for an enemy's position to be kept secret. The Japs realised the danger arising from this, and they took special precautions to prevent the use of wireless telegraphy both by the enemy and by newspaper correspondents. For all that, an English newspaper accomplished the great feat of reporting a battle by the aid of Signor Marconi's invention. A few years ago it was stated that the Legations' at Pekiu were in wireless communication with the warships in the Gulf of Pe-ehili—a sijruilioant precaution, proving how precarious is the position of. European* in Pckin, even in the twentieth century. The next great war in the East will bring wireless telegraphy into greater prominence. Signor Marconi had many adventures during the years he was travelling about inaugurating stations for his marvellous system. There were many rival inventors .about, and it was thought necessary to have the place selected for experiments at South Wellfleet, Mass., guarded day and night. AN INVENTOR'S ROMANCE. While coming home, after successfully starting the American company, Marconi met a lady on board a ship, and in the course of a week's acquaintance, chiefly devoted to his explanations of the working of his invention, they became engaged. But, alas! for romance. The marriage never took place, and later the famous Italian married an Irish lady, the Hon. Miss O'Hrien, a daughter of Lord Inehiquin.

In connection with the lO6S' of the Republic—Mr. Jack Binns's ship—it Is interesting to recall that six years ago experiments were conducted at Poldhu, in Cornwall, with the express purpose of proving that the Marconi system of wireless telegraphy would save lives at sea. Ships were sent out some miles from the shore, and they signalled by the Marconi method that they were in distress. The signals reached other ships, and also were recorded on the shore instruments. Those present were completely convinced that wireless telegraphy was a necessity to every ship afloat.

Not long since wireless telegraphy helped to effect a clever arrest. Detectives weix; waiting at Queenstowu for the arrival of a line r from America, on board which was a man who was "wanted." Before the steamer came into sight a wireless message warned the captain to keep this person under observation. Apparently the message came just at the moment the suspect was about to cheat the law by committing suicide. He was prevented from jumping overboard, and when the ocean greyhound came into harbor the criminal iwas under arrest. A- MESSAGE OF DEATH.'

The news of a sad occurrence was sent by wireless telegraph last October in mid-ocean. Mr. A. Bolio, an old man of eighty-six, who owned an estate worth. ;C2,0uu,000, sailed from Europe for New York with the eldest of his twenty-two children. Father and son were compelled by circumstances, however, to voyage by different vessels, and for three days conversed with each other by wireless telegraphy, the father ibeing in the Lorraine and tile son in the Campania. But on the fourth clay the son received no reply to his message. Tilien he learned liy wireless that his father was dead, and again emplovcd wireless to make arrangements for the funeral.

This invention was put to a more pleasant use on'the Campania in 11)01, .when Signor Marconi assisted in the founding of the "Cunard Daily Bulletin" —an ocean daily, rendered possible by wireless telegraphy. Besides local gossip, the latest news of importance was wired from shore as the vessel receded towards the other side of the Atlantic. Thus stockbrokers of the market were able to know the prices of their investments in Throgmorton-strect, London, and Wall-street, Xew York, although they were on board a ship out of sight ot laud and hundreds of miles from newspapers.