WIRELESS MESSAGES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 99, 24 May 1909, Page 4

WIRELESS MESSAGES.

AUCKLAND TO WELLINGTON. HOW THE SYSTEM OPERATES. Wireless telegraphy, the latter-day romance of the atmosphere, is just now n daily operation between Auckland and Wellington, through the medium of warships at either jiort. "On our trip from Australia," remarked an ollicer of H.M.S. Pioneer to an Auckland IlvraUl representative, "we oxrtiiijigt'd messages at repeated intervals with the Gncountor, in Sydney harbor." This, it was learned, continued until the night before reaching Auckland. It is of interest to note that far better results are obtained over s'ea than across laud, owing to absence ol attractive forces which particularly assert themselves i,'i mountainous country of a uiincralibeariug nature. Trie "wireless'' system consists of the propagation of Hertzian, or ether, waves from an elevated point by means of electric influences', and the said waves radiate in their oscillating light through iudeliniie space. Tliey may lie received by many different stations, miles apart, and 'alerpreled just in the same way as the Morse code of dots and dashes' "But docs not the facility with which the message might be intercepted detract from the utility of 'wireless' communications?'' the representative of the King's navy was asked.

"Why should it,' was the response, "when code messages can be sent? liesides, appliances have been invented to prevent interception." As to the benefits which have -resulted from the system, said the ollicer, one. had only to remember the foundering of the steamer llcpuiilic a few mouths ago, oil Sandy Hook, New York, and the fact that before sinking all vessels with' wireless apparatus within the radius of communication were called to her assistance by means of one general message. The action of the electric waves was explained to the enquirer by a siitylc illustration. "Take a trough of water unit thrust your hand into the fluid al one end. An oscillation of waves immediately occurs, and the disturbance extends to the opposite extremity in the trough." J

That is exactly what happens, l when atmospheric waved are treated liv tlie emission (if electric currents. They cxlend right and left, lij-rh „ m | | mv j„ their Hashing llight through cloudlaiid. Disturbances such as thun.ler or lightmug lessen the strength of the current to the extent that the intelligibility of messages is sometimes affected. Coni.inunientioii has' hecn established between England and America, and a similar service between "New Ken land and Australia is quite practicable. Marconi's is, of course, the leading system, but many others are now in operation, and step by step the goal of perfection ie approaching. _