The Daily News. MONDAY, JU. 28. THE COMING OF WIRELESS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 128, 28 June 1909, Page 2

The Daily News. MONDAY, JU. 28. THE COMING OF WIRELESS.

Tile wonderful advance made in perfecting wireless telegraphy may be guaged in a measure from the practical suggestion put forward by the London Times—and .published ill this morning's cable, news—to establish a. system of Imperial wireless telegraphy; in other words, an All Red installation encircling the globe. That the suggestion is in no wise "Jules-Vernian," and is eminently practicable, is shown by the faith of the eminent Marconi himself in the destiny of his system, which he has every hope will soon embra«e the whole Empire. Wireless telegraphy is slowiy but surely coming this way. The Commonwealth Government, in its new contract with the Orient Company, stipulated that the ships must be fitted iwith wireless installations, and the vessels in this service will probably be Running before the stations are ready; Suggested sites for the latter are one at Eremantle, one at Kangaroo Island, one between Melbourne and Sydney, one between Sydney and Brisbane, sand one at Thursday Island. In New Zealand we have had illustrations of ,what wireless can do, as H.M. warships have .communicated between Wellington and Sydney, and Wellington and Auckland. The value and utility of installations o"i our larger steamers and at a few shore' stations on New Zealand coasts will be obvious to all, and are so great that the coming of wireless to Maoriland I cannot be delayed much longer. It is a lamentable fact that as yet no Australasian passenger ship is provided with an installation, and that not more y than three or four vessels trading here from other countries ale so equipped, the German and Japanese lines, as a contemporary recently pointed out, have shown the most enterprise in this direction. Experience now teaches us that this provision for the safety of life is as necessary, and more efficacious, than the carrying of lifeboats and other ordinary precautions against ultimate loss, and if steamship-owners do not show a disposition to equip their vessels with -it, the question arises whether they should be compelled to do so. But there are many other valuable uses to which "wireless" may be put. Wireless telegraphy can bo utilised not only as a means of warning ships at sea as to coming weather, but ateo as a method of obtaining a greater command over weather forecasts on shore through the intermediary of ships' reports-, sent in from geographical positions many miles from the coast. Iu either case the ships concerned would have to be fitted with wireless apparatus, and a Ship's usefulness to the shore must depend upon her effective radius and her position with respect to any shore Stations in the vicinity which sufficiently cover the oceanic area in which she happens to be at the time of sending oil a wireless message. By direction of the sureau of Equipment, the United States wireless telegraph stations are furnished ;daily, or more often, if necessary, by the Hydrographic Office, with the very latest information in respect of dangerous obstructions to navigation so that it may be transmitted to vessels at sea. Science is catholic, and knows neither ilag nor creed. Ilcnce this valuable warning of imminent danger is afforded without charge to any ship whatsoever, provided she has-, in working order, the necessary installation for receiving wireless messages.. At intervals of eight hours wireless messages are sent out broadcast by the stations supplied with them, commencing with six each morning, and such messages will take precedence over ordinary business. Should a ship fitted with wireless gear desire information, at some intermediate instant, he r request by wireless is instantly attended to. News of serious obstruction to navigation may' be communicated by ships to any of the wireless telegraph stations, either by wireless or by the international code of signals, whence it is transmitted to the Hydrographic Office to be sent to tlio various stations for re-issue to ships. % tile Radio-Telegraphic Convention which came into force last July all wireless systems of the world are on an equal footing, so that ships and coast stations can now exchange messages reciprocally irrespective of the particular system of transmitting apparatus in use. ]t is, however, such a scheme as outlined Dv the London limes that will awaken the realisation of tlie fact that a new era iu electric communication is not fur from ben<* accomplished. The comparatively small cost of the installations compared with the submarine cable, and the enormous saving h maintenance, brings the dream of the penny-ii-word telegram to England within the realms of practicable possibility.