Wireless Telegraphy and Telephony/Chapter 7
To state that the wireless telegraph of to-day can produce no better results than is being accomplished practically, is erroneous in every sense of the word. Experimentally, wireless telegraphy is far in advance of the practical work.
The faith of investors in wireless has been greatly shaken by their bitter experience with worthless wireless stock, which they were induced to purchase through the gross misstatements of certain stock companies, and their continued efforts to unload this stock upon an innocent public.
This has, naturally, brought about a period of inactivity as regards the extension of wireless telegraphy, for loss of confidence will cause the suspension of even the oldest and most firmly established business of any character. Financiers who ordinarily would be eager to grasp an opportunity of this kind now have no faith in the commercial prospects of wireless, as certain stock companies have not used the proceeds from the sale of stock in the development of their business.
The officers and directors of telegraph and cable companies have also done a great deal to bring about the present conditions, by making statements which they knew to be wrong; but no doubt they felt they were justified in thus protecting their own interests. This is decidedly a very poor policy on their part, as they could greatly increase the value and earning power of their stock by utilizing wireless telegraphy in connection with their present service. However, their continued antagonism is only tending to force the wireless companies to take the initiative in establishing a service that will prove a powerful and successful competitor. The telegraph and cable companies should bear in mind the opposition with which the efforts of Morse and Field were met in the early days of the arts of land-wire and cable telegraphy.
24. The Present State of the Art
Wireless telegraph to-day is in practical use over both sea and land. The ocean liners, as well as the coastwise vessels, keep in constant communication with land stations, and thus render valuable service both to shipowners and the public. It is in use over land, contrary to statements of those who are foolishly trying to belittle the art, and as an example we will site the government stations at Washington, D. C., and Brooklyn Navy Yards, which stations are in constant communication both day and night, and can work with each other regardless of the interference of surrounding stations. This is by no means the limit of what can be done over land.
Regardless of any statement to the contrary, wireless telegraphy is not limited to one line of communication between two points. It may be duplexed; that is, two or more messages may be sent and received simultaneously. It can successfully compete with cables on all points.
It is true that some of the stock companies have established communication over great distances of water, but results obtained with such installations should not be accepted as conclusive proof of what can be done, as these stations were installed more with an object of bolstering up their stock, than any intention of establishing a sound commercial business.
The high-power stations of these companies are equipped with crude apparatus, that is more crudely installed, and depend more on the high power of their stations, than on perfected apparatus, to establish communication. Stations of one of the stock companies are equipped with 500-horsepower apparatus, which is used to communicate over a distance of less than 2000 miles, while one of our well-known inventors, representing a close corporation, has communicated over a distance of 3300 miles with less than 40 horsepower.
The Marine Insurance Companies are also doing their share towards belittling the value of wireless telegraphy, for although it can be proved that it has saved them thousands and thousands of dollars, they refuse to acknowledge it to be a safeguard to vessels, and will not lower the insurance rates to vessels equipped with wireless apparatus.
To cite a case: On a recent trip the steamer City of Puebla encountered a vessel that met with a mishap and was floundering about in the sea in a helpless condition. A wireless message was at once despatched to the nearest life-saving station, and in due time assistance arrived. The position of the floundered vessel was such that a vessel of heavy draught, such as the City of Puebla, could be of no assistance. In answer to the despatch a light vessel was sent out and the vessel and crew were saved from destruction.
Some of the coastwise vessels on the Pacific coast have repeatedly communicated with the government stations over distances ranging from 1600 to 2200 miles, with only a 4-horsepower outfit. This shows very clearly the difference in work, and results accomplished, between the stock companies and the close corporations.
25. Interference and Government Regulation
There has been much discussion regarding the regulations of wireless by governments, owing to the value of the art in time of war. Tor this reason certain governments have proposed to control and regulate the transmission of wireless messages at all times, which action would necessitate a license on the part of an operating company for each station equipped and in operation. Moreover, the government would have the right to grant or refuse such license as it saw fit.
This agitation has been caused by legitimate wireless companies transmitting messages at a time when it would be convenient for the government stations to transmit messages, but owing to the fact that the wave lengths of the government and the independent stations were approximately the same, or owing to the proximity of the stations, it was impossible for both the government and independent stations to operate simultaneously.
The question then arises whether, in time of peace, regular commerical wireless messages, which protect the lives of the passengers and crews of the steamers equipped with wireless, are not just as important as government wireless messages. If competing wireless companies have to wait for one another to transmit their messages, there appears to be no good reason why the government cannot do the same—in time of peace.
It would be interesting to know whether the various government officials are acting blindly, or are knowingly attempting to force legislation which will have the immediate effect of arresting the development of a valuable art and deprive the public of a service that would in time give them trans-oceanic telegraphy at one-tenth the rates now paid for cable service.
This agitation, which would give the government full control of the wireless field, deals with existing conditions without considering the fact that wireless is still in its infancy, and is making enormous strides towards perfection each year.
Where would our telegraph service be to-day had the government taken control of it in the forties, and said there could be only one wire between two places? It is true there is a great deal of interference between wireless stations to-day, but is it to the best interests of all to have the government take control and say there shall be only one station in a locality, for the reason that another nearby station would cause interference?
It would be far better to let the situation stand as it is, and give Inventors an opportunity to overcome the present difficulties; and from our practical experience in this field, we believe that it will not be many months before this 1s accomplished. Under such an act we would be compelled to go to the government for a license whenever we wished to build a station, in which case a permit would be granted if the station was to be in a locality distant from other stations.
For instance, assume that we should desire to establish an independent trans-Atlantic wireless service, and we should apply to the government for a permit, the locality being, say, somewhere on the New England coast. There are already numerous stations the entire length of the coast, and if we were fortunate enough to obtain a permit at all, it would be with restrictions to hours during which none of the other stations would care to operate. Moreover, 1s it to be supposed that the telegraph and cable companies would, should a law controlling wireless be enacted, remain passive and allow us to establish trans-Atlantic service, when a protest and a little influence used in Washington would prevent it?
The telegraph and cable companies have been very persistent in publicly ignoring wireless telegraphy as a competitor, but a recent circular issued to the managers of all its offices by the Western Union Telegraph Company indicates the real attitude. In this circular it 1s ordered that all messages offered by the Marconi Company for transmission to points on this side must be treated as local messages, be dated at Glace Bay, N. B,, and be charged for at the local rate. “Code messages cannot be accepted in such messages, which must be fully addressed in accordance with the rules governing the transmission of domestic messages. If the Marconi wishes to give any indication of other origin, they must do so in the body of the message. The message must be checked at full commercial rate, whether addressed to a newspaper, individual, or firm. Messages addressed to parties on the other side, routed via Marconi wireless or Glace Bay, cannot be accepted. We will, however, of course accept messages addressed to the Marconi Company, or any one else at Glace Bay, but no other direction or indication can appear in the address. Such messages should be checked at full commercial rates, and the tolls to Glace Bay only collected. We cannot under any circumstances accept the Marconi tolls or anything beyond Glace Bay on these messages, but must treat them solely and wholly as local messages between the point of origin and Glace Bay.”
It is very easy to read between the lines and note that the telegraph companies are realizing their danger from competition; and with the government innocently acting in their interest, the public would be deprived of all the benefits of legitimate competition.
As for the development of wireless telegraphy, we have only to compare the present conditions in Great Britain and this country. When the Marconi Company was first formed it obtained a license or contract from the English government; as a result it is the only company to-day in England, and the English battle-ships have only such apparatus as the Marconi Company can give them. On the other hand, in the United States there are now seven or eight companies in vigorous competition, which has resulted in improvement of apparatus and increase of efficiency to such an extent that our navy to-day stands first m wireless and holds the record for long-distance communication. Our merchant marine is also getting the advantage of competition and receiving wireless service at reasonable rates, while the English merchant marine 1s compelled to use the Marconi system or none, and at whatever price demanded.
As to the grievance of the government with respect to interference, we may cite a case that happened on the Sound last fall. A government message was being sent from Washington to Newport via Fire Island (all land stations); complaint was made because Sound boats interfered with the transmission, and it was asked that boat work should cease when government plants were sending. In time of peace, and when both the Western Union and Postal Telegraph Companies are rendering efficient service between Washington and Newport, is it just to make such a demand and use wireless to the detriment of the service of boats which are dependent wholly upon the wireless?
[2]Any regulation of wireless telegraphy should be based on a full recognition of the fact that the art is now in its infancy, and that its proper development demands freedom from every unnecessary restraint. Assuming that the government has some sort of prescriptive right to an art with which a long line of scientists and inventors has endowed the world, it does not follow that this right cannot be exercised with due regard to the use of the same art for non-governmental purposes. If in time of peace occasions arise of sufficient importance to call for a temporary preëmption of the ether by the government, any inconvenience thereby occasioned to commercial and private interests can be borne with some equanimity. But there should be some assurance that such interruptions are incident to matters of real importance—that all private interests are not sacrificed to routine communications that might just as well be transmitted by wire, or by trivial communications between officials. By defining in some manner the nature of government communications by wireless, and requiring a copy of every communication to be filed for critical examination as to its real importance, a gross abuse of the wireless privilege by an over-officious or inconsiderate official would be averted.
In other words, in time of peace the preëmption of the ether on the part of the government should only be for emergency purposes, and any official making an emergency call should be held strictly responsible for the rightful use of the privilege. In time of war, of course, wireless telegraphy would, in common with all the peaceful arts of civilization, have to resign any claim to consideration; but as a recompense it should not be held in abeyance in time of peace in accordance with what appears to be a policy for the exaltation of the military over the other classes of American people—which classes would be the ones to give their resources and offer up their lives in national defence, and not even balk if the nation should become committed through vainglorious bravado to a war of foreign aggression. None will, we believe, deny the need of some regulation of wireless telegraphy, but the character of such regulation should be the subject of careful discussion in which the interests of the art and of the people as a whole should receive merited attention. A means to this end would be the authorization by Congress of a commission to study the subject and report recommendations, the membership to be so chosen that the military and bureaucratic elements shall not dominate. We sincerely hope that no action will be taken by Congress until the subject of regulation has received m this country much broader and much wiser consideration than is evidenced in the bills thus far offered at Washington.
20. The Outlook and Prophecy
As before stated, it is the lack of capital behind private or legitimate enterprise that is holding back the development of wireless telegraphy; but even with this handicap, we firmly believe that, within five years from date, we will see it successfully competing with cables and trunk lines, and that our trans-Atlantic rates will be cut down to one-fifth of what they are to-day. From our experience and observations we are thoroughly convinced that within ten years the laying of trans-ocean cables will be a thing of the past, for while the use of present cables will undoubtedly be continued, the wireless will be installed and maintained at a cost less than what would be the interest on the cost of a cable.
The art of wireless telegraphy is still young. Scarcely a decade has passed since its practical value was first demonstrated. Important improvements are continually
Fig. 26.—“Sea Otter” The First Motor Yacht Equipped with Wireless Telegraphy.
being made, and when more is known of the nature of the wonderful ether, more astounding discoveries in the field of wireless will undoubtedly be made, and this, together with the opening up of new channels for the application of the art, compels us to take a decidedly optimistic view.
- ↑ See article by Frank Fayant in Success Magazine, June, 1907.
- ↑ From editorial in Electrical World, March 21 1908.