WIRELESS TELEGRAPHY

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2579, 13 August 1909, Page 5

WIRELESS TELEGRAPHY

PROPOSED EXTENSION.

ACTION OF SOUTH AFRICAN

UNION,

United Prebb Association —Copyright. LONDON, August 11. In view of the anxiety as to the Waratah, and the numerous shipping casualties, the South African Union delegates are consulting with the Admiralty with the view of having an installation of wireless telegraphy , on the coast.

The day is not far distant, says an exchange, when every ocean-going passenger steamer wil be compelled to carry a wireless telegraphy installation. At the present time, s according to a London cable message, there is a Bill before the American Congress with this object in view, and the President of the British Board of Trade is considering the introduction of legislation of the same kind in the Old Country. There have been one_ or two very remarkable demonstrations of the value of wireless installations during the last few months. The story of the BalticRepublic collision is familiar. A more recent incident in which “wireless” played an important part was _ the wreck of the Ounard liner Slavoma in tho early morning of June 10. The Slavonia went on the rocks in a fog on Flores Island. At once a message, consisting of the letters C.Q.D., meaning “Come quick, danger,” was sent far and wide. It was caught by the steamer Batavia, then 150 miles away. A second message, “We went ashore at 2.30 in big fog,” was received, and then a third, “Ashore on South Flores Island; come for assistance; we are in danger on the rocks.” The Batavia answered, “We shall come. Our distance 140 miles.” The steamer Princess Irene,* 150 miles away, picked np the Batavia’s reply, and the two vessels hastened to Flores to the relief, the Slavonia meanwhile sending a progress report. The Batavia and the Princess Irene were able to take off all the passengers of the wrecked vessel, in all 384 souls', and carried them in safety to Naples. If wireless telegraphy is needed in the North Atlantic it is also needed in the Tasman Sea, and more than one vessel has broken down on the long run from Cape Town to Australia, and drifted tor months in the Southern Indian Ocean. In the case of passenger steamers the risk of a complete breakdown is minimised nowadays by the adoption or twin propellers, but there are many single screw vessels in both the colonial trade and the Home trade. The underwriters might bring about the universal use of wireless telegraphy, without legislation, by offering to take risks at a specially low rate on vessels that carry installations, but marine insurance is a business in which success depends on the adjustment of premiums to risks, and it may he argued that it is no part of the underwriters business to impose such conditions. Still there is evidently a movement on the part of the underwriters in the Old Country to make the use of “wireless” compulsory. Of course legislation in that direction would have very wide public support, and we hope- that tho now telegraphy will come into general use in these colonies in the near future.