SCIENCE IN THE SOUTH.

Auckland Star, Volume LI, Issue 20, 23 January 1920, Page 5

SCIENCE IN THE SOUTH.

WIRELESS RESEARCH WORK. FRENCH EXPERT'S OPINIONS. A great deal of scientific -value -would seem to attach to the experiments conducted by M. Ie Lieut. Guierre, the wirelees expert on board the French war sloop Aldebaran, which arrived back in Auckland this morning after a three week's absence. On their departure from* Auckland, it was their intention to spend most of their time at Antipodes Island, the receptive centre of the far Southern Pacific, hut it wag found, on experiment, that the island was not'the active centre that it had been imagined, and so the greater portion of their three-week trip was spent abont the Chathams and at Bounty bland, these two places being near to the exact antipodes of Lyons and of Nantes, respectively. Experiments were also made at the wireless stations at Bluff and at! Awerua, M. Guierre speaking very highly of the generous assistance and the courtesy shown them at these places. Needless to say, the fruits of this gentleman's labours are comprised in reports highly technical in character, and practically unintelligible to the lav mind. He states, however, that the wireless reception from French instruments in New Zealand is of special interest ia Continental experts, as New Zealand is practically the antipodes of France. ''On the way out," he saye, "we measured everywhere the strength of reception, of which, some experiments have previously 'been made by an American, Mr. Austin. This is the first time, however, that a comprehensive system of measurements has been adopted. My' southern experiments were, of course, confined partly by the bad weather that we experienced, and partly by the shortness of the time at our disposal. Xcv Zealanders, however, win no doubt be interested* to know that the receptive power of the wireless stations in the South leland is infinitely greater than that possessed by the northern stations. It is partly due to climatic conditions, and partly to magnetic influences. I found, for instance, that a spot near Antipodes Island, had a receptive power equal to that of the Mediterranean." i

The value of this gentleman's research can be gauged from the fact that he will submit his results to the International Wireless Conference to be held in Washington in April. "I hope," he nays, "that this, may prove of value to New Zealand in bringing ite scientific interests more before the eyes of the world." It is possible that the Aldebaran mar go North to Awanni to make some tests there. "The power of my little wireless installation here on board," continues the lieutenant, "was the source of much astonishment to the Southern wireless experts, who found that it received almost as well as their large aerial structures. It has, of course, the advantage of being thoroughly up-to-date, and ie installed with all the most advanced devices."

After their New Zealand experiment* are finished, they go to Noumea and Tahiti to make experiments there, with a view to the construction of Preach wireless stations there. The builders of them win have the full benefit of M. Guierre'e adrice before he goes to Washington. One hears from the wireless expert little of the qualifications that enable a distinctly youthful man to take charge of these delicate investigations, but from other sources it appears that he was in charge of a large station near Oran, in Algeria, in the pre-war days, and that, during the war, he was attached to a submarine base in the Adriatic, near to Brindiai. He is a. graduate of a famous wireless and electrical school in Paris, from which, he was drafted into the naval forces. M. Gnierre held a conference -with the chief of the Auckland wirelem department this morning, giving him an account of the results that he has attained, and, as he says, "it is not nnpoMibJe that New Zealand may benefit a little by my researches."