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Press, Volume LX, Issue 18073, 15 May 1924, Page 8

According to our cables this morning the wireless deadlock, which has outlasted two Imperial Conferences sinee the war, and has hung ap the development of wireless communication throughout the Empire while other countries were enjoying its benefits, is to be ended at last by an agreement between the Government and the Marconi Company. It appears that Signor Marconi, who seemß to have a monopoly

of wireless wonders, has promised "beam" stations, costing only £50,000, instead of £500,000 for the present type. In recent-tests he sent messages 2500 miles by means of his latest discovery, which ensures confidential communication, in a straight line, between any two points. He has now promised that Australia will be irt direct communication, by this method, with Britain. The world has heard of so many wireless marvels that it lias long since lostits sense of wonder, lint the advantages of "beam" transmission are obvious. It is to be hoped, however, that cheaper •rates will reflect the greatly lessened cost of service that has been promised.

A survey of municipal street-light-ing systems in thirty-two.-. American cities proves, according to the New York "Tinrts," that an increase of 1,000,000 in the. motor-cars in use has meant an increase of 1000 in the annual death toll. It h;is proved also that poor street-lighting adds heavily to the number of accidents, and that crime is much worse in pooriy-liglited cities than in those where the light is adequate. Thus in 1922, 14,000 persona were killed in traffic accidents, which was twenty times as many as in 1007, and of these accidents it was found that 39 per cent., occurred during the hours of dat-kness. It was stated by the engineers who compiled the report that when every allowance had been made for othe* causes, nearly 20 per cent, of all night traffic accidents must be attributed to lack of light, and that the total would have been increased by many thousands of lives if it had not been for the standardisation of traffic codes, the drastic speed regulations, and the effective punishment of those who ignored them. It was established also in connexion with one city that when a "white way" installation vtaa made there was an 8 per cent, reduction of crime in that locality in one year, while crime in the rest of the city during the same period showed a very marked increase. If it is no .discovery that the wicked iove the 'darkness it is a little astonishing that the righteous tolerate it.

Contirmiition of the unofficial state-■ nient that the British Government has decided to teat out the Burney airship scheme will bo awaited with interest. In the meantime it is possible to de-. scribe the type of craft of which the Air Ministry and the company interested (which is headed by the Vickers and Shell Oil Companies), are .to build one each. The airships will make history, both in size and comfort. v They will be 800 ft long, and their gas capacity of 5,000,000 cubic feet will enable them to lift a crew of 85, 200) passengers and their luggage, provisions and fuel for a 3000-mile trip, and 16i tons of mails or freight. Seven semi-Diesel engines, developing 3600 h.p. combined, will drive the-giant air liners acTOss the world'at 80 m.p.h., bringing India (the first stage proposed) within' 68 hours of London, and ■ shortening the time of transit for Australian mails by 10 dayß. .There will be a lounge, smoking room, dining room, ,a promenade deck 400 ft long, 10.0 two-berth cabins, and. bathrooms. Passengers will embark by electric lift up the mooring mast and through the bow of the ship) which will have electric light, and cooking, will ;be artificially heated, anfl kept in touch with, the world below by wireless.