WIRELESS TELEGRAPHY.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLIII, Issue XLIII, 16 September 1909, Page 3

WIRELESS TELEGRAPHY.

The Federal .House of Representatives, it will be noted, remarks the "Otago .Daily Times," has given its formal- approval to a proposal for the immediate establishment of -wireless . stations around the" coast of the Commonwealth. The inclusion ' of . £10,000 on the Estimates for the current year for the furtherance t/£ the introduc- ; tion of wireless telegraphy iu Auatralia dos not represent the first step '■ on the part of the Federal Government in this-, direction. In December ■ last' the BdstmastcrG General received ■ a number of tenders' for an installa- 1 • tion between Victoria and Tasmania 1 and the adjoining- islands, but the project lapsed with an acknowledgement on the part of the Government of lack of' funds to proceed with it. The Postmaster-General's plans now contemplate the equipment of two stations — one on the east coast near ■ Sydney, and the other on the west coast near Freman tie. In explanation of his statement that defence is to be the main, consideration in carrying . otn such a. scheme, it has to be re- , membered that it is ono of the argu-' merits in favour of tho establishment of a wireless system In the Common- [ wealth that, at present" there is nothing to -prevent a lidstile fleet hiding for months among tho islands waiting for a chance to swoop down upon Australian shores, and t.hat wireless communication would bo invaluable, should there be occasion to givo warning of the approach of an enemy. The -^Federal PostmasterGeneral thinks the system may be made a commercial success, but" thiview probably has not weighed very much with the House of Representatives. Defence is, however, wo need hardly remark, not only the consideration at the back' of ihe proposal. Va~ Tious Governments are now turning their attention to tho desirability of ensuring the equipment of all passen-ger-carrying vessels with wireless installations, and it. is evidently only a .matter of time when the genera] . adoption of this humane precaution in the progress and safety of marine .navigation. During the last fow months- disasters to British vessels have been unpleasantly frequent, and the heavy, toll whicn the sea extorfs, even in modern times, is realised when, we find .that, according to Board of Trade figures, in twentvfive >ears ; there were 164G wrecks and mishaps "in- the case of ships be-' longing to the United- Kingdom,, and that these were attended with tlie loss of 37,221 lives. Australian waters are far from the kindliest in the world, and it is easily to understand that the Foder.al Htfnse* of Reprcscnrntives would foel disposed to favour •a scheme likely to minimise danger at sea by giving disabled vessels tl.e .means of making known their ji-Sgh. and whereabouts Wire'ess xe\o graphy has already a splendid re cord as a life-saver' at sea,-. and " Miongh, ns the President of (lie Bor-il of Trade has sti-jgostcd,' tli P .imp ,„.iv not be ripe yet to make it a part of the compulsory equipment of vessels, yet the great sliipping companies are not blind to. their own Interest in . commanding the confidence of the public. Attention has already been direoted to the fact that private commercial enterprise has' "in view the in- ', ■ stallatioii of radio-telegraphic com - -uunication between the various islands of the South Pacific, Australia, and New Zealand, and that 'in this connection a subsidy from the Com- ■ monwealth is to-.-be asked for. .But the Federal Government, is evidently disposed to follow the example of the ( British Admiralty in' tlie establishment -of coastal stations. The desirabiliy of securing wireless com- i munication between Australia and New Zealand will no doubt appeal strongly to the Government of this country when it comes to give serious consideration to the idea of following the lead which the Commonwealth is about to set.