WORLD-WIDE WIRELESS

Timaru Herald, Volume XCIII, Issue 14353, 19 November 1910, Page 7

WORLD-WIDE WIRELESS

COMPLETING THE CHAIN. MARCONI STATION AT FIJI. IN COURSE OF ERECTION. Signor Marconi, that young man "Whose photographs suggest that he is a. victim of ennui, but who jaevertheless succeeds at intervals in startling the scientific world, is just now displaying great energy( states the Syd+iaJly He is Mipplymg the propelling power for a huge wm lW linking up 0 f the whole world by means of wireless telegraphy! onl y the other day that Marconi achieved a new record tor longdistance wireless transmission, rnessages being exchanged between Ireand a f p ° r L in SQuth America, a tw, Ce +1 ° f + I°,°° i miles ' «curd wvT f, nk " l S up of the whole world by wireless telegraphy need not, after all, prove such a costly undertaking as at first appeared, because with a radius of 6000 miles for powerful stations many centres of population can be. brought into touch with each other. Although the details of Marconi's world-network scheme ara not available, it is understood that he will utilise the stations in Canada, and across America as the first step. The main chain will, theretore, possibly be from England to Canada, across Canada, and thence to Australia.

It has transpired that the Marconi Company are erecting a nmverful wireless station at Fiji. "Whether this Fiji station has any relations to the worldscheme which is dominant in the Marconi mind at the present moment is not disclosed. An official from the Company recently arrived in Sydney en route to Fiji to supervise the erection of the station winch, it is understoodj will be in operation shortly. It is stated that this station is being erected by the Marconi Company on its own account, and. has no relation to any Federal Oomapny scheme or contract. At the present time the Marconi Company has contracts for the erection, of stations in all parts of the world, and 32 British steamship lines—not counting foreign lines —are using the Marconi system. A big station is also being erected tin the Canary Islands.

I Mr -Hi. T. Fisk, tlie wireless operator 011 thoK.M.S. utranto, which is now in Sydney Harbour, stated that each day I' aiter leaving .England until a few hours before they arrived at. Port Said |— a distance of 1870 miles—they re- [ ceived the chief items of the world's news from the Marconi Company's chief news station at Poldhu, in Cornwall. The passengers were particularly excited by the news of the Portuguese rebellion. Mr Fisk was able to communicate with the stations around the British coast while in the Mediterranean —distances ranging from 800 to 950 miles—mainly overland. On the voyage he also communicated with a great number of ships, including warships, a troopship, and passenger vessels, and a god deal of piiblic business was transacted, the charge for messages between ships being 8d per word, and with shore stations lOd per word. When the vessel was in the Arabian Sea Mr Fisk had communication with H.M.S. Fox. which was in the Peraian j Gulf, 975 miles away.