“Empire Wireless.”

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLV, Issue 6, 10 August 1910, Page 7

“Empire Wireless.”

COLON lAL (IFFICE CONSIDER ING AMBITIOUS SCHEME. PENNY A WORD IDEAL. LONDON. July 1. An Imperial system ot wireless telegraphy, making it possible for England and every British possession to be linked up by wireless stations is one of the fascinating development# which the future may be said to hold in store. This idea of a network of wireless stations connecting the different parts of the scattered British Empire has been the cherished ambition of Mr. Marconi, but until the problem of establishing communication between this country and Canada was successfully solved little pro gress could be made with the idea. Now that a transatlantic wireless service is an accomplished fact, Mr. Marconi has been able, says the “Evening Standard,” to shape the idea of an Imperial system into a definite scheme, which al the present moment is being considered by the Colonial Office. This scheme aims at reducing materially the cost of com munication between the different Brit ish possessions, and Mr. Marconi is en couraged to hope for a favourable deci sion from the Government in respect to the scheme, particularly as Mr. Asquith last year expressed the view that ‘‘wire less telegraphy ought to bp taken into account in considering the question of communication as a very important factor, especially in connection with the discussion of laying fresh State-owned cables.” As the scheme is at present being con sidered by the Government, it would naturally be improper for the details to be divulged, but obviously it must take certain lines. Great Britain is already connected with Canada by means of the Glace Bay station, the terminal of the transatlantic service. Another wireless station would allow the West Indies to be linked up. and the network could be continued by wireless stations on British Guiana and Vancouver. Connecting Up. Here arc a few ways in which th* Empire could be connected up: Montreal to Sydney: Montreal to Gia

Bav, Glace Bay to Vancouver, Vancouver to* Hongkong, Hongkong to Singapore, Singapore to Perth, Perth to Adelaide, Adelaide to Sydney.

England to Wellington, New Zealand: England to Gibraltar, Gibraltar to Malta, Malta to Alexandria, Alexandria to Aden, Aden to Bombay, Bombay to Colombo, Colombo to Singapore, Singapore to Perth, Perth to Adelaide, Adelaide to Sydney, Sydney to Wellington (New Zealand). England to China: England to Gibraltar, Gibraltar to Malta, Malta to Alexandria, Alexandria to Aden, Aden to Bombay, Bombay to Colombo, Colombo to Singapore, Singapore to Hongkong. England to Africa : England to Gibraltar, Gibraltar to Aden, Aden to Mombasa, Mombasa to Durban, Durban to Capetown. Alternatively—England to Bathurst, Bathurst to Sierra Leone, Sierra Leone to St. Helena, St. Helena to Capetown. The number of wireless stations absolutely necessary to connect the British possessions need not be more than about twenty, and an expenditure of a million pounds would be involved in building them and about £200,000 involved in operating them. It has been suggested that either the Government should work this Imperial system of wireless stations themselves in conjunction with the various colonial Governments, and pay fli’e company who erected the stations so much a year, or agree to pay the contracting company so much per station in addition to a reasonable margin of profit. State Help.

What exactly are the terms proposed In M. Marconi's . scheme to the Government it would be premature at present to discuss, but it is certain they must provide for substantial help on behalf of the Imperial Government and the colonies. Should the scheme receive the necessary encouragement to bring it into effect, it will mean not only a revolution in the cost of telegraphic communication, but probably in time the introduction of so cheap a rate as a penny a word. This is not an idle hope, for it has engaged the attention of many experts interested in the cheapening of telegraphic communication, and generally it has been concluded that the only mediuhi of making a penny a word Imperial telegraph service is that of wireless telegraphy, in which the expense of laying down, repair and maintenance of costly cables is dispensed with.