HISTORICAL
In the year 1899 the Navy Department (Bureau of Equipment) first began seriously to investigate the general subject of the transmission of signals by electric waves, made possible by a system developed by Mr. Marconi and generally known at that time as Marconi wireless telegraphy.
Previous to this time many experiments had been carried on in parts of Europe to develop this means of transmission of signals, following the experiments of Professor Hertz on electric wave phenomena. In June, 1896, Mr. Marconi lodged his application for the first British patent for wireless telegraphy, and immediately experiments were taken up by the British Post Office authorities. At the beginning of 1897 communication was established over a distance of four miles, and by the latter part of the year, a distance of 14½ miles was reached between the first Marconi station erected on the Isle of Wight and South Cliff, Bournemouth, England. In 1899, three British warships, the flagship Alexandria and the cruisers Europa and Juno were equipped with Marconi apparatus, and messages were correctly exchanged between these vessels up to 74 nautical miles. Many other experimenters in different parts of Europe and some in the United States were carrying on trials and tests in this mode of communication, and at this time, the liveliest interest was evinced in this rapidly expanding science. The results attained on the English warships were so successful, that in the same year, 1899, Mr. Marconi brought three sets of his apparatus to this country for the use of the New York Herald in reporting the international yacht races for that year between the Shamrock and the Columbia. During these trials, the Navy Department directed a board of four officers to observe and report upon the working of the system. This may be said to have been the beginning of the use of wireless apparatus for the Navy Department, and was, in fact, the first government recognition of the possibilities involved, and as such this department of the government has always received proper credit for its forethought.
Following the report of the board referred to, the department placed two ships and a torpedo boat at the disposal of Mr. Marconi for further experiments with a shore station, established by permission of the Treasury Department on the grounds of the Highland Lights, near the entrance to the port of New York. This station has the distinction of being the first shore station erected in the United States, and the three vessels, the armored cruiser New York, battleship Massachusetts and the torpedo boat Porter, the first vessels of the U. S. Navy to be equipped with radio apparatus.
Another board was ordered to report on a series of trials lasting over a week, in the port of New York and at sea off the Highland Lights. This board made a favorable report on the usefulness of the Marconi system, but discovered the very serious defect that exists to some extent at this day, that of interference. At this time the department did not find it advisable to conduct any further experiments with the Marconi apparatus, but later recommended the installation of the Marconi devices on board several ships of the navy.
1900-1901
In the summer of 1900 apparatus similar to that of the Marconi system was installed at the Naval Torpedo Station, Newport, R. I., and instructions were given to a class of officers and men.
In 1900 and 1901 the Bureau of Equipment paid particular attention to the practical development of radiotelegraphy. The year's yacht races were again reported by means of radio apparatus and the efforts of press companies to report results were witnessed by an officer of the bureau. The systems in use at that time were those of the Marconi Company, the American Wireless Telegraph Company (De Forest system) and the American Wireless Telegraph and Telephone Company. Although the difficulties of interference could not be overcome, in its absence the apparatus of all companies worked successfully.
Other systems were being developed abroad, notably the Slaby-Arco system in Germany and the Ducretet system in France and Russia. The only new installations in the United States during this period, up to June, 1901, were those made by the New York Herald on board the government light-ship anchored off New South Shoals, and a similar station on Nantucket Island near the village of Siasconet, established for the purpose of reporting the arrival of transatlantic steamers.
This was a period of extravagant claims of all kinds by the various companies entering the commercial field, and it did not appear advisable to the Bureau of Equipment to adopt any particular system, as it was believed that none of them had yet passed beyond the experimental stage.
1901-1902
In October, 1901, Commander F. M. Barber, U. S. Navy, at that time retired and living in Paris, was, at the request of the Bureau of Equipment, especially detailed for duty in connection with the investigation of the subject of radiotelegraphy as being developed on the continent of Europe, and this officer made numerous valuable reports containing a great amount of information and constantly advised the bureau of the latest developments and inventions. There were four recognized systems developed in Europe at this time; viz:, the Slaby-Arco and Braun-Siemens-Halske, manufactured in Berlin, and the Rochefort and Ducretet, manufactured in Paris. The Bureau of Equipment purchased two sets of each of these systems, with the intention of testing the different kinds of apparatus in competition. Later, duplicate sets were purchased of the Lodge-Muirhead system of London, and the De Forest system of the United States. The Bureau of Equipment was not able to reach any satisfactory arrangement with the Marconi Wireless Telegraph Company for the purchase of its appliances, if after test it was desired. The company offered a duplicate set for test, but required it to be returned after the trials were finished, and further required the payment of a given sum for each set upon delivery and a royalty each year during the life of its patents. This was prohibitive on account of the cost involved and to the fact that it was illegal to obligate the payment of money beyond a single year.
During this period, 1901-1902, the Bureau of Equipment, to which was assigned the general subject of radiotelegraphy, was handicapped by a lack of officers to carry on this most important branch of its duties. Investigation showed that all countries were alive to the importance of the fast developing science, and that many countries had special commissions composed of army and navy officers and civilian experts to study the needs from a government point of view, and there was no navy administration that was not giving special attention to this subject. In the United States, those engaged in radiotelegraphy were assigned these duties in addition to their ordinary duties, and great credit should be given to these pioneers who assiduously worked in and out of hours that the Navy Department might be possessed of the best apparatus to be had at that time. Those especially engaged in this work were Commander Barber, then retired, the late Lieutenant Commander Beecher and the late Lieutenant J. M. Hudgins.
The great importance of radiotelegraphy as a means of communication between ships at sea and between ships and shore stations was well recognized and in consideration of the greatly increased value of such communication in time of war, the Bureau of Equipment invited the attention of the department to this special use, and recommended appropriate action on the part of the government to secure control over all radiotelegraphic stations along the coast. As early as this time, 1902, there were evidences that foreign governments were exercising careful supervision over the location of radio stations within their respective territorial limits with a view of having at all times absolute control thereof. If the recommendations of the bureau had been heeded, much of the interference complained of at this day might have been eliminated, and we might not now see our coasts dotted with radio stations built by foreign capital and equipped with foreign apparatus.
1902-1903
In August, 1902, a board of five naval officers was appointed by the Navy Department for the purpose of conducting tests of the various types of radio apparatus that had been previously obtained for this purpose. In general, the instructions to the board required a test of duplicate sets of the same make under the following conditions:
(1) Between two shore stations. Washington and Annapolis, 30 miles apart, were selected for these tests.
(2) Between Annapolis and a moving ship in Chesapeake Bay.
(3) Between two ships at sea, and at a considerable distance from the land.
The report of the board was made one year later, in September, 1903, and stated that the Slaby-Arco apparatus was superior to the other systems. Accordingly, 20 sets of this system were ordered for installation on ships and stations, and the following ships were equipped:
Baltimore, Illinois, Prairie, Topeka.
Kearsarge, Olympia, Texas,
and the following shore stations were equipped in the same manner:
Cape Elizabeth, Me., Navy Yard, N. Y.,
Newport, R. I., Highlands of Navesink, N. J.
Montauk Point, N. Y.,
The first ships to be fitted were the Prairie and Topeka which were used in the tests previously held.
In addition to the stations above mentioned, it was proposed to install apparatus in the following shore stations:
Navy Yard, Portsmouth, N. H., Cape Henry, Va.,
Navy Yard, Boston, Mass., Key West, Fla.,
Thatcher's Island, Cape Ann, Mass., Dry Tortugas, Fla.,
Highland Light, Cape Cod, Mass., Pensacola, Fla.
1903-1904
In August, 1903, a preliminary international wireless telegraph conference met at Berlin at which the United States was represented by Brig. Gen. A. W. Greely, U. S. A., Commander F. M. Barber, U. S. Navy (Retired), and Mr. John J. Watterbury of the Department of Commerce and Labor. A protocol was prepared by the conference which the delegates from several countries, including those from the United States, agreed to submit to their respective governments with recommendations that it be made the basis of an international convention. A summary of the protocol adopted by the convention is as follows:
Article I.—Concerns exchange of messages between vessels at sea and commercial coast stations under the following headings:
First. Defines coast station.
Second. Coast stations must receive from or forward to vessels at sea all wireless telegrams, irrespective of the system of wireless telegraph employed.
Third. Technical information likely to facilitate communication between vessels and coast stations must be made public.
Fourth. Fixes tariff rates for messages.
Article II.—Provides that an international convention shall establish rules regulating exchange of communications between ships and shore stations.
Article III.—Extends provisions of the St. Petersburg Telegraph Convention to wireless telegraphy.
Article IV.—Gives preference to signals of distress.
Article V.—Provides that all wireless telegraph stations shall be used in such a manner as to interfere as little as possible with other stations.
Article VI.—Reserves to any contracting government the right to enforce obedience by commercial stations in the respective countries to any regulations laid down by international convention.
Article VII.—Relieves government stations from all regulations except Articles IV and V.
Article VIII.—Provides for admission, on request, of other countries.
As a result of this preliminary conference, the International Radiotelegraphic Convention of Berlin was signed on November 3, 1906, and although the United States was represented at the preliminary convention, the result of which was the Berlin Convention, for reasons that cannot here be stated, the government did not become a signatory party to the convention until the spring of 1912, and was not bound by its provisions until May 25, 1912.
1903-1904
The years of 1903 and 1904 brought continued activity in the installation of radio apparatus both on ship and shore stations. Up to June 30, 1904, the following shore stations were equipped and put in operation:
Cape Elizabeth, Me., Navy Yard, New York, N. Y.,
Portsmouth, N. H., Highlands, N. Y.,
Key West, Fla., Dry Tortugas, Fla.,
Cape Ann, Mass., Boston, Mass.,
Montauk, L. I., Annapolis, Md.,
Washington, D. C., Norfolk, Va.,
Cape Henry, Va., San Juan, P. R.,
Culebra, W. I., Mare Island, Cal.,
Cape Cod, Mass., Yerba Buena, Cal.
Apparatus was installed on the following ships:
Alabama, Atlanta, Baltimore Boston,
Brooklyn, Columbia, Detroit, Dixie,
Iowa, Illinois, Kearsarge, Maine,
Massachusetts, Olympia, Mayflower, Prairie,
Minneapolis, Solace, Missouri, Texas,
Newark, Topeka, New York, Yankee.
And it was proposed to install apparatus on 69 other ships, practically all ships in commission or to be commissioned. Contract was also entered into for the installation on two light-ships, which relieve each other on Nantucket Shoals, and preparations were made for the installation of a set on the Farallon Islands off the Golden Gate, California, and at Cavite, P. I., and Colon, R. P. Preparations were also made for establishing stations at Honolulu and Guam.
As an illustration of the activity at this period, and of the number of stations it was thought necessary to equip to meet the requirements of the navy and the merchant service, the following list shows the proposed additional sites to be equipped with radio apparatus:
Frenchman Bay, Me., or vicinity,
Absecon Inlet, N. J.,
Cape Henlopen,
Assateague Inlet, between Currituck Beach light and Bodie Island light,
Cape Hatteras,
Cape Lookout,
Cape Fear,
Cape Romaine,
Charleston, S. C.,
Savannah River,
Cape Canaveral,
Cape Florida,
Alligator Reef,
Boca Grande,
Point Cebu,
Surigao Straits,
Tampa,
Cedar Keys,
Cape San Blas,
Mobile Bay,
Mouth of the Mississippi River,
New Orleans,
Raccoon Pt, La.,
Sabine Pass,
Galveston. Texas,
Mouth Rio Grande River,
Bahia Honda,
San Diego,
San Pedro,
Point Conception,
Point Sur,
Point Arena,
Point Tabunan,
Cape Mendocino,
Cape Blanco,
Columbia River,
Cape Flattery,
Point Townsend,
Bremerton,
Sitka,
Dutch Harbor,
Kisha Island,
Midway Islands,
Tutuila,
Cape Bojeador,
Point Predias,
Capones,
Olongapo,
San Bernardino Straits,
Point Suban,
Iloilo,
Busilan Straits.
It is needless to say that most of these stations were never built as the rapid development of the art rendered longer distance communication possible and the need of such a large number of stations no longer existed.
During the year 1904 it was first proposed to establish a time signal system by wireless telegraphy in connection with the Naval Observatory, and a wireless telegraph storm-warning signal service in connection with the Weather Bureau of the Department of Agriculture.
1904-1905
On June 24, 1904, the President appointed a board, since designated as the Inter-Departmental Board, to consider the entire question of wireless (radio) telegraphy in the service of the National Government. This board had as its members Rear Admiral Robley D. Evans, Rear Admiral Henry N. Manney, Brig. Gen. A. W. Greely, Lt. Comdr. Joseph L. Jayne and Prof. Willis L. Moore. At that time the following was found to be the status regarding government radiotelegraphic stations:
(a) The Department of Commerce and Labor had established no stations, but permission had been granted to other departments to erect 10 on lighthouse reservations and on the Nantucket Shoals light-ship and its relief.
(b) The army had operated six stations and was preparing to install two others in Alaska. Four other army stations were proposed.
(c) The Department of Agriculture had established 21 shore stations and contemplated others at prominent points along the coast.
(d) The Navy Department had established 20 shore stations. Arrangements were being made for the establishment of 10 more in the near future, for which the complete equipment, or some portion of it, had been ordered for each one. This included two light-ships that took turns on Nantucket Shoals. In addition to these 30 stations, it was proposed to establish about 50 more on shore. Twenty-four naval ships had already been equipped and 10 others were to be equipped immediately. It was proposed to equip 68 others in the very near future. In all there were installed or provided for about 200 radio sets on shore and afloat.
(e) The Treasury Department, while having under consideration radio installations for the Life Saving Service and the Revenue Marine Service, had established no stations, but had relied on a leased commercial radio system.
The following was found to be the status of private stations:
The Marconi Company had a long-distance station on Cape Cod for communicating across the Atlantic, and two others of comparatively short range on Long Island. The board understood that that company proposed to establish numerous stations along the Atlantic and Pacific coasts.
The New York Herald Company had a station on the lighthouse reservation on Sankaty Head, Nantucket Island, and had been permitted to maintain stations on the two light-ships which relieved each other on Nantucket Shoals. These privileges had been withdrawn, however, owing to the refusal of the Marconi Company, which operated them for the Herald, to receive wireless messages from vessels using other systems.
The American-De Forest Wireless Telegraph Company and the National Electric Signal Company (Fessenden system), had stations in the vicinity of New York, and both proposed to establish a chain of them along the coast. The former company had already begun operations at Cape Hatteras and at Key West, and had announced that they proposed to establish several stations to bridge the Pacific and make foreign connections. It had also established several stations away from the sea coast, especially on the Great Lakes, and was planning to have a regular interior system, according to one of its officers.
The Fessenden system had stations in Philadelphia and Washington. Fessenden stated that his company was negotiating for permission to establish communication with Bermuda. The Providence Journal maintained several stations in the vicinity of Narragansett Bay, and there were several other systems which were at that time not very active.
On the Pacific coast the Pacific Wireless Telegraph Company had several stations, and had been making persistent efforts to obtain authority to establish stations on the lighthouse reservation, Farallon Islands, and at other prominent government reservations along the Pacific coast.
There was an inter-island system operated in Hawaii.
Among the conclusions of the board were:
That wireless telegraphy is of paramount interest to the government through the Navy Department, and that its use by the signal corps of the army for communication between military posts of the army and other necessary links will be necessary both in peace and war, and such use shall be unrestricted. When interference seems probable between stations of the Navy and War Departments the question involved shall be mutually settled by representatives of the two departments.
That the maintenance of a complete coastwise system of wireless telegraphy by the Navy Department is necessary for the efficient and economical management of the fleets of the United States in time of peace and their efficient maneuvering in time of war.
Among the recommendations of the Inter-Departmental Board were:
That the necessary steps be taken that the Navy Department may equip and install a complete coastwise wireless telegraph system covering the entire coasts of the United States, its insular possessions and the Canal Zone in Panama.
We recommend that as fast as the naval wireless telegraph stations are put in operation the Navy Department be directed to receive and transmit through these stations, free of charge, all wireless messages to or from ships at sea, provided such stations do not come in competition with commercial stations, until such time as Congress may enact the necessary legislation governing this subject.
In conclusion, the board deems it essential that the Executive take such action as in his judgment seems wise to prevent the erection of private wireless telegraph stations where they may interfere with naval or military operations of the government until legislation may be had by Congress on this subject.
On July 29, 1904, the President approved the report of the Inter-Departmental Board and directed the several departments concerned to put its recommenations into effect.
The approval of this report virtually put the control of all coast radio stations under the jurisdiction of the Navy Department, and from that time until the present no other department of the government has operated coast stations with the exception of a few signal corps stations in Alaska, which are a necessary part of the Washington-Alaska-Military-Cable and Telegraph System.
In the spring and summer of 1905 large stations were built at Pensacola, Key West and San Juan, and new stations were built at Guantanamo and Colon. The stations at Cape Henlopen; Beaufort, N. C.; Charleston, S. C.; St. Augustine, Fla.; Jupiter Inlet, Fla., and New Orleans, La., were completed.
This period was also one of development and no standard set of apparatus had been decided upon. Comparative tests of apparatus furnished by a number of wireless telegraph companies were made, particular attention being given to methods of secrecy in sending and prevention of interference with messages being sent; also to ascertaining the relation of the various systems. In these tests the instruments were installed and operated by the representatives of the respective companies. All the principal companies at home and abroad, except the Marconi Company, entered the competition. This company offered to compete but for some unknown reason afterwards withdrew.
In the spring of 1905 the sending out of the noontime signal was first attempted and was made possible by co-operation of the Western Union Telegraph Company with the Naval Observatory, by means of which the time signals were received at the shore radio stations over the land lines, and by means of proper relays, the closing of the circuit in the Observatory, energized the transmitting apparatus during the interval the circuit was closed, and a series of dots were thus sent broadcast. The shore stations at Portsmouth, N. H.; Boston, Mass.; Navy Yard, New York; Washington, D. C.; Norfolk, Va.; Key West, Fla., and Mare Island, Cal., were the first equipped to send out the noontime signals.
Messages relating to storm warnings and other meteorological observations furnished by the Weather Bureau were sent broadcast to sea by the coast stations.
1905-1906
Progress made in radiotelegraphy for the above period was very great and the results achieved highly satisfactory. It remained the policy of the bureau to purchase different types of wireless apparatus from the various manufacturers in this country for installation in ship and shore stations, in order to encourage competition.
A complete chain of stations was established along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts, in the West Indies and on the Isthmus of Panama, and a chain was being completed on the Pacific coast from Tatoosh Island to Cape Flattery. The following additional stations were erected: Point Arguello, Cal.; Point Loma, Cal.; Navy Yard, Puget Sound; Honolulu, Hawaii, and Island of Guam.
Extensive changes were made in the stations at Cape Elizabeth, Cape Cod, Montauk Point and the Highlands of Navesink, and new apparatus was installed at the Portsmouth and Boston stations. Owing to the increased range of other stations in that vicinity the station at Cape Ann was abandoned.
The following table shows a comparative statement of the vessels and shore stations in the country and abroad equipped or about to be equipped with radiotelegraphic apparatus. From this it will be seen that, excluding the installations on foreign vessels, the United States had in operation more than half of all wireless installations in the world.
U. S. Foreign
Shore Stations (Naval) 39} 157
Shore Stations (Commercial and Army) 57f}
Vessels (Naval) 57
Vessels (Merchant) 56 81
The noontime signal was extended to all Atlantic and Pacific coast stations, and connections were made with local telegraph and telephone lines, especially those of the Life Saving Service and Weather Bureau.
Following the recommendations of the Inter-Department Board the coast stations were put in condition to receive and transmit to their destination messages from ships at sea. This was done free of charge and arrangements were made with the telegraph and telephone lines to forward such messages without prepayment. When a message was not prepaid, the company delivering it collected all charges, all arrangements as to tariffs, payment of messages, etc., were made between shipowners or agents and the companies operating the land lines, and the government played no part other than the receiving and transmission of messages to their destination.
1906-1907
Progress continued to be marked and the reliable radius of action both of shore and ship stations was considerably increased, effected not only by improvement in apparatus, but by a better practical working knowledge of the art, as each year found many more persons engaged in studying the theory with a consequent result of much improved material.
Installation of apparatus was continued on ships not already provided, and in some ships apparatus that was already out of date was replaced. Twenty ships were so equipped. The state of the art was such that constant attention was paid to material in order to keep pace with current development and to maintain the stations in the highest state of efficiency.
The stations at the Highlands and Montauk Point were abandoned as being not necessary for the maintenance of the coastwise chain and in place thereof a new station at Fire Island was put in satisfactory operation.
The chain on the Pacific coast was completed by the erection of stations at Tatoosh Island, North Head, Cape Blanco and Table Bluff (Eureka) and a station was in process of erection at Sitka by which it was hoped to maintain communication between Alaska and the Pacific coast of the United States. New apparatus was installed at the navy yards at Washington and New York.
As an indication of the distance of reliable communication at this period, the station at Point Loma (San Diego) reported hearing communication between the U. S. S. Connecticut, off the eastern coast of Cuba, and the Pensacola Station, and copied some of the messages. This was probably the longest reliable distance ever made up to that time.
1907-1908
Marked progress continued in radiotelegraphy, and there were many developments in apparatus whereby many of the early difficulties and imperfections were eliminated, resulting in great improvement both in range and accuracy of transmission of messages. Endeavors were concentrated on improving the apparatus already installed in the different stations to keep all in a high state of efficiency.
Recent developments in the art seemed to warrant the establishment of high-powered, long distance stations, and it was contemplated to erect in the near future such stations at Washington, on the Pacific coast, at Hawaii, Guam, Samoa and the Philippines, so that, wherever it might be, the fleet would at all times be in direct communication with Washington. Such stations would be important, not only as an adjunct to the navy both in time of peace and in time of war, but they would be of the greatest value to the merchant marine. All the coast stations were utilized by the Hydrographic Office in collecting and disseminating information with regard to storms, derelicts, icebergs and general meteorological information. Noontime signals were also sent out broadcast by the Naval Observatory through the coast stations.
The utility of wireless apparatus on merchant vessels was fast being recognized, and at this period every thing pointed to the fact that all vessels that go to sea must eventually be so fitted. Wireless telephony was tested on a number of ships but did not prove a valuable or satisfactory means of communication.
An interesting feature of the year was the general increase of long distance work and numerous cases of trans-Pacific communications were reported, and ships in the vicinity of the Hawaiian Islands exchanged messages with Farallon Islands, Cal. During the cruise of the Atlantic fleet around the world, messages were received across Central America by Pensacola and Washington, and by a system of relays the fleet was in touch with Washington on the trip across the Pacific practically at all times until after New Zealand was reached.
1908-1909
A station was erected and put in operation at Cordova, Alaska.
During this period a contract was entered into for the construction of a high-power station to be located in Washington; this station to have a radius of 3000 miles both by day and night; to be capable of overcoming interference and static disturbances and to be equipped with apparatus to insure secrecy of operation. Though rapid strides had been made in the art it was confidently hoped that those conditions could be fulfilled. Later developments proved that such could not be entirely accomplished; that is, the conditions as to the elimination of static disturbances and complete secrecy of communication. Part of the same contract provided for the installation of two similar sets of apparatus of lesser power on two scout cruisers and the flagship of the Atlantic fleet.
The message work of the coast stations continued to increase at a great rate and particularly with merchant vessels which were rapidly being fitted with radio apparatus. As the coast service was free, the greatest advantage was taken of this service.
The state of the wireless communication was fast becoming one of chaos with the great increase of private and commercial shore stations, ship and amateur installations, and the question of elimination of interference was one always uppermost in the minds of those trying to control the situation. Many semi-intelligent and wholly irresponsible operators employed or otherwise engaged in this occupation, who at any time through carelessness or stupidity might render hopeless the case of a shipwreck, made it imperative that laws governing the conduct of all radio stations should be passed. This was made the subject of many reports and repeated recommendations to adopt the terms of the Berlin Convention of 1905 went unheeded.
1909-1910
The year previous brought into the market the so-called high-frequency wireless apparatus, which, with the adoption of the quenched spark gap, did much to improve the general efficiency of transmitting apparatus. High-frequency apparatus was purchased for a number of vessels and shore stations for tests, the result of which indicated that the work of coast stations could be much improved by the introduction of this apparatus. Improvements were also made in the antenna masts, and the substitution of steel for wooden masts became quite general.
Experimental work continued with high-power apparatus and with portable wireless sets for use with landing parties and as auxiliary to the main sending sets of ships. The apparatus intended for the projected high-power station at Washington was installed in an experimental station at Brant Rock, Mass., and experiments were carried out with the two scout cruisers Salem and Birmingham which were fitted with similar apparatus of reduced power.
On account of lack of funds and inability to secure a proper site, work on the high-power station at Washington was not started. A modern medium high-power station was installed at Colon and stations of similar power were projected for Key West and on the island of Porto Rico. The installation of ships were improved as funds allowed, and all newly commissioned ships were furnished with the latest up-to-date apparatus.
1910-1911
The year 1910 saw the first Act of Congress bearing on the subject of wireless transmission enacted into law, and though it did not relate to wireless installations on government vessels, its passage was considerably due to the activities of officers of the Navy Department who had for years seen the necessity of some form of legislation to control the fast expanding system and to intelligently regulate its use as one of the greatest factors in safety at sea.
This Act of June 24, 1910, related to the equipment of ships leaving American ports with wireless apparatus and operators therefor. This was later amended by the Act of Congress approved July 23, 1912.
The Act of 1910 is believed to be the first recognition by this or any other government of the necessity of control over wireless installations, and this year marks an important step in the development of the art.
A site for the Washington high-power station was finally selected and a portion of the Fort Myer Military Reservation was set aside for the purpose, and contracts for the towers and buildings were let.
The necessity for stations on outlying islands in Alaska, principally for the business of the Department of Commerce and Labor, the Department of Agriculture and the Treasury Department became apparent, and preparations were begun for their erection and installation. Material for three new stations was assembled at Mare Island and embarked on the Buffalo with a working party from the navy yard. At the close of the fiscal year a temporary station at Kodiak had been completed and a temporary station at St. Paul, Pribilofs, and a permanent one at Unalaska were in course of erection. These stations handle business for all departments of the government and are of great assistance to commercial interests in transmitting commercial business to stations on the line of the Washington and Alaska Military Cable.
Steps were taken to select sites for important stations in Porto Rico; on the Island of Tutuila, Samoa; and at the Naval Station, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
Continued experiments were made on the development of reliable portable wireless sets for communicating uses for submarines, aeroplanes, landing parties and in special uses between a ship and its boats.
The necessity was recognized for a low-power, limited-range fog-signal wireless installation for ships, wireless stations, lighthouses and light-ships and special attention was paid towards the development of portable sets for this purpose.
1911-1912
Most of the year's work was concentrated on modernizing old installations in ship and shore stations, which the introduction of the high-frequency, quenched-gap apparatus made possible. All new ships were so equipped and as many of the older ships as the funds on hand allowed.
The work on the high-power station at Washington continued and rapidly approached completion.
The great Titanic disaster of April, 1912, rivetted the attention of our law makers anew to the absolute necessity of government control over radio apparatus and its operation. Up to this time the United States had not become a signatory party to the Berlin Convention, but the benefits ,to be derived were clearly shown by the great disaster, and the convention was proclaimed on May 25, 1912, by the President to the end that, "every article and clause thereof may be observed and fulfilled with good faith by the United States and its citizens thereof."
NOTE.—This convention is superseded by the terms of the London Convention, proclaimed by the President, and in so far as it does not conflict with existing law, becomes the law of the land.
1912-1913
In the summer of 1912 another expedition was fitted out at Mare Island for a trip to Alaska to refit certain stations and to erect others that experience proved necessary. An expedition left Mare Island on the Nero on May 20, 1912, and returned on November 23, 1912. During this period a modern medium power station was built at Unalga. A station was built at St. George, Pribilofs, as an auxiliary to the one at St. Paul, built in 1911. The station at Kodiak which had only been built the year before had been totally destroyed by volcanic eruption and it was rebuilt. The stations at Dutch Harbor (Unalaska), St. Paul, Cordova and Sitka were all refitted and brought up to date with modern apparatus.
The high-power station at Arlington was completed and put in successful operation in the fall of 1912. The apparatus installed there was the 100 k. w. set of the National Electric Signaling Company that had previously been used at Brant Rock, Mass.
In the spring of 1913 the coast station at Balboa on the Pacific side of the Isthmian Canal Zone was erected and put in operation. A station was also erected on the grounds of the American legation in the city of Peking, China, for communication between officials of the United States Legation and vessels of the Asiatic fleet. A station was erected at Port Royal, S. C., in connection with the Disciplinary Barracks at that place, to be used in connection with prisoners held on probation who may show aptitude as radio operators, and is not used for any official or commercial business.
The Act of Congress of August 22, 1912, contained this provision:
Toward the purchase and preparation of necessary sites, purchase and erection of towers and buildings, and the purchase and installation of machinery and apparatus of high-power radio stations (cost not to exceed one million dollars), to be located as follows: One in the Isthmian Canal Zone, one on the California coast, one in the Hawaiian Islands, one in American Samoa, one on the island of Guam, and one in the Philippine Islands, four hundred thousand dollars, to be available until expended.
In accordance with the authority contained in the above Act the Navy Department entered into a contract with the Federal Telegraph Company of San Francisco for the erection of a high-power station in the Isthmian Canal Zone. This station is to be of 100 k. w. power with transmission apparatus of the arc system, commonly known as the Poulsen system, sending out continuous undamped waves. There will be three 600-foot steel towers for the support of the antenna. This station will be erected in a location about half way across the Isthmus near San Pablo and along the route of the canal. The name given to it, Darien, retains the name of one of the early explorers in those regions, and with Colon on the Atlantic side of the canal and Balboa on the Pacific, the names of the first European explorers in the region of the canal are perpetuated in the names of the three radio stations.
The contract calls for the completion of the Darien Station within ten months from the time of signing the contract, in June, 1913.
Preliminary arrangements were made to locate sites for the other high-power stations authorized, and their erection will be pushed to completion after tests with the Darien Station have been made. The site for the station on the California coast was tentatively decided upon in the vicinity of San Diego, and the definite location was considered by a special commission. This commission was also authorized to look into a site for a proposed station near the mouth of the Rio Grande River, and near the town of Isabel, Texas.
Consideration was given to the erection of a moderately high-power station at the Training Station, Great Lakes.
The station at Cape Henlopen was abandoned in the spring of 1913, as the service formerly performed by it could be better taken care of by the station at Philadelphia (navy yard), at which a more powerful set was installed.
1913-1914
This was a period of great unrest in Mexico which necessitated the keeping of a large number of national vessels in Mexican waters. As many land telegraph lines in Mexico could not operate owing to the internal troubles of the country, advantage to a great extent was taken of the ships' radio installations for the transmission and reception of messages to and from distant radio stations which are connected to land lines of this country, and the naval radio service met very fully all the demands made on it. On the Atlantic side, the necessity of a shore station on the Gulf of Mexico as far south in the United States as possible was recognized and the erection of a station at Isabel, Texas, near the mouth of the Rio Grande, was hurried, the site procured and arrangements made for the necessary apparatus. The judgment of having a high power station near San Diego was confirmed and a site for this station was definitely decided on and will be acquired as soon as possible.
During this period a small radio station on Yerba Buena Island was reestablished for the sole purpose of instruction of enlisted personnel. This is not a transmitting station, except in emergencies and in special cases authorized by the commandant of the station.
In a matériel sense the development was generally along the lines of increased sensitiveness of receivers, made possible by the introduction of amplifiers which served to increase very materially the reception of otherwise weak signals. Such devices as the heterodyne and the audion cause weak signals to be magnified so that their reception is made much easier, and this has the same effect as increasing the range of audibility of signals, which in the past was accomplished by more powerful transmitting apparatus.
A matériel feature that served to increase the operating efficiency was the development of a quick wave-changing device, by which an operator could perform all the adjustments necessary when making a change from one wave length to another by the simple operation of moving a switch without altering his position at the operating key.
ADMINISTRATION
On August 13, 1912, Congress passed an Act entitled, "An Act to regulate radio communication," which became effective December 13, 1912. This was of far reaching importance and related to the control of all private radio stations, both on ship and on shore, as well as to the operation of all government stations.
Reference to Article 18 of this Act will show that provision is made for the opening of certain government shore stations to commercial business under the terms of the Berlin Convention of 1906, or future international conventions to which the United States may be a party. The provisions of this article coupled with the rapidly growing importance of radio communication in the fleets and in general between shore and ship impelled the Navy Department to establish an office whose sole duties are devoted to the administration and executive control of its radio service. The Office of Superintendent of Naval Radio Service was established by Navy Department General Order No. 240 of November 9, 1912, with headquarters at the Radio Station, Arlington, Va. This office, among other things, is charged with:
(1) The preparation of regulations and issue of detailed instructions for the operation of stations in accordance with military efficiency, international agreements in force, and the laws affecting the operation of naval radio stations.
(2) Control of the commercial work handled by naval radio stations, including issue of accounting and operating forms, auditing commercial accounts, traffic agreements, and accounting with commercial and other government managements involved.
The superintendent is authorized to correspond directly within the naval service in accordance with the procedure laid down by the Regulations in the case of bureaus and other offices under the Navy Department in regard to all matters in which he is authorized to take action, directly with private and commercial concerns upon matters of reciprocal interest relating to the commercial operation of naval radio stations in questions of interference, traffic arrangements, proposed charges of rates, and accounting.
The superintendent of Naval Radio Service is charged with all matters pertaining to the operation of radio apparatus ashore and afloat except certain technical operations assigned to the control of the Bureau of Steam Engineering. This executive control as far as it relates to operation extends to the radio installations on all ships of the navy, and to the following shore stations, which includes all those now in active operation:
Portland, Me.,
Portsmouth, N. H.,
Boston, Mass.,
Cape Cod, Mass.,
Nantucket Shoals Light-ship,
Newport, R. I.,
Fire Island, N. Y.,
New York, N. Y.,
Philadelphia, Pa.,
Annapolis, Md.,
Washington, D. C.,
Arlington, Va.,
Norfolk, Va.,
Diamond Shoals Light-ship,
Beaufort, N. C.,
Frying Pan Shoals Light-ship,
Charleston, S. C.,
St. Augustine, Fla.,
Jupiter, Fla.,
Key West, Fla.,
Pensacola, Fla.,
New Orleans, La.,
San Juan, P. R.,
Guantanamo Bay, Cuba,
Colon, Panama,
Porto Bello, Panama,
Balboa, I. C. Z.,
St. Paul, Pribilofs, Alaska,
St. George, Pribilofs, Alaska,
Unalga, Alaska,
Dutch Harbor, Alaska,
Kodiak, Alaska,
Cordova, Alaska,
Sitka, Alaska,
Bremerton, Wash.,
Tatoosh, Wash.,
North Head, Wash.,
Cape Blanco, Oregon,
Eureka, Cal.,
Mare Island, Cal.,
Farallons, Cal.,
Point Arguello, Cal.,
San Diego, Cal.,
Honolulu, Hawaii,
Guam,
Cavite, P. I.,
Olongapo, P. I.,
Peking, China
The control of the various radio stations as regards their administrative and operative features, as well as their inspection and maintenance, is vested in the commandants of the several naval stations, subject to Navy Regulations, general orders, and instructions prepared in the office of superintendent of Naval Radio Service.
The following table shows under whose direct control the various stations are placed:
Commandant, Navy Yard, Portsmouth, N. H.
Portland, Me.,
Portsmouth, N. H.
Commandant, Navy Yard, Boston, Mass.
Boston, Mass.,
Cape Cod, Mass.
Commandant, Naval Station, Narragansett Bay, Newport, R. I.
Newport, R. I.,
Nantucket Shoals Light-ship.
Commandant, Navy Yard, New York, N. Y.
New York, N. Y.,
Fire Island, N. Y.,
San Juan, P. R.
Commandant, Navy Yard, Philadelphia, Pa.
Philadelphia, Pa.
Superintendent, Naval Academy.
Annapolis, Md.
Commandant, Navy Yard, Washington, D. C.
Washington, D. C.
Superintendent, Naval Radio Service.
Arlington, Va.
Commandant, Navy Yard, Norfolk, Va.
Norfolk, Va.,
Diamond Shoals Light-ship,
Beaufort, N. C.
Commandant, Navy Yard, Charleston, S. C.
Frying Pan Shoals Light-ship,
Charleston, S. C.,
St. Augustine, Fla.,
Jupiter, Fla.,
Pensacola, Fla.,
New Orleans, La.
Commandant, Naval Station, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
Commandant, Naval Station, Key West, Fla.
Key West, Fla.
Superintendent of Transportation, Isthmian Canal Zone.
Colon, Panama,
Porto Bello,
Balboa,
Darien.
Commandant, Navy Yard, Mare Island, Cal.
Mare Island, Cal.,
Farallons, Cal.,
Point Arguello, Cal.,
San Diego, Cal.,
Eureka, Cal.,
Cape Blanco, Wash.,
North Head, Wash.,
Sitka, Alaska,
Cordova, Alaska,
Kodiak, Alaska,
Dutch Harbor, Alaska,
St. Paul, Pribilofs, Alaska,
St. George, Pribilofs. Alaska.
Commandant, Navy Yard, Puget Sound, Wash.
Bremerton, Wash.,
Tatoosh, Wash.
Commandant, Naval Station, Hawaii.
Honolulu, Hawaii.
Commandant, Naval Station, Guam.
Guam.
Commandant, Naval Station, Olongapo, P. I.
Cavite, P. I.,
Olongapo, P. I.
Commander-in-Chief, Asiatic Fleet.
Peking, China.
WORK OF NAVAL SHORE STATIONS.
Primarily every naval shore station was built to satisfy a military necessity and to form a link in the chain of communication by which the Navy Department is enabled to keep in touch with its ships at sea, either by direct or relayed messages. This service extends to all bureaus, offices and divisions of the Navy Department as well as to their different representatives in navy yards and stations, and to officers in command of fleets, divisions and ships.
Besides this purely naval work, the stations are available for the transmission of messages relating to the business of all departments of the government that involves shore to ship or ship to shore work.
TIME SIGNALS
The transmission of time signals to vessels at sea by means of radiotelegraphy was first accomplished in the United States in 1905 and this service, enlarged and extended, has continued to the present time. This service is of the greatest value to mariners, as it allows a means by which the transmitted signals may be compared with a ship's chronometer and the error of the chronometer found. Similar comparisons over a number of days enable data to be obtained by which not only the error may be found but also the chronometer rate; that is, the rate at which it is gaining or losing.
The noontime signal on the Atlantic coast is sent out through the coast stations by connection with Western Union telegraph lines from the U.S. Naval Observatory at Washington, D. C. By the operation of proper relays in electrical circuits the beats of the seconds of a standard clock in the Observatory are sent out broad cast as a series of radio dots commencing five minutes before the time of the final signal and by omitting certain dots in a series, the comparison between the dots and the beats of the chronometer seconds can be checked until the instant of local noon, 75th meridian time is reached. This is marked by a longer dot, the instant of closing the circuit to make this dot being the time of exact noon. A comparison of the chronometer time at that instant gives its error on 75th meridian time, and applying the difference in longitude, five hours, between the 75th meridian and Greenwich, the standard meridian, or 0° longitude, the error of the chronometer on Greenwich mean time is determined. Time signals are now sent out on the Atlantic coast only through the radio stations at Arlington, Key West and New Orleans. Signals from Arlington which reach a zone formerly served by other coast stations, are sent out every day in the year, twice a day; viz., at noon and at 10 p. m., 75th meridian time. Time signals from Key West and New Orleans are sent out daily, including Sundays and holidays, commencing 11.55 a. m., 75th meridian time, and ending at local noon.
In case of failure of the Arlington high powered station for any cause, the signals are sent out by the small set in the same station, and the stations at Boston, Newport, Norfolk and Charleston are notified, and they each send broadcast the signals.
On the Pacific coast, time signals are sent broadcast to sea through the naval radio stations at Mare Island, Eureka and San Diego in California and at North Head, Washington. The controlling clock for each station is in the Naval Observatory at the Mare Island Navy Yard. Signals from Mare Island are sent out every day from 11.55 to noon and from 9.55 to 10.00 p. m., 120th meridian standard time; those from North Head, Eureka and San Diego are sent out daily, except Sundays and holidays from 11.55 a. m. to noon, 120th meridian standard time.
It is not necessary that an elaborate radio installation be employed for the purpose of receiving these signals, nor that a skilled operator be in attendance. Any vessel provided with a small receiving apparatus with one or two wires hoisted as high as possible and insulated from all metallic fittings, or preferably stretched between the mastheads with one wire led down to the receiver, may detect these signals when within range of one of the seacoast radio stations. To get the best clearness of signals, the receiving circuit should be tuned to that of the sending station. Arlington and Mare Island send on a 2500 meter wave. North Head and San Diego on a 2000 meter wave. Eureka on a 1400 meter wave and Key West and New Orleans on a 1000 meter wave.
WEATHER REPORTS
Through co-operation with local offices of the U. S. Weather Bureau, weather forecasts are sent broadcast to sea through naval coast radio stations at certain times which vary with the locality. Coast stations are generally prepared to give local forecasts to passing vessels without charge on request. Storm warnings are sent whenever received.
Since July 15, 1913, a daily weather bulletin has been distributed by the naval radio stations at Arlington, Va., and at Key West, Fla., a few minutes after the 10 p. m. time signal.
The daily bulletin consists of two parts. The first part contains code letters and figures which express the actual weather conditions at 8 p. m., 75th meridian time, on the day of distribution at certain points along the eastern coast of North America; one point along the Gulf of Mexico, and one at Bermuda. The second part of the bulletin contains a special forecast of the probable winds to be experienced a hundred miles or so off shore, made by the U. S. Weather Bureau for distribution to shipmasters. The second part of the bulletin also contains warnings of severe storms along the coast as occasion may arise.
The points for which weather conditions are furnished are designated respectively by their initial letter, except in the case of Nantucket, for which the letter T is used; accordingly, S, Sydney; A, Atlantic City; H, Hatteras; C, Charleston; K, Key West; P, Pensacola, and Br, Bermuda.
The report is made by means of a special code furnished to mariners, and is followed by a general forecast for different zones of the coast. With the information contained in these broadcast messages, mariners should be able to make their own forecasts in addition to that given by the official forecaster at the headquarters of the Weather Bureau at Washington.
Preliminary arrangements have been made by which weather reports will be exchanged between a Russian station at Anadyr, Siberian Russia, and Alaskan naval stations. This weather reporting service will also be enlarged to include reports from various stations in the West Indies which will be sent out from the high power station at Darien, on the Canal Zone, for the benefit of ships in the Caribbean and on the Pacific side which may be in transit to or from the Panama Canal.
HYDROGRAPHIC INFORMATION
Information concerning wrecks, derelicts, ice and other dangerous obstructions to navigation whenever received from the Hydrographic Office or from a branch hydrographic office is sent broadcast from naval radio stations four times daily; viz., at 8 a. m., noon, 4 p. m., and 8 p. m., local (standard) time of station. Ships within range of such stations should be prepared to receive these hydrographic messages at the hours mentioned, and should avoid sending at these times. One vessel sending may prevent several others receiving information necessary to their safety. Naval stations will furnish information to passing vessels on request whenever practicable at other hours than those mentioned above.
The International Convention on Safety of Life at Sea, which convened in London on November 12, 1913, invited the Government of the United States to undertake the management of the services of derelict destruction, study and observation of ice conditions and ice patrol in the North Atlantic. By this convention the master of every ship which meets with dangerous ice or a dangerous derelict is bound to communicate the information by all means at his disposal (the principal of which will be the wireless installation) to the ships in the vicinity, and also to the competent authorities at the first point of the coast with which he can communicate. This information will be forwarded to the Hydrographic Office, New York, and there made known to maritime exchanges and further will be forwarded to the headquarters at Washington to be broadcasted to sea from the Arlington radio station following the time signal and weather reports. At such times ships are listening on the long wave of Arlington, 2500 meters, and their receiving circuits will be tuned to receive the ice or derelict reports. In order to prevent delay in having such information reach as many ships as possible, the coast stations which first receives the information will at once broadcast it, and with the increased power, should reach ships that could not be reached by the first reporting ships.
Another provision of the convention requires that every ship fitted with a radio telegraphic installation which becomes aware of the existence of an immediate and serious danger to navigation, shall report it immediately to the Hydrographic Office, Washington, or to the Hydrographic Office, London. Such information reaching the Hydrographic Office, Washington, will be broadcasted through appropriate naval stations. The reporting of information concerning ice and derelicts is compulsory under the terms of the London Safety Convention, the reporting of information relating to weather is voluntary. Information can be forwarded either in full or by means of a code adopted by the convention.
The radio stations which have to transmit to ships information involving safety of navigation and being of an urgent character (icebergs, derelicts, cyclones, typhoons, sudden changes in the position or form of fixed obstructions or of land marks) are required to make use of the following signal, called the safety signal, repeated at short intervals ten times at full power — — — (T T T). All radio stations receiving the safety signal are required, if the transmission of messages by them would interfere with the receipt of any other station of the safety signal and the following safety message, to keep silence, in order to allow interested stations to receive that message.
The safety message will be transmitted one minute after the safety signal has been sent out and should be repeated thereafter three times at intervals of ten minutes.
The above information will be sent out by naval stations as soon as it reaches them, and again later by such stations that transmit time signals and will follow the weather reports.
GENERAL SHIP TO SHORE WORK
The installations of the naval coast stations, including those on the light-ships on Nantucket Shoals, Diamond Shoals and Frying Pan Shoals are placed at the service of the public generally and of maritime interests in particular for the purpose of:
(a) Reporting vessels and intelligence received by radio telegraphy with regard to maritime casualties, derelicts at sea, overdue vessels, and the reporting of all matters pertaining to ships in distress.
(b) Receiving radiograms of a private or commercial nature from ships at sea, for further transmission by telegraph, telephone or cable lines.
(c) Transmitting radiograms to ships at sea from inland points.
Information contained under heading (a) is transmitted free of all costs as far as radio charges are concerned. Headings (b) and (c) relate entirely to commercial work and will be considered separately.
Light-ship stations are authorized to transmit reports received from masters of passing vessels to their owners, agents, or maritime agency to the nearest naval radio station without charge, but in all such cases arrangements must be made by such owners or agents for the forwarding of messages by land telegraph from the coast station to point of destination.
Light-ships display storm warnings when information regarding such is furnished them from the Weather Bureau by means of radiograms through coast stations. Ship owners desiring to use any special code of signals for communicating with light-ships fitted with radio apparatus to be by them transmitted to shore and then to destination may make special arrangements with the Navy Department, Superintendent of Naval Radio Service.
The radio service connected with the transmission is free, but arrangements must be made with land lines for the forwarding charges.
FOG SIGNALS AND DIRECTION FINDERS
The naval radio service is engaged in making experiments with radio installations that may be of value in case of fog or thick weather. Certain shore stations which may or may not be radio stations are fitted with small automatic sending apparatus, which may be set in operation in time of fog or thick weather by anyone unskilled in the art of transmitting radio signals. This apparatus will transmit by means of radio apparatus dots and dashes the distinctive signal of the station, and will correspond to the sound signals emitted by the ordinary fog signals. These radio signals will be sent with very low power and on a short wave length so their range of transmission will be comparatively short, but considerably longer than the ordinary range of the sound signal. These signals will be of help in picking up a shore station, as the radio signals will be heard further than the sound signals, and an estimate of the distance may be made. It is so arranged that the same operation that closes the circuit for making radio signals acts to operate the sound signal, and by noting by a stop watch, the interval between the time of the reception of the radio signal and the sound signal, and knowing the relative velocities of the electric and sound waves, a very close approximation of the distance can be made.
There are two general classes of radio direction finders. One of these requires special apparatus on shipboard with no special apparatus on shore other than the ordinary transmitter, the other system requires special apparatus on shore and no special apparatus on board ship other than the ordinary radio receiver and a stop watch.
In case of fog the first system may be made use of when radio signals of any description are heard from a shore station, a system of moving coils in connection with a special ship's aerial, giving a means of determining the bearing of the shore station at a certain time. After a given run of the ship another hearing can be obtained, and knowing the course and distance run, a close approximation to the ship's position can be obtained. The second system requires special antennae at the shore station, umbrella type, one lead running north and south, the others in a direction corresponding to the points of the compass. Signals are sent out broadcast through each wire of the antennae in succession and the received signals on shipboard are of greater or less intensity depending upon the particular section of the antennae, being greatest through the section which most nearly corresponds to the bearing of the ship, or 180° from it. There is a distinctive signal transmitted through the north section of the antennae, and when this is heard a stop watch on board ship is started and this is stopped when the received signal becomes of the greatest intensity. This furnishes a ready means of obtaining the bearing of the shore station or the 180° from it, and the real bearing should readily be known.
COMMERCIAL WORK OF NAVAL COAST STATIONS1
Under the authority contained in article 18 of the Radio Act of August, 1912, the following shore stations are now opened for the transmission of commercial business between ship and shore, and shore and ship:
Charleston, S. C., Eureka, Cal.,
St. Augustine, Fla., Point Arguello, Cal.,
Jupiter, Fla., San Diego, Cal.,
Pensacola, Fla., Guam,
Key West, Fla., St. Paul, Pribilof Islands, Alaska,
Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, St. George, Pribilof Islands, Alaska,
San Juan, P. R., Unalga, Alaska,
Colon, R. P., Dutch Harbor, Alaska,
Balboa, I. C. Z., Kodiak, Alaska,
Tatoosh Island, Wash., Cordova, Alaska,
North Head, Wash., Sitka, Alaska.
Cape Blanco, Oreg.,
By Navy Department General Order No. 10 of February 7, 1913, the radio stations on board all vessels of the navy were opened to general public service, under certain restrictions, for the accommodation of officers and crews of such vessels. The restrictions in this service vary in the different fleets and the service is subject to the general control of the senior officer present afloat.
Commercial work handled by naval radio shore stations is conducted entirely in accordance with the provisions of statute law, and of international conventions which have been ratified by the Senate of the United States and proclaimed by the President. Until September 1, 1913, this service was conducted under the terms of the Berlin Convention, on which date the terms of the London Radiotelegraphic Convention became effective.
In general, commercial work involves only plain ship to shore, shore to ship, or ship to ship work, but relaying is allowed under certain conditions. Communication for commercial work from point to point, that is, from one coast station to another by radio is not contemplated by the convention.
1Most of the matter contained under this general heading is taken from the Handbook of Regulations, United States Naval Radio Service, 1913, which was prepared in the Office of the Superintendent Naval Radio Service. It is made a part of this article in the hope of reaching a class of readers to whom the Handbook is not available.
RELAYING
Messages are entitled to be relayed under the following conditions:
(a) In case direct communication cannot be established between the station of origin and destination.
(b) In case the relaying is solely for the purpose of reaching the nearest coast station (of messages originated on a ship).
(c) In case the relaying ship or station is in position to forward the message.
(d) In case the total number of relays does not exceed two. Messages originating on a ship may be relayed to another ship by means of:
(1) One or two ships.
(2) A coast station.
(3) Two coast stations and then connecting telegraph lines. Messages from shore may be relayed to a ship by another ship, but only in case the sender has specifically demanded such relay and the preamble contains instructions as to the number of relays which must not exceed two.
In cases of relaying to a ship at sea, the coast station forwards the message by one or two relay ships and then notifies the office of origin what the amount of relay charges is, that they may be collected of the sender. All relay charges must be prepaid as must all other charges on radiograms. There is but one charge per station allowed; that is, the reception and retransmission is made a single—not a double—charge. The naval radio service makes no charge for relaying messages, nor do certain of the commercial companies, notably the Marconi Wireless Telegraph Company and their affiliated companies.
COUNTING OF WORDS AND CHARGES
The cable count is used on all radiograms; that is, every word of the address, message and signature is counted and paid for at a certain rate per word, though every radiogram carries a minimum charge which is equal to that of a 10-word radiogram. Where transmission is effected partly over cables, only the actual number of words is charged and paid for the transmission. The address must contain at least two words, one of which must be the coast station through which the message is transmitted, but a signature is not necessary, and there is no limit to the number of words in the message.
Messages may be sent from vessels at sea through certain naval coast stations to any point or destination reached by telegraph, cable or telephone lines, or intended for local delivery, and similarly messages may be filed locally or sent from any land point by telegraph, cable or telephone lines to coast stations for transmission to vessels at sea.
The maximum charge allowed by the London Convention is 60 centimes (about 11.6 cents) per word for coast stations and 40 centimes (about 7.7 cents) per word for ship stations. The rate fixed for naval coast stations is 6 cents per word for all stations except Guam (5 cents) and the stations at North Head, Washington, and Eureka, California, which have the 6-cent rate for plain ship to shore work, but which apply special rates on radiograms to or from Alaskan stations.
The ship rate for naval vessels is 4 cents per word on all commercial messages intended for ships; on such messages from officers and crew of a ship there is no ship charge. The ship rate of commercial vessels is fixed by the companies operating the radio installations, and these rates vary with the service the vessel is engaged in and the character of the voyage.
The coast station rate is practically the same as the rate of commercial companies doing the same class of work. If the rate was higher, the service would not offer the same accommodation to the travelling public, and if lower, would have the effect of competing with commercial companies something which it is not assumed that the law contemplates.
CLASSES OF MESSAGES
For the purpose of identifying and properly accounting for the many different kinds of messages that are handled by ship and shore stations, messages are grouped by classes, and each is given a special prefix which determines its final accounting.
These are:
Class A, OFM, Official Business, Navy Department.
Class B, OFM, Official Business, other departments of the government than Navy Department; foreign government ships or stations.
Class C, OFM, Hydrographic and weather reports.
Class D, RADIO, Commercial.
Class E, MSG, Unofficial, authorized messages (not service messages).
Class F, PU, Urgent personal.
A special prefix SVC is used on service messages between operators concerning the handling of radiograms and this prefix is used to obtain or impart information relative to the handling of messages, to accounts, rates, traffic arrangements, schedules, tests and generally the despatches of business, official and commercial.
The official business of the Navy Department (Class A) embraces all the business connected with all bureaus, offices and divisions or subdivisions of the department in Washington, or their representatives in the various navy yards and stations, official communication between ships of the navy, and generally between all persons in the naval service on purely official business. Messages from officials of all other departments of the government who have occasion to send official messages to their own or other departments through naval coast stations are grouped as Class B. These embrace officials of the Revenue Cutter Service, Army Transport Service, Lighthouse Service, Department of Commerce through their radio inspectors, and other officials of various branches of the government who may have occasion to send messages to or from ships at sea.
Class C messages embrace all hydrographic and weather reports to and from ships at sea.
Class D messages are strictly commercial and carry the prefix RADIO. Special classes will be referred to later.
Class E messages with special prefix MSG are authorized for unofficial radiograms by flag or commanding officers' personal use. They must involve no land line transmission, unless it be delivered by telephone to a local address, one which involves no tolls for telephoning. Under certain conditions the commanding officer may authorize the sending of Class E messages by other persons on board, to be sent to the nearest naval coast station, with the same restrictions as to connecting line charges as mentioned above. Class E messages cannot be sent to a ship or station operated by commercial companies.
Class F messages were established for the purpose of giving officers and crews of naval vessels special facilities in sending messages in which land line transmission is involved, to their families and friends, relating to matters of an urgent personal nature, concerning death, serious illness or accident. Messages on semi-official business, as requests for leave or change of duty, are also allowed under this class.
These messages may be sent through naval ship and coast stations only, whether open to public business or not. In all cases they must originate on board ship; messages of a similar character originating on shore are Class D messages, strictly commercial.
On Class F messages there are no radio charges, either ship or station, but land line tolls must be fully prepaid. These charges are computed by cable rules, ten word minimum, the same as for commercial radiograms. They may be relayed only as far as necessary to reach the nearest naval radio coast station in the continental limits of the United States. They must be duly authorized by the senior officer present and sent at such times as he may direct. Land line charges must be fully prepaid on board ship. Replies to Class F messages, if by radio, must be made through stations open to commercial business, commercial or naval, and the station and ship rate must be applied.
SPECIAL CLASSES OF COMMERCIAL RADIOGRAMS
Additional to the regular type of commercial prepaid message, the special types given below are authorized. The following list gives the names of the special types and also the abbreviated designations by which they are known:
Classes of Messages Designations
Radiograms with answer prepaid (on land lines
"Reply Prepaid") RP
Radiograms calling for repetition of message (on
land lines "Repeat Back") TC
Special delivery radiograms EXPRESS
Radiograms to be delivered by mail POST
Radiograms to be delivered by registered mail PR
Multiple radiograms TM . . x . .
Radiograms calling for acknowledgment of receipt .
{PCP (by mail)
{PC (by telegraph).
Acknowledgment of above CR
Paid service notice RADIO ST (prefix)
"Ocean Letters" or radiograms to be mailed by a
ship at a port of call POSTE (in address)
The following types of messages are not allowed as radiograms:
Telegraph money order.
Telegrams at reduced rates for night letters, deferred cablegrams, etc.
Urgent telegrams, to take precedence over regular telegraphic traffic.
The last class, "Urgent telegrams," is allowed on European systems, but not in North America.
INSTRUCTIONS CONCERNING SPECIAL CLASSES OF RADIOGRAMS
RADIOGRAMS WITH ANSWER PREPAID
These contain the abbreviated instruction "RP....," the dots standing for the amount paid for return message. This expression is transmitted in two places, and is charged for once, "RP...." (including the amount) is counted in the check as ONE word. In sending by radio to foreign ships, the amount must be expressed in francs, based on a value of 20 cents to a franc. On land lines of the United States the value of the reply is expressed by the number of words prepaid for such reply. To conform to international agreements, this number of words is translated at a coast station to the corresponding money value equivalent to the number of words. Similarly when received from ships with a given amount of money expressed, the coast station, before forwarding to the land line, converts the amount into its equivalent of so many words.
The receiver of a reply prepaid message is given a voucher equal in value to the amount prepaid for reply. This voucher is good for six weeks. It should be carefully noted that the receiver of such a message on shipboard is not bound to send a reply to the sender of the original message, but may apply the value of his voucher to the payment of any message he wishes to send.
RADIOGRAMS CALLING FOR REPETITION OF MESSAGE
Such repetition is for the purpose of verification only. In this case the expression "TC" or the words "repeat back" are used. This expression is transmitted in two places and is charged for once as ONE word. In this case the message is repeated back by each station that handles it to the one before. The additional charge for repeating back is one-fourth of the regular tolls.
SPECIAL DELIVERY RADIOGRAMS
These are messages which involve delivery beyond the limits of a telegraph office, which is accomplished by telephone or messenger. The International Convention stipulates that these shall be accepted only in cases where the charge for special delivery is paid by the addressee. The special prefix for this class of messages is "EXPRESS," which is transmitted in two places and is charged for as ONE word.
RADIOGRAMS TO BE DELIVERED BY MAIL
These are distinguished by the service instruction POST transmitted in two places and charged for once as ONE word. When such a radiogram is received at a coast station, it is sent by mail to the addressee, or if the name of some other place follows the word "POST" it will be forwarded by land line to that place with the instruction "mail." It is then mailed from the telegraph office to which forwarded. In addition to the extra charge for the word "POST" there is an additional charge collected from the sender of 5 cents for postage, and if the expression "PR" is used instead of "POST" it signifies that the letter is to be forwarded by registered mail which carries a collection from the sender of 15 cents instead of five cents.
MULTIPLE RADIOGRAMS
By a multiple radiogram is meant one message addressed either to several persons, or to the same person at several addresses, in the same locality or in different localities served by the same telegraph office. Such messages contain the abbreviation "TM . . x" ("x" standing for the number of different addresses). This is transmitted in two places and in the address is counted in the check for radio transmission. It is not forwarded over the land lines in the United States; therefore, such a message is charged for as so many different messages as far as land line transmission is concerned, and is so put on the land lines. Such a message is received by the coast station as one radiogram with multiple address, and it is there sent out as separate messages, each with its own address, the body of the message being repeated in each.
RADIOGRAMS CALLING FOR ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF RECEIPT
Such acknowledgment is limited to notification of the date and hour at which the coast station shall have transmitted the radiogram to the ship to which it was addressed. This notification is sent to the office of origin either by telegraph or mail, at the option of the sender of the message. The instruction to send acknowledgment of receipt is transmitted by the letters "PC," or the words "Acknowledgment Paid" as supplementary instructions at the end of the preamble, and also as the first item of the first address. The letters "PC" in the address are counted in the check charged for as one word. This calls for telegraphic acknowledgment by mail, and are charged for as one word. Should the expression "Acknowledgment Paid" be written on the blank, it shall be transmitted by the abbreviation.
If telegraphic acknowledgment is requested, the sender of the message is charged for a five-word telegram, by the same route. Mail acknowledgments are sent free. They are addressed to the telegraph office at which the message originated. Telegraphic acknowledgment is announced by service message containing the abbreviation "CR," followed by the name of the addressee, ship, the word "transmitted," and the hour and date.
PAID SERVICE NOTICES
These are service messages, i. e., messages exchanged only between OFFICES (stations), whether radio or telegraph, sent at the request of a sender of a commercial message, and are charged for at regular rates. The London Convention prohibits paid service messages calling for repetition or information. Paid service messages are designated by the prefix "RADIO ST" instead of "RADIO." They may be sent for various reasons, as, to rectify or complete an address; to rectify or complete the text; to cancel a message.
OCEAN LETTERS
(Radiograms to be Mailed by a Ship at a Port of Call)
Radiograms may be transmitted by a coast station to a ship, or by a ship to another ship, to be forwarded by mail from a port of call of the ship receiving the radiogram. These are known as "Ocean Letters." Such radiograms are not entitled to any relaying by radio. The address of such a radiogram shall embrace the following:
(1) The paid designation "Poste" or (if sent to a U. S. ship) "Mail," followed by name of port at which message is to be mailed.
(2) Name and complete address of addressee.
(3) Name of station on shipboard by which radiogram is to be mailed.
(4) When necessary the name of the coast station.
The rate shall comprise, in addition to the radio and telegraph rates, the sum of five cents ($.05) for postage.
ACCOUNTING
The system of accounting in vogue follows the requirements of Article XLII of the Service Regulations affixed to the International Convention of London, 1912. This article requires that the accounts regarding radio charges shall be drawn up by the radio managements to which the coastal stations are subject. Coastal and shipboard charges do not enter into the accounts provided for by the International Telegraph Regulations.
The primary requirement in the transmission of all radiograms is the prepayment of all charges from point of origin to point of destination, and no "collect" radiograms of any class is recognized. All telegraph, cable and radio companies operating follow the same general system of accounting, which is, that the system on which a message originates becomes responsible for all the charges on said message, and that system collects full tolls and thereupon pays to the next connecting line its tolls plus all tolls due forwarding lines; in turn, the second system handling the message pays the third connecting line its tolls and all tolls due systems following that system.
Although the system on which the radiogram originates collects all tolls and is responsible for all charges beyond its system, the accounts are, in accordance with the Service Regulations, London Convention, drawn up by the radio management of the coast stations. This means that all the coast stations belonging to the Naval Radio Service which are opened to public general correspondence, draw up the accounts on all messages that pass through them, either from shore to ship, or from ship to shore.
The required prepayment from shore to ship includes land line or cable charges from point of origin to the coast station (or a message may be filed locally at a coast station, in which the above charges do not appear), the coast station charge and the ship station charge. If the message originates on ship and is destined to a shore point, the charges to be applied and paid on board ship are the ship's charge, the coast station charge and the land line or cable charges to destination. If destined to be delivered locally at the coast station, there may be no forwarding charges. Thus on a message from an inland point to a ship at sea, the administration of the coast station charges the forwarding land line company which handed the message to it with its own station charge plus the ship station charge, and on collection turns over to the administration controlling the ship installation, the amount due it, retaining its own charge. Similarly on messages from sea the administration of the coast station through which the message passed charges the company controlling the ship installation with the shore station charge plus all forwarding charges due to land line or cable companies. On collection of these charges, the administration of the coast station turns over to the forwarding company its proportion of the charges and retains its own.
The general principle followed is that the coast station debits the company that handed the message to it, whether from ship or shore, with its own and all forwarding charges, and credits the proper companies with all charges beyond it. Thus in case a shore has no direct physical connection with a land telegraph or cable line, but is connected by means of a telephone line the administration of the coast station does its accounting with the company controlling the telephone line and turns over all forwarding charges to it, and this company in turn accounts with any further forwarding company, unless both telephone and telegraph lines are controlled by the same company.
Most naval coast stations in the continental limits of the country have direct connection with either the Western Union Company telegraph lines or Postal Company telegraph lines and some have both. In some instances there is but a telephone line connection as at Cape Blanco, Ore., where accounting is done with the Coos Bay Home Telephone Company. At Tatoosh the connecting telegraph line is controlled by the Weather Bureau which involves accounting with that bureau. Several naval coast stations that are open to commercial business are on outlying possessions, as at Guantanamo Bay, San Juan, Colon, Darien, Balboa, Guam and stations in Alaska. These are connected to land lines in the countries in which they are situated, some of them foreign as in the cases of Guantanamo through Cuba, the Canal Zone stations through the Republic of Panama, and all are connected with other points by cables which through their connections may reach all parts of the world. As an illustration of the work falling on the administration of the Naval Radio Service due to its comercial business, it is but necessary to name the different companies with which the Office of the Superintendent must do accounting. Companies which own or control lines or cables which connect with naval coast stations open to commercial business are:
Bahama Cable Company,
Commercial Pacific Cable Company,
Compagnie Francaise des Cables Telegraphiques,
Coos Bay Home Telephone Co.,
Cuban Telegraph Co.,
Direct West India Cable Co.,
Insular Telegraph Co.,
Panama Rail Road Telegraph Co..
Postal Telegraph Cable Co.,
West India and Panama Telegraph Co.,
Western Union Telegraph Co.
Companies which own or operate radio installations on board ship and with which accounting is necessary are:
Atlantic Communication Co.,
"Debeg Company,"
Dollar Steamship Co.,
Deutsch Amerikanische Petroleum Co.,
Furness Withy & Co., Ltd.,
Funch Edye & Co.,
Hamburg American Line,
Herrera S. S. Co.,
Marconi Wireless Telegraph Co. of America,
United Fruit Co., or
Tropical Radio Telegraph Co.
Of the above the Marconi Wireless Telegraph Company of America accounts, either direct or through their affiliated companies, for about 1800 vessels, the Debeg 250 vessels and the United Fruit Company or Tropical Radio Telegraph Company 22 vessels. In addition to the above there are many individual ships and yachts on which the radio installation is owned by the owners of the vessels and not by radio operating companies, in which case accounting is done direct with such owners or agents.
Accounting is necessary with eight or ten fish canning and packing companies which operate small shore stations in Alaska for their own business convenience. These stations, though on shore, are considered as ship stations for all purposes of accounting.
Accounting is necessary with many departments of the government, as the Revenue Cutter Service of the Treasury Department, the Army Transport Service of the War Department, and the Army Signal Corps Service, through connections in Alaska over the military cable.
INTERNATIONAL ACCOUNTING
The Office of the Superintendent of Naval Radio Service is charged with the settlement of all international accounts. This involves accounting with foreign governments which may control coastal stations through which pass messages from our own national vessels, but includes the accounting on all messages which pass through any of our coast stations, either privately or government owned, from foreign national vessels. Private operating companies controlling shore stations in the United States which transmit messages originating on foreign national vessels forward their accounts to the Naval Radio Service for collection and this office deals directly with corresponding offices of the governments concerned. Similarly when any of our national vessels have occasion to use foreign coastal stations in the transmission of radiograms, the administration controlling the shore stations sends their accounts to the superintendent's office for collection. In all cases the shore station accounts include their own and all forwarding charges, and on receipt of charges, they retain their own tolls and turn over the balance to the first forwarding company.
DISPOSITION OF TOLLS COLLECTED
All tolls collected on account of radiograms handled by naval coast or ship stations are, in accordance with the Radio Act of August, 1912, turned into the Treasury as miscellaneous receipts.