THE fact that there are any survivors of the Titanic
left to tell the story of the terrible catastrophe is
only another of the hundreds of instances on record
of the value of wireless telegraphy in saving life on shipboard.
Without Marconi's invention it is altogether probable that
the world would never have known of the nature of the
Titanic's fate, for it is only barely within the realm of
possibility that any of the Titanic's passengers' poorly clad,
without proper provisions of food and water, and exposed
in the open boats to the frigid weather, would have survived
long enough to have been picked up by a transatlantic liner
in ignorance of the accident to the Titanic.
Speaking (since the Titanic disaster) of the part which
wireless telegraphy has played in the salvation of distressed
ships, Guglielmo Marconi, the inventor of this wonderful
science, has said:
"Fifteen years ago the curvature of the earth was looked
upon as the one great obstacle to wireless telegraphy. By
various experiments in the Isle of Wight and at St. John's
I finally succeeded in sending the letter S 2000 miles.
"We have since found that the fog and the dull skies in
the vicinity of England are exceptionally favorable for wireless
telegraphy."
Then the inventor told of wireless messages being transmitted
2500 miles across the Abyssinian desert, and of preparation
for similar achievements.
"The one necessary requirement for continued success is
that governments keep from being enveloped in political red
tape," said he.
"The fact that a message can be flashed across the wide
expanse of ocean in ten minutes has exceeded my fondest
expectations. Some idea of the progress made may be had
by citing the fact that in eleven years the range of wireless
telegraphy has increased from 200 to 3000 miles.
"Not once has wireless telegraphy failed in calling and
securing help on the high seas. A recognition of this is shown
in the attitude of the United States Government in compelling
all passenger-carrying vessels entering our ports to be equipped
with wireless apparatus."
Of the Titanic tragedy, Marconi said:
"I know you will all understand when I say that I entertain
a deep feeling of gratitude because of the fact that wireless
telegraphy has again contributed to the saving of life."
