169
3214
80
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Marconi Company
[Mr. Herbert Samuel.]
HOUSE OF COMMONS
of long range stations, both in the tropics and elsewhere. Lastly, and this is a point which weighed greatly with the Commit- tee and with myself, if the Government put up these stations, they would have run the risk of the stations not being success- ful. It might be found, after all, that however skilful we might have thought our experts to be. these stations in certain seasons of the year, or from other circum- stances, would not be able to maintain the thoroughly efficient and continuous service which is desired. One of the conditions of the arrangement with the Marconi Com- pany was that nothing at all should be paid for their stations until they had been erected and had shown that they were maintaining the service. capable of Nothing was to be paid on account, which is a most unusual condition in any con- tract. Nothing was to be paid until the stations had been completed, and then two-thirds of the cost was to be paid on account, and that was to be repaid if during the test of six months it was found that the conditions had not been fulfilled. Those were the conditions and circum-- stances with which the Committee had to deal. About the same time an offer had been received from one of the syndicates at work on other inventions--the Poulsen Syndicate--who said that they would put up the stations for a considerably lower price. The Post Office was well aware that this invention had been in existence for some years and had been in an experi- mental state during that time, and was still in an experimental state, so far as long distance telegraphy was concerned. The Poulsen system has not maintained a continuous long distance service, so I am informed. However, I summoned a third meeting of the Committee, which met on 17th January of this year, and the Com- mittee was generally of the opinion--- unanimously, I believe that the Govern- ment could not possibly accept au offer such as that of the Poulsen Syndicate without a complete test being made as to the capacity of the system to fulfil the purposes required. We decided that if that test could be made within a paratively short period we would post- pone the matter until it had been effected; hut, if not,
it.
decided that was
the
concluded should be agreement with the Marconi Company, with a number of comparatively minor modifications sug- gested by various members of the Com- mittee. I then had an interview with the representative of the Poulsen Syndicate,
com-
Agreement.
32
Agreement. these agreements contain provisions that these Departments should not communi- cate any information with respect to the Marconi Company patents to other Government Departments. That has been found exceedingly inconvenient, with the War Office particularly, for they have found that they have been making experi ments to solve problems which had already been solved by the Admiralty, and the Admiralty have not been at liberty to communicate to the War Office any improvements which they might have been able to effect by their experts in their Marconi apparatus. Those agreements,
Marconi Company
7 AUGUST 1912 who told me that they could not give complete test over a long range of 2.0 this latter point, because in wireless miles in less than twelve months, and thigraphy it is frequently necessary to These speeds are to be they might be able to make a partial teat words. with communications one way only in seted, after allowing for whatever re- months. Of course, there was the positions are necessary in order to render bility that that test when made would messages effective. That is stated in have been satisfactory, and the delay contract. If not fulfilled, as I have six, or more probably twelve, monteady intimated, the company are to re- It is on the Te no payment at all. might have proved to be fruitless. negotiations in these circumstances webciple of goods returned if not satis- continued with the Marconi Company atory. The hon. and gallant Gentleman were concluded early in March, when jor Archer-Shee) asked me with regard tender from the company in general ter be automatic service. The company has was accepted. [An HoN. MEMBER: "We engaged for sime time in experiment- was the date" March 7th.
with automatic apparatus, but they
I submit to the House-I am not spet not yet practically demonstrated that ing now of the actual terms agreed can use it. They are now engaged in the course followed by the Government manufacture of further automatic ap- arrive at the best result in this matteratus; therefore it has not been actually a perfectly proper course, and was indeed that an automatic speed of fifty in the circumstances, the only possieds simplex is not very much greater course. It was necessary to call into a speed of twenty words duplex. Con- ference all the various Departments ently it will make no very great differ- cerned and the expert advisers who we if the automatic appliances are not at the disposal of the Government. In view, however, of the past re- not possible to adopt any system wh of the company and their achieve- had not proved itself by actual test tots in the sphere of wireless telegraphy, capable of performing the service the fact that Mr. Marconi himself is quired. I may mention here that will fectly confident that he will be able to the last few days I have had an oppsutomatic apparatus, and that his sys- tunity of conversing on the subject is in every way suited for automatic the Postmaster-General of the Soparatus, the Government do not think
this point need be an obstacle. African Union, Sir David Graaf, whe
been in London, and he has told me the station at Clifden which communi- in his view the Imperial Government ades with Glace Bay a distance of 2,000 quite wisely in concluding the arrates has been inspected both by an in- ments with the Marconi Company, whendent expert and by the officers of the have had great experience, and that Office, and the reports are favour- his part, he would have strongly deprecate. The Italian station at Coltano which coming to an agreement with one of systems which was still in an experimen state. The South African Government may add, has stated its readiness to en on the conditions of this contract one the stations of the chain within the tof all existing and future patents and tories of the South African Union.
ps up continuous communication with owah, in Italian East Africa, and even nger distance-has also been reported and the report of that is also favour- The company not only give us the
entions during the royalty period, but Major ARCHER-SHEE: Have the also have agreed that any patents coni Company given any proof whateth are being used by the Government that they can carry out automatic tra the Imperial stations at the time the alty period comes to an end--when agreement is over--however new they
mission?
Mr. HERBERT SAMUEL: I was comfy be at that date may still be used by to that. The company have underta Government for the purposes of those in this contract to give efficient and ticns without any payment of any kind. tinuous service capable of dealingre is a further provision which is commercial traffic by day and night,exed to this contract, although it does at all seasons at a speed, duplex of twe form part of it. In 1903 the Admiralty words per minute, and simplex ofde an agreement with the Marconi words per minute, antomatic, and afpany for the use of their patents, and I would empPost Office in 1909 made an agreement allowing for repetition.
their ship and shore stations.
Both
of course, have been honestly observed, but they have been found exceedingly inconvenient. Without any payment of any sort the Marconi Company, as a consequence on the conclusion of this contract, have released the Departments altogether from the restrictions imposed by these earlier agreements.
Sir HENRY NORMAN: Already re- leased them?
Mr. HERBERT SAMUEL: Yes; I mean an undertaking has been signed to release them. Now I come to the actual terms of payment. It no doubt seems to inany hon. Members who are accustomed to see the small wireless telegraphy installations on board ship or on shore that £60,000 is a vast sum to pay for the mere erection of stations apart from the buildings, founda- tions, and site. But I am informed by my advisers that every addition that is made to the distance which the station has to cover in its range is costly dispropor- tionately far to the increase of distance. It is like the cost of running a ship. It costs more than twice as much to run a ship twenty knots than ten knots, and it requires a far more powerful station to cover the distance of 2,000 miles than to cover a distance of 1,000 miles. Indeed, Mr. Marconi told me himself in conversa- tion that his experience is that it is much easier to get from 100 miles to 1,000 miles than to get from 1,000 miles to 2,000 miles. It is out of proportion far more costly. The problem of covering a distance of 2,000 miles is a far more difficult one to solve The than that of covering 1,000 miles. area of these stations covers soventy-five acres. Each station has two aerials, one to transmit and one to receive. The in- termediate stations, which are duplex, will have four acrials. The station in British East Africa, which will have to communi- cate in three directions, one to Alexandria,
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