E
6330
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difficult to find room on board for any wireless apparatus
of greater power than (possibly) a small portable set. We
understand that the range of such a set might vary between
20 and 100 miles according to the atmospheric conditions.
Even such a set would however probably be sufficient for
the purpose in view.
25. A greater difficulty lies in the cost of maintain-
ing and providing accommodation for the necessary personnel.
At present some of the gunboats carry only one wireless
operator, whereas, if the suggestion were adopted, each river
steamer would require to carry two, and the gunboats four)
wireless telegraph operators, in order to make possible a
proper system of reliefs.
!
26. It was suggested to us that these difficulties
would be greatly reduced if a semi-automatic form of appara-
tus capable of being operated by one of the ships officers
could be installed. If semi-automatic transmitting and
receiving apparatus were carried, it would probably be
sufficient for one skilled operator only to be carried,
since it would not be necessary for him to keep continuous
watch. We consider however that the mere emission of a
un distress signal accompanied by an indication of the position
of the ship would not be sufficient. The objection that an
automatic distress signal does not give a ships position
may be met by the reply that the approximate position of a
ship on a regular run at any given time is readily ascer-
tainable, but we consider it to be advisable that ships
should be able to get into communication with each other.
We were informed by the representative of the
Mercantile Marine Department, Board of Trade, that experiments
27.
with
more