DURING THE GREAT EUROPEAN WAR OF 1914-1918, THE NIPPON YUSEN KAISHA MAINTAINED ITS REGULAR FORTNIGHTLY JAPAN-EUROPE MAIL SERVICE AND DISPATCHED FREQUENT AUXILIARY STEAMERS. IN ADDITION TO THIS 8 VESSELS OF THIS COMPANY WERE ALLOCATED TO THE UNITED STATES FOR CARRYING FOODSTUFFS AND WAR MATERIAL FOR THE CAUSE OF THE ALLIES, IN THE FACE OF MANY DANGERS AND DIFFICULTIES. THIS PICTURE SHOWS ONE OF THE NIPPON YUSEN KAISHA STEAMERS IN CAMOUFLAGE AND DAZZLE-PAINT. The Java-New York freight line was opened in September, 1920. The steamers in the Far EastNew York, Calcutta-New York and Java-New York lines dock at Pouch Terminal, Clifton, S. I. The Nippon Yusen Kaisha steamers will use one of the new municipal piers now in the course of erection at Staten Island adjacent to Pouch Terminal, when completed. superior passenger accommodations. When the erection of this additional tonnage is completed the Nippon Yusen Kaisha will have altogether a gigantic fleet of 1,000,000 gross tons. Baron Kondo, the late president of the company, held that office for over 25 years, and at his death, which occurred quite recently, was cusceeded by Vice-President Ito. THE THE PROGRESS OF RADIO TELEGRAPHY Written Especially for the PORT OF NEW YORK ANNUAL by E. J. NALLY, President American Radio Corporation HE development of the art of radio telegraphy during the last ten years has been so rapid that few people have an adequate idea of the progress that has been made in the transmission of messages without wires. To the general public, wireless is either a toy or an enigma. There seems to be little connection between the set of the amateur, with its frail aerial and dangling wires, and the two slim wires strung high above the cabin of the ocean liner, whence proceeds occasionally spitting noises, as from an ineffective air gun. The great transoceanic stations, which carry a large share of the world's business, are often hidden in unfrequented places; the details of wireless communication with aircraft and submarines are guarded by the government and while the general public is intensely interested in the art, it has not always been able to keep track of its rapidly development. SHIPS FAR AT SEA KEPT INFORMED OF WORLD HAPPENINGS To a master of a vessel bound from Europe to the Port of New York, the ship's wireless is of paramount importance. During the long trip across, when for days no other ship may be in sight, the vessel is continually in touch with the land, perhaps relaying through ships far over the horizon, business orders of the utmost importance, or receiving daily reports of the condition of foreign and domestic markets. In addition, a daily newspaper may be published on board, giving briefly the important happenings throughout the world. This news is received late at night from certain powerful stations such as Arlington, Va., U. S. A., the Eiffel Tower, Paris, and Cornwall, England. Wireless, however, plays a most important part in carrying on the world's affairs, and it is particularly appreciated by the owners and masters of vessels, to whom it is not only a convenience and an asset, but often the direct means of saving hundreds of lives and valuable cargoes which would otherwise be lost. The uses of wireless are so varied that it would be impossible even to summarize them in this article, but a few of its more important applications may be illustrated, particularly as it affects the world shipping. SHIPS' CHRONOMETERS KEPT CORRECTED The transmission of time sig nals to vessels at sea by means of radio telegraphy was first accomplished in the United States in 1905, and this service, enlarged and extended, has contiuued to the present time. This service is of the greatest value to mariners, as it furnishes a means by which the time, as given by 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 472 ROCKY POINT, L. I., NEW YORK. GENERAL OUTLINE OF THE RADIO CORPORATION'S WORLD WIDE STATION, WHICH HAS BEEN APPROPRIATELY NAMED RADIO CENTRAL AND WHICH IS SITUATED AT THIS POWERFUL PLANT, WHICH IS NEARING COMPLETION, WILL BE AN INTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATION CENTER may be found but also the chronometer ratethat is, the rate at which it is gaining or losing. The noontime signals on the Atlantic coast are sent out through the coast radio stations by connections with Western Union telegraph lines from the United States 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 broadcast as a series of radio dots commencing five minutes before the time of the final signal. 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 (seventy-fifth meridian time) is reached. This is marked by a longer dot, which gives the time of exact noon. A comparison with the chronometer time at that instant gives its error referred to the seventy-fifth meridian time. Applying the difference in longitude, namely, five hours, between the seventy-fifth meridian and Greenwich, which is the standard meridian (or 0° longitude), the error of the chronometer referred to Greenwich time is determined. Following the time signals, reports of derelicts, icebergs, or other obstructions to traffic, which might imperil the safety of the vessel, are received. BRINGS AID TO DISTRESSED SHIPS If by any chance a misfortune should occur-a serious fire below decks, or the bursting of a boiler, or a collision, distress calls are instantly flashed in all directions. All vessels hearing this call, steam to the rescue of the ship in distress, provided they are within a reasonable distance. SHIP'S POSITION ACCURATELY LOCATED On approaching the harbor, if the weather is foggy or overcast, the captain of the vessel may not be sure of his exact position. Here a recently developed radio device comes to the rescue. The vessel sends out a general radio call to what are known as Radio Compass Stations located on the shore, asking for an exact position report. These stations are equipped with very accurate direction finding apparatus, by which they are able to gauge with an accuracy of within one degree, the direction from which the radio signals are coming. These readings are usually taken at two or more land receiving stations, so that the lines of direction may be plotted graphically, and the point of intersection which should indicate the position of the ship, be located with a minimum of error. After making observations, the reports are collected and co-ordinated at the nearest land transmitting station, and sent from there to the master of the vessel. This enables the master to establish his exact position, and also the distance from the various Radio Compass Stations. With this information, the captain is able to proceed confidently to the mouth of the harbor. IMPORTANT CHANNEL-FINDING APPARATUS A new device has recently been invented whereby the captain is enabled to enter the harbor in any is sent an alternating electric current of a certain frequency. On both sides of the hull of the vessel are square coils which receive by inductive action the electric impulses from the submerged cable, and convey them to a head set worn by the wheelsman. If the vessel is directly in the channel, and over the electric cable, the sound will be equally loud in both ear pieces of the head set. If, however, the vessel varies from her course, the sound will be louder in one ear piece than the other, and the fact enables the pilot to hold his vessel directly over the cable. In this way the vessel may proceed to her dock in perfect safety, where all arrangements will have been made for her reception, the captain having sent wireless messages to the authorities of the Port of New York while yet some distance at sea. Apparatus of this type has been tested in New York Harbor by the U. S. Navy with notable success and will undoubtedly be employed to a greater extent in the near future. These are the ordinary uses which a ship's wireless would be put to, during a voyage from Europe to America. MARCONI THE INVENTOR The evolution of the practical method of signaling by electric waves was distinctively the creation of Signor Marconi. His epoch-making discovery was announced to the world in 1896. The success of his first experiments pointed to enormous possibilities in this new field and aroused the interest of a number of speculative scientists and engineers throughout the world. Following the principles first laid down, experimentation was begun on a vast scale. This eventually culminated in the production of a complete and reliable system of electric wave telegraphy. The first commercial applications of radio apparatus to ship to shore signaling were made about the year 1902, although a number of practical demonstrations had been made previous to that time. Several trans-Atlantic vessels were equipped with wireless apparatus and the results were so satisfactory that a number of commercial companies were organized throughout the world, to exploit radio patents. Extensive commercial applications of wireless signaling soon took place and these brought to light new problems. The principles underlying the apparatus for the production of electrical waves were carefully investigated, and as they were found out and better understood, improved apparatus was developed which increased the useful range of transmission. Attempts were then made to signal by radio from continent to continent. |