In 1902 stations of much greater power were put up at Poldhu, England,
and at Glace Bay on the Newfoundland Coast and at Wellfleet, Mass. When
the latter station was far enough along so that messages could be sent,
Colonel Roosevelt, who was then President of the United States was asked
to send King Edward VII the first cableless message across the Atlantic.
It read:
“His Majesty Edward VII, London, England. In taking advantage of the
wonderful triumph of scientific research and ingenuity which has been
achieved in perfecting a system of wireless telegraphy I extend on
behalf of the American people most cordial greetings and good wishes to
you and all the people of the British Empire. Theodore Roosevelt,
Wellfleet, Mass.”
As the new station at Poldhu was not in shape to send back the reply of
King Edward it had to be transmitted by cable and it read:
“The President, White House, Washington, America. I thank you most
sincerely for the kind message which I have just received from you by
transatlantic wireless telegraphy. I sincerely reciprocate in the name
of the people of the British Empire the cordial greetings and friendly
sentiments expressed by you on behalf of the American nation and I
heartily wish you and your country every possible prosperity. Edward R.
and I., Sandringham.”
That cableless telegraphy might be done on a commercial basis to the
best advantage the _Marconi Company_ decided to put up two new and more
powerful stations, one at Clifden on the coast of Ireland and a new one
at Glace Bay on this side of the Atlantic. When these stations were
finished the regular transmission of both private and public messages
across the Atlantic began in competition with the cable lines. The
exchange of cableless messages was kept up for ten months when the
station at Glace Bay burned down. Work on another station was started at
once, however, and new apparatus was built for it.
Again communication was set up between Glace Bay and Clifden, the first
messages being sent and received by the Postmasters General of England
and Canada.
Now while it was very hard for any one to get a pass to go inside the
cableless stations, even the directors of the _Marconi Company_ having
been denied that privilege, I went up to St. Johns the next summer for a
week’s vacation and, incidentally, to see the station at Glace Bay. I
felt pretty sure I should succeed for I knew one of the operators there.
The station is about three miles from the village of Glace Bay, on the
island of Cape Breton; it belongs to Nova Scotia but is separated from
it by the Strait of Canso. I didn’t have to ask where the station was
for four enormously high towers stood out before me like great
sentinels, imposing and mysterious and they can be seen for miles
around. I could also make out a dozen very high masts.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account