File No. 819.74/8.
The American Minister to
the Secretary of State.
No. 41.]
American Legation,
Panama,
January 3, 1912.
Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the
receipt of your instructions No. 14 of the 15th ultimo and No. —
[unnumbered instruction] of the 19th ultimo [etc.]
My telegram of December 21, in reply to the Department’s telegram of
December 16, has informed the Department that the Panaman Government is
ready to enter into such an understanding. My despatch No. 33 of the
26th ultimo supplemented this telegram and also informed the Department
that I had been advised by Señor Boyd, Minister for Foreign Affairs,
that the only wireless stations existing in Panaman territory were the
small apparatus of the Panaman Government in Panama City and the United
Fruit Company’s station at Bocas del Toro. My despatch also gave the
status of the United Fruit Company’s wireless situation at Colon.
Since writing this despatch I have had a further conversation with Señor
Boyd, who informs me that he has recently received a request from Mr.
McFarland, the agent of the United Fruit Company mentioned in my
despatch No. 33, for permission to establish a
[Page 1212]
wireless station upon the land now occupied by
the naval wireless station at Colon as soon as this station is removed
to Culebra. Señor Boyd informed me that he had replied to Mr. McFarland
that this permission could not be given to his company, in any event for
the present, as the Panaman Government was considering whether the
United Fruit Company’s contract with the Government for the
establishment of a wireless station at Colon (of which a copy and
translation was enclosed in my despatch No. 33) had now lapsed, owing to
the company’s failure to comply with certain of its terms. Señor Boyd
stated that this reply had been made in view of my request that the
Panaman Government would do nothing to alter the status quo of the
wireless telegraph situation without previously giving me an opportunity
for communicating with my Government (despatch No. 33). A delay of
several weeks was thus secured, during which he hoped that the
Department would be able to advise the Panaman Government, through me,
as to what course it was desired that it should pursue in this matter.
Señor Boyd is not aware that the Navy Department has now practically, as
I understand, decided not to give up the Colon wireless station
(despatch No. 33).
I then took occasion, in accordance with your instruction No. 14,
informally and discreetly to mention to Señor Boyd that the assent of
the American Government to this contract with the United Fruit Company
had never been requested or given, although the Legation had frequently
been assured that no negotiations for any form of telegraphic
communication on the Isthmus would be concluded without first
communicating with the American Government and securing its assent.
Señor Boyd replied that he did not understand why the Panaman Government
had failed to live up to this engagement, as this had occurred before he
entered the Foreign Office, but that he could give me full assurances
for the future. Upon my also mentioning the establishment in June, 1910,
of a wireless station at Colon by the United Wireless Telegraph Company
of New York, Señor Boyd said that he was entirely unaware of the
existence of this station, that he was certain that permission for
erecting it had never been given, and consequently that the Panaman
Government could cause it to be removed at anytime. There was no law
covering the establishment of wireless stations in Panama; therefore,
according to Panaman law, express permission from the Government was
required in each case. Señor Boyd then again assured me with great
earnestness that he had given me the exact present situation and that
the Panaman Government, far from contemplating entering into any
wireless agreements, was awaiting the moment for signing the
understanding desired by the United States to prevent the establishment
in Panaman territory of private and commercial wireless installations
which he presumed would soon be presented to him.
Captain Maxwell, U. S. N., whom I mentioned in my despatch No. 33,
informs me that this United Wireless station at Colon has not been used
for the past four months and that its range probably does not exceed one
hundred miles. Mr. Kellogg, our Consul at Colon, informs me that the
agent of the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company states that it will soon be
in operation again. Captain Maxwell further informs me that the United
Wireless system is used by the ships of the Royal Mail, the Panama
Railroad Company and probably
[Page 1213]
the Hamburg American Line, while the United Fruit Company presumably
uses the Telefonken system.
Captain Maxwell states that Mr. G. N. Clark, subinspector of naval
wireless telegraph stations, who has recently arrived here for the
purpose of making certain wireless experiments for the Navy, especially
with a view to selecting the site for the high-power wireless station at
Culebra, is intending soon to make experiments at the naval station at
Colon which will enable him to determine what wireless stations exist
within a radius of one thousand miles. The results of these experiments,
which Captain. Maxwell has kindly instructed Mr. Clark to communicate to
me, will show apparently definitely whether any stations besides those
mentioned by Señor Boyd exist in Panaman territory. I enclose, as of
interest in this connection, a copy of a memorandum handed to me by
Captain Maxwell and drafted by Mr. Clark, regarding the installation of
a complete wireless telegraph system in the Isthmian Canal Zone with a
special reference to the technical questions involved by the topography
of the country.
I have taken occasion to request Señor Boyd since his resignation from
the Foreign Office, to inform his successor, Señor Chiari, fully as to
our conversations and understandings regarding this matter, and he has
informed me that Señor Chiari is already fully advised.
While desiring to express my appreciation for the assistance and
information given me by Captain Maxwell in this matter,
I have [etc.]
[Inclosure.—Extract.]
Memorandum regarding the installation of a
complete wireless telegraphy system in the Isthmian Canal Zone,
with special reference to the technical questions involved by
the topography of the country.
Panama,
December 29, 1911.
The project for Naval uses in controlling vessels of war in both
oceans, both at a great distance and near by, from the station at
Washington, at present involves the installation of a high-power
station at the most favorable location approximately midway between
the Atlantic and Pacific, and two low-power stations peculiarly
located with respect to their geographical situations, with
reference to each other and the larger station.
Moderate [sic] wireless telegraph practice has shown positively that
even with the most highly developed system available to-day it is
impossible for two stations of like power to work simultaneously
without interference with each other when located within the
geographical limitations imposed by the question at issue. Both
stations can be used at the same time for transmitting, as far as
they themselves are concerned, although the respective receiving
stations with which they are in communication will experience
interference in the general case. Similarly both stations can be
used simultaneously for receiving, under special circumstances. But
for one station to receive while the other is transmitting is
impossible, and a knowledge of actual daily conditions at wireless
telegraph stations shows that this third condition occurs during by
far the greatest percentage of the total time.
It is, however, possible with properly designed apparatus to have a
high-power station communicating with another station at a distance,
both stations using a long wave length, without there being any
mutual interference between it and a low-power station some distance
away using a short-wave length. If in addition, the topographical
conditions are such that the conditions for the propagation of
electric waves between the high and low power stations are
[Page 1214]
very poor, the
combination of great difference in wave lengths, difference in ‘
heights of aerials, difference in amounts of power used, and the
poor connecting ground conditions between each of the low-power
stations and the high-power one, can be utilized so as to absolutely
prevent any interference between the two, although of course they
can communicate if desired by mutually altering their wave-length
relations.
Since for long distance work a long wave length is essential, while
for short distance communications a short wave is better, the
operation in the Canal Zone of a system embodying one major and two
minor stations, without mutual interference, is perfectly
possible.
For the large station, three four-hundred-foot powers are proposed,
and the following buildings: (1) Power, storage battery, and
transmitter building; (2) receiving and operating building; (3)
quarters for five operators; (4) five-room cottage for electrician
in charge; (5) oil house and tank, if possible. Station will if
practicable be located on the same side of the Canal as the
principal activities. The small power stations will probably have a
combined receiving and transmitting house, and quarters for five
operators. At the large station at least will be supplied two
breakdown sources of power, the main supply being the high-tension
line from the Canal Zone power plant, and the breakdown supply being
a storage battery and an internal combustion engine.
The military necessity for these three stations is evident when
consideration is given to their several functions. The high-power
station is designed primarily for long-range communication with
Washington, Mare Island, ships at sea in both the Atlantic and
Pacific Oceans at a distance of about three thousand miles, and,
ultimately, important stations in a southeast and southwest
direction. * * *
For medium ranges, say 200 to 1,000 miles, a second serial of smaller
dimensions than that used for the long waves will be part of the
installation. * * *
The low-power stations serve a much more important end. Were they not
installed, at least one such set would have to be placed at the
high-power station, for short range work with the fleets operating
in either ocean. Both for military and other reasons—such as
operating expenditures—it would be very objectionable to use the
high-power station for this work. This small set could not work
independently of the larger one, and hence would cut down its
operating efficiency. By locating two low-power sets on the Atlantic
and Pacific sides, respectively, however, each can work with vessels
up to 200 miles at sea without interfering with each other or with
the high-power station. * * *
The Navy Department’s policy during the past year has been to absorb
as far as possible all commercial stations operating near Naval
stations, because (1) the commercial stations were operated with
apparatus inferior to that of the Navy in point of efficiency and
sharpness of tuning, thereby causing much needless interference with
other stations attempting to intercommunicate at the same time. (2)
as previously stated, it is impossible for stations of the same
order of power and wave length to work near each other without
constant mutual interference. * * *
In general, the following conclusions may be drawn:
- (1)
- It is impossible to use two simultaneously operating
stations of the same operating range without constant mutual
interference, making the total number of messages which can
be handled approximately a constant whether one or both
stations be used.
- (2)
- It will very probably overtax the ability of a single
high-power station in the Canal Zone to handle long distance
work as well as local.
- (3)
- It is perfectly possible to operate small-powered and
high-powered stations in close geographical relations with
each other without mutual interference. Hence the system can
be simultaneously operated. The smaller stations can handle
local work, which they are eminently fitted to do, and the
large station can take care of long range work the class for
which it was primarily designed.
- (4)
- From a military point of view, the ability to keep in
touch with Washington from the Canal Zone and at the same
time keep in communication with a fleet in the Atlantic or
Pacific or both is an absolute necessity.
Respectfully submitted.
G. H. Clark,
Subinspector, Wireless Telegraph
Stations.
