1900.] on Wireless Telegraphy. 255 



Kennedy, E.E., who have often helped me in my experiments in 

 England. (Major Baden-Powell, it will be remembered, is a brother 

 of the gallant defender of Mafeking.) 



The results which they obtained were not at first altogether satis- 

 factory, but this is accounted for by the fact that the working was 

 attempted without poles or proper kites, and afterwards with poles of 

 insufficient height, while the use of the kites was very difficult, the 

 kites being manufactured on the spot with very deficient material. 

 The wind being so variable, it often happened that when a kite 

 was flying at one station there was not enough wind to fly a kite at 

 the otiier station with which they were attempting to communicate. 

 It is therefore manifest that their partial failure was due to the lack 

 of proper preparation on the part of the local military authorities, 

 and has no bearing on the practicability and utility of the system 

 when carried out under normal conditions. 



It was reported that the difficulty of getting through from one 

 station to another was due to the iron in the hills. If this had not 

 been cabled from South Africa, it would hardly be credible that any 

 one should have committed himself to such a very unscientific opinion. 

 As a matter of fact, iron would have no greater destructive effect on 

 these Hertzian waves than any other metal, the rays apparently 

 getting very easily round or over such obstacles. A fleet of thirty 

 ironclads did not affect the rays during the naval manoeuvres, and 

 during the yacht race I was able to transmit my messages with 

 absolute success across the very high buildings of New York, the 

 upper stories of which are iron. 



However, on getting the kites up, they easily communicated from 

 De Aar to Orange River, over a distance of some seventy miles. I 

 am glad to say that, from later information received, they have been 

 able to obtain poles, which although not quite high enough for long 

 distances are sufficiently useful. We have also sent a number of 

 Major Baden-Powell's kites, which are the only ones I have found to 

 be of real service. 



Stations have been established at Modder River, Enslin, Belmont, 

 Orange Eiver and De Aar, which work well and will be invaluable in 

 case the field telegraph line connecting these positions should be cut 

 by the enemy. 



It is also satisfactory to note that the military authorities have 

 lately arranged to supply small balloons to my assistants for portable 

 installations on service waggons. 



While I admire the determination of Mr. Bullocke and our 

 assistants in their endeavour to do the very best they could with 

 most imperfect local means, I think it only right to say that if I 

 had been on the spot myself I should have refused to open any station 

 until the officers had provided the means for elevating the wire, 

 which, as you know, is essential to success. 



Mr. Bullocke and another of our assistants in South Africa has 

 been transferred with some of the apparatus to Natal to join General 



