RADIOTELEGRAPH Y—-MARCONI. 131 
therefore it is probable that, at any rate for the present, the main use 
of radiotelegraphy will be confined to extra-European countries, in 
some of which climatic conditions and other causes absolutely pro- 
hibit the efficient maintenance of land-line telegraphy. A proof of 
this has been afforded by the success which has attended the working 
of the stations recently erected in Brazil on the upper Amazon. 
By the majority of people the most marvelous side of wireless 
telegraphy is perhaps considered to be its use at sea. Up to the 
time of its introduction, ships at any appreciable distance from land 
had no means of getting in touch with the shore throughout the 
whole duration of their voyage. But those who now make long sea 
journeys are no longer cut off from the rest of the world; business men 
can continue to correspond at reasonable rates with their offices 
in America or Europe; ordinary social messages can be exchanged 
between passengers and their friends on shore; a daily newspaper is 
published on board most of the principal liners, giving the chief news 
of the day. Wireless telegraphy has on more than one occasion 
proved an invaluable aid to the course of justice—a well-known 
instance of which is the arrest, which took place recently through its 
agency, of a notorious criminal when about to land in Canada. 
The chief benefit, however, of radiotelegraphy lies in the facility 
which it affords to ships in distress of communicating their plight to 
neighboring vessels or coast stations; that it is now considered 
indispensable for this reason is shown by the fact that several govern- 
ments have passed a law making a wireless-telegraph installation a 
compulsory part of the equipment of all passenger boats entering 
their ports. 
