met at Cape’s Tavern, where they gave an elegant entertainment to his
Excellency the Governor, Lieut.-Governor, Chancellor and a number of
other respectable gentlemen of this State. The day and evening were
spent in festivity and mirth, and a number of suitable toasts were
drunk upon this joyful occasion. The greatest unanimity and
conviviality pervaded this numerous and jovial company, and perhaps
this great Saint was never honoured with a concourse of more generous
and truly patriotic sons than this assembly afforded.
Thus commenced (in the words of Curran), “those happy meetings when the
swelling heart conceived and communicated the pure and generous purpose,
the innocent enjoyment of social mirth expanded into the nobler warmth
of social virtue, and the horizon of the board became enlarged into the
horizon of man.” Almost uninterruptedly since quarterly and anniversary
meetings of the Society have been held. Many of the leading men of the
City and State are enrolled among its members, and the records of the
Society from the beginning contain names prominent in the early history
of the Republic. Social and friendly intercourse was promoted and
maintained among the natives of Ireland and their kinsmen and
descendants. Numbers of deserving, but less fortunate fellow-countrymen,
were relieved by the bounty of the Society, implements and materials for
domestic manufacture were furnished to the industrious poor. The needy
were assisted with money, medicine, clothing and fuel, the destitute
were provided with homes and, when necessary, were furnished with
sufficient funds to enable them to return to their native land.
The design of the badge worn by members of the Society, and which
appears on the cover of this book, is a _facsimile_ of the “reverse” of
the medal worn by the members of the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick in
Philadelphia in 1771. The following in reference to that medal is from
_Haverty’s American Almanac_:
Each member was required to furnish himself with a gold medal of the
value of three guineas, agreeably to the following description: On the
right, HIBERNIA; on the left, AMERICA; in the center, LIBERTY joining
the hands of HIBERNIA and AMERICA, represented by the usual figures of
a female supported by a harp, for HIBERNIA; an Indian with his quiver
on his back and his bow slung, for AMERICA; underneath, UNITE. On the
reverse, ST. PATRICK tramping on a snake, a cross in his hand, dressed
in pontificalibus, the motto, “HIER.”
These devices, designed some years before the Revolution, were
certainly ominous, if not prophetic. The Goddess of LIBERTY joining
the hands of HIBERNIA and AMERICA, with the superscription “UNITE,”
was sufficiently significant, considering that the effect of that
union powerfully promoted the subsequent dismemberment of the British
Empire and the liberty and independence of America. The motto, HIER,
or, without the aspirate, IER, in the Celtic language signifies
“West,” and from it came the name of the country, Ere, Erin, or
Ireland, and Ierna, aspirated Hibernia. But the word HIER had in it a
duplicate and equivocal signification, peculiarly appropriate as the
motto of a society whose object was to “_Unite_” in fellowship the
sons of the _little_ isle of the “_West_” with those of the _great_
continent of the “West.” This medal the members were obliged to wear
at the meeting of the Society under the penalty of 7s. 6d. for neglect
to do so on St. Patrick’s day, and 5s. on the days of the quarterly
meetings.[2]
Footnote 2:
The Friendly Sons of St. Patrick of Philadelphia was founded in 1771.
George Washington, adopted a member December 17, 1781, dined with the
Society on St. Patrick’s Day, 1782, and characterized it as “_a
society distinguished for the firm adherence of its members to the
glorious cause in which we are embarked_.” Other members were Generals
Moylan, Shee, Wayne, Knox, Butler, Irvine, Hand; Commodore Barry, John
Mease, who crossed the Delaware with General Washington on the
memorable night of December 25, 1776, and surprised the Hessians; and
his brother, Matthew, who commanded the quarter deck guns under Paul
Jones in the _Bonhomme Richard’s_ fight with the _Serapis_.
On June 17, 1780, twenty-seven of its members subscribed 103,500
pounds sterling to furnish provisions for the army, Robert Morris and
Blair McClenachan each subscribing 10,000 pounds. William Constable,
another member, an aid of Lafayette and partner of Robert Morris, was
one of the founders of the New York Society.—_Hood’s Friendly Sons of
St. Patrick_, 43–49 (Phila., 1844); _Crimmins’ Early Celebrations of
St. Patrick’s Day_, 215 (N. Y., 1902).
The original records of the Society from 1784 to 1835, except the
Treasurer’s Book from 1804, were lost by fire in August, 1835, being at
that time in possession of the Secretary, whose place of business was
destroyed.
The Society has been true to the principles on which it was founded. It
has helped the needy and distressed, and has been the means of cementing
lifelong friendships among its members and among those who participated
in its festivities. From the Society grew the Irish Emigrant Society and
the Emigrant Industrial Savings Bank. Uniting to the charitable and
humane the friendly and social feelings, it seeks to keep ever vigorous
the love of Ireland and of the Irish character. It celebrates the
festival of St. Patrick as a national and immemorial custom, to
commemorate the glory of Ireland, to drop a tear upon her sorrows and to
express a hope for her regeneration. It has entertained illustrious and
distinguished guests at its banquets. Among those of recent years may be
mentioned President Theodore Roosevelt in 1905, and president-elect
William H. Taft in 1908. A notable dinner was given on May 29, 1902, to
the French Governmental Mission attending the Rochambeau Monument
ceremonies, in acknowledgement of which the Republic of France presented
to the Society a magnificent Sèvres vase, now in the Metropolitan Museum
of Art.
Among the Society’s members have been many of the great merchants,
business and professional men of the city. To pass over the living, on
its rolls appear the names of Alexander Macomb, Hugh Gaine, William
Constable, Dominick Lynch, DeWitt Clinton, John Caldwell, Thomas Addis
Emmet, Robert J. Dillon, Joseph Stuart, Richard Bell, William Kelly,
Joseph P. Kernochan, John Haggerty, Ogden Haggerty, William Sampson,
David J. Graham, Charles O’Conor, James T. Brady, John R. Brady, Dr.
Robert Hogan, Dr. William James MacNeven, Very Rev. Dr. John Power,
Thomas W. Clerke, Daniel Devlin, Henry L. Hoguet, Eugene Kelly, Joseph
J. O’Donohue, Richard O’Gorman, John Savage, Jeremiah Devlin, William
Whiteside, Thomas Barbour, Hugh J. Hastings, Thomas Francis Meagher,
James R. Cuming, Charles P. Daly, Frederick Smyth, William R. Grace,
William L. Brown, Peter McDonnell, C. C. Shayne, Frank T. Fitzgerald,
George C. Barrett, Samuel Sloan, James S. Coleman, John Crane, Vincent
P. Travers, John Stewart, Daniel O’Day and Hugh Kelly. Grover Cleveland
was an honorary member.
Of these, Dr. William James MacNeven and Thomas Addis Emmet, whose names
are indelibly written on the pages not only of Irish history, but on the
history of New York city and State, became members of the Friendly Sons
of St. Patrick in 1815. Facing Broadway, in the graveyard of historic
St. Paul’s, are reared the columns upon which are noted their services
to their native country and to their adopted land, flanking on either
side the tablet which perpetuates the memory of that other great
Irishman, who fell at the siege of Quebec, General Richard Montgomery.
Free from all religious and political characteristics, it is the
representative Irish society in the city of New York.
In 1827 it was incorporated by the following act of the Legislature of
the State of New York:
CHARTER
OF THE SOCIETY OF
THE FRIENDLY SONS OF ST. PATRICK IN THE CITY
OF NEW YORK.
“AN ACT to Incorporate the Society of the Friendly Sons of Saint
Patrick, in the City of New York. Passed February 13, 1827.
“_Whereas_, the members of a Society instituted for the relief of
indigent natives of Ireland, and their descendants, have petitioned
the Legislature for an act of incorporation, the better to enable them
to obtain the objects of their association; therefore
“1. _Be it enacted_ by the People of the State of New York,
represented in Senate and Assembly, That John Chambers, James McBride,
James Magee, Alexander Charters, John Montgomery, John Cauldwell and
Daniel McCormick, and such other persons as now are or hereafter shall
become members of the Society of the Friendly Sons of Saint Patrick in
the City of New York, are hereby constituted and declared a body
politic and corporate, in fact and in name, by the name of “The
Society of the Friendly Sons of Saint Patrick in the City of New
York,” and by that name they and their successors, during the
existence of the said corporation, shall and may have perpetual
succession; and shall in law be capable of suing and being sued,
pleading and being impleaded, answering and being answered unto,
defending and being defended, in all courts and places whatsoever; and
that they and their successors may have and use a common seal, and may
change and alter the same from time to time at their pleasure; and
also that, by their corporate name, and in their corporate capacity,
they and their successors may purchase, take, hold, use and enjoy,
sell, lease and convey any estate, real or personal, for the use and
benefit of said corporation: _Provided_, That the annual income of
such real and personal estate shall not at any time exceed the sum of
five thousand dollars.
“2. _And be it further enacted_, That the said corporation shall have
power to make such constitution, by-laws and regulations, as they
shall judge proper, for the appointment of officers, for the admission
of new members, for the government of the officers and members
thereof, for collecting annual contributions from the members towards
the funds thereof, for regulating the times and places of meeting of
the said Society, for suspending or expelling such members as shall
neglect or refuse to comply with the by-laws or regulations, and for
the managing and directing the property, affairs and concerns of said
Society: _Provided_, That such constitution, by-laws and regulations
be not inconsistent with the Laws or Constitution of this State, or of
the United States: _Provided further_, that the said corporation shall
not engage in any banking business, nor dispose of any of its funds
for any other purpose than the relief of such members of the said
Society, natives of Ireland, and children and grandchildren of natives
of Ireland, or of a member of said Society, as may become indigent and
poor.
“3. _And be it further enacted_, That the present officers of said
Society shall hold their respective offices until others shall be
chosen in their places.
“4. _And be it further enacted_, That this Act be, and hereby is
declared to be, a public act, and that the same shall be construed in
all courts and places, benignly and favourably for every beneficial
purpose therein intended, and that no misnomer of the said corporation
in any deed, gift, grant, devise or other instrument of contract or
conveyance, shall vitiate or defeat the same: _Provided_, The
Corporation shall be sufficiently described to ascertain the intention
of the parties.
“5. _And be it further enacted_, That the Legislature may at any time
hereafter amend, alter, modify or repeal this act.”
[Laws of New York, 1827; chapter 42.]
Owing to the loss of the Society’s books in 1835, the list of its early
members is necessarily incomplete, but a partial list of the earliest
members is:
Member In
McCormick, Daniel 1784
Gaine, Hugh 1784
Waddell, Robert R. 1784
Constable, William 1784
Macomb, Alexander 1784
Roach, Thomas 1784
Pollock, George 1784
Hill, William 1784
Shaw, John 1784
Pollock, Carlisle 1784
Bibby, Thomas 1784
Flemming, Sampson 1784
Templeton, Oliver 1784
Bradford, M. 1787
Gibson, Dr. 1787
Smith, H. 1787
Colles, Christopher 1788
Thomson, Charles 1788
Maunsell, Gen. John 1789
Clinton, DeWitt 1790
Edgar, William 1790
McVickar, John 1790
Price, Michael 1790
Saidler, Henry 1790
Charleton, John 1790
Constable, James 1790
Stewart, Alexander 1793
Wade, William 1793
Barnewell, George 1793
Glover, John 1793
Lynch, Dominick 1793
Kelly, John 1795
Wallace, William 1804
Caldwell, John 1804
Heeney, Cornelius 1804
Parks, John 1804
Hogan, M. 1805
Searight, J. 1805
Boyle, M. 1805
Carbis, J. 1805
Reid, D. 1805
Blake, Valentine 1805
Rutledge, William 1805
Craig, W. 1805
Sullivan, J. 1805
Bailie, William 1805
Bryar, William 1805
Suffern, Thomas 1805
Shaw, W. 1805
McCarty, Charles 1805
Dickey, R. 1805
Cranston, Alex. 1805
Roth, M. 1805
Craig, S. 1805
McComb, J. W. 1805
McConnell, James 1805
Murray, J. 1805
Phelan, John 1805
Morris, Andrew 1805
Macomb, John N. 1805
Phister, Alexander 1805
McEvers, Gulian 1805
Watson, James 1805
Kemp, Dr. 1805
Jephson, William H. 1805
Chambers, James 1805
O’Connor, Capt. 1805
Keith, John 1805
Prince, Christ’er 1806
McVicker, Nathan 1812
Bailey, William 1812
Carberry, Thomas 1812
Chambers, John 1812
Craig, John 1812
Sterling, Wm. 1812
Macneven, Wm. Jas. 1815
Emmet, Thos. Addis 1815
McCarthy, Dennis 1815
Christian, Charles 1815
Woodward, John 1815
Montgomery, J. 1817
Magee, James 1817
Blood, Harris 1821
Andrews, David 1821
Nicholson, John 1821
Charters, John 1821
Kernochan, Jos. P. 1825
Laverty, Henry 1825
Moorehead, John 1825
Kyle, Wm. 1825
Gray, Andrew 1825
Muldon, Michael 1825
Charters, S. M. 1825
Alexander, Joseph 1825
Lynch, General 1825
Montgomery, J. B. 1828
Cleary, Thomas 1828
FitzGerald, R. A. 1828
Buchanan, Jas., Jr. 1828
Ingham, Charles 1828
Wilson, John 1828
James, Wm. 1828
Wright, John W. 1828
Hogan, Dr. Robert 1828
Cuming, Dr. 1828
Cassidy, Christ’r 1828
Trenor, Dr. 1830
Harvey, Jacob 1830
Bradish, Wheaton 1831
Persse, Dudley 1831
Sampson, William 1831
Dolan, John T. 1832
Eccleston, Edward 1832
Osborne, Samuel 1832
Boyd, Capt. Wm. 1832
Corbitt, George S. 1833
Fleming, John 1833
Bush, Dr. George 1833
Donaldson, Robert 1833
White, Robert 1833
White, Campbell P. 1833
Rice, Dr. G. C. 1833
Burke, Dr. 1833
McBride, James 1833
Lambert, Charles 1833
Doyle, John 1833
Tait, John, Jr. 1833
Emmet, Robert 1833
Brown, James C. 1835
Arnold, Dr. Wm. 1835
Dillon, Robert J. 1835
O’Neill, Capt. Felix 1835
Moorhead, John 1835
Usher, Luke 1835
Chambers, J. 1835
Warren, J. 1835
Montgomery, J. B., Jr. 1835
Redmond, Wm. 1835
Brown, Stewart 1835
Miller, James 1835
Foote, John 1835
Charters, Samuel 1835
Cummin, Thomas A. 1835
Wright, Dr. 1835
Charters, Alex. 1835
Millar, Jesse 1835
Maxwell, Matthew 1835
Power, Rev. John 1835
McAllister, Samuel 1835
Harden, Geo. 1835
Kane, Wm. 1835
Alley, Saul 1835
Adams, John 1835
Brown, James 1835
Gillelan, E. H. 1835
Gibson, John 1835
Ingoldsby, Felix 1835
Niblo, W. 1835
Nicholson, John 1835
Nichols, Samuel 1835
Dore, John 1835
Buchanan, James C. 1835
Graham, Bernard 1835
Matthews, James 1835
McGloin, Edward 1835
Buchanan, Robert L. 1835
Bushe, George 1835
Bryar, James 1835
Burke, Michael 1835
Burke, Myles 1835
Cullen, Edward F. 1835
Cruise, Patrick R. 1835
Connolly, E. 1835
Cluff, John 1835
Denniston, James 1835
Dunn, Bernard 1835
Daily, Patrick 1835
Doyle, Dennis H. 1835
Fox, John 1835
Graham, David, Jr., 1835
Gray, Andrew 1835
Grattan, E. 1835
Hill, John 1835
Haggerty, John 1835
Haggerty, Ogden 1835
Jackson, Daniel 1835
Jackson, George 1835
Jackson, Thomas 1835
Kyle, Jeremiah 1835
Kyle, Joseph 1835
Kelly, Robert 1835
Morrison, John 1835
Murray, Ham. 1835
McLaughlin, Peter 1835
Murphy, Thomas 1835
Mullen, John 1835
McKibben, Dr. 1835
McGrath, Daniel 1835
Niblo, John 1835
O’Brien, William 1835
O’Brien, Francis 1835
Park, David 1835
Patterson, Robert S. 1835
Powell, James W. 1835
Quinn, John 1835
Rutherford, Robert 1835
Stinson, Edey 1835
Shaw, James 1835
Shaw, William 1835
Thompson, Alex. 1835
Thompson, Alex. Jr., 1835
Usher, Robert 1835
Wilson, Joseph 1835
Ennis, Thomas 1835
Kelly, William 1835
COMPLETE ROLL OF MEMBERSHIP MARCH 17, 1835.
Arnold, Dr. William
Alley, Saul
Adams, John
Brown, James C.
Brown, Stewart
Bradish, Wheaton
Brown, James
Buchanan, James C.
Buchanan, Robert L.
Bushe, George
Bryar, James
Burke, Michael
Burke, Myles
Caldwell, John
Corbitt, George S.
Chambers, J.
Charters, Alex.
Charters, Samuel
Cassidy, Christopher
Cullen, Edward F.
Cruise, Patrick R.
Connolly, E.
Cluff, John
Cummin, Thomas A.
Dillon, Robert J.
Dore, John
Denniston, James
Dunn, Bernard
Donaldson, Robert
Doyle, John
Daily, Patrick
Doyle, Dennis H.
Eccleston, Edward (Second Vice-President)
Emmet, Robert
Ennis, Thomas
Foote, John
Fox, John
Gibson, John
Graham, Bernard
Gillelan, E. H.
Graham, David, Jr.
Gray, Andrew
Grattan, E.
Harvey, Jacob
Hogan, Dr. Robert
Harden, Geo.
Hill, John
Heeney, Cornelius
Haggerty, John
Haggerty, Ogden
Ingoldsby, Felix
Jackson, Daniel
James, William
Jackson, George
Jackson, Thomas
Kernochan, Joseph P.
Kane, Wm.
Kelly, John
Kyle, Jeremiah
Kyle, William
Kyle, Joseph
Kelly, Robert
Kelly, William
Lambert, Chas. (Almoner)
Laverty, Henry
Magee, James
Moorhead, John
Montgomery, J. B., Jr.
Miller, James
Millar, Jesse
Maxwell, Matthew
Matthews, James
Morrison, John
Matthews, James, Jr.
Murray, Ham.
Montgomery, James
Murphy, Thomas
Mullen, John
Macneven, Wm. James
McBride, James
McGloin, Edward
McLaughlin, Peter
McAllister, Samuel
McKibben, Dr.
McGrath, Daniel
McBride, George
Niblo, William
Nicholson, John
Nichols, Samuel
Niblo, John
Osborne, Samuel (Treasurer)
O’Neill, Capt. Felix
O’Brien, William
O’Brien, Francis
Persse, Dudley (Secretary)
Patterson, Robert S.
Power, Rev. John
Park, David
Powell, James W.
Quinn, John
Redmond, William
Rutherford, Robert
Suffern, Thomas
Sampson, William
Stinson, Edey
Shaw, James
Shaw, William
Trenor, Dr.
Tait, John, Jr.
Thompson, Alexander
Thompson, Alex., Jr.
Usher, Luke
Usher, Robert
Usher, William
White, Campbell P. (President)
Wilson, John (First Vice-President)
Warren, J.
White, Robert
Wright, Dr.
Wilson, Joseph
Its presidents have been noted merchants, financiers, jurists and
professional men. Daniel McCormick was the first president, serving from
1784 to 1788, and in 1793 and 1794, and again from 1797 to 1827. Other
presidents of this venerable Society were: William Constable, 1789, 1790
and 1795; Alexander Macomb, 1791; Thomas Roach, 1792; George Pollock,
1796; John Chambers, 1828 to 1833; James McBride, 1834; Campbell P.
White, 1835 to 1838; Dr. Robert Hogan, 1839 to 1842; James Reyburn, 1843
to 1850; Richard Bell, 1851–1852 and 1865; Joseph Stuart, 1853–1856 and
1866; Samuel Sloan, 1857–1858; Richard O’Gorman, 1859; Charles P. Daly,
1860–1862, 1870, 1878–1884; James T. Brady, 1863–1864; Henry L. Hoguet,
1867; John R. Brady, 1868 and 1871–1874; Eugene Kelly, 1869; Thomas
Barbour, 1875–1876; Hugh J. Hastings, 1877; Joseph J. O’Donohue,
1885–1886, 1888–1889; James R. Cuming, 1887; David McClure, 1890–1891;
John D. Crimmins, 1892–1894; James S. Coleman, 1895–1896; Morgan J.
O’Brien, 1897–1899; James A. O’Gorman, 1900–1902; James Fitzgerald,
1903–1905; Joseph I. C. Clarke, 1906; Michael J. Drummond, 1907; Stephen
Farrelly, 1908; William Temple Emmet, 1908–1909.
The surprising growth of New York is well shown by the steady march
up-town of the places where the anniversary dinners of the Society have
been held since its organization to the present time.
1784 Cape’s Tavern. (Now No. 115 Broadway.)
1785 The Coffee House. (Mr. Bradford’s, in Water Street, near Wall
Street.)
1786 The Coffee House.
1787 The Coffee House.
1788 Merchants’ Coffee House. (S. E. Cor. Wall and Water Streets.)
1789 to 1794 The City Tavern. (115 Broadway.)
1795 to 1803 The Tontine Coffee House. (N. W. Cor. Wall and Water
Streets.)
1804 The Old Coffee House. (In Water Street, near Wall Street.)
1805 and 1806 The Tontine Coffee House.
1807 Phoenix Coffee House. (Wall Street.)
1808 Mechanics’ Hall. (N. W. Cor. Broadway and Park Place.)
1809 to 1815 The Tontine Coffee House.
1816 Washington Hall. (Now No. 280 Broadway.)
1817 The Tontine Coffee House.
1818 to 1832 The Bank Coffee House. (S. E. Cor. Pine and William
Streets.)
1833 to 1835 The City Hotel. (115 Broadway.)
1836 and 1837 Washington Hotel. (No. 1 Broadway.)
1838 Carlton House. (N. E. Cor. Broadway and Leonard Streets.)
1839 City Hotel.
1840 Niblo’s Tavern. (Broadway and Prince Street.)
1841 to 1846 City Hotel.
1847 and 1848 No dinners—Irish famine years.
1849 City Hotel.
1850 Delmonico’s Hotel. (William Street.)
1851 to 1856 Astor House.
1857 to 1862 Metropolitan Hotel.
1863 Delmonico’s. (Broadway and Chambers Street.)
1864 to 1868 Delmonico’s. (14th Street and Fifth Avenue.)
1869 and 1870 St. James Hotel.
1871 Hoffman House.
1872 Hotel Brunswick.
1873 and 1874 Delmonico’s. (14th Street and Fifth Avenue.)
1875 Hoffman House.
1876 and 1877 Delmonico’s. (14th Street and Fifth Avenue.)
1878 Metropolitan Hotel.
1879 and 1880 Delmonico’s. (14th Street and Fifth Avenue.)
1881 to 1883 Delmonico’s. (Madison Square.)
1884 Hotel Brunswick.
1885 to 1895 Delmonico’s. (Madison Square.)
1896 Hotel Savoy.
1897 Waldorf.
1898 Waldorf-Astoria.
1899 to 1908 Delmonico’s. (Fifth Avenue and 44th Street.)
[Illustration:
HON. PATRICK GARVAN.
Of Hartford, Conn.
A Life Member of the Society.
]
NOTE.
Mr. Lenehan is the Chairman of the Membership Committee of the American
Irish Historical Society, through whose efforts and ability 250 members
have been added to the Society’s rolls between the time of his
appointment in June, 1908, and January 16th, 1909, the date of the
eleventh annual meeting in Washington, D. C. New applications from him
have been coming in almost daily since the latter date. We look forward
to at least an equal number of new members being admitted during 1909,
and the Society hereby expresses the highest praise of Mr. Lenehan for
his faithful and fruitful efforts in its behalf. Under his guidance, the
printed matter which has gone forth during 1908 throughout the country
has been prepared and circulated, and in his work he is receiving the
cordial support of all the members.
Although in the midst of a busy life as a successful practising lawyer,
Mr. Lenehan finds time to give valuable assistance by word and deed to
these two great national societies, The Friendly Sons of St. Patrick and
the American Irish Historical Society, both of which claim him as an
honored member.
EDITOR.
EARLY MARINE “WIRELESS.”
BY EDGAR STANTON MACLAY.
Not the least valuable of the many practical lessons taught by the
cruise of the Atlantic battleship fleet around the world was the
demonstration of the possibility of following from Washington almost
every day’s move of the great white ships from their departure from
Hampton Roads to their return, by means of wireless telegraphy and other
methods of transmitting information. It is a cardinal point in the
strategy of naval warfare to be thoroughly advised, first, of the
location, disposition and conditions of your own ships and, second, the
same of your adversary’s.
Some idea of the stupendous advances made in this most important detail
may be gained by a comparison with the “wireless” marine telegraphy of a
century ago when, although electricity had not been harnessed to the
news bureau, ingenious methods of maintaining a “marine telegraph” were
operative which, in some instances, were most surprising in their
results.