WIRELESS AND THE 'TITANIC.'
TO THE EDITOR OP THE "SPECTATOR."J SIR,--My attention has been drawn to your issue of April 27th. In the third paragraph of "News of the Week" you state
that
"evidence was given as to the messages sent by some of the wire- less operators. During the voyage of the 'Carpathia ' from the scone of the wreck to Now York the telegraphist refused to answer all questions about the 'Titanic' by wireless because he had boon encouraged to expect a large sum of money for his narrative on landing. Several messages among operators them- selves related to the business of selling their information. Mr. Marconi admitted that ho had authorized this sale."
I am confident that you would not willingly do an injustice to tl.is company or to Mr. Marconi, and inasmuch as the state- ment which I cite is seriously misleading and incorrect I feel sure you will not hesitate to give it correction.
Mr. Marconi has himself only just returned from New York, and it was therefore impossible to write you authentically till one was in a position to obtain the facts. This I am now able to do and give you an exact account of what actually did take place. The operator of the Carpathia' did not refuse to answer any questions except under the directions of the captain. His position on the ship was purely that of a tele- graphist, and his duty is merely to send such telegrams as he is instructed to send. He signs the articles when be joins the ship, is therefore entirely under the orders of the captain, and in fact is an officer of the ship. The narrative which be sold was his personal experience and nothing more. It was not until he had passed Sandy Hook and was coming into port that he received a message from a friend obviously with the intention of enabling him to sell his story instead of giving it away to all the newspaper reporters who would surround him as soon as he landed. Mr. Marconi was not acquainted with the telegram which was sent to him, nor did it have his authority or approval.
I question, however, if we have the right or the power to pre- vent an operator selling his personal experience to the Press when he reaches the end of his journey, providing always that the captain of the ship does not forbid it.—I am, Sir, &c., GODFREY C. ISAACS, Managing Director,
The Marconi international Marine Communication Co., Ltd.,
Watergate House, York Buildings, Adelphi, London, W.C.
[Our note was a summary of the evidence printed in the Times, and though we are glad to publish Mr. Isaaca's explanation we cannot admit that we misrepresented the testimony that was before us.—En. Spectator.]
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