Book Review "
W
ednesday morning, April 10, 1912, the $7.5 million, 46,328ton Titanic, the world's largest vessel, equipped with the latest model Marconi wireless, pulled away from her Southamption berth with 2,340 people aboard." If not for a quirk of fate-Guglielmo Marconi, the father of Wireless and the great-grandfather of the cell phone, would have been aboard as well. In Marconi: The Story of the Race to Control Long-Distance Wireless, Calvin D. Trowbridge has crafted an excellent biography about one of the most influential and fascinating figures of the early 20th century. The story of Marconi's narrow escape from almost certain death on board the Titanic, along with the groundbreaking use of Marconi's invention during the sinking of that great ship, are both compelling elements in the life of a man who still influences the way the world works to this day.
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Anther significant element of this biography is the exploration of Marconi's business interests. As a man intent on
By Kevin G. Summers bringing wireless to the world, Marconi's chief competition was the submarine cable industry.
"Submarine cable coporations had laid estensive underwater connection between land-based telegraph systems. Cable operated on the same scientific principles as telegraph. The expense of submerging and maintaining waterproof line was far greater Wireless might penetrate this business. Airborne transmission should have significant cost advantages. A WTS engineer spelled it out: "Judge for yourself. Every mile of deepsea cable costs about $750; every mile of land end (land connection) is about $1,000. All that we save, aso the great expense of keeping a cable steamer constantly in commission making repairs and laying new lengths. All we need is a couple of masts and a little wire. The wear and tear is practically nothing. The cost of running, simply for home batteries and operators' keep." I found Mr. Trowbridge's writing to be both compelling and evocative, and I'm sure that most readers of SubTel Forum will feel the same way.