On February 12, 1907, the chairman of the committee requested Mr. A. Zappone to produce and make a part of the hearings all papers and memoranda on file in the Department relative to work in wireless telegraphy, accompanied by a list of the Department's expenditures in connection with such experimentations and prefacing the same with a general statement regarding the matter. In compliance with this request the following statement was prepared from the records and the annexed exhibits were filed: STATEMENT RELATIVE TO EXPERIMENTATION IN WIRELESS TELEGRAPHY BY THE WEATHER BUREAU. On December 20, 1899, the Chief of the Weather Bureau requested and secured authority from the Secretary of Agriculture to conduct experiments in wireless telegraphy. Work was begun on January 19, 1900, under the direct supervision of Prof. Reginald A. Fessenden, who was employed for that purpose at $3,000 per annum. Professor Fessenden continued to direct the experimentations until he resigned on July 30, 1902, after which the work was continued by Mr. Alfred H. Thiessen until June 17, 1904, about which time the report of the wireless board appointed by the President was formulated, which report recommended that the wireless-telegraphy work be transferred to the Navy Department. The report was approved by the President on July 29, 1904. The work was prosecuted during the fiscal years 1900 and 1901 mainly under authority in “General Expenses, Weather Bureau," under the provision therein "for maintenance and repair of seacoast telegraph lines," and during this period accounts for services and materials were passed by the Treasury Department without any disallowances. In this connection see decision of the Comptroller of the Treasury, dated January 9, 1901, exhibited below. For the fiscal years 1902, 1903, and 1904 the appropriation for “General Expenses, Weather Bureau," contained specific provisions for experiments in wireless telegraphy. # The organic act creating the Weather Bureau specifically provides" that the Chief of the Weather Bureau, under the direction of the Secretary of Agriculture shall have charge of the forecasting of weather the maintenance and operating of seacoast telegraph lines, and the collection and transmission of marine intelligence for the benefit of commerce and navigation * The wireless-telegraphy work was conducted altogether on or near the seacoasts and along Government telegraph lines in daily operation. The work was strictly in accordance with the provisions of the organic act which made it incumbent upon the Weather Bureau to maintain and operate seacoast telegraph lines, and collect and transmit marine intelligence for the benefit of commerce and navigation. The work had a direct bearing on the operation of the seacoast telegraph lines, and was maintained for the most part at terminal and intermediate stations of the Government telegraph lines, namely, Cape Hatteras, Manteo, and Cape Henry. Later the work was carried on between San Francisco, Point Reyes, and the Southeast Farallones, California, where the Government also maintains cable and telegraph lines. The wireless work supplemented the land and cable lines, and was used in lieu thereof during interruptions to the latter. It was the intent to have this wireless work supplant the telegraph lines and cables as fast as it was practicable to do so. The work was therefore prosecuted under the requirements of the organic act, and strictly under the provisions of the law making appropriations for the Weather Bureau during the fiscal years in which the work was carried on. About one-half of the entire expenditures incurred under wireless telegraphy was in payment of salaries. The salaries of the employees detailed on this work were paid from the following appropriations: "Salaries. Weather Bureau,” “Salaries, General Expenses, Weather Bureau," and from the lump fund for ** Meteorological Observation Stations." All materials were purchased from the appropriation for "General Expenses, Weather Bureau.” Weather Bureau.. Prof. WILLIS L. MOORE, UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY, Washington, D. C., December 20, 1899. Chief U. S. Weather Bureau, Washington, D. C'. SIR: Impressed with the importance to the Weather Bureau of this Department of communicating between its stations by means of electro-magnetic wave signals instead of wire communication, you are hereby directed to prosecute experimentation and research with the view of devising a system of wireless telegraphy which will be applicable to the Weather Bureau. You will make such expenditure from your current fund as is possible after economically readjusting your present expenses, and employ such experts as in your judgment may be necessary to take charge of or assist in the experiments. I understand that the Marconi coherer is capable of detecting electro-ethereal vibrations at an extreme distance of about 40 miles. This range would not be sufficient to connect your Weather Bureau stations. Can you not secure devices that will either be more delicate than the Marconi coherer, or that will detect the magnetic wave by some delicate suspensory adjustment that will render the coherer unnecessary? I can appreciate the wonderful advantage to commerce that would result if you were able to open up communication between your coast and lake stations and the vessels of commerce that ply coastwise and on our great inland seas. It would be possible for vessel owners and others to communicate with the captains of vessels sailing from Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and other ports to places in the West Indies; to call in from the lakes and from the ocean on both sides of our continent all vessels located within several hundred miles of the coast whenever storms threatened. The $200,000 which the Weather Bureau spends in telegraphing and cabling each year is many times greater than what is expended by all other branches of the Government for telegraphic service. It therefore behooves you to make special effort to perfect a wireless system that will enable you to connect your vast system of observatories one with the other, and thereby make it possible for you to save much of the sum that is now spent in telegraphing and cabling. But it is not the economical feature of the problem that impresses me so much as the vast benefit to trade and commerce that will result when you are able to flash your danger warnings over vast stretches of territory which could not otherwise be reached. I shall be glad to approve all legitimate expenditures, so far as the appropriation will permit, having for their object the vigorous prosecution of this work. Very respectfully, JAMES WILSON, Secretary. UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, Articles of agreement entered in this ninth day of January, nineteen hundred, between James Wilson, Secretary of Agriculture, for and on behalf of the Weather Bureau, U. S. Department of Agriculture, party of the first part, and Reginald A. Fessenden, professor, Western University of Pennsylvania, Allegheny, Pa. This agreement witnesseth: That the said James Wilson. Secretary of Agriculture, for and on behalf of the United States of America and the said Reginald A. Fessenden, have mutually agreed, and by these presents do mutually covenant and agree to and with each other as follows: That, in view of the said Fessenden being given employment in the Weather Bureau for one year at a salary of $3,000 per annum; the employment (if necessary) in the Weather Bureau for one year, at a salary of $1,200, of some person to be named by him; the purchase of such apparatus, supplies, etc., by the Government as may be considered necessary by the Chief of the Weather Bureau, said property to belong to the Weather Bureau; the detail for one year of two employees of the Weather Bureau to assist in conducting the experiments, with out expense to the said Fessenden, whatever inventions are made by the said Fessenden, or that have been made by him, applying to the wireless transmission of electric signals, shall be immediately patented by him at his expense and the right to use said inventions given to the Weather Bureau, Department of Agriculture, for transmission over land and sea of official messages, without charge, except for the apparatus at actual cost of manufacture, the Weather Bureau being further empowered to manufacture the apparatus for its own use if so desired, and said Fessenden hereby reserves all other commercial rights and privileges accruing from said invention. In witness whereof, the undersigned have hereunto placed their hands and seals on the date first hereinbefore written. Received for record March 8, 1902, and recorded in Liber K 64, page 491, of Transfers of Patents. In testimony whereof I have caused the seal of the Patent Office to be hereunto affixed. [SEAL.] Exd. (Signed) F. I. ALLEN, Commissioner of Patents. E. H. G. Whereas, I, Reginald A. Fessenden, formerly of the city of Allegheny, county of Allegheny, State of Pennsylvania, and now a resident of Manteo, in the county of Dare, State of North Carolina, have invented certain new and useful improvements in methods and apparatus for wireless telegraphy, for which I have filed applications for letters patent of the United States, ten in number, up to the date hereof; and whereas the United States Weather Bureau, Department of Agriculture, is desirous of acquiring the right and license to manufacture and use the inventions described in said applications for the purpose of transmission of official messages of said Weather Bureau over land and sea: Now these presents witness, that for and in consideration of the sum of one dollar, to him in hand paid by the said United States Weather Bureau, the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, and in consideration of moneys paid to the said Reginald A. Fessenden in accordance with an agreement dated January 9th 1900, between the said United States Weather Bureau and the said Reginald A. Fessenden. I, the said Reginald A. Fessenden, do hereby license and empower the said United States Weather Bureau, Department of Agriculture, to use the inventions described and claimed in said applications for letters patent for the purpose of transmission over land and sea of official messages of said United States Weather Bureau, but for no other purpose, without further charge or expense, except for the apparatus at actual cost of manufacture, the United States Weather Bureau being further empowered and licensed hereby to manufacture the necessary apparatus for this purpose for its own use, if so desired, as provided in and by the aforesaid agreement. And I, Reginald A. Fessenden, hereby further agree to execute and deliver immediately upon the issue of letters patent on said applications, or any of them, all instruments and writings necessary to grant and convey to the United States Weather Bureau, Department of Agriculture, the rights hereinbefore mentioned and to carry into effect the aforesaid agreement. This is to be understood as in no way waiving the rights of the United States Weather Bureau, Department of Agriculture, to use in the manner and for the purposes stated other inventions pertaining to wireless telegraphy which may be secured to him by any letters patents on applications which may be made by him subsequent to the execution of this agreement. Witness my hand this 6th day of March, 1902, at Manteo, North Carolina, in the presence of two attesting witnesses. Witnesses: (Signed) EBENEZER T. TURNER. WILLIAM T. LATHROP. REGINALD A. FESSENDEN. Received for record March 8, 1902, and recorded in Liber K 64, page 492, of Transfers of Patents. In testimony whereof I have caused the seal of the Patent Office to be hereunto affixed. [SEAL.] Exd. (Signed) F. I. ALLEN, Commissioner of Patents. E. H. G. Whereas, I, Reginald A. Fessenden, formerly of the city of Allegheny, county of Allegheny, State of Pennsylvania (and now a resident of the District of Columbia), have invented certain new and useful improvements in methods and apparatus for wireless telegraphy, for which letters patent of the United States, numbered as follows, have been issued up to the date hereof: 727331, of May 5, 1903; 12115, of May 26, 1903 (reissue); 731029, of June 16, 1903; 12168 and 12169, of November 10, 1903; 753863, of March 8, 1904; and whereas the United States Weather Bureau, Department of Agriculture, is desirous of acquiring the right and license to manufacture and use the inventions described in said letters patent for the purpose of transmission over land and sea of official messages of said United States Weather Bureau, Department of Agriculture: Now these presents witnesseth, that for and in consideration of the sum of one dollar to him in hand paid by the said United States Weather Bureau, Department of Agriculture, the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, and in consideration of moneys paid to the said Reginald A. Fessenden, in accordance with an agreement dated January 9, 1900, between the said United States Weather Bureau, Department of Agriculture, and the said Reginald A. Fessenden, I, the said Reginald A. Fessenden, do hereby license and empower the said United States Weather Bureau, Department of Agriculture, to use the inventions described and claimed in said letters patent for the purpose of · transmission over land and sea of official messages of said United States Weather Bureau, Department of Agriculture, but for no other purpose, without further charge or expense, except for the apparatus at actual cost of manufacture, the United States Weather Bureau, Department of Agriculture, being further empowered and licensed hereby to manufacture the necessary apparatus for this purpose for its own use, if so desired, as provided in and by the aforesaid agreement. This is to be understood as in no way waiving the rights of the United States Weather Bureau, Department of Agriculture, to use in the manner and for the purposes stated other inventions pertaining to wireless telegraphy which may be secured to Reginald A. Fessenden by any letters patents on applications which may be made by him subsequent to the execution of this agreement. And I, Reginald A. Fessenden, hereby amend accordingly the license granted by me to the United States Weather Bureau, Department of Agriculture, on March 6, 1902, on my original applications for letters patent, recorded in Liber K, 64, pages 491 and 492. Witness my hand this second day of June, 1904, in the city of Washington, District of Columbia, in the presence of two attesting witnesses. (Signed) REGINALD A. FESSENDEN. Witnesses: A. E. HARWOOD. Received for record March 3, 1905, and recorded in Liber J 71, page 238, of Transfers of Patents. In testimony whereof I have caused the seal of the Patent Office to be hereunto affixed. [SEAL.] (Signed) F. I. ALLEN, Commissioner of Patents. TREASURY DEPARTMENT, OFFICE OF COMPTROLLER OF THE TREASURY, January 9, 1901. In the revision, upon my own motion, of the account of Frank L. Evans, disbursing clerk of the Department of Agriculture, under the appropriation "General expenses, Weather Bureau, 1900," covering the period from January 1, 1900, to March 31, 1900, settled by the Auditor for the State and other departments per certificate No. 16218, dated June 27, 1900, exception was taken to the following item in said account, viz: 66 Voucher No. 1181. John A. Brashears, $108. “For electric make-and-break machine for wireless telegraphy to be used in making experiments in wireless telegraphy at Allegheny, Pa., in connection with telephoning and telegraphing report.” This item was excepted to for the reason that the machine appeared to have been bought for purely experimental purposes in connection with telegraphing and telephoning reports and did not seem to be provided for by the appropriation. In his explanations to this item Mr. Evans states, among other things. that "The electric make-and-break machine bought of John A. Brashears will. when perfected, be used in connection with the maintenance and operation of seacoast telegraph lines and for the transmission of marine intelligence for the benefit of commerce and navigation in sending messages and signals to the Weather Bureau stations along the seacoast and (if present expectations shall be realized) between these stations and passing vessels. "This instrument was originally purchased for temporary use in making experiments at Allegheny, Pa., but it has since been transferred to a seacoast station where further experiments are now being conducted in sending messages to near-by points." *** The appropriation for general expenses, Weather Bureau, 1900, provides: General expenses of the Weather Bureau under the direction of the Secretary of Agriculture, for the benefit of agriculture, commerce, navigation, and other interests as provided by law, namely: Salaries three hundred and eighty-two thousand one hundred and ninety-five dollars. All other expenses, itemized as follows: for instruments and shelters therefor; for telegraphing and telephoning reports and messages, the rates to be fixed by the Secretary of Agriculture by agreements with the companies performing the services; for rents and other incidental expenses of offices maintained at stations of observation, for maintenance and repair of seacoast telegraph lines: for river observations and reports; for storm and other signals; for supplies for climate and crop service, and for investigation on climatology, including assistance and all necessary expenses, three hundred and eighty-five thousand nine hundred and sixty-seven dollars.” * * Under the terms of this appropriation the Secretary of Agriculture is not authorized to incur an expense for an instrument connected with telegraphy, whether for experimental or other purposes, for use on other telegraph lines than the seacoast lines being operated and maintained by the Government. Allegheny, Pa.. is an inland town and it can hardly be said that a seacoast line of telegraph could be maintained and operated at such point. Congress has provided for the maintenance and operation of seacoast telegraph lines and the Government is confined in the expenditure for maintenance of telegraph lines or systems to such seacoast lines. The Secretary of Agriculture was not. therefore, authorized to purchase this machine for the purpose of use or experiment at Allegheny, Pa., but as it has since been transferred to a seacoast telegraph station and is now in use as a part of the outfit of the same, the amount of said purchase will not be disallowed in this revision upon my own motion. Purchases of instruments for telegraphing are unauthorized under this appropriation unless they are to be used as a part of the outfit in the operation. maintenance and repair of the seacoast telegraph lines that the Government is authorized to operate and maintain. R. J. TRACEWELL, Comptroller. |