Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, With the Annual Message of the President Transmitted to Congress December 3, 1912

By the President of the United States of America.

[Berlin, November 3, 1906]

A PROCLAMATION.

Whereas a wireless telegraph convention, with service regulations, a suppplementary agreement, and a final protocol was concluded and signed by the plenipotentiaries of the United States of America, Germany, Argentine Republic, Austria, Hungary, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Chile, Denmark, Spain, France, Great Britain, Greece, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Monaco, Norway, Netherlands, Persia, Portugal, Roumania, Russia, Sweden, Turkey and Uruguay, at Berlin on November third, one thousand nine hundred and six, the original of which convention and annexes, being in the French language, is word for word as follows:

[In the publication “Treaty Series, No. 568,” from which this is printed, the French text here follows, with a translation in English at page 31, as follows:]

[Translation.]

International wireless telegraph convention concluded between Germany, the United States of America, Argentina, Austria, Hungary, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Chile, Denmark, Spain, France, Great Britain, Greece, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Monaco, Norway, the Netherlands, Persia, Portugal, Roumania, Russia, Sweden, Turkey, and Uruguay.

The undersigned, plenipotentiaries of the Governments of the countries enumerated above, having met in conference at Berlin, have agreed on the following Convention, subject to ratification:

Article 1.

The High Contracting Parties bind themselves to apply the provisions of the present Convention to all wireless telegraph stations open to public service between the coast and vessels at sea—both coastal stations and stations on shipboard—which are established or worked by the Contracting Parties.

They further bind themselves to make the observance of these provisions obligatory upon private enterprises authorized either to establish or work coastal stations for wireless telegraphy open to the service of public correspondence between the coast and vessels at sea, or to establish or work wireless telegraph stations, whether open to general public service or not, on board of vessels flying their flag.

Article 2.

By “coastal stations” is to be understood every wireless telegraph station established on shore or on board a permanently moored vessel used for the exchange of correspondence with ships at sea.

Every wireless telegraph station established on board any vessel not permanently moored is called a “station on shipboard.”

Article 3.

The coastal stations and the stations on shipboard shall be bound to exchange wireless telegrams reciprocally without distinction of the wireless telegraph system adopted by such stations.

Article 4.

Notwithstanding the provisions of Article 3, a station may be reserved for a limited public service determined by the object of the correspondence, or by other circumstances independent of the system employed.

Article 5.

Each of the High Contracting Parties undertakes to connect the coastal stations to the telegraph system by special wires, or, at least, to take other measures which will insure a rapid exchange between the coastal stations and the telegraph system.

Article 6.

The High Contracting Parties shall notify one another of the names of coastal stations and stations on shipboard referred to in Article 1, and also of all data, necessary to facilitate and accelerate the exchange of wireless telegrams, as specified in the Regulations.

Article 7.

Each of the High Contracting Parties reserves the right to prescribe or permit at the stations referred to in Article 1, apart from the installation the data of which are to be published in conformity with Article 6, the installation and working of other devices for the purpose of establishing special wireless communication without publishing the details of such devices.

Article 8.

The working of the wireless telegraph stations shall be organized as far as possible in such manner as not to disturb the service of other wireless stations.

Article 9.

Wireless telegraph stations are bound to give absolute priority to calls of distress from ships, to similarly answer such calls and to take such action with regard thereto as may be required.

Article 10.

The total charge for wireless telegrams shall comprise:

1. The charge for the maritime transmission, that is:

(a) The coastal rate, which shall fall to the coastal station;

(b) The shipboard rate, which shall fall to the shipboard station.

2. The charge for transmission over the lines of the telegraph system, to be computed according to the general regulations.

The coastal rate shall be subject to the approval of the Government of which the coastal station is dependent, and the shipboard rate to the approval of the Government whose flag the ship is flying.

Each of these rates shall be fixed in accordance with the tariff per word, pure and simple, with an optional minimum rate per wireless telegram, on the basis of an equitable remuneration for the wireless work. Neither rate shall exceed a maximum to be fixed by the High Contracting Parties.

However, each of the High Contracting Parties shall be at liberty to authorize higher rates than such maximum in the case of stations of ranges exceeding 800 km or of stations whose work is exceptionally difficult owing to physical conditions in connection with the installation or working of the same.

For wireless telegrams proceeding from or destined for a country and exchanged directly with the coastal stations of such country, the High Contracting Parties shall advise one another of the rates applicable to the transmission over the lines of their telegraph system. Such rates shall be those resulting from the principle that the coastal station is to be considered as the station of origin or of destination.

Article 11.

The provisions of the present Convention are supplemented by Regulations, which shall have the same force and go into effect at the same time as the Convention.

The provisions of the present Convention and of the Regulations relating thereto may at any time be modified by the High Contracting Parties by common consent. Conferences of plenipotentiaries or simply administrative conferences, according as the Convention or the Regulations are affected, shall take place from time to time; each conference shall fix the time and place of the next meeting.

Article 12.

Such conferences shall be composed of delegates of the Governments of the contracting countries.

In the deliberations each country shall have but one vote.

If a Government adheres to the Convention for its colonies, possessions or protectorates, subsequent conferences may decide that such colonies, possessions or protectorates, or a part thereof, shall be considered as forming a country as regards the application of the preceding paragraph. But the number of votes at the disposal of one Government, including its colonies, possessions or protectorates, shall in no case exceed six.

Article 13.

An International Bureau shall be charged with collecting, coordinating and publishing information of every kind relating to wireless telegraphy, examining the applications for changes in the Convention or Regulations, promulgating the amendments adopted, and generally performing all administrative work referred to in the interest of international wireless telegraphy.

The expenses of such institution shall be borne by all the contracting countries.

Article 14.

Each of the High Contracting Parties reserves to itself the right of fixing the terms on which it will receive wireless telegrams proceeding from or intended for any station, whether on shipboard or coastal, which is not subject to the provisions of the present Convention.

If a wireless telegram is received the ordinary rates shall be applicable to it.

Any wireless telegram proceeding from a station on shipboard and received by a coastal station of a contracting country, or accepted in transit by the administration of a contracting country, shall be forwarded.

Any wireless telegram intended for a vessel shall also be forwarded if the administration of the contracting country has accepted it originally or in transit from a non-contracting country, the coastal station reserving the right to refuse transmission to a station on shipboard subject to a non-contracting country.

Article 15.

The provisions of Articles 8 and 9 of this Convention are also applicable to wireless telegraph installations other than those referred to in Article 1.

Article 16.

Governments which are not parties to the present Convention shall be permitted to adhere to it upon their request. Such adherence shall be communicated through diplomatic channels to the contracting Government in whose territory the last conference shall have been held, and by the latter to the remaining Governments.

The adherence shall carry with it to the fullest extent acceptance of all the clauses of this Convention and admission to all the advantages stipulated therein.

Article 17.^a

The provisions of Articles 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 11, 12, and 17 of the International Telegraph Convention of St. Petersburg of July 10/22, 1875, shall be applicable to international wireless telegraphy.

Article 18.

In case of disagreement between two or more contracting Governments regarding the interpretation or execution of the present Convention or of the Regulations referred to in Article 11, the question in dispute may, by mutual agreement, be submitted to arbitration. In such case each of the Governments concerned shall choose another Government not interested in the question at issue.

The decision of the arbiters shall be arrived at by the absolute majority of votes.

In case of a division of votes, the arbiters shall choose, for the purpose of settling the disagreement, another contracting Government which is likewise a stranger to the question at issue. In case of failure to agree on a choice, each arbiter shall propose a disinterested contracting Government, and lots shall be drawn between the Governments proposed. The drawing of the lots shall fall to the Government within whose territory the international bureau provided for in Article 13 shall be located.

Article 19.

The High Contracting Parties bind themselves to take, or propose to their respective legislatures, the necessary measures for insuring the execution of the present Convention.

Article 20.

The High Contracting Parties shall communicate to one another any laws already framed, or which may be framed, in their respective countries relative to the object of the present Convention.

Article 21.

The High Contracting Parties shall preserve their entire liberty as regards wireless telegraph installations other than provided for in Article 1, especially naval and military installations, which shall be subject only to the obligations provided for in Articles 8 and 9 of the present Convention.

However, when such installations are used for general public service they shall conform, in the execution of such service, to the provisions of the Regulations as regards the mode of transmission and rates.

Article 22.

The present Convention shall go into effect on the 1st day of July, 1908, and shall remain in force for an indefinite period or until the expiration of one year from the day when it shall be denounced by any of the contracting parties.

Such denunciation shall affect only the Government in whose name it shall have been made. As regards the other Contracting Powers, the Convention shall remain in force.

Article 23.

The present Convention shall be ratified and the ratifications exchanged at Berlin with the least possible delay.

In witness whereof the respective plenipotentiaries have signed one copy of the Convention, which shall be deposited in the archives of the Imperial Government of Germany, and a copy of which shall be transmitted to each Party.

Done at Berlin, November 3, 1906.

For Germany: Kraetke, Sydow. For United States: Charlemagne Tower, H. N. Manney, James Allen, John I. Waterbury. For Argentina: J. Olmi. For Austria: Barth, Fries. For Hungary: Pierre de Szalay, Dr. de Hennyey, Hollós. For Belgium: F. Delarge, E. Buels. For Brazil: Cesar de Campos. For Bulgaria: Iv. Stoyanovitch. For Chile: J. Muiioz Hurtado, J. Mery. For Denmark: N. R. Meyer, I. A. Voehtz. For Spain: Ignacio Murcia, Ramón Estrada, Rafael Rávena, Isidro Calvo, Manuel Noriéga, Antonio Peláez-Campomanes. For France: J. Bordelongue, L. Gaschard, Boulanger, A. Devos. For Great Britain: H. Babington Smith, A. E. Bethell, R. L. Hippisley. For Greece: T. Argyropoulos. For Italy: J. Colombo. For Japan: Osuke Asano, Rukure Yashiro, Shunkichi Kimura, Ziro Tanaka, Saburo Hyakutake. For Mexico: José M. Pérez. For Monaco: J. Depelley. For Norway: Heftye, O. T. Eidem. For Netherlands: Kruÿt, Perk, Hoven. For Persia: Hovhannès Khan. For Portugal: Paulo Benjamin Cabral. For Roumania: Gr. Cerkez. For Russia: A. Eichholz, A. Euler, Victor Bilibine, A. Remmert, W. Kédrine. For Sweden: Herman Ryclin, A. Hamilton. For Turkey: Nazif Bey. For Uruguay: F. A. Costanzo.

Supplementary agreement.

The undersigned plenipotentiaries of the Governments of Germany, the United States of America, Argentina, Austria, Hungary, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Chile, Denmark, Spain, France, Greece, Monaco, Norway, the Netherlands, Roumania, Russia, Sweden, Turkey, and Uruguay bind themselves mutually, from the date of the going into effect of the Convention, to conform to the provisions of the following supplementary articles:

I.

Each station on shipboard referred to in Article 1 of the Convention shall be bound to correspond with any other station on shipboard without distinction of the wireless telegraph system adopted by such stations respectively.

II

The Governments which have not adhered to the foregoing article may at any time signify, by following the procedure prescribed by Article 16 of the Convention, that they bind themselves to conform to its provisions.

Those which have adhered to the foregoing article may at any time, under the same conditions as provided for in Article 22, signify their intention to cease conforming to its provisions.

III.

This agreement shall be ratified and the ratifications exchanged at Berlin with the least possible delay.

In witness whereof the respective plenipotentiaries have signed one copy of the present Agreement, which shall be deposited in the archives of the Imperial Government of Germany, and a copy of which shall be transmitted to each of the Parties.

Done at Berlin, November 3, 1906.

For Germany: Kraetke, Sydow. For United States: Charlemagne Tower, H. N. Manney, James Allen, John I. Waterbury. For Argentina: J. Olmi. For Austria: Barth, Fries. For Hungary: Pierre de Szalay, Dr. de Hennyey, Hollós. For Belgium: F. Delarge, E. Buels. For Brazil: Cesar de Campos. For Bulgaria: Iv. Stoyanovitch. For Chile: J. Muñoz Hurtado, J. Mery. For Denmark: N. R. Meyer, I. A. Voehtz. For Spain: Ignacio Murcia, Ramon Estrada, Rafael Rávena, Isidro Calvo, Manuel Noriega, Antonio Peláez-Campomanes. For France: J. Bordelongue, L. Gaschard, Boulanger, A. Devos. For Greece: T. Argyropoulos. For Monaco: J. Depelley. For Norway: Heftye, O. T. Eidem. For Netherlands: Kruÿt, Perk, Hoven, For Roumanian Gr. Cerkez. For Russia: A. Eicholz, A. Euler, Victor Bilibine, A. Remmert, W. Kédrine. For Sweden: Herman Rydin, A. Hamilton. For Turkey: Nazif Bey. For Uruguay: F. A. Costanzo.

Final protocol.

At the moment of signing the Convention adopted by the International Wireless Telegraph Conference of Berlin, the undersigned plenipotentiaries have agreed as follows:

I.

The High Contracting Parties agree that at the next Conference the number of votes to which each country is entitled (Article 12 of the Convention) shall be decided at the beginning of the deliberations, so that the colonies, possessions or protectorates admitted to the privilege of voting may exercise their right to vote during the entire course of the proceedings of such Conference.

This decision shall be of immediate effect and remain in force until amended by a subsequent Conference.

As regards the next Conference, applications for the admission of new votes in favor of colonies, possessions or protectorates which may have adhered to the Convention shall be addressed to the International Bureau at least six months prior to the date of the convening of such Conference. Notice of such applications shall at once be given to the remaining contracting Governments, which may, within the period of two months from the receipt of the notice, formulate similar applications.

II.

Each contracting Government may reserve the right to designate, according to circumstances, certain coastal stations to be exempted from the obligation imposed by Article 3 of the Convention, provided that, as soon as this measure goes into effect, there shall be opened within its territory one or several stations subject to the obligations of Article 3, insuring, within the region where the exempted stations are located, such wireless telegraph service as will satisfy the needs of the public service. The Governments desiring to reserve this right shall give notice thereof in the form provided for in the second paragraph of Article 16 of the Convention, not later than three months before the Convention goes into effect, or, in case of subsequent adhesion, at the time of such adhesion.

The countries whose names follow below declare now that they will not reserve such right:

Germany, United States, Argentina, Austria, Hungary, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Chile, Greece, Mexico, Monaco, Norway, Netherlands, Roumania, Russia, Sweden, Uruguay.

III.

The manner of carrying out the provisions of the foregoing article shall be at the discretion of the Government which takes advantage of the right of exemption; such Government shall be at liberty to decide from time to time, in its own judgment, how many stations and what stations shall be exempted. Such Government shall likewise be at liberty as regards the manner of carrying out the provision relative to the opening of other stations subject to the obligations of Article 3, insuring, within the region where the exempted stations are located, such wireless telegraph service as will satisfy the needs of the public service.

IV.

It is understood that, in order not to impede scientific progress, the provisions of Article 3 of the Convention shall not prevent the eventual employment of a wireless telegraph system incapable of communicating with other systems, provided, however, that such incapacity shall be due to the specific nature of such system and that it shall not be the result of devices adopted for the sole purpose of preventing intercommunication.

V.

The adherence to the Convention by the Government of a country having colonies, possessions or protectorates shall not carry with it the adherence of its colonies, possessions or protectorates, unless a declaration to that effect is made by such Government. Such colonies, possessions and protectorates as a whole, or each of them separately, may form the subject of a separate adherence or a separate denunciation within the provisions of Articles 16 and 22 of the Convention.

It is understood that the stations on board of vessels whose headquarters is a port in a colony, possession or protectorate may be deemed as subject to the authority of such colony, possession or protectorate.

VI.

Note is taken of the following declaration:

The Italian delegation in signing the Convention does so with the reservation that the Convention can not be ratified on the part of Italy until the date of the expiration of her contracts with Mr. Marconi and his Company, or at an earlier date if the Government of the King of Italy shall succeed in fixing such date by negotiations with Mr. Marconi and his Company.

VII.

In case one or several of the High Contracting Parties shall not ratify the Convention, it shall nevertheless be valid as to the parties which shall have ratified it.

In witness whereof the undersigned plenipotentiaries have drawn up the present Final Protocol, which shall be of the same force and effect as though the provisions thereof had been embodied in the text of the Convention itself to which it has reference, and they have signed one copy of the same, which shall be deposited in the archives of the Imperial Government of Germany, and a copy of which shall be transmitted to each of the Parties.

Done at Berlin, November 3, 1906.

For Germany: Kraetke, Sydow. For United States: Charlemagne Tower, H. N. Manney, James Allen, John I. Waterbury. For Argentina: J. Olmi. For Austria: Barth, Fries. For Hungary: Pierre de Szalay, Dr. de Hennyey, Hollós. For Belgium: F. Delarge, E. Buels. For Brazil: Cesar de Campos. For Bulgaria: Iv. Stoyanovitch. For Chile: J. Muñoz Hurtado, J. Meyer. For Denmark: N. R. Meyer, I. A. Voehtz. For Spain: Ignacio Murcia, Ramon Estrada, Rafael Rávena, Isidro Calvo, Manuel Noriega, Antonio Peláez-Campomanes. For France: J. Bordelongue, L. Gascherd, Boulanger, A. Devos. For Great Britain: H. Babington Smith, A. E. Bethell, R. L. Hippisley. For Greece: T. Argyropoulos. For Italy: J. Colombo. For Japan: Osuke Asano, Rokure Yashiro, Shunkichi Kimura, Ziro Tanaka, Saburo Hyakutake. For Mexico: José M. Pérez. For Monaco: J. Depelley. For Norway: Heftye, O. T. Eidem. For Netherlands: Kruÿt, Perk, Hoven. For Persia: Hovhannés Khan. For Portugal: Paulo Benjamin Cabral. For Roumania: Gr. Cerkez. For Russia: A. Eicholz, A. Euler, Victor Bilibine, A. Remmert, W. Kédrine. For Sweden: Herman Rydin, A. Hamilton. For Turkey: Nazif Bey. For Uruguay: F. A. Costanzo.

Service regulations annexed to the International Wireless Telegraph Convention.

1. Organization of Wireless Telegraph Stations.

I.

The choice of wireless apparatus and devices to be used by the coastal stations and stations on shipboard shall be unrestricted. The installation of such stations shall as far as possible keep pace with scientific and technical progress.

II.

Two wave lengths, one of 300 meters and the other of 600 meters, are authorized for general public service. Every coastal station opened to such service shall use one or the other of these two wave lengths. During the whole time that the station is open to service it shall be in condition to receive calls according to its wave length, and no other wave length shall be used by it for the service of general public correspondence. Each Government may, however, authorize in coastal stations the employment of other wave lengths designed to insure long-range service or any service other than for general public correspondence established in conformity with the provisions of the Convention, provided such wave lengths do not exceed 600 meters or that they do exceed 1,600 meters.

III.

1. The normal wave length for stations on shipboard shall be 300 meters. Every station on shipboard shall be installed in such manner as to be able to use this wave length. Other wave lengths may be employed by such stations provided they do not exceed 600 meters.

2. Vessels of small tonnage which are unable to have plants on board insuring a wave length of 300 meters may be authorized to use a shorter wave length.

IV.

1. The International Bureau shall be charged with drawing up a list of wireless telegraph stations of the class referred to in Article 1 of the Convention. Such list shall contain for each station the following data:

(1) Name, nationality, and geographical location in the case of coastal stations; name, nationality, distinguishing signal of the International Code and name of ship’s home port in the case of stations on shipboard;

(2) Call letters (the calls shall be distinguishable from one another and each must be formed of a group of three letters);

(3) Normal range;

(4) Wireless telegraph system;

(5) Class of receiving apparatus (recording, acoustic, or other apparatus);

(6) Wave lengths used by the station (the normal wave length to be underscored);

(7) Nature of service carried on by the station:

• General public correspondence;
• Limited public correspondence (correspondence with vessels …; correspondence with shipping lines …; correspondence with ships fitted with apparatus of the … system, etc.);
• Long range public correspondence;
• Correspondence of private interest;
• Special correspondence (exclusively official correspondence); etc.

(8) Hours during which the station is open;

(9) Coastal rate or shipboard rate.

2. The list shall also contain such data relating to wireless telegraph stations other than those specified in Article 1 of the Convention as may be communicated to the International Bureau by the Management of the Wireless Telegraph Service (“Administration”) to which such stations are subject.

V.

The exchange of superfluous signals and words is prohibited to stations of the class referred to in Article 1 of the Convention. Experiments and practice will be permitted in such stations in so far as they do not interfere with the service of other stations.

VI.

1. No station on shipboard shall be established or worked by private enterprise without authority from the Government to which the vessel is subject. Such authority shall be in the nature of a license issued by said Government.

2. Every station on shipboard that has been so authorized shall comply with the following requirements:

(a) The system employed shall be a syntonized system;

(b) The rate of transmission and reception, under normal conditions, shall not be less than twelve words a minute, words to be counted at the rate of five letters each;

(c) The power transmitted to the wireless telegraph apparatus shall not, under normal conditions, exceed one kilowatt. Power exceeding one kilowatt may be employed when the vessel finds it necessary to correspond while more than 300 kilometers distant from the nearest coastal station, or when, owing to obstructions, communication can be established only by means of an increase of power.

3. The service of the station on shipboard shall be carried on by a telegraph operator holding a certificate issued by the Government to which the vessel is subject. Such certificate shall attest the professional efficiency of the operator as regards:

(a) Adjustment of the apparatus;

(b) Transmission and acoustic reception at the rate of not less than 20 words a minute;

(c) Knowledge of the regulations governing the exchange of wireless telegraph correspondence.

4. The certificate shall furthermore state that the Government has bound the operator to secrecy with regard to the correspondence.

VII.

If the management of the wireless telegraph service of a country has knowledge of any infraction of the Convention or of the Regulations committed in any of the stations authorized by it, it shall ascertain the facts and fix the responsibility.

In the case of stations on shipboard, if the operator is responsible for such infraction, the management of the wireless telegraph service shall take the necessary measures and, if the necessity should arise, withdraw the certificate. If it is ascertained that the infraction is the result of the condition of the apparatus or of instructions given the operator, the same method shall be pursued with regard to the license issued to the vessel.

2. In cases of repeated infractions chargeable to the same vessel, if the representations made to the wireless telegraph management of the country to which the vessel is subject by that of another country remain without effect, the latter shall be at liberty, after giving due notice, to authorize its coastal stations not to accept communications proceeding from the vessel at fault. In ease of disagreement between the managements of the wireless telegraph service of two countries, the question shall be submitted to arbitration at the request of either of the two Governments at issue. The procedure in such case shall be the same as indicated in Article 18 of the Convention.

2. Hours of Service of Coastal Stations.

VIII.

1. The service of coastal stations shall, as far as possible, be constant, day and night, without interruption.

Certain coastal stations, however, may have a service of limited duration. The management of the wireless telegraph service of each country shall fix the hours of service.

2. The coastal stations whose service is not constant shall not close before having transmitted all their wireless telegrams to the vessels which are within their radius of action, nor before having received from such vessels all the wireless telegrams of which notice has been given. This provision is likewise applicable when vessels signal their presence before the actual cessation of work.

3. Form and Posting of Wireless Telegrams.

IX.

If the route of a wireless telegram is partly over telegraph lines, or through wireless telegraph stations subject to a noncontracting Government, such telegram may be transmitted provided the managements of the wireless telegraph service to which such lines or stations are subject have declared that, if the occasion should arise, they will comply with such provisions of the Convention and of the Regulations as are indispensable to the regular transmission of wireless telegrams and that the payment of charges is insured.

X.

1. Wireless telegrams shall show in the preamble that the service is “wireless” (“radio”).

2. In the transmission of wireless telegrams of shipboard stations to coastal stations, the date and hour of posting may be omitted in the preamble.

Upon reforwarding a wireless telegram over the telegraph system, the coastal station shall show thereon its own name as the office of origin, followed by that of the vessel, and shall state, as the hour of posting, the hour when the telegram was received by it.

XI.

The address of wireless telegrams intended for ships at sea shall be as complete as possible. It shall embrace the following:

(a) The name of the addressee, with additional designations if any;

(b) The name of the vessel as it appears in the list, supplemented by her nationality and, if necessary, by her distinguishing signal of the International Code, in case there are several vessels of the same name;

(c) The name of the coastal station as it appears in the list.

4. Rates.

XII.

The coastal rate shall not exceed 60 centimes (11.6 cents) a word, and the shipboard rate shall not exceed 40 centimes (7.7 cents) a word.

A minimum rate per telegram, not to exceed the coastal rate or shipboard rate for a wireless telegram of ten words, may be imposed as coastal or shipboard rate.

XIII.

The country within whose territory a coastal station is established which serves as intermediary for the exchange of wireless telegrams between a station on board ship and another country shall be considered, so far as the application of telegraph rates is concerned, as the country of origin or of destination of such telegrams, and not as the country of transit.

5. Collection of Charges.

XIV.

The total charge for wireless telegrams shall be collected of the sender.

Stations on shipboard shall to that end have the necessary tariffs. They shall be at liberty, however, to obtain information from coastal stations on the subject of rates for wireless telegrams for which they do not possess all the necessary data.

6. Transmission of Wireless Telegrams.

a. signals of transmission.

XV.

The signals to be employed are those of the Morse International Code.

XVI.

Ships in distress shall use the following signal:

●●●▬▬▬●●●

repeated at brief intervals.

As soon as a station perceives the signal of distress it shall cease all correspondence and not resume it until after it has made sure that the correspondence to which the call for assistance has given rise is terminated.

In case the ship in distress adds at the end of the series of her calls the call letters of a particular station the answer to the call shall be incumbent upon that station alone. If the call for assistance does not specify any particular station, every station perceiving such calls shall be bound to answer it.

XVII.

1. The call letters following the letters

●▬▬● ●▬● ▬●●●

“P R B” signify that the vessel or station making the call desires to communicate with the station called by means of the International Signal Code.

The combination of the letters P R B as a service signal for any other purpose than that specified above is prohibited.

2. Wireless telegrams may be framed with the aid of the International Signal Code.

Those addressed to a wireless telegraph station with a view to being forwarded by it are not to be translated by such station.

b. order of transmission.

XVIII.

Between two stations wireless telegrams of the same order shall be transmitted one by one, by the two stations alternately, or in series of several telegrams, as the coastal station may indicate, provided the duration of the transmission of each series does not exceed twenty minutes.

c. method of calling wireless stations and transmission of wireless telegrams.

XIX.

1. As a general rule, it shall be the shipboard station that calls the coastal station.

2. The call should be made, as a general rule, only when the distance of the vessel from the coastal station is less than 75 per cent of the normal range of the latter.

3. Before proceeding to a call, the station on shipboard shall adjust its receiving apparatus to its maximum sensibility and make sure that the coastal station which it wishes to call up is not in correspondence with any other station. If it finds that any transmission is in progress, it shall wait for the first pause.

4. The shipboard station shall use for calling the normal wave of the coastal station.

5. If in spite of these precautions the public exchange of wireless telegrams is impeded at any place, the call shall cease upon the first request from a coastal station open to public correspondence. The latter station shall in such case indicate the approximate length of time it will be necessary to wait.

XX.

1. The call shall comprise the signal

▬●▬●▬

the call letters of the station called repeated three times, the word “from” (“de”) followed by the call letters of the sending station repeated three times.

2. The called station shall answer by making the signal

▬●▬●▬

followed by the call letters of the corresponding station repeated three times, the word “from,” its own call letters, and the signal

▬●▬

XXI.

If a station called does not answer the call (Article XX) repeated three times at intervals of two minutes, the call shall not be resumed until after an interval of half an hour, the station issuing the call having first made sure that no wireless telegraph correspondence is in progress.

XXII.

1. As soon as the coastal station has answered, the shipboard station shall make known to it:

(a) The distance of the vessel from the coastal station in nautical miles;

(b) Her true bearing in degrees counted from 0 to 360;

(c) Her true course in degrees counted from 0 to 360;

(d) Her speed in nautical miles;

(e) The number of words she has to transmit.

2. The coastal station shall answer, stating the number of words to be transmitted to the vessel.

3. If the transmission can not take place immediately, the coastal station shall inform the station on shipboard of the approximate length of time that it will be necessary to wait.

XXIII.

When a coastal station receives calls from several shipboard stations, the coastal station shall decide the order in which the shipboard stations shall be admitted to exchange their messages.

In fixing this order the coastal station shall be guided exclusively by the necessity of permitting each station concerned to exchange the greatest possible number of wireless telegrams.

XXIV.

Before beginning the exchange of correspondence the coastal station shall advise the shipboard station whether the transmission is to be effected in the alternate order or by series (Article XVIII); it shall then begin the transmission or follow up the preliminaries with the signal

▬●▬

(invitation to transmit).

XXV.

The transmission of the wireless telegram shall be preceded by the signal

▬●▬●▬

and terminated by the signal

●▬●▬●

followed by the name of the sending station.

XXVI.

When a wireless telegram to be transmitted contains more than 40 words, the sending station shall interrupt the transmission after each series of about 20 words by an interrogation point

●●▬▬●●

and shall not resume it until after it has obtained from the receiving station a repetition of the last word duly received, followed by an interrogation point.

In the case of transmission by series, acknowledgment of receipt shall be made after each wireless telegram.

XXVII.

1. When the signals become doubtful every possible means shall be resorted to to finish the transmission. To this end the wireless telegram shall be repeated at the request of the receiving station, but not to exceed three times. If in spite of such triple repetition the signals are still unreadable the wireless telegram shall be canceled. If no acknowledgment of receipt is received the transmitting station shall again call up the receiving station. If no reply is made after three calls the transmission shall not be followed up any further.

2. If in the opinion of the receiving station the wireless telegram, although imperfectly received, is nevertheless capable of transmission, said station shall enter the words “reception doubtful” at the end of the preamble and let the wireless telegram follow.

XXVIII.

All stations are bound to carry on the service with as little expense of energy as may be necessary to insure safe communication.

d. acknowledgment of receipt and conclusion of work.

XXIX.

1. Receipt shall be acknowledged in the form prescribed by the International Telegraph Regulations, preceded by the call letters of the transmitting station and followed by those of the receiving station.

2. The conclusion of a correspondence between two stations shall be indicated by each station by means of the signal

●●●▬●▬

followed by its call letters.

e. directions to be followed in sending wireless telegrams.

XXX.

1. In general, the shipboard stations shall transmit their wireless telegrams to the nearest coastal station.

2. A sender on board a vessel shall, however, have the right to designate the coastal station through which he desires to have his wireless telegram transmitted.

3. The station on shipboard shall then wait until such coastal station shall be the nearest. If this can not be done, the wishes of the sender are to be complied with only if the transmission can be effected without interfering with the service of other stations.

7. Delivery of Wireless Telegrams at their Destinition.

XXXI.

When for any cause whatever a wireless telegram proceeding from a vessel at sea can not be delivered to the addressee, a notice of non-delivery shall be issued. Such notice shall be transmitted to the vessel if possible. When a wireless telegram received by a shipboard station can not be delivered, the station shall notify the office of origin by official notice. Such notice shall be transmitted, whenever practicable, to the coastal station through which the wireless telegram has passed in transit; otherwise, to the nearest coastal station.

XXXII.

If the ship for which a wireless telegram is intended has not signalled her presence to the coastal station within the period designated by the sender, or, in the absence of such designation, by the morning of the 29th day following, the coastal station shall notify the sender.

The latter shall have the right to ask, by a paid official notice, sent by either telegraph or mail and addressed to the coastal station, that his wireless telegram be held for a further period of 30 days for transmission to the vessel, and so on. In the absence of such request the wireless telegram shall be put aside as not transmissible at the end of the 30th day (exclusive of the day of posting).

If, however, the coastal station has positive information that the vessel has left its radius of action before it has been able to transmit to her the wireless message, such station shall so notify the sender.

8. Special Telegrams.

XXXIII.

The following telegrams shall not be accepted for transmission:

(a) Telegrams with answer prepaid:

(b) Money order telegrams;

(c) Telegrams calling for repetition of message (for purposes of verification);

(d) Telegrams calling for acknowledgment of receipt;

(e) Telegrams to be forwarded (if addressee is not found at the address given);

(f) Paid service telegrams, except in so far as transmission over the lines of the telegraph system is concerned;

(g) Urgent telegrams, except in so far as transmission over the lines of the telegraph system is concerned, subject to the application of the provisions of the International Telegraph Regulations;

(h) Telegrams to be delivered by express or mail.

9. Files.

XXXIV.

The originals of wireless telegrams and the documents relating thereto retained by the managements of the wireless telegraph service or by private enterprises shall be kept for a period of at least twelve months beginning with the month following that of the posting of the wireless telegram, with all the necessary precautions as regards secrecy.

Such originals and documents shall, as far as practicable, be sent at least once a month by the shipboard stations to the management of the wireless telegraph service to which they are subject.

10. Rebates and Reimbursements.

XXXV.

1. With regard to rebates and reimbursements, the provisions of the International Telegraph Regulations shall be applicable, taking into account the restrictions specified in Article XXXIII of the present Regulations and subject to the following reservations:

The time employed in the transmission of wireless telegrams and the time that wireless telegrams remain in a coastal station or station on shipboard shall not be counted as delays as regards rebates or reimbursements.

Reimbursements shall be borne by the different managements of the wireless telegraph service or private enterprises which have taken part in the transmission of the wireless telegram, each management or private enterprise relinquishing its share of the rate. Wireless telegrams to which articles 7 and 8 of the Convention of St. Petersburg are applicable shall remain subject, however, to the provisions of the International Telegraph Regulations, except when the acceptance of such telegrams is the result of an error made by the telegraph service.

2. When the acknowledgment of receipt of a wireless telegram has not reached the station which has transmitted the telegram, the charges shall be refunded; only if the fact has been established that the wireless telegram is entitled to reimbursement.

11. Accounts and Payment of Charges.

XXXVI.

1. The coastal and shipboard charges shall not enter into the accounts provided for by the International Telegraph Regulations.

The accounts regarding such charges shall be liquidated by the managements of the wireless telegraph service of the countries concerned. They shall be drawn up by the wireless telegraph management to which the coastal stations are subject, and communicated by them to the wireless telegraph managements concerned.

2. For transmission over the lines of the telegraph system wireless telegrams shall be treated, so far as the payment of rates is concerned, in conformity with the International Telegraph Regulations.

3. For wireless telegrams proceeding from ships, the wireless telegraph management to which the shipboard station is subject shall be charged by the wireless telegraph management to which the coastal station is subject with the coastal and ordinary telegraph rates charged on board of vessels.

For wireless telegrams intended for ships, the wireless telegraph management which has collected the fees shall be charged directly by the wireless telegraph management to which the coastal station is subject with the coastal and shipboard rates. The latter shall credit the wireless telegraph management to which the vessel is subject with the shipboard rate.

In case the wireless telegraph management which has collected the charges is the same, however, as the one to which the shipboard station is subject, the shipboard rate shall not be charged by the wireless telegraph management to which the coastal station is subject.

4. The monthly accounts serving as a basis for the special accounts of wireless telegrams shall be made out for each telegram separately with all the necessary data within a period of six months from the month to which they refer.

5. The Governments reserve the right to enter into special agreements among themselves and with private enterprises (parties operating wireless telegraph stations, shipping companies, etc.) with a view of adopting other provisions with regard to accounts.

12. International Bureau.

XXXVII.

The International Bureau of Telegraphs shall be entrusted with the duties specified in Article 13 of the Convention, subject to the consent of the Government of the Swiss Federation and the approval of the Telegraph Union.

The additional expenses resulting from the work of the International Bureau so far as wireless telegraphy is concerned shall not exceed 40,000 francs a year, exclusive of the special expenses arising from the convening of the International Conference.

These expenses shall form the subject of a special account, and the provisions of the International Telegraph Regulations shall be applicable to them. Before the convening of the next Conference, however, each contracting Government shall notify the International Bureau of the class in which it desires to be entered.

XXXVIII.

The management of the wireless telegraph service of the different countries shall forward to the International Bureau a table in conformity with the annexed blank, containing the data enumerated in said table for stations such as referred to in Article IV of the regulations. Changes occurring and additional data shall be forwarded by the wireless telegraph managements to the International Bureau between the 1st and 10th day of each month. With the aid of such data the International Bureau shall draw up a list which it shall keep up to date. The list and the supplements thereto shall be printed and distributed to the wireless telegraph managements of the countries concerned; they may also be sold to the public at the cost price.

The International Bureau shall see to it that the same call letters for several wireless telegraph stations shall not be adopted.

13. Miscellaneous Provisions.

XXXIX.

The managements of the wireless telegraph service shall give to agencies of maritime information such data regarding losses and casualties at sea or other information of general interest to navigation, as the coastal stations may properly report.

XL.

The exchange of correspondence between shipboard stations such as referred to in Article 1 of the Convention shall be carried on in such a manner as not to interfere with the service of the coastal stations, the latter, as a general rule, being accorded the right of priority for the public service.

XLI.

1. In the absence of special agreements between the parties concerned, the provisions of the present Regulations shall be applicable analogously to the exchange of wireless telegrams between two vessels at sea, subject to the following exceptions:

(a) To Article XIV. The shipboard rate falling to the transmitting ship shall be collected from the sender, and that falling to the receiving ship shall be collected from the addressee;

(b) To Article XVIII. The order of transmission shall be regulated in each case by mutual agreement between the corresponding stations.

(c) To Article XXXVI. The rates for the wireless telegrams in question shall not enter into the accounts provided for in that article, such charges falling to the wireless telegraph managements which have collected them.

2. Retransmission of wireless telegrams exchanged between vessels at sea shall be subject to special agreements between the parties concerned.

XLII.

The provisions of the International Telegraph Regulations shall be applicable analogously to wireless telegraph correspondence in so far as they are not contrary to the provisions of the present regulations.

In conformity with Article 11 of the Convention of Berlin, these Regulations shall go into effect on the first day of July, 1908.

In witness whereof the respective plenipotentiaries have signed one copy of the present Regulations, which shall be deposited in the archives of the Imperial Government of Germany, and a copy of which shall be transmitted to each of the Parties.

Done at Berlin, November 3, 1906.

For Germany: Kraetke, Sydow. For United States: Charlemagne Tower, H. N. Manney, James Allen, John I. Waterbury. For Argentina: J. Olmi. For Austria: Barth, Fries. For Hungary: Pierre de Szalay, Dr. de Hennyey, Hollós. For Belgium: F. Delarge, E. Buels. For Brazil: Cesar de Campos. For Bulgaria: Iv. Stoyanovitch. For Chile: J. Munoz, J. Mery. For Denmark: N. R. Meyer, I. A. Voehtz. For Spain: Ignacio Murcia, Ramón Estrada, Rafael Rávena, Isidro Calvo, Manuel Noriega, Antonio Peláez-Campomanes. For France: J. Bordelongue, L. Gaschard, Boulanger, A. Devos. For Great Britain: H. Babington Smith, A. E. Bethell, R. L. Hippisley. For Greece: T. Argyropoulos. For Italy: J. Colombo. For Japan: Osuke Asano, Rokure Yashiro, Shunkichi Kimura, Ziro Tanaka, Saburo Hyakutake. For Mexico: José M. Pérez. For Monaco: J. Depelley. For Norway: Heftye, O. T. Eidem. For Netherlands: Kruÿt, Perk, Hoven. For Persia: Hovhannès Khan. For Portugal: Paulo Benjamin Cabral. For Roumania: Gr. Cerkez. For Russia: A. Eichholz, A. Euler, Victor Bilibine, A. Remmert, W. Kédrine. For Sweden: Herman Rydin, A. Hamilton. For Turkey: Nazif Bey. For Uruguay: F. A. Costanzo.

Descriptive list of wireless telegraph stations.

[Supplement to Article XXXVIII of the Regulations.]

Wireless telegraph management of_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

(a) coastal stations.

Name.	Nationality.	Geographical location.	Call letters.	Normal range.	Wireless telegraph system	Class of receiving apparatus (recording, acoustic, or other apparatus).	Wave length (the normal wave length to be under scored).	Nature of service furnished by station.	Hours during which station is open (indicating meridian to which they refer).	Coastal rate, stating minimum rate.	Remarks.

(b) shipboard stations.

Name.

Nationality.

Distinguishing signal of the international code of signals.

Name of home port.

Call letters.

Normal range.

Wireless telegraph system.

Class of receiving apparatus (recording, acoustic, or other apparatus).

Wave length (the normal wave length to be under scored).

Nature of service furnished by station.

Hours during which station is open.

Shipboard rate, stating minimum rate.

Remarks.

(1) War vessels.

(2) Merchant vessels.

Extract from the International Telegraph Convention, signed at St. Petersburg, July 10/22, 1875.

[See Article 17 of the convention.]

Article 1.

The High Contracting Parties concede to all persons the right to correspond by means of the international telegraphs.

Article 2.

They bind themselves to take all the necessary measures for the purpose of insuring the secrecy of the correspondence and its safe transmission.

Article 3.

They declare, nevertheless, that they accept no responsibility as regards the international telegraph service.

Article 5.

Telegrams are classed in three categories:

1. State telegrams: those emanating from the Head of the Nation, the Ministers, the Commanders-in-Chief of the Army and Naval forces, and the Diplomatic or Consular Agents of the Contracting Governments, as well as the answers to such telegrams.

2. Service telegrams: those which emanate from the Managements of the Telegraph Service of the Contracting States and which relate either to the international telegraph service or to subjects of public interest determined jointly by such Managements.

3. Private telegrams.

In the transmission, the State telegrams shall have precedence over other telegrams.

Article 6.

State telegrams and service telegrams may be issued in secret language, in any communications.

Private telegrams may be exchanged in secret language between two States which admit of this mode of correspondence.

The States which do not admit of private telegrams in secret language upon the expedition or arrival of the same, shall allow them to pass in transit, except in the case of suspension denned in article 8.

Article 7.

The High Contracting Parties reserve the right to stop the transmission of any private telegram which may appear dangerous to the safety of the State, or which may be contrary to the laws of the country, to public order or good morals.

Article 8.

Each Government also reserves the right to suspend the international telegraph service for an indefinite period, if deemed necessary by it, either generally, or only over certain lines and for certain classes of correspondence, of which such Government shall immediately notify all the other Contracting Governments.

Article 11.

Telegrams relating to the international telegraph service of the Contracting States shall be transmitted free of charge over the entire systems of such States.

Article 12.

The High Contracting Parties shall render accounts to one another of the charges collected by each of them.

Article 17.

The High Contracting Parties reserve respectively the right to enter among themselves into special arrangements of any kind with regard to points of the service which do not interest the States generally.

1. See translation of Articles of the International Telegraph Convention referred to in Article 17, affixed.