SENATOR SMITH: Did you have any communication, personally or by your orders, with the Carpathia on Sunday night or Monday?
MR. MARCONI: No; I had none whatever.
SENATOR SMITH: Did you have any communication with Cape Race station?
MR. MARCONI: No, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: On Sunday or Monday?
MR. MARCONI: No.
SENATOR SMITH: Did you have any communication with the Carpathia, directly or through a ship or coat station, on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday up to the time of the arrival of the Carpathia in New York?
MR. MARCONI: I had no direct communication with the Carpathia. I telephoned my office at frequent intervals.
SENATOR SMITH: On what days?
MR. MARCONI: On all those days and I stated that I was very anxious to obtain information of what had happened, and if there was any means of getting it
SENATOR SMITH: To whom did you telephone?
MR. MARCONI: I telephoned to Mr. Bottomley, manager of the American company.
SENATOR SMITH: Did you telephone to anybody else?
MR. MARCONI: Not that I remember; somebody else may have answered me Mr. Sammis, I think. Numerous newspapers telephoned to me.
SENATOR SMITH: And you telephoned to Mr. Bottomley, and possibly to Mr. Sammis?
MR. MARCONI: Yes.
SENATOR SMITH: Did you get any information from them?
MR. MARCONI: I got no information except, I think it was, on Monday evening.
SENATOR SMITH: At what time?
MR. MARCONI: About a quarter to 7.
SENATOR SMITH: What information was that?
MR. MARCONI: The information was that the Titanic had sunk, with a very heavy loss of life.
SENATOR SMITH: That was about 7:30 o'clock?
MR. MARCONI: Between 7 and 8 o'clock.
SENATOR SMITH: Between 7 and 8 o'clock Monday evening, the 15th of April?
MR. MARCONI: Yes; I believe it was.
SENATOR SMITH: Who communicated that fact to you?
MR. MARCONI: Mr. Bottomley communicated that fact to my secretary.
SENATOR SMITH: Your secretary communicated it to you?
MR. MARCONI: My secretary communicated it to me.
SENATOR SMITH: That was the first information you received from any officer or employee of your company, anywhere?
MR. MARCONI: Anywhere.
SENATOR SMITH: What did you do when you got this information?
MR. MARCONI: I did not do anything. I was exceedingly surprised and shocked at the news. It seemed to me almost impossible.
SENATOR SMITH: Did you communicate the information to the White Star Line?
MR. MARCONI: I did not, because I was told that the White Star Line was already informed.
SENATOR SMITH: When were you told that?
MR. MARCONI: I was told that at the same time.
SENATOR SMITH: That evening?
MR. MARCONI: That evening. I was told that the White Star Line was aware of the fact. I communicated it to some friends of mine that I met.
SENATOR SMITH: Did you hear anything after Monday evening, between 7 and 8 o'clock, from any of your officers or from any ship or shore station regarding the loss of life on the Titanic up to Thursday evening?
MR. MARCONI: I think my office informed me that the Carpathia was returning to New York with the survivors; at least, I should say I am certain that my office informed of that.
SENATOR SMITH: When was that?
MR. MARCONI: That was Tuesday evening, I should say. But I am not aware whether they got that direct or from the newspapers.
SENATOR SMITH: That was Tuesday, the 16th?
MR. MARCONI: Tuesday, the 16th.
SENATOR SMITH: Do you remember the hour of the day?
MR. MARCONI: It was late in the evening, after it was dark.
SENATOR SMITH: Late in the evening?
MR. MARCONI: Yes.
SENATOR SMITH: What did you do when you got that information?
MR. MARCONI: I did not do anything.
SENATOR SMITH: What was done by your informant?
MR. MARCONI: I do not know.
SENATOR SMITH: Did you communicate that fact to the White Star people?
MR. MARCONI: They did; or it may have come from them.
SENATOR SMITH: Did you make any further inquiry from the Carpathia?
MR. MARCONI: I asked my office whether they had any more information, and I was told that it was very difficult to get it, because the Carpathia would be very busy attending to the messages of the captain and of the passengers on board.
SENATOR SMITH: And you made no further attempt?
MR. MARCONI: I made no further attempt because I did not think it was right to interfere in any way with the working of the wireless installation or to use any authority I might have to influence the operators, or to try to influence the captain, who I think were the best judges of the situation.
SENATOR SMITH: And you made no attempt to do so?
MR. MARCONI: I made no attempt to extract information from the ship. I was concerned only as to whether the wireless was working well or not, and I was informed it was working well.
SENATOR SMITH: Who informed you of that?
MR. MARCONI: Mr. Bottomley.
SENATOR SMITH: Mr. Bottomley, your manager?
MR. MARCONI: Yes.
SENATOR SMITH: But you yourself made no attempt to communicate with the Carpathia after that?
MR. MARCONI: No; I did not.
SENATOR SMITH: Where were you on Thursday, the day of the landing of the Carpathia?
MR. MARCONI: I was in New York City.
SENATOR SMITH: At your office?
MR. MARCONI: I called at my office. I was at my hotel, the Holland House, most of the day.
SENATOR SMITH: But in communication with your office?
MR. MARCONI: But in communication with my office.
SENATOR SMITH: Where were you when the Carpathia landed at the Cunard dock with the survivors of the Titanic wreck?
MR. MARCONI: I was dining with Mr. Bottomley, whom I mentioned. I had the intention of going on board the Carpathia as soon as she reached dock, but she happened to get in sooner than we expected. I therefore left the house where I was dining and proceeded to the dock, and we got on board.
SENATOR SMITH: What time?
MR. MARCONI: At about half past 9, just when the survivors were leaving, or just when the last survivors were leaving.
SENATOR SMITH: You got on board?
MR. MARCONI: I got on board.
SENATOR SMITH: What did you do when you got on board?
MR. MARCONI: I went to the wireless operating room.
SENATOR SMITH: Did you find the operator there?
MR. MARCONI: I found the operator there.
SENATOR SMITH: What did you say to him?
MR. MARCONI: I said I was glad to see him, and congratulated him on what I had heard he had done. I inquired after his senior operator, Phillips.
SENATOR SMITH: That is, you inquired of Bride about his senior operator, Phillips?
MR. MARCONI: About Phillips. The operator of the Carpathia, Cottam, was not there.
SENATOR SMITH: Where was he?
MR. MARCONI: He had gone ashore immediately the ship arrived.
SENATOR SMITH: Where did he go? Do you know?
MR. MARCONI: I do not know where he went.
SENATOR SMITH: Did you see him that evening?
MR. MARCONI: No. I spoke to him on the telephone that evening.
SENATOR SMITH: Where was he?
MR. MARCONI: I do not know where he was.
SENATOR SMITH: Where were you when he telephoned?
MR. MARCONI: I was at the Holland House.
SENATOR SMITH: What did you say to him over the telephone?
MR. MARCONI: He asked me if he could give an account of what had happened; if it would be all right; if there was anything in the rules against it. I said no; certainly to give every account he could; to disclose anything he knew about it.
SENATOR SMITH: You told him he could give it?
MR. MARCONI: Yes; I did. I should state, if you will allow me, in regard to this question of operators, that there is a rule in these companies that operators must not act as reporters. They must accept messages from everyone in the order in which they are presented, and they are bound to transmit them. But it is not encouraged that they should send stories of their own; at least, they would be dismissed if they did it.
SENATOR SMITH: Is it not made an offense under the laws of England to do it?
MR. MARCONI: It is an offense, punishable by imprisonment, to disclose the contents of messages. On an occasion like this, of course, some latitude would have been given. I mean, I think that on an occasion like this it would have been a good thing if some report had been sent. But this was a matter that depended on the discretion of the operator, and he used his discretion in such a way that he did not send any.
SENATOR SMITH: He did not send out anything?
MR. MARCONI: No.
SENATOR SMITH: Is it an offense under the laws of Germany?
MR. MARCONI: It is an offense, so far as I know, to disclose the contents of messages.
SENATOR SMITH: What did you say to him over the telephone?
MR. MARCONI: He told me that a journalist wanted a story of the disaster, and that he was going to be paid something for it.
SENATOR SMITH: How much?
MR. MARCONI: He did not tell me how much. He asked if he could give the story, and I said yes.
SENATOR SMITH: Where was he?
MR. MARCONI: I do not know where he was.
SENATOR SMITH: You do not know from what place he was telephoning?
MR. MARCONI: No; I do not know from what place. It was very late. It was about 2 o'clock in the morning.
SENATOR SMITH: What time did the Carpathia arrive at New York?
MR. MARCONI: I believe it was Thursday evening. I forget the date. It was Thursday of last week.
SENATOR SMITH: Do you use any cipher code in the transmission of wireless messages for yourself?
MR. MARCONI: I have a cipher code with my officers in London. I have none with the operators.
SENATOR SMITH: What is the cipher?
MR. MARCONI: It is mostly composed of Western Union words with another meaning attached to them; that is, different from that meaning given in the Western Union code.
SENATOR SMITH: Is it a registered cipher?
MR. MARCONI: No; it is not. That is, part of it is registered and part is not.
SENATOR SMITH: Do you use it often?
MR. MARCONI: No, rarely; only on rare occasions.
SENATOR SMITH: Did you use it in your communication with the Carpathia?
MR. MARCONI: No, sir.
SENATOR SMITH: Or with any shore station?
MR. MARCONI: No.
SENATOR SMITH: Did you send a wireless to the operator on the Carpathia and ask him to meet you and Sammis at the Strand Hotel, 502 West Fourteenth Street, saying, "Keep your mouth shut"?
MR. MARCONI: No, sir; I did not.
SENATOR SMITH: If any message of that kind was sent in your name, you did not send it?
MR. MARCONI: I did not send it.
SENATOR SMITH: And you know nothing of it?
MR. MARCONI: I know nothing of it, except some statements or rumors I have heard of it in the press.
SENATOR SMITH: Do you know the naval vessel Florida?
MR. MARCONI: Yes; I have heard of her.
SENATOR SMITH: Is she equipped with wireless apparatus?
MR. MARCONI: Yes, sir; I think so. I think they all are.
SENATOR SMITH: I am going to read to you the following, and ask whether you know anything about any fact or circumstance connected with it. This is from the commanding officer of the Florida to the Secretary of the Navy, dated April 22, and reads as follows:
On the evening of the steamship Carpathia's arrival in New York, the four following radiograms were intercepted by the chief operator, J. R. Simpson, chief electrician, United States Navy. They appear to me to be significant enough to be brought to the attention of the department:
"Seagate to Carpathia 8:12 p.m.
" Say, old man, Marconi Co. taking good care of you. Keep your mouth shut, and hold your story. It is fixed for you so you will get big money. Now, please do your best to clear."
That was 8:12 p.m. Then follows this one:
8:30 p.m.
To Marconi officer, Carpathia and Titanic:
Arranged for your exclusive story for dollars in four figures, Mr. Marconi agreeing. Say nothing until you see me. Where are you now? J. M. Sammis, Opr. C.
9 P. M.
From Seagate to Carpathia operator: Go to Strand Hotel, 502 West Fourteenth Street. To meet Mr. Marconi. C.
9:33 p.m.
From Seagate to Carpathia: A personal to operator Carpathia. Meet Mr. Marconi and Sammis at Strand Hotel, 502 West Fourteenth Street. Keep your mouth shut. Mr. Marconi.
What can you say about that, Mr. Marconi?
MR. MARCONI: I do not know anything whatever about any of those messages. They are not in the phraseology which I would have approved of if I had passed them. I should, however, say that I told Mr. Sammis or Mr. Bottomley I do not remember which that I, as an officer of the British company, would not prohibit or prevent these operators from making anything which they reasonably could make out of selling their story of the wreck. I was anxious that, if possible, they might make some small amount of money out of the information they had.
SENATOR SMITH: Is that a custom of your company?
MR. MARCONI: It is not a custom; it is a thing that is done
SENATOR SMITH: Is it a habit?
MR. MARCONI: No; it is not a habit. It is done on very special occasions. I think it was done on the occasion of a former wreck.
SENATOR SMITH: Where?
MR. MARCONI: The Republic. I think Binns was allowed to make a statement to the press.
SENATOR SMITH: For money?
MR. MARCONI: For money.
SENATOR SMITH: Binns was the operator who stuck to his post?
MR. MARCONI: Yes.
SENATOR SMITH: And who has been so highly commended throughout the world?
MR. MARCONI: Yes.
SENATOR SMITH: And you say he was permitted to sell his story?
MR. MARCONI: Yes; if my recollection is correct, he was.
SENATOR SMITH: Mr. Marconi, do you wish the committee to understand that you approve that method?
MR. MARCONI: I was in favor of it, or at least I approved of or consented to his getting something out of this story.
SENATOR SMITH: I know, but let me ask you this. With the right to exact compensation for an exclusive story detailing the horrors of the greatest sea disaster that ever occurred in the history of the world, do you mean that an operator under your company's direction shall have the right to prevent the public from knowing of that calamity
MR. MARCONI: (interrupting). No.
SENATOR SMITH: Hold on a moment [continuing]. From knowing of that calamity except through the exclusive appropriation of the facts by the operator who is cognizant of them?
MR. MARCONI: I say, not at all. I gave no instructions in regard to withholding any information, and I gave no advice or instructions in regard to any exclusive story to anybody. The only thing I did say or did authorize was that if he was offered payment for a story of the disaster, he was permitted, so far as the English company went, to take that money.
SENATOR SMITH: Mr. Marconi, if that is the case you say you were an officer of the British company?
MR. MARCONI: Yes; and for that reason I was consulted about it.
