On board of the cruiser Condé (1) were experiments conducted with the wireless telephony system of the French navy officers Colin and Jeance. (2) On a distance of 110 kilometres from Toulon were still clear understandable messages received.
Notes
1. Armoured cruiser of the Gloire-class which was an enlarged and improved Dupleix-design. She was laid down at the Arsenal de Lorient on 20 March 1901, launched on 12 March 1902, completed on 12 August two years later, decommissioned in 1933 and sunk in 1944.
2. Newspapers abroad also still paid attention to the experiments like New York Times
dated 12 April 1909. This newspaper reported experiments on 11 April over a distance of b30 miles between Paris and Melun with Lieutenant Colin at the Eifel Tower while Lieutenant Jeance joined by the French minister of marine M. Picard was located at Melun. The latter must be (Maurice) Alfred Picard 21 December 1844 Strasbourg-8 March 1913 Paris), minister of marine 21 October 1908-20 July 1900 who tried to reorganize the Department of Navy and the fleet but the Clemenceau-cabinet came to a sudden end caused by discussions dealing with the navy. France was still a major naval power although set back from a 2nd place in the 19th century to the 4th or even the 5th position. Commissions in 1894, 1904 and 1907 were appointed to investigate the navy. Some times just called Alfred Picard, otherwise Alfred Maurice Picard and as M. Alfred Picard. See also for more details http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/europe/fr-marine-nationale-minister-picard.htm
