1

Roosevelt at Battle Harbour, Labrador
September 1909
Labrador

Credits:
Courtesy of Ted Hardy, St. John's NL

2

Battle Harbour, Labrador
early 1900s
Labrador

Credits:
Courtesy of the Maritime History Archive, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's NL

3

Great Feat of Telegraphy
21 September 1909
TEXT ATTACHMENT


Credits:
The New York Times.

4

On Sept. 7 1909 Commander Peary filed an 8,000-word exclusive story to The New York Times from Battle Harbour Labrador. Getting the story to New York City was a story in itself as it took four relays and three days time for the story to arrive at The Times Offices.
From Battle Harbour's Marconi station the message was sent to Cape Ray NL, then on to Port Aux Basques NL by the Newfoundland government line, then to Canso NS by Government cable, and from Canso by Commercial Cable directly to The Times offices. Transmission was slowed by two of the relays which were single line transmissions.
Operators at The Times offices and at the relay points worked in shifts. Transmission was irregular - sometimes only a few words were received at a time, at other times 200 to 300 words were received in a matter of minutes. The complete story was received in The Times offices late on the night of Sept. 10 1909. The story was filed in four instalments over three nights. As the instalments were being received, the Times operators were resending the story direct to other papers around the world. A special line was set up to the London Times offices and special editions of that paper carried the story of Peary's expedition.
The transmission of the story from Battle Harbour and wired to the world '... is said by telegraph officials to be the greatest feat of its kind ever performed in the history of telegraphic communication'. (see 'A Great Feat of Telegraphy - The Transmission of Peary's Narrative to The Times and Its Associates' from The Fourth Estate. The New York Times. Sept. 21 1909)

Ham radio enthusiasts now visit Battle Harbour regularly to connect with fellow operators world wide continuing Battle Harbour's telecommunication story and its former Marconi Station activities. A pair of Marconi communication towers remain standing at the Battle Harbour National Historic Site.