In the twentieth century all is greatly changed.
A vessel bound for parts unknown, carrying some fugitive from justice,
is sighted by some steamship that is equipped with a wireless telegraph
outfit. Hours before, perhaps, the master of the steamship has been
asked to keep a weather-eye open for a vessel that answers the name or
description of the runaway craft. Now, she is sighted by the master of
the steamship. Ten minutes later the authorities on shore know the
exact whereabouts of the fleeing craft. Should she change her course
wholly, her new whereabouts is soon after reported to land by the
master of some other wireless equipped steamship.
Once upon a time the task of finding and overtaking a runaway vessel
at sea presented innumerable difficulties. Nowadays, it is often
necessary only that the pursuing craft possess sufficiently greater
speed to overtake the easily located fugitive.
As the "Sudbury" turned out into the open sea that little gunboat was
in instant communication with Washington, and also with any wireless
equipped ocean traveler up to nearly half way across the great Atlantic.
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