royal visit hobart 1901. william philpot hallam, frederick william medhurst and frank prosser bowden all participated in a successful wireless telegraphy experiment to communicate with the ships of the royal party as they arrived at hobart. none of the group had prior experience in wireless and it appears that hallam, the leader, was drafted into the exercise. in a newspaper report of 2 july 1901; "the first quickening throb of excitement over the royal visit pulsated early on tuesday morning, when a couple of guns, fired from the queen's battery, conveyed the lively information that the ophir had been sighted at 7.30 a.m. in storm bay, attended by the st. george and the juno. when the three vessels were coming up the river, a communication, by means of wireless telegraphy, was successfully achieved between one tree point and the st. george, just as the latter rounded a headland above brown's river. a wireless telegraphy apparatus was fixed on an 80ft. pole near one tree point lighthouse, and as the st. george steamed along about three miles off, lieut. trowsdale, from the ship, opened the conversation, with. "good morning", and then followed this message to the st. george, telephoned to mr. hallam, the chief operator (who had prepared and affixed the apparatus), to forward: "tasmania greets the royal yacht ophir and her consorts", which was at once acknowledged, and some other messages followed, whilst later in the day wireless communication was established between the st. george, lying in the harbour, and the post office, by means of an apparatus placed on a pole in the post office yard."