33 
only retaining the exclusive right, for its own country. This 
agreement resulted in an undreamt of development in the 
sphere of wireless telegraphy, since, by a pooling of all available 
forces, the organisation could be produced which now ensures 
reliable and rapid communication to all parts of the world. 
At the same time, the financial resources, which had hitherto 
been absorbed in patent disputes could now be devoted to 
technical development. 
The foundation for international co-operation was thus 
laid, and wireless connections with foreign and extra-con- 
tinental countries were very rapidly developed. Whereas, 
up till then, the four great firms had to erect high power 
wireless stations mainly out of their own financial resources, 
and could only expect to obtain a return from service within 
their own countries and colonies, the international agreement 
on patent questions between the four firms led to similar 
agreements in relation to international communication. It 
was not long before the political difficulties in the way of such 
arrangements were overcome and by means of agreements 
a basis could be created upon which it was possible to place 
intercontinental communication on an economic footing. For 
this purpose some of the companies concerned founded special 
undertakings, for instance the Transradio A.G. for wireless 
oversea communication in Germany, and Radio-France in 
France. In America and England the manufacturing com- 
panies domiciled there continued to operate their stations 
under their own management. 
It was soon found necessary to erect high power wireless 
stations for communicating with the other already existing 
high power wireless stations, in the countries which did not 
form part of the territory allotted to either of the existing 
companies. Argentine was the most important of these coun- 
tries, as it maintains a very extensive telegraphic communication 
both with North America and Europe. By the end of the war, 
each of the four companies had already obtained a concession 
for the erection of a high power station for communication 
with its own country. However, if each of the four companies 
had erected a high power station in Argentine, every one of 
the undertakings would have inevitably proved an economic 
failure doomed to speedy collapse. An agreement was there- 
fore made between them that England, America and France 
should relinquish their concessions, and that the Argentine 
station should be erected in accordance with the German con- 
cession, which had then been more fully developed than any 
of the others and which had been extended to all other 
countries,