Radio transmission using tubes, started to replace spark transmitters at sea from 1920 onwards but were not totally eliminated before 1950. Marine commercial W/T telegram traffic ceased in 2000, but person-to-person messages are still being passed by amateurs under the auspicious of the ARRL in the US. Much of the commercial traffic has moved to satellite with the rise of other types of modulation. But CW is now used mainly by radio amateur, the military world wide (Navies) and for last ditch emergency communications such as from hurricane hit areas in the first few hours. For these reason it will never be obsolete despite what the detractors of Wireless Telegraph may claim. <Captain D J Aldridge G4JHT,EI0DB,VP8ART>.