The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-09-21 00:00:00

THE LATEST INVENTION.

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The Daily News says :—" The American invention
which is to tell underwriters the whereabouts of ships
in which they are interested is certainly as wonderful
as anything Swift wrote about. It is to answer, we
are told, at any distance from one hundred to five
thousand miles, so that practically the whole expanse
of the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans may henceforth be
kept under strict supervision. The invention, too, is
simplicity itself. Ships in mid-ocean are at some
fixed period in the day, say four p.m., to emit a cloud
of smoke, by the aid of petroleum and a,ephalte, which
is burnt in a censer proper to the purpose. This cloud
goes up aloft and hangs over the ship, and its func-
tions are to act as a mirror or reflecting surface, so
that the phenomenon known as the mirage may be
artificially produced. Not only is the whole of the
vessel reflected in this mirage, but also some monster
figures that have previously been chalked upon the
deck by the sailors. These figures indicate the
number of the ship and the latitude_ and longitude
in which it is lying. What so easy then, supposing
these figures to be reflected in a big cloud over the
vessel, as to photograph them from a distance?
Observing stations provided with suitable cameras
will be on the look-oat, and as the clouds dot the
horizon in various directions they will be photo-
graphed. An enlargement of the photograph in
each instance will supply the valuable informa-
tion, and this will be telegraphed to the owners or
the nearest Lloyd's agent. The inventor of this
marvellous plan is said to be a practical mechanician
of New York, one Mr. Greham ; and so sanguine is
Mr. Gresham about the value of it that he believes the
time will come when all insurance companies will re-
cognise it, and insist that all vessels shall carry the
necessary apparatus.' There is always a breadth about
American notions, and the present idea is not wanting
in that respect, for it is one of the widest applicaticns
that has yet been made of photography. Of course, if
Mr. Gresham can get insurance companies to 'insist'
that all vessels shall carry his apparatus, Mr. Gresham
will soon become a rich man. Otherwise, we fear, he
may have a difficulty in getting captains to use, what
he terms, the phantasmograph."

COLLIERY ACCIDENT IN AMERICA.
From American papers to hand it appears a coal
mine in Pennsylvania has narrowly escaped being the
scene of a terrible calamity. The mines are called the
Fairlawn and Pine Brook, the latter being on a lower
level, but connected with the former. On the 4th
inst. the locality was visited by a thunderstorm,
accompanied by heavy rain. A braok running near
the mouth of the slope leading to the pit was flooded
to a height of 15ft, when the banks gave way and the
water rushed into the it in a torrent, carrying with it
loose timbers and rubbish. Fifty men were engaged
in the Fairlawn Colliery. Though the mouth was cut
off, they succeeded in making their way through an
opening comnaunicating with the Pine Brook Colliery.
In this latter there were also a large number of men
engaged. They were apprised of the flood by hearing
a great noise in the workings, soon after which the
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b the torrent and drowned. The cisannei of the river
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