The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-03-19
ELECTRICITY IN WAR
ELECTRiCl ANS WILL PLAY AN I'D
PORTANT PART IN BATTLE.

Get On. OF Order So Frequently as to
Render Necessary the Presence of
Corps of Electricians.
So far as the stationary torpedoes are
concerned, methods are quite well settled
and the practice has been reduced TO
science, one, however, which requires
good deal of electrical skill for its proper
application The automobile torpedo
involves problems that are a worthy sub
ject for the exercise of the highest cleo
trical skill So far as the Whitehead
and similar missiles of destruction are
concerned, there is not much TO be done,
electrically speaking, for a torpedo Of
that class is purely missile discharged
from gun, but supplied with means for
continuing its course TO an efficient dis
tance under water.
Inasmuch as nigh initial velocity
does not agree with powerful explosives,
the falling off in velocity would be too
marked if any long range were attempt
ed With dirigible torpedoes, however,
the case is very different. Then one
must depend on electricity for steering
if not for motive power, and there is
room for considerable Improvement both
in speed and certainty of operation, two
prime essentials. But the function of
the electrician is by no means ended with
torpedo service, for in the equipment Of
any modern man-of-war the electrical
apparatus plays a very important part.
The modern gun, twenty to forty feet
in length. with corresponding weight,
cannot be handled by man power as
quickly as the eXigencies of service
sometimes require, and the choice lies
between electricity on the one hand and
hydraulic machinery or donkey engines
on the other. The latter have been very
freely in use; the former has made its
influence felt often enough to show that
it is fully up to its work. The electric
motor is undoubtedly better suited to
such sort of work than any other kind
of mechanism.
THE SEARCH LIGHT.
Since the introduction of secondary
batteries every bit of working mechan-
ism is exposed to formidable fire and
must be protected at all hazards. Here
the motor, from its very small size, Of
fers a particularly difficult target, and
besides can be ensconced behind the gun
shield or even behind the gun itself, so
that nothing short of a blow sufficient to
disable the latter would cripple the
motor, and in addition the means of
communicating power to the said motor
are very unobtrusive and exceedingly
easy to duplicate.
1t is perfectly simple matter to sup
ply it through half dozen different cir
cults in parallel with each other, all of
which would have to be shot off before
the motor went even temporarily out Of
use. Even then an electric wire can be
handled with such ease and rapidity
that temporary communication would
be re-established very readily although
under fire, while if a steam or water
pipe were shot away there would be no
replacing it during action
The search light, too, comes in for its
share of attention, both as a weapon of
defense and offense, and more attention
should be given it than has yet beeL
done. The destruction of q search light
during torpedo attack would be very
serious calamity, and when one remem-
bers that torpedo boats are usually sup
piled with rapid fire guns, such posi-
biity is by no means remote.
DANGER FROM RAPID FIRING GUNS.
From a 3f-nilhmeter revolving can
mona size frequently used for the pur-
pose-nearly a shot second can be
fred, and at half or three-fourths of
mile the accuracy Of this weapon is so
great as to render hits quite probable,
and single projectils or fragment OF
a shell would stand a good chance Of
putting search light out of use. All
this points to reduplication of the ap-
paratus on considerably more extended
scale than has usually been the habit.
and besides all this there is a question
of communication between different
parts Of the ship, and especially with
the coming tower. and here, as every
where, the convenience Of electricity,
the readiness with which circuits can be
multiplied and re-established make
use almost imperative.
In case of war the electrician viii find
plenty to do, both IN the way Of routine
work and improvements, and may play
a part of great Observation-Disclosures
World.