The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1892-02-27
ELECTRICITY IN WAR
ElEcTRlCl ANS WILL PLAY AN I'M
PORTANT PART IN BATTLE.

GLECTRICl ANS WILL PLAY AN I'M
PoRTANT PART IN BATTLE.
&kec&rical Appliances ON Shipboard MAJ
Get Out of Order So Frequently as Il
Render Necessary the Presence Of q
Corps of Electricians.
So far as the stationary torpedoes ar
concerned, methods are quite we'll settled
and the practice has been reduced to g
science. one, however. which requires q
good deal of electrical skill for its proper
application The automobile torpedo
involves problems that are worthy sub
3ect for the exercise of the highest cleo
tTical 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 TO,
continuing its course to an efficient dis.
lance under water.
Inasmuch as a high initial velocity
does not agree with powerful explosives
A&xO A0AA4AS I'll Ii NS4ON4lN WOuAQ US lO&
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
II 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 ii the equipment Of
any modern uan-of-war the electrical
apparatus plays a very important part,
The modern gun, twenty TO forty feet
Ia 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
1t is fully up TO its work The electric
motor is undoubtedly better suited to
such sort of work than any other kind
Of mechanism
1EE SEARCH LIGHT.
Since the introduction of secondary
batteries every BIT of working mechan-
ism Is exposed TO formidable fire and
must be protected a. 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 ever behind the gun itself, so
that nothing short Of blow sufficient to
disable the latter would cripple the
motor. and il addition the means of
communicating power 10 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
vhicil would have e Y shot If before
sile In0t0: went even temporarily 3Et g.
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 steam or water
pipe were shot away there would be 40
il during action
The search light. too, comes IL for its
share of attention. both as a weapon Of
defense and ofense. AMI more attention
should be given il than has ret beel-
done, The destruction of a search light
during torpedo attack would DE very
serious calamity. ard when one rel1em-
bers that torpedo boats are usually sup
piled with rapid fire guns. such posi-
bility Is by no means remote.
DANGER FROM RAPID FIRING GUNS
From 37-millimeter revolving can
mona size frequently used for the prr
pose-neaIly a shpt 6 second can ~
Cred, and al kali o. thieeto1rths u
mile the accuracy of this weapon is so
great as to render hits quite probable,
and a single projectile or fragment of
. shell would stand good chance Of
putting a search light out of use. All
tins 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,
lae readiness with which circuits can be
multiplied and re-esta olished make its
use almost imperative
In case of war the electrician viii find
plenty TO do. both In the way of routine
work AID improvements, and may play
q part Of great importance Elec1rical
World
Hasn't Been Shaved Since AppomattOx.
+ sHaye a shave. sir said the new
barber.
What
"Have shave. SIR he repeated
mo, sir; haven't shaved since 1860"
The man IN ha cnsrEorcA9 and