Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1893-05-12
TELEPHONES IN BATTLE
SUPPLYING THE DEFECTS OF Or
DERLIES AND SIGNALS.
Captain ILilbourne's Device Adopted
by General Greedy 4 similar
Plan Used at Tel-el-keber.

llhl OlNttf VI lllf arm lh0
again demonstrated the truth
Of thu old saying that she
cessItv is the mother of invention.
Battles of the future, while terrible IN
effect, will be brief in duration, and tn"
necessity of knowing at any time what
is required at the front will be even
greater than III the past important
also Is the knowledge of the cnemy's
movements before and after battle.
Outposts and guards ARE established to
prevent surprises, and to hold in check
the advance of an enemy until the
main body can he aroused and pre-.
pared for the battle. Outposts are i'm
portant essentials to an army, and
rapid, secret communication between
them and headquarters must be main
tanned. General Greedy proposes to
establish, 10y simple, practical means,
all such necessary communication be
tween hrigadcs and divisions, divisions
and corps, and outpo-ts with the main
guard, 10y the medium of All "outpost
cart, and its electric appurtenancrs.
The outpost cart which General
Greedy proposes to adopt for the
Army is the invention of Captain
Charles f. kilbournc, of the Signal
Corps. The cart consists of IA frame Of
bicycle-stcel tubing, one inch IN di-
amctcr, mounted upon thirty-two inch
hicylc wheels, with heavy cushion
tires. The cart is arranged to carry
five reels of cable, and one knapsack
containing M additional reel, for use
in places where the court cannot be
taken. The extreme width of the cart
Is only twentv-siX inches, and it can
follow any ordinary path. Its weight,
complete with spelling device, hut
without the reels, is only tiftv-tive
pounds; when loaded with the reels
wound with wire, the cart weighs l59
pounds The cart lis we'll balanced, and
is attached to the axle by a device
which permits the point of support to
be changed as the distribution of the
weight Is modified rs the cable runs
ont. Each reel carries about one-third
of mile Of douhle-conductor cable.
The ends Of this cable have double
conuectors, by means of which they
can be- joined, so as TO extend the line.
In each reel the double connector near
cot the axle Is connected by means of
insulated wires, the inner conductor to
one end Of the reel axle. and the out
side conductor to the other axle end
the axle ends being insulated from each
other. At the rear end of the cart is a
rccling apparatus, having An automatic
spu0ilug attachment. To be unwound,
or wound M, the reel is placed in
brackets connected with the Keeling
device. The end of the axle of this
reel, which is connected with the inner
conductor cable, Is placed in brackets
on the left Of the cart. The socket of
tAi~ bracket is insulated from the rest
Of the bracket, and therefore from the
frame of the cart On this bracket is
found II double connector, the insulated
screw Of which is connected by an in
,ulal.l wire to the insulated socket
and therefore with the inner conductor
cable. The outer part of the double
ruuuector is attached to the frame OF
the cart. and through this with the
bracket on the right of the cart The
number of reels to he carried by Il cart
Is not necessarily limited to five ANY
reasonable additional number can be
carried III an emergency; or empty
reels can I've detached from the cart
and new ones placed upon it, the ends
of the cables being readily connected
There is practically no limit, therefore,
to the length of cables which may be
thus employed.
In connection with the cart two tel
ephonc kits are used. and Ivy attaching
the double connectUr Of each kit to
one on the iiumc Of the cart the tele-
phone Is kept IN circuit and converse
tion can bc maintained. The kit is IA
leather case, carried by means of
shoulder straps, and contains the bat
terry, induction coil and the combined
long distance transmitter and receiv-
ing attachments. The connection be-
tween the telephone kit and the cart
may bc kept up while reeling out the
cable and communication with the home
station made continuous, so that orders
to the men with the cart can be sent at
all time, and they can make reports at
any moment to the officer III charge OF
the home station. The cart, with its
load, can be readily drawn by one man
over ordinary roads Shafts can be at
20, 4 to a mt hlr
used when necessary The wire can be
paid out rs fast rs the cart can be
moved. BY means Of the Keeling APP.
paratus the cable can be recovered
at the rate of about four miles
an hour, or faster if IL horse is EN-.
ployed. The cart can also be used rs
IL field litter, and upon it wounded
man can be comfortably and quickly
transported to the rear. In view OF
the great distance wounded men must
now be carried to be out of danger,
and secure proper medical treatment,
this means of saving time, and EN-
ployed as carriers, is of great import
ance.
A device somewhat similar to that
invented by Captain Kilbourne was
used with great success under varying
conditions of service by the English
forces i'll the recent campaign in
Egypt. At this time Sir Garnet Wolse
ley and his staff were III constant and
r,iHable communication with all out
posts, rs well MS the firing line, during
engagements. At the battle of Tel-el.
kebir field telephones were of par
ticular advantage in keeping the com.
handing General constantly informed
as to the turn of affairs Mt the front. --
New York Tribune
The Labor Of a Watch.
The little balance wheel of watci
lNrn five