The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-03-01
GREAT THING ron MARINERS.
viii Enable Vessels 90 Navigate
safely I'm Fog.

F@ANAe III 4 OK
From the New York Herald
Possibly there IS no greater terror among
the many met with at sea than q fog. The
helplcssness OF our harbor boats and the
clamor OF the bells and whistles during a
heavy fog in New York harbor give one
some idea of this nightmare OF the ocean;
but when a fog closes down upon a vessel
at sea the most reckless captain proceeds
cautiously and anxiously.
The probability OF collisions and wrecks
due to fogs has been accepted as a sort OF
unavoidable evil. which must become
greater as the number and speed OF vessels
increase But the inventive genius OF man
could not let such a condition of affairs
continue without attempting to do away
with II, and there has been perfected late
~ simple instrument. called the eOphone
by which the direction from which a sound
proceeds can be determined with absolute
accuracy Ia fog or darkness.
The simplest description OF the instru-
ment is that II consists of two bell-mount-
ed sound receivers. separated by a central
diaphragm. The sound receivers are con-
nected 10 the two ears. and when pointed
directly al a source Of sound. the noise Is
the same in each ear. When turned away
the sound Is heard in, only one ear.
On shipboard the sound catching and di-
viding part of the instrument extends
above the top of the chart-house. The
tubes are brought within the chart-house,
anu Ant instrument may DE lufltu lIbDl
below to point in any desired direction.
The eophOne has now been perfected, there
being many points for which numerous
experiments. lasting over several years,
have been required In order to determine
the best form. especially with the sound
ing tubes and ear-pieces. Various refine
ments such as microphones and devices
adding TO the complication, but not Inn
proving the use. have been eliminated.
To illustrate the character of the trials
which have been made with the eophone.
one was placed on the lighthouse tender
Lilac, and in a dense fog a whistling buoy
was picked up at a distance of a mile and
it's direction indicated correctly, although
every effort was made TO confuse the OBJ
server by change of course. Ordinarily
there is great difficulty in picking up a
Whistling buoy in fog.
Another test. showing the merits Of the
eophone in striking way. was made by
blindfolding the observer and then chasing
another vessel by sounds Of its whistle, the
vessel pursued doubling and twisting in
every possible way No difficulty whatever
was found in following the vessel under
such circumstances. Spar buoys can be
picked up from the echo of the boats whis-
tie
A vessel running close to land would
get the echo from her own whistle in
case there were hills or tall houses. on
dark nights the ripple of oars or the
slight nCtse OF a torpedo boat would be
so accurately located by the Oophone, so
that Il is as important from a military
point Of view as Il is necessary in ordi-
bly, one of the greatest inventions Of the
day, as it is destined to become as much
q part of a ships equipment as the COM
pass The larger vessels will have two.
and just as now there are distinctive
whistles so that In a fog not only can
vessels avoid danger, bur they can de-
termine their locations and go safely into
hartCrs. Ferry beats Will he enabled 10
go straight across 10 their slips by know
ing their particular bell or signal at either
end. The echo from an iceberg Is plainly
apparent.
The eophone IS the invention of Frank
de Ia Tore. a scientist of Baltimore. He
has spent a number OF years in perfect
ing II and has been aided IN the develop
ment by the advice and criticism OF some
Of the greatest physicists of Europe. The
eoPhcne can be paced upon any vessel
without alteration in the arrangement OF
the ordinary chart house; il is not eXpen-
sive; it adds practically nothing to the
weight and II cannot get out Of order and
as its efficiency has been demonstrated by
actual trials. it is sure to he universally
adopted for use en- beard ship and at all
lighthouse stations and ferry slips.