The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-01-14

II the position finder is wholly blind
ed by denSely encompaSSing smoke,
clouds or fog, then the watchful cleo
trio buoy, floating above the deadly
magazine just below the surface of the
water, upon the collision of the iron
clad with ii, operates a delicate circuit
closer, and thus the victim herself sets
free the current which fires the blast
and causes her own destruction.
All this presupposes that our own
warships have not been on the scene to
play their part as the first line of de-
tense; but the great Indiana" or New
York." or Maine" or some other of
our new defenders will surely be at
hand. Electricity will control the
nerves" which render the helm, en-
CINE and rudder instantly responsive
to the cool and skillful brains in their
coming towers. Electric motors will
hoist their ammunition and turn their
turrets. Electricity will operate their
range finders and kirldle their search
lights and their signal lanterns, where
by they talk to one another at night.
Such is the picture of what electric
fly, through its military applications,
could do to help US. 1t involves no
wonder" but it is none the less ap-
palling-this array of electrically con-
trolled guns and torpedoes. 1t is a
brave commander who will brave the
shells which come in a straight line
and the shells which run around under
water, and the shells which explode
from the bottom TO blow him into the
air, and the shells which fall down
from the sky TO blow him to the bot
tom again-all of them at once per-
haps. If, in fact, we do possess all of
these defenses, we may perhaps hear
with equanimity of the coming of the
great sea monsters. But If we do not
their majesties' admirals need not be
Farraguts, and as for ourselves, II Will
not be philosophical calmness which
we will need, but Spartan fortitude. AS
matters now stand, the sooner we cul-
divate the latter quality the better.
The fact is, we have not got them.
True, we have had the intention of
working all these terrible and formid-
able engines some day with the aid Of
electricity. But intentions will not
stop iron-clads, nor will even such in
adequate progress as we have made to-
ward realizing them be of much use,
even If its results were all Immediately
available. The point is not whether we
can prepare in some period of time.
but whether we are ready now.
We may assume that our harbors
have been surveyed, that the places for
sunken torpedoes and position finders
and switch boxes have been determin-
| ed. that we have selected the kinds of
torpedoes to be used, and have system
| tied the handling of them down TO the
| last tactical detail; so also we may
/ know that we have factories which can
| build searchlights-none better-and
workshops where dynamite guns, and
4 electric motors. and fish torpedoes, and
| submarine boats, and position finders.
| and dynamos can be constructed. Like
| wise, IL is true that We have men skill
| ed in using every type of electric APP
planes eager and ready TO handle
| these things. But all this does not al
| ter the fact that we have made neither
| the things themselves 10 any adequate
extent, nor have we drilled and edu-
Gated the large number of men requir-
ed to use them in the places and for
the purposes for which they are in
| tended.
The mines are not planted in our
harbors, nor are the torpedoes in any
| sufficient numbers yet constructed. To
put them I'm position, 10 hay and adjus,
! their complicated network OF cables Is
a long and difficult proceeding. We
/ have no dozen OF fish torpedoes TO let
| slip all at once; the submarine boat is
| still unfinished; the electric nerves are
! in but very few of our warships; the
| turning OF turrets by electric motors is
| still a matter OF isolated experiment:
and of the position finders Chose most