The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1897-06-15
OCEAN Gen TRIAL STATIONS.
Mover I'lan I insure Safety in Ocean
Travel and Improve the Weather
Service.
Pittsburg Dispatch.

A project, as bold as it is magn;G.
cent, has just been invented for pvo.
Vldlng II series Of stations across the
Atlantic which will enable steamers
at sea to be communicated with ius1
as Il railway train on is dry land.
Az certain Intervals of about 100
miles Mr.. ReuoCn ii. Piass, for that is
the inventors name, proposes to place
What ne calls central StatiOns,n
Ihcy are 2.storied structures, with
quarters in which Il certain number of
men will live, just as they do i'm the
llghtshlps round the coast. Each of
these stations will be supplied with
stores capable CT lasting IL long time,
ana Is to DC equipped with a iIfcboat.
manned by three sailors, which is To
DC aVailaDlc Tor use whenever ncccs.
sary.
There are also to be attached to
these stations two steam or nautha
Launches to patrol the interval from
one station to the other, kcepinr a
lookout for ships in distress and for
wrecks, as well as iccbergs. All in
formation gathered on these points
Will be conveyed along the line by
means OF u telephone apparatus, with
whlch 1T Is proposed to connect the
chains OF vessels. Between each cen
trial station there will be a series OF
small floating lighthouses at intervals
Of Il mile. These are to be provided
with foghOrns, whose working will be
by mean Of compressed air, stored bv
an automatic apparatus as the cdifco
roc IS, while the light which they fur.
nisli at night will require attention
only two or three times Il year.
These lighthouses will bs furnished
n al 49,.
that should an Individual be UNIFORM
nate enough, through shipwrcck or
accident, to get into the water he would
be able to climb int o the lighthouse,
which will contain food and the means
o! preparing it, as well as supplies Of
dry clothing.
Inc opening OF the door OF any one
OF these light houses in the chain will
automatically convey u message To
this effect down the line to the central
station on each side, and will also in
dictate the light house which has Tins
become the shelter of some one NEEDING
assistance.
AS soon as the storm subsidies. should
one be raging at the time, the lifeboat
Will be put of from the nearest station
In order to take the man off the light
house and place him on board the first
pasSihg SpedihcF going inc direction in |
which he was bound.
While the human side Of the project
Is thus Indicated, it's utilitarian advap-
will be by no means lost sight OF.
On every ono II these ligL thouses or
ouoys-for III they will practically
oecomc-au;omatic instruments Will
the temperature of the air and
gater, the rainfall, the velocity and
OF the wind and current. as
veil as other facts which it is desirable
register.
These will be telegraphed' to both
'ides CT the Atlantic, and a knowledge
If the climatic conditions advancing
% the coast likely to obtain on shore
viii thus be secured several DAYS
!head. Everything which can be
lone automatically will be done in
hiH way, SO that as little routine work
9 Possible will be left for the men at
hR different stations to look after.
rheN will thus be able to give the
'reater part OF their attention to the (.
atro5 OF their District and the life
aytn(s work, which will naturally oe