Bryan morning eagle. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1898-1909, 1898-07-16
'' SUBMARINE MINES.
HOW THEY ARE conTRQry 80 BY
The USE or ELEcTe4M.

Against the Largest Battisships.
Electricity as a means for control
ling the engines OF war plays an i'm
portant part This is especially the
case with submarine mines and tor.
pedoes. which are kept under thorough
control and made to act at the proper
time through the influence OF the cleo.
trio current Submarine mines have
been extensively used In modern waf-
fare, notably during the civil war In
this country and during the Franco
Prussian conflict. The last decade,
however. has seen extensive improve
ments in the method OF firing mines
due TO the rapid development Of cleo
trieity.
Probably the simplest form OF mine.
and the one most extensively used UNI
I'll electricity came into general use,
was that known az the contact mine.
which consisted OF an iron case con.
tainlng an explosive attached TO
cable. the latter having is lower ex-
tremity fastened 10 an anchor OF some
sort. The iron case was provided
with a number Of firing pins. any one
or which being brought In contact
with the hull Of ship fired a porcus-
sion cap and exploded the charge. As
viii readily be seen. these contact
mines are not in any way under con-
troll. and were alike dangerous 10
friend and foe. With a view 10 rene
dying this evil. what Is known as the
electro-contact milne was Invented. In
this device The firing pins on the case
containing the explosive. instead o.
exploding a percussion cap when
brought in contact with an object. act
as o. switch by closing one opening IN
an electric circuit Another switch Is
located in this same circuit 90 sta
ton on shore. so that In order 10 aro
the mine it ls necessary 10 close the
land switch 40 the same time that one
Of the pins has been driven In by the
hull Of a vessel.
Numerous electrical inventions have
been patented from time to time Tor
controlling and firing submarine
mines. one Of these Inventions con-
sists OF an Ingenious arrangement for
holding a mine down near the bed OF
bay or other body of water, to ena-
bic friendly vessels to pass over Il In
safety The device consists in a loon
fastened to the anchor and to a point
on the cable near the mine. In a hol-
low opening In this loop small
charge OF an explosive Is placed. which
can be fired from the shore by means
OF a spark from an electric battery.
In bursting, the loop Is destroyed and
the mine Immediately rises the full
length OF Us cable and to within few
feet OF the surface The mine itself
may then be fred from the shore in
the ordinary manner.
In deep water. or where a strong
current exists, recourse Is had 10 what
Is known as ground mines These
consists % large charges Of gun cotton
or other high explosives held in or
near the ground by means OF mush.
room anchors. Mines OF this charac.
ter being too far below the surface 10
be fired by coming In contact with the
hulls Of vessels. arrangement has TO
be made 60 ascertain exactly when
vessel Is over a mine In order to know
when 10 IRE Il. This Is accomplished
by very simple method. although an
extremely Ingenious one. An electric
circuit extends from the mine to two
stations on land az no great distance
from one another. Al each OF these
stations q break occurs In the electric
circuit. and. In order 10 explode the !
mine. both OF these breaks must be
closed simultaneously. A telescope Is T.
mounted al each station on a pivot. |
which permits Of It's being swung In a
horizontal direction. and so arranged
that when pointed at the mine Il
closts he circuit az that station. Thus /
all tha' Is necessary 10 do Is to keep
both telescopes pointed az an enemys /
vessel as IL advances. and when the /
latter passes over the mine both .
switchei viii be closed. the circuit .
completed aud the mine exploded
lnnun erable other devices have
been brought out. In which electricity /
invariably plays an important part, for .
on warfare Of this nature.
What Is known as the observation .
mine. ar Improvement over the cleo.
tro-contact mine, Is one OF these. In
a mine OF this character the firing
mechanism and the explosive are In /
two distinct and separate receptacles.
placed one above the other on cable.
The contact buoy which contains the
firing pin floats a few feet below the
surface OF the water. the mine Itself
being located several feet below II.
With mines OF this description there
are always two separate and distinct
electrical circuits leading to tho
shore. One is known as the firing cir.
cult, while the other. IN circuit with
the firing pins on the upper receptacle.
rings bell at the shore station when.
ever one Of the pins is driven IN by
coming In contact with an object.