The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1898-04-25
NEW ORLEANS SETS SAIL
Gunboat Wasp Puts 10 Sea 10
JON SchIey'S tquadron.
1O,0O) WINGED COURIERS
Maryland's Naval Militia Mans the
Auxiliary Cruiser Dixie-Search-
lights i'm Coast DefeBse-They
Will Play nm Important Part in
e Putting Enemy AT "a iDfsadvantagc.

ana powerful are
of vital Importance TO the scientific sys-
tenn of the most modern coast defense
adopted by our Army. By its use the
whole area of the 4farber protected by
our fortifications afd by fixed or sta
tionary torpedoes is in the dead of night
made as bright as day. These powerful
lights hold most important place in de-
tecting the approach of any movement
OF an attcking fleet, and especially where
an attempt is made to pass a fortifica-
ton after a partial or total destruction
of its torpedoes. Under such circum-
stances the searchlght would expose the
enemy's ships to the deadly fire from the
heavy artillery guns of our coast defense
and insure total destruction.
Another and most important of the
many factors of the searchlight system
as adopted by the Army is its adaptable
ity TO signalling from one fertilization 10
another by means Of long and short
flashes, messages being sent several
miles by cipher code.
An idea Of the wonderful power and
efficiency of these searchlights for sig
mailing may be had from the following:
short time ago a great searchlight
was purchased by the Government and
turned over TO the Army for experimJ:.t-
al purposes I'm coast signalling. This
light was purchased from a firm in Ger
many, and upon its receipt il was imme-
diately forwarded TO the Sandy Hook
proving ground, where IT underwent a
thorough test One object was to de-
term!ne the facility with which mes
sage could be transmitted by long and
short flashes. The light was mounted on
a tower at Sandy Hook and arrange
ments made with Mr. Dunn, of the
Weather Bureau in New York city, to
be ready To receive the message at
stated hour. Late In the night, as
agreed upon, one of the Army officers.
especially expert in signalling. mounted
the top of the tower When the exact
moment arrived there were thrown
against the dark sky long and short
flashes Of bright light from the tower
at Sandy Hook.
AT the same moment, in New York city,
another man was at the top of one OF the
high Office buildings steadily looking to-
ward Sandy Hook. He read the message
and repeated it by wire TO Sandy Hook,
where il was found correct. This message
was flashed a distance Of 20 miles, and
could undoubtedly have been passed a
much greater distance. With these lights
mounted at the Notifications around New
York harbor messages could be immedi-
ately sent from the defenses at Sandy
Hook TO either Fort Wadsworth or Fort
Hamilton, when the movements of a hos
tile feet could be seen and IL was de ,ir-
ed 10 transmit instructions TO the inner
defenses.
Further experiments were made with
this light TO determine the visibility OF fix
ed and moving objects at known and UNI
known distances. and ii was during these
tests that "A book of the finest print was
easily and distinctly read AT a distance Of
miles
The searchl ght with which these ex-
periments and tests were conducted is ole
Cf the largest and most powerful IN the
United States. and in all probability there
are few, If any, more prwerful in the
world the candle power of the arc being
q. 00o. and in the ordinary method Of rat
ing this is magnified 10 l9L00o.0tJ candle
power by means IF a powerful parabolic
glass mirror feet N diameter. The mir
ror. about ! inch in thickness. Is a very
delicate piece If workmanship, the time
occupied in grinding and polishing IT be
ing nearly six months.
A twenty horse power engine in direct
coupling with a dynamo of leo amperes
and 90 volts is of sufficient capacity TO
produce an intensity from this light of
290.6C0O00 candle power.
Hand mechanism is provided so that the
light may be easily moved either horizon
tally or vertically. An electric motor is
also at the base of the tower. thus permit
ting the beam 30 be thrown in any di-
rection by an electric controlling appara-
tus and permitting the operator to be
stationed at any desired position or dis
lance.
The searchlight in coast defense inter
feres with the sight OF the man at the
helm of an approaching vessel. In expert
ments tried in Franz a powerful search
light was turned upon a moving vessel
the captain of which stated that his eyes
were so dazzled by this light that IL pre-
vented him from properly steering the
boat. which resulted in a collision with
another.
Our Army has now in its possession sew
eral of these coast defenders, and, fully
approaching their value, has others in
progress of construction which, as soon
as completed, will be mounted ready for
service. The most powerful one on the
Atlantic Coast is mounted on one of cur
most modern Notifications at Fort
Monroe.
The Wasp.
New York, April 25.-The gunboat Wasp.
formerly the yacht Columbia, left the
New York navy yard yesterday under hur
ry orders. TO join the flying squadron at
Hampton Roads. 1t was originally in
tended that the Wasp should be assigned
to the mosquito fleet, but ii is now under
stood that Commodore Schley has asked
for all the fast boats. big and little, that
he can get TO act in conjunction with his
squadron in patrolling the coast
In accordance with this request. the
Scorpion formerly the fast yacht Sover-
eign, is also under orders to join the fly
ing squadron. She is in prime shape,
carrying two S-pounders, with smaller
guns, and is stripped for action and deck
ed in war paint. She is in command of
Lieutenant Commander Mark. The
Scorpion is only awaiting her ammuni-
ton before putting to sea. 1t is expect
ed she will be ready to sail tomorrow.
Gun Carriages.
Alliance. Ohio, April 25.-The Govern
ment has placed large order for Bar
bette gun carriages here, to mount guns
for the coast defense.
Naval Pigeons.
The Navy Department will call into
service 10000 homing pigeons to carry
messages between the American feet in
Cuban waters and the mainland. This
will be the 1test army of aerial mes
sengers in the worlds history and unique
in naval warfare. The idea of utilizing
pigeons originated with Assistant Secre-
tary of the Navy Theodore Roosevelt.
Lieut.. Carter of the Brooklyn navy
yard, has secured 2,000 pigens, which will
be taken on the st. Paul when she s.sils
for Key West the latter part of the
week These pigeons have been secur-
ed from the members OF the Manhattan
Homing Pigeon Club.
The Dixie.
Norfolk, April 25-The Maryland Naval
| Reserve Battalion arrived here yester-
day for service on board the Dixie.