The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1898-08-12
How Dewey Was Able to Do 1t.

How Dewey Was Able to Do 1t.
Since the welcome news of Admi.
raj Dewey's remarkable victory at
Manila on the 1st of May was pub
lished throughout the civilized world,
it has been matter of wonder every
where, not less in the United States
than in Europe, that the American
gunners were able to destroy Span
ish squadron in q Spanish harbor
without the loss of eingle American
life. When history repeated itself at
Santiago two months later the wonder
was intensified.
In the Government Building at the
Trans-M ississippi Exposition Is an
exhibit which in a measure explains
the mystery. This lie a naval range
finder, the invention of a United
States naval officer. Up to date no
one outside of Uncle SANS service
has been able to discover how 1t is
operated. The instrument is shown
in glass case with various other
paraphernalia, and of course the at
PENDANTS refuse to answer questions
as to its methods of working.
In showing the enormous advan-
tages derived from the use of this in
strument one of the naval officers in
charge of the exhibit says:
1t ls a fact that no other navy has
any means of finding the range that
does not involve mathematical cal
culation. This implies a good deal
OF time lost, and in most cases they
find IL quicker to get the range by ac-
tual experiment. The Spaniards, for
instance have to fire several shots be-
fore they can get the exact range of
one of Uncle Sans ships. If their
first shot falls short they try again
and then they are apt to overshoot,
and by that time the position of the
vessels may have been altered and
they are still at sea. Meanwhile the
officer in the coming tower of the
American ship has located them al
most exactly with this instrument
and reported the range by telephone
to the various gun captains. This has
consumed only few seconds, and
while the Spaniards are still trying
to get their range the shells from the
American gunners aresweeping their
decks.
1.-The peculiar thing about the In
strument,n continued the officer, sis
that while it lie one of the simplest
things in the world TO anyone who
knows It's secret, the most expert me-
chanic or inventor might examine 1t
as long as he wanted to and still be
unable to discover how it works. This
is why representatives of other navies
have been completely bstfied In their
etforito find it out. They have range
finders of their own, but none that
can give the same instantaneous and
accurate results. AS long as they can
be kept in the dark we will be
able to out shoot any nation on earth,
even II there was no difference in the
skill Of the gunners
There is another advantage in the
use of the instrument which amounts
to considerable in the course of half a
dozen naval engagements. 1t costs
81 1860 to fire a pair of 10 inch guns
once. If the Spaniards go into fight
they must fire at least two shots to
secure the range Frequently these
do not answer, and they go shooting
$3.50 charges in the air, while every
pound of powder that goes into a
United States gun is utilized. The
ability of the American gunners to
obtain the exact position oftne enemy
before gun is fired saves thousands
Of dollars in ammunition in every en-
gagement.