Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1898-11-15
HoWzHE WAS ABLE TO DO II.
Naval Exhibit At abe Omaha E1DOsI-
tiOn Which In, = Measure E1-
50, plains DSwey.s Feat.

u
Since the welcome news of Admiral
DeweyiS remarkable victory at Manila
on the LIST of May was published
throukhout the civilized world. it has
been q matter for wonder everywhere,
not less in the United States than in
Europe, that: the American gunners
were able to destroy Spanish squad
ron in a Spanish harbor without the
Loss Of a single American life. When
history repeated itself at Santiago two
months later the wonder was intensi-
fedG,r .....
In the Government building at the
Traps-Mississippi exposition is IN ex-
hibit which in q measure explains the
mystery. This is n naval range finder.
the invention of United. States naval
officer. Up to date no one outside o?
Uncle Sans service has been able to
discover how it is operated. The in
EtrumeEt is shown in n glass case witt.
various other nautical paraphcrnalin.
and of course the attendants refuse to
answer questions as to its method Of
working.
In showing the enormous advantages
derived from the use of this instrument
one of tho naval officers in charge of
the exhibit says:
at is Il fact that no other navy has
any means of finding the range that
docs not involve Il mathematical cal
culation. This implies good deal of
time lest, and in most cases they find
it quicker 10 get the range by actual
experiment. The Spaniart!s. for i'll
stance. have to fire several shots be-
tore they can get the range of one Of
Uncle Sans ships. If their ii:.t shot
falls short they try again and thcl.
they arc apt " ovcrshoot. and by tina:
time the position of the vessels MAY
have been altered and they are still ~
sea. Meanwhile the officer III the coz
ming tower of the American ship ha:
located them almost exactly with.thi.
instrument and reported the range bN
telephone TO the various. gun captains
This%has only consumed a few seconds
and while the Spnniards are still try
ing; TO get their range, the shells from
the American guns are, sweeping their
decks. ...,,... -. -.
"Ehe peculiar thing about the instru,
ment," continued thesofficer, "is that
while it is one of the simplest things in
the 'worldito anyone who KIN ows itsse-
eret, the most expert mechanic or in
Tentor might examine 1t as long as he
wanted to and still be unable 10 dis
cover how 1t works. This is why rep
resentatives Of other navies have been
completely bafied in their efforts to
find;it out, They have range finders of
their own, but none that give the same
instantaneous and accurate results.
Andas long as they can be kept in the
dark we will be able to outshoot any
nation on earth, even if 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. It costs
$3.50 to fire pair Of 13-inch guns
once. If the Spaniards 60 into fight
they must fire at least two shots to Sc
cure the range. Frequently these do
not answer, and they go on shooting
1880, charges in the air, while every
pound of powder that goes into a
United States gun is utilized. The abiI-
ity of the American gunners to obtain
the:exa position OF the enemy before
q gun IL fired saves thousands of dol
lars in ammunition in every engage
ment