The Coalville times. [volume] (Coalville, Utah) 1894-1923, 1898-06-10
DEVICES IN WAR.
An Eminent Expert Says Victory May Depend
Upon It-SOme Startling Possibilities
for the War with Spain.

Il Is the opinion OF s. H. Short. an
eminent electrical expert. that the re-
suit Of the war with Spain will depend
more upon which side has the best cleo
triclans than upon the question OF the
blFges; ships and heaviest guns
THE novel and startling uses TO
which electricity may be put in the
next great naval war" says Mr.. Short
In the Golden Penny. ARE likely to
play a decisive part In the struggle
1T Is possible that direct verbal
communication. without electrical con-
nectlon. may be- established between a
Tort or a nagehip and a vessel miles
out az sea. 4 beam OF light may be
pressed into service TO carry .he words
N the admiral In default Of telephone
cable The same commanding officer
may equip a harbor or roadstead with
an Invisible battery OF magnets which
shall seize a hostile ship aud hold her
motonless. In spite OF the most frantic
Efforts Of her crew. right under his
runs lie may even vt In n dark room.
md by a camera and a mirror have
her movements photographed on the
mine chart In front Of him. until. when
her miniature sails over the paper map.
he shall by pressing button explode
the mine which at that moment must
lnfalllbly be Immediately under the ac-
tual ship herself Thee are only a
few Of the coups hia electrical experts
may enable him to strike.
"A atty horsepower engine will gem
crate electricity enough for a search
llrht Of 100000 candle power. No such
tremendous light would be necessary.
however to enable the commanders Of
two ships. or the commander Of a ship
and a shore fort. TO talk 20 each other,
II the experiments with gclcnium al.
ready worked out practically on land
and on small scale shall prove TO
n the conditions OF modern naval war
fare The senaltlycness Of the metal
selenlum IN such that the instant a
beam Of light falls upon lta surface the
selenlum gives out distinct electrical
click. its resistance has been changed.
when the beam of llght ~ removed It's
reslsiance Ia once more changed. and
the selenlum gives out another click.
THE admiral who talks into the tole-
phone mouthpiece on the battleship or
In the fort opens and closes by the vi
brn,ions OF his voice the slit In the
metal plate. Every word and tone the
admiral utterA into II will be carried
BY the vibrations Of the beam OF light
and reproduced exactly In the ear OF n
listener at the telephone receiver.
There would be- tclcphonlng along a
beam OF light instead Of along an cleo
trio wire.
"The destructive agency OF high cx-
ploslyes was made effective some time
since In the aao-Turklsh war. and has
been more recently used In the Gillian
and Brazilian revolutions. and In the
war between China and Japan. The
Effects OF such an explosion on or near
modern steel ship were lamcntahly
exhibited In the ruins OF the Maine and
Me slaughter OF hundreds Of her mon
n Havana harbor. Tho astounding re-
suits 10 be achieved by the alliance Of
electricity and hish explosives are.
however yet to be only imagined. Such
4 combination holds the potential ruin
u entire fleets. Aaaursdly electricity
may be made TO work yet unthought Of
horrors IN the next clash Of steel ma
ylcs. Indeed, | believe there viii be
40 great dlfieulty In sending directly
through salt water a current OF olec-
,rlclty strong enough TO explode a minc
iome distance away without the use
u wires TO connect the mine TO the
shore
The magazines Of battleshlps arc
loo well protected and surrounded by
yentilating spaces to be In danger of
explosion from ourront OF electricity
conveyed to them directly through the