Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1898-08-24
HOW HE WAS ABLE TO DO IT.
Naval hshibit at the Omaha E~posi-
u"n which Ia "a Measure E~-
plains Dewey's Feat

Since the welcome news OF Admiral
Dewcy's remarkable victory ~ Manila
ON the lat OF May WA publishrd
throughout the civilized world. Ia has
been 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 spanish harbor without the
loss OF single American life. When
history repeated Itself AT Santiago two
months later the wonder was intensi.
fed.
In the Government building nj the
rrhns-Mississlppi exposition ~ an ex.
hibit which la a measure explains the
mystery. This is naval range finder.
the Invention Of United Stntes naval
officer. Up 10 date no one outside OF
Uncle Sans service has been able TO
discover how Il is operated. The en-.
strnmeni Is shown In glass ease with
various other nautical parnphcrnalla
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 the naval officers IN charge of
the exhibit says:
IT is q fact that no other navy has
any means Of finding the range that
does not involve mathematical cal-
culation. This implies n good deal Of
time lost, and IN most cuscs they find
Il quicker TO get the range by aciunl
experiment. The Spaniards, for In.
hinncc, have 10 fire several shots be.
fore they can get the range Of one OF
Uncle Sans ships. II their first shot
falls short they try again and then
they are apt - ovcrshoot. and by TINT
time the position OF the vessels ntnv
have been altered and they are stiIi az
sea. Meanwhile the officer in the con.
ming tower 81 the American ship has
located them almost exactly with fhis
instrument and reported the range bs
telephone 10 the various gun captains
This has only consumed n few seconds
and while the Spaninrds are still try.
ing 10 get their range the shells from
the American guns are sweeping their
deeks.
THE peculiar thing aboui the iustru.
ment." continued the officer. sis that
while Il is one Of the simplcst things in
the world 10 anyone who knows ~ se-
crct. the most expert machnnic or in.
yenior might examine II as Iofg as be
wanted 10 ard sfill be unable 10 dis.
cover how IN works. This j. why rep.
rescntatives 81 other nnyies have been
completely bafiied IL their efforts 10
find IL DOT. They haze rauRe finders of
their own, but none that give the same
instanfancous and accurate results
Andas long as ticy can be kept 10 the
dark we viii be- able 20 outshoos any
nation on earth. even n there wns ~
difference ia the skill Of the gunner.
There is another advantage in the
use ~ the instrument which amounfs
10 considerable in the course Of half q
dozen naval engagements. II costs
$3.50 10 fire pair Of i3-iueh guns
once II The spauiards 90 into apbt
they must he ~ least two shots 10 40.
cure the range. Frequently these Do
not answer. and they 20 on shooting
$3.50 charges in the air. while ever,
pound 81 pow der that gosg into 4
United States gun isutilized. The All.
hy OF the American gunnors 10 obtain
the exact position ~ the enemy before
q gun l. fred saves Thousands of dol.
lars in ammunition Zoo every engage,
ment.