The Florence daily tribune., 1898-09-14
8E47z1d1 Isl 4;MS
STss So
VALUE OF SEARCHLlGHTs.
Usefui For Signaling as Well u. For FL
posing Enemy.

posing Enemy.
The United States government has
ordered for use in its coast defense n
large number OF tho most powerful
searchlights, to DO built in the earliest
possible timo and delivered for mount
ing in the principal harbors along tho
coast The lights arc of vital impor-
lance in harbor dcfenses and will DO a
valuable addition to our harbor equip
ments Already considerable number
are In operation. but not sufficient to
do the work which might BIO done in
this way.
Operated ON scientific system, the
Importance Of the light can scarcely DO
overestimated- BY its use the whole
area of the harbor protected by our forti-
fications and by fixed or stationary tor
pedoes is in the dead of the night made
as bright us day. In detecting the ap-
preach or any movement of an attack
ing feet and especially where an ut
tempt Is made to pass a fertilization aft
er partial or total destruction of its
torpedoes, these are most important
Under such circumstances the searchS
light would expose the enemy's ships to
the deadly 10 from the heavy artillery
guns of our coast defense and insure
total destruction.
Another and most important of the
many factors of tho searchlight system
as adopted by tho army is its adaptable
ity to signaling from one fertilization
to 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 tho following:
A short time ago great searchlight
was purchased by the government and
turned over to the army for experiment.
ing purposes in coast signaling This
light was purchased from firm in Cor
many, and upon its receipt it was i'm
mediately forwarded to the Sandy Hook
| proving ground, where 1t underwent a
thorough test. Ono object was to deter
mine the facility with which message
| could be transmitted by long and short
flashes. The light was mounted ON o
tower at Sandy Hook and arrangements
made with Mr.. Dunn of tho weather
bureau In New York to be ready to re-
In tho night, us agreed upon, one of tho
army officers, especially expert in sig
mailing, mounted tho 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 WINS at the top of one Of the high
office buildings steadily looking toward
Sandy Hook. He read the message and
repeated it by wire to Sandy Hook.
where it was found correct This mes
sage was flashed distance Of 30 miles,
and could undoubtedly have been passed.
much greater distance. With these
lights mounted at the Qualifications
around New York harbor messages
could be Immediately sent from the do
lenses at Sandy Hook to either Fort
Wadsworth or Fort Hamilton when tho
movements Of hostile fleet could bo
seen and it was desired to transmit in
| structions to tho inner defenses
The searchlight In coast defense in
terferes with tho sight of the man ut
the helm of an approaching vessel. In
experiments tried In France powerful
electric searchlight was turned upon a
moving vessel, the captain of which
sta ted IS es 90. t..s:zs.!.ssss b;
this light that it prevented him from
properly steering his boat, which re-
suited in q collision with another.
Philadelphia Times