Evening star., 1898-06-04
"A WAR OF SCIENCE.
Electricity aud Mathematics PIuy "a
Most Prominent Part
From Electricity.

Most Prominent Part
From Electricity.
AS was predicted some time ago, our
present struggle with Spain is to a large
extent one of mathematics and electricity
Inc only war that has ever been previously
fought upon scientific principles and in
Wnloh modern electrical appliances were
extensively employed, was that between
Japan and China, and that contest can
haroiv De locked upon a criterion In
view of the little resistance the Japanese
met with. 1t is no exaggeration to say that
at the present day the result of a naval
battle between two modern fleets might
hlhge on the rupture of an electrical con-
ouctor or on the burning out of an arma-
ture As Lieut.. Bradley A. Fiske said
numbef or years ago in an address before
the New York Electrical Society, "EIec-
tricity is not used in warfare as a CON
Venlence, nor Is it fad of theorists-it
holsts the ammunition to the deck it trains
ana HreS the guns; it gives, by means of
the range and position finder, the distance
and position of the enemy's ships; ii gives
a means or signaling; it actuates the tor
pedoes; 1t lights and ventilates the ship: in
TACT, 1t does good honest, practical work
IL VIII readily be seen that were any of
the electrical apparatus employed in oper-
atlng these various pieces of machinery to
get out OF order a ship In a naval combat
would be at terrible disadvantage
iopeibiS ioWHSIc III war Is clectrlclty of
more Importance than in the firing of sub
marine mines. During the past month
hundreds of these mines have been planted
III the various harbors along the Atlantic
coast Some of the mines thus far laid are
what are known as contact mines and are
moored few feet below the surface of the
water These are in circuit with an cleo
URIC battely located on shore, and are ar
ranged tc explode on being struck by a
passing ship. which drives in a pin, thus
completing the circuit. The greater num-
Der OF the submarine mines, however, are
"hat are termed buoyant mines. These
are anchored to the bottom like the Others
but can only be exploded from the shore by
closing switch. At Fort Hamilton, for
instance, the mine wires all terminate in
pomD proof chamber in which the opera
tor is located
Considerable trouble has been experienced
in keeping intact the electrical connections
owing to the carelessness of friendly ves-
sells breaking the connections In passing In
ana out. A narrow channel has, however
been lately marked out which outgoing and
incoming vessels are obliged to take or
run the risk of being fired upon by govern
men patrol boats 1t is absolutely essen
tial that ships should keep to this channel
as the continual breaking of the electrical
mine connections is not only a serious but
likewise costly matter. Trained electricians
are required to Keep these mine connec-
tions in working order, and it is therefore
essential that the sgovernment should have
In Its employ large, number of trained
engineers. At the present time the steps
that are being taken toward the forma-
tion Of several electrical government corps
are to be commended. AS Lieutenant Fiske
correctly prophesied several years ago, the
immediate employment of such corps will
be in the torpedo defense of the harbors,
and the services OF meh accustomed to diff
ficult electrical work and familiar with the
latest methods wiHfbe Of incalculable value.
The firing of miniature submarine mines
at the electrical exhibition by the Mar
coni method has brought up the question
as to whether it would not be possible to
fire haIbor mine bynmeans of Hertzian
waves In the same manner and thus do
away with the present complicated system
OF wiring. In the opinion Of Mr.. Clark, the
well-known electrical expert in wifAess
telegraphy, this could be accomplished in
spite of the fact that large body of salt
water, being a good conductor, might act
as shield to the coherer and obstruct the
passage of the electric waves in the same
manner that mass of metal would. To
overcome this difficulty Mr.. Clark suggests
running wire frcm the receiving appara-
tus to the surface of the water and thus
furnish path Of little resistance to the
coherer. To prevent all the mines In
karbor from being discharged simultane-
ously by the electric waves 1t would be
necessary to have a large number of trans
mitters each differently tuned or in step
with its special coherer at certain mine.
For this reason it may be some time before
the wireless apparatus Is adopted for this
use.