The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1898-08-13

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one OF the most useful contrivances on
sulpDoard, and is worth an immense
sum to the navy. Another Of Lieut.
elske's Inventions was the stadimeter,
very clever modification Of the sex
tant, by which it is possible to measure,
the distance OF ship from the height
OF Its mast or smoke stack. Still anoth-
er was range indicator-an electrical
device for signaling from the coming
tower to the gun captain the direc-,
non and distance of the enemy. This
Is lifted on nearly all our ships
Captain Sigsbee Of the St. Paul, is an
inventor. The navy now uses a deep
sea sounding apparatus and parallel
rulers for navigation of his invention.
Lieutenant Dashiell invented a
Dreech mechanism which was a great
Improvement on all that had preceded
II. 1t was adopted by the navy depart
ment in 1892, and was introduced on
many rapid-fire guns. This device en-
abled the man at the breech Of the gun
to do with one motion what had always
taken two. In the breech mechanism
the plug had to be turned with one
motion until it unlocked, and then
withdrawn with another motion. But
by an arrangement of cogs Lieutenant
Dashiell made the pull of lever turn
the plug until it was unlocked and
then withdraw it. The reverse mo-
ton of the lever drove the plug home
and then turned it until it locked. The
Dashiell mechanism has been supplant-
ed by the Fletcher mechanism, but 1t
is still to be found on some rapid fire
guns.
Lieutenant w. H. briggs and Lieu
tenant Seaton Schroeder are the inven-
tors of a rapid-fire mechanism, which
is OF the same class as the well-known
Hotchkiss gun. 1t is applied to one
FOUNDER and six-pounder guns. This
invention is owned by a private cor
poration, unlike most OF the navy in
Ventions, which belong to the govern
ment.
Commodore John A. Howell is the in
ventor of the automobile torpedo,
which bears his name. It's mechanism
consisted chiefly of heavy cog wheel
made to revolve at high rate Of speed
before the torpedo is put in the water.
Commodore Howell sold this invention
to the Hotchkiss company, and for a
time drew a royalty on it. OF late it
has been supplanted by the White
head torpedo.
Lieutenant Joseph Strauss is the in
ventor Of improvements in mounting
turret guns. He conceived the idea Of
the double turret, having an eight-inch
turret placed on top of a thirteen-inch
turret, as used on the battleships
Kearsarge and Kentucky, which were
launched not long ago at Newport
News.
Chief Constructor Philip Hichborn in
vented the Franklin life buoy, and sold
it to a concern in Bath, Me. 1t is a self
lighting buoy. Two small tin cases at
tached to 1t contain. phosphide Of cal
cium. Shoppers to these cases are, at
tached to the ship, 80 that when the
buoy is thrown into the water the stop
pers are withdrawn, and when the buoy
SbA 4NCD bAlO "AICI LuO COllDIudLlOu. VI
the chemical with the water makes a
bright fame -..-.
Lieutenant Very, late of the navy,
devised a set Of signals which are now
in use, not only in our navies, but in
all the navies of the world. Lieuten-
ant Herbert o. Dunn invented a stock
less anchor, which is now in use on
some naval vessels. Lieutenants Van
Duzer and Mason were the inventors
of an ingenious electric steering gear
Lieutenant Fiske and Lieutenant Lu-
Glen Young are the joint inventors Of a
boat detaching apparatus. Chief Engi-
neer Harry Webster invented a elmo
meter, used to determine the angle roll
Of a ship. Chief Engineer Nathan P.
Towne is the inventor of an improved
boiler. Lieutenants Diehl and Gibson
are inventors of a compromising bin
nacle," designed to neutralize the mag
netism of a steel ships hull. Passed
Assistant Engineer Tobin is the in
ventor Of the famous Tobin bronze,
much used for bulls of racing yachts
and for the shells of torpedoes, and
Prof 3. G. Munroe, of tho navy, is
the inventor of the high explosive
"jovite."
These are only samples of the many
contributions to inventions which naval
oflcers have made. Their inventive
talent and their skill in designing have
made the ships Of the United States
navy superior in every convenience and
efficiency to those Of Europe. In fact,
many foreign governments pay tribute
to the superiority Of American ideas
in royalties on the inventions of Amer
lean naval officers.