The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-10-15
TO GIVE WARNING IN FOGS.
DHSC0TRRY MADE WITH THE Rig
GEsT MEGAPHONE EYER BUILT.

IT'S round That Sound Gan be Projected In
Straight Lines as Rays of Light Are by
the Observation-Disclosures Of the Discovery
in Making Navigation Safer in Foes.
GUILFoRD. Conn. Oct. 14-Atthe Government
lighthouse station on Falkner's Island. which
IL directly off this coast. there has Just been
erected the largest m egaphone In the world. Il
is seventeen feet long and seven feet In
diameter at the mouth. It stands upon
circular platform twenty-eight feet
In diameter. upon which II rovolves. The
plan 10 TO direct II toward the eight prln-
cipal points Of the mpass. one after the othor
In regular rotation. and by means OF different
signal sent in each Of those eight directions to
tell any vessel which may be In the line OF the
axis OF the instrume emit during fog the exact
position Of the signal station with relation to
the ship.
The great difficulty with sound signals as
aids to navigation In q fog 10 that they cannot
be located with any accuracy. Cases are on
record In which two officers standing on the
bridge OF the same steamer have differed as
m uch a. 90 degrees In their estimate OF the di-
rection Of Q fog whistle which was distinctly
heard by both Of them. 1t is common for
vessel to be kept on its course under the i'm
preston that q certain signal is several points
on the bow. when as matter Of fact It 10 dead
ahead. II sound signals could DO locatedin fog.
navigation would be much less dangerous.
The apparatus which has Just been erected
at Falkner's Island and which 10 the invention
Of R. F. Foster. is intended to locate
the signal station accurately. The prinoi.
pie upon which this instrument works IL very
simple In theory. yet Its practicability was de-
MED By some Of the most eminent authorities
on aooustios. The most striking feature OF the
machine 10 the immense moRaphone. which
10 not intended to be spoken through. but
ordinary whistle or siren is blown into the
small end. the sound 1t gives 10 projected In o
straight line. IKE the rays Of searohlight. In
order 70 Illustrate II. working more clearly
suppose that searchlight were placed upon
soutb and tha, v..t .rd shovaS an .nt,r .,v
. .' anu 'heh He,s. ana sno"e" an en.ileV
compass, such as red when IL pointed to tho
north .r.an INV ~ 80. ...t me. wh.n n
was south and 90 forth: II would DO obvious
that any vessel upon which one OF
exact Sireet,on from % which tina. llrhs came
simply from its color. II the light falling on
the vessel were req. TOT instance. tne source OF
II must he directly south. Tho new fog signal
does exactly the same thing with waves of
sound that the sesrehlishs would DO with
rays Of light When tho huge meEaphone
In que norm nor No. %, my, my vessel "ser. inc snip
VIII near the north signal. snort, long ana
short blast II It 10 due west OF ship. the
v.sasI will hear three short blasts, and 40 on.
with different combination OF long and short
n... M. .,.n,,s ar. nft.er .soo,d. .nart
p".s. nv sisna's eio noen sso ,'. 80"
and the apparatus makes o complete revolu-
ton in two minutes. In order TO facilitate tho
...u.a.,o. =, ,hn -. Ill ~. .o,nd. vh,on
recoheetion Vi inc oooe' al inc souno. whien
indicate the general direction OF west begin
with n abort blast and all those Indicating the
1an.r,I dIr.ction q, sa,t begin With A lonr
general uFee'ion vi ees' oehin w" io"s
blast. The south signals are oil shorter than
those farther north.
Th. d,snut.a min, .hor. th,, .xs+.,, v,.
ine oisputsa pom. aoou' tns sys''n wa"
whether or not 1t would be posi- BILE to distn-
anisb clearly betyeen the sounds which were
800 - 81. rnsa,nhor. 10. r.intad Al
hearo "hen inc meRspnone was p''n.su ul-
rectly at vessel and those which might be
hand when the m OF aphope WA pointed FORTY
49, "a S.,.L E..,d =. az.
hve degrees away from IT, whicn woulo Do the
angie Of the next signal point In going round
the com pass. The inventor asss rtsd that the
olueronco Woulu % buluclentiy mdrkou u sh-