The times., 1899-07-01
WIRELESS TELEPHONY.
A Device to Detect the Approach of
Torpedo BOnts


An Italian invention to prevent oolli-
sions at sea and to destroy the usefulness
OF torpedoes and submarine boats is to be
experimental with by the Navy Depart
| ment:
Commander Richardson Glover, Chief of
the Office of Naval Intelligence. says that
the invention has received considerable at
tention abroad and contains elements of
success. The invention, if found practical,
will probably be used in the American ma
val service.
Experiments have been made on the
| italian gunboat Scilla, in the Gulf of
| Genoa, in the presence of scientists and
| naval experts. The inventor is a Sicilian
| professor Mario Russo d'Asar Wireless
! telephony announces in the darkness of
| the night or dense fog the approach of
ships. torpedo boats. and even the in
| visible submarine boat, indicates their di-
recton, and places the men on watch on
/ guard.
Concerning the invention and the trials
| which have been made, this translation of
an article in ''L'Italia Marianara," which
has been confirmed by official reports. is
given: 1T is well known that transmissi-
| bility of sounds is in direct ratio TO the
| density of the means through which they
are transmitted. 1t is equally we'll known
that water is an excellent means for trans
mitting sounds to distance. 1t has been
noticed that bather immersed in water
| hears with great distinctness the sound of
a steamers engine in motion, because the
water in which the latter is immersed is In
a special state of vibration, owing to the
| movement of the engine and the screw
| actuated thereby.
| From these principles the inventor de-
rived the conclusion that If the ear could
| seize these vibrations of sound. an instru-
ment of great sensibility functionng be-
| low water would be susceptible of seizing
them at a greater distance and with great
er distinctness, and became convinced that
telephone apparatus should be the point
of departure for obtaining the rsractical
means of signaling between two vessels
| The water would take the place of the
wires. 1t was necessary, first OF all TO
construct a sound receiver which would
perform the fur ions of the ear below the
surface of the "dter. then another appa-
ratus that would increase the sounds re-
| ceived and indicate the direction whence
| they come.
THE following illustrations represent
! the different parts of which the telephone
| apparatus is composed-namely, the Jart
| which is placed on the coming bridge and
| Che one which is secured to the ships side
and is immersed in the water, from which
! it receives the vibrations produced by the
| engine in motion of another vessel and
| transmits them in increased volume to the
! telephone apparatus.
THE submarine receiver is a kind cf box
| secured To the hull, with number of de-
| pressions. SO as to receive the sounds from
| all directions. From the centre of each of
these an electric wire leads 10 the tele-
| phone. which latter contains an ingenious
mechanism based on Edison's well-known
scientific principles. A dial plate on a
| board is divided into two parts corre-
spending to the two sides of the ship Two
hands indicate the direction of the steamer
! gignaled. A system of bells at the up
| per part of the dial plate and one of the
| receivers on the board indicates by sound
With the greatest distinctness the rhythm
of the screw of the distant vessel.
when coming within seven Kilometres
| of a steamer the hand of the telephone
turns and indicates the direction of the
vessel and follows its route, while the
bells and receiver beat simultaneously the
| cadence of the distant screw. The noises
| of the vessel on which the apparatus is
located cause no disturbance, because,
| owing to the special construction of the
| submarine receiver, they are not transmit
tod