The Florida star. (Titusville, Fla.) 1880-1917, 1900-07-13
POWER FROM THE sen.
An Apparatus Designed to Utilize the
Force of the Waves.

4 ~ "hEcss
Special Correspondence of The Florida Star
PALM BEACH. Fla, July 9.-While the
nations have been augmenting their
fleets by the addition of giant steel de-
strOyers and while competition among
the navies OF the world is daily grow
ing more strenuous. there has been GO
ing on of late along this section OF
Americas coast line a more peaceful,
but no less important, struggle for sea
OF the oceans tides, in the restless IN
dulatiOns OF the oceans waves. there is
energy sufficient to supply world.
The existence or such latent power has
been known for many hundred years.
Not until very recently, however. have
any definite steps for the development
of this great force been taken.
About four or five miles south Of this
resort may be seen II working model of
the latest and most practicable ma
chine yet invented for this purpose.
originator OF the apparatus. Mr.. Walk
or calls the device an automatic wave
motor" He has chosen an exposed
strip of shore for the scene Of his opcr-
atoms in order To demonstrate that the
mechanism used Will withstand the on
| slaugnts of the heaviest storms.
Several hundred feet out from the
surf OH the scaward end of ridge in
the oceans bottom Mr.. Walker has
constructed the power concentratUr,
which if the hopes of the Texan are
realized will rcvOlutioniZc the methods
of the Industrial world. The water at
this point has depth of about u feet
at high TIDE. Strong uprightS have
been forced into the sand. They cX-
tend - or 80 feet above the surface
and provide ii sturdy skeleton i'm which
| the inventor has placed the very heart
of his whole scheme.
The principles Of compressed air are
brought into use. y large hcrmctically
sealed metal buoy is allowed Ia play Up
/ and down in response Ia the motion of
| the waves in the strongly braccd and
rigid framework. The frame is fash
| Toned in ii circular manner. and the
| height from the water is sufficient To
permit OF the motors rising unhindcr-
| cd to the summit of the highest Swclls.
Attached To the central rod OH which
| the buoy acts is power arm which is
50 contrivcd that no matter what the
| height of the wave an equal stroke is
| maintained. To this power arm iS af-
| fixed the rod which works the pump
| for cumprcSSing the air. Two pipes
| lead from the shore 10 the motor ami
| conduct the compressed air To- the land.
| where its power can hc converted into
| electricity ell used directly in the driv-
| linz of machinery.
In rrSpun>r 20 queries 10y some inter
| cStrd people several days ago Mr..
| Walker stated that he had been trying
| for many years to solve the pcrp!cXing
| quc>tiunS constantly arising in conurc-
| tion with the subject Of "harHcSSin%
| the ocean.
There are other men hc said. WHO
| have also p,udErcd machines design Il
/ tU obtain Inc same results. ne TIME II
now ripe for the uriginatiun "f Il means
| whereby the titanic fore" of the waves
AMI Tides along our ocean cuaSiS can be-
| put Il do mans work.
"Bcjwcru Maine AMI Florida the
tides chh AMI flow daily AMI the waves
| beat along the shores necessarily, fur
| niShin- Il power greater than could lac
derived from all the coal in the world
an inc>timahlc force that would turn
every wheel i'm America AMI which
| could he utilized day ana night again
and again without cost AMI without
| loss.
THE problem has been one Of con
vcyancr OF power rather than genera
ton. This has been >impliiicd 10y i'm
pruVcmcnt> in electrical transmission
which have come about durin" the last
six or eight years. Necessary material
has chraprned. and there remains only
the question al adopting one OF the
forms 81 tide OF wave motor now pln-
durable or ~ improving them in some
way.
..N-h.p this IL dime and The hest