Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-06-28
TELEPHOTOGRAP IN WAR
FARE.
Another New Device for Reconnois-
sancc Work-Lines Where 1t VIII BE
Useful
(New York SUM,

( Wireless tcIegraphy. the heIiogra oh
and the balloon find their most inpor-
tant military application in reconnois-
sance work. With these aids and aces
series it would appear that there is, to-
day, very little excuse for a leader of
troops not knowing the position of the
enemy, or the configuration of the
ground on prospective battlefield as
has been the case so often in South
Africa. Science and invention to-
gether. however. have added still an
other aid, one that promises to be of
immense value. namely, the telephoto
lens.
elephOtography is the art of taking.
by a special and variable long focus
telescope lens, OFFICIALLY adjusted to
the lens of Il good Photographic cam
era. photographs Of objects a long dis
tancc off as if the operator We're com
parativtiy close to them. Consequent
~. an object five or 10 miles away
which, by ordinary photography would
cover on the photograph a space an
inch square. can 10 made to cover, by
telcph0tograp ply. a space l6, 80 or Ga
inches square, depending on the mag
nifyin;s power Of the lens and
the size Of the camera used.
The advantage of this is appar-
ent. for a telephotograph Of an
encmy's position gives a commanding
officer birds eye view of the ground
of the enemy's forces and their posi-
lions. of his trenches and gun cmplacc-
ments, all accurately drawn to scale
and on Il sheet of a size convenient for
study and reference. The range If such
lens is practically unlimited, and
useful photographs are readily obtain
ed at distances beyond gun range;
moreover, balloons can be utilized ter
obtaining views from above the surface
of the earth.
The telephoto-lens was invented.
about 10 years ago, and placed on The
market by Dallmeyer in England, Du-
boscq in France and Mcithe IN Ger
many. Experiments with light instru
ments We're made by the intelligence
department in England. as early as
1892. but the climatic conditions and
the fact that the tclcphoto camera was
then in its infancy. and consequently
very defective. caused it to be con-
demncd by the war office at that time.
Experiments were continued. however.
ana improvements gradually increased
its practical use. In the Chino-Jaran-
cse war i'll 1881 it was used for III"
first time in actual warfare, ana ono
Of the japanese officers obtained some
excellent tclephotographs Of the lavd.
battle off the Yalu river. one Of these.
Of the large Chinese man-of-war Tie
yen. taken at distance Of over twp
miles. presents a fine view of the effects
Of the projcctilcs.
Good Acknowledgements have been Cd
tanned at a distance of over 40 miles. and
those taken beyond artillery range 90
miles, are an a sufficiently large scale to
be of practical use.
The uses to which the valuable adjunct
could he put are various. The navy. fo"
example. could use il to obtain photo
graphs of foreign coast dcfenccS from be
yond the 3-miIe limit The land army,
10y taking a scric, of photographs of the
rucmy'S lines at different times during an
attack or a siege. would find this valu-
able. means. not only OF locating his Pc
sjtinnS but also Of discovering fresh IN
trrnChmcntS that may nave been thrown
III during the night.
The British war office is said to have
sent but me small tei"photp camera To
South Africa. ana this one Is attached 70
a bicycle. OF course. TINS instrument can
rive no useful results. Large cameras
ANA powerful lenses should be used. either
on commanding points Or III balloons
Had such series ri PhploETdpis p,cH
taken. on the TuEcla Or on the MOddcr
river Of All the Eucr positions, ana copies
distributed to the commanders. the confu-
sion 81 orders. misdircction Of advance,
mtSuudcrStan diug Of the topography ana
position uf trenches, 50 common III this
campaign, would have been avoided, At
least to Il great extent.
The subject is ~ such Importance ina
il would seem to recommend itself for
study ~ cur army. aud the interest in
the subject is increased ~ the fact that
such photographs would furnish lnVal
able data for history ana military sci