Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-01-27
~TELEPHONING FROM
THE DEEP SEA.

one or the most unique projects that
has ever been projected since the tele-
phone was first discovered is now being
inaugurated by a New York telephone
company. 1t is nothing less h the es-
Establishment of a line of telephone wires
extending out into the ocean and so ar
ranged that they can easily be founda II
used by navigators who are %fog-bound
or otherwise prevented from making their
way any further toward the harbor.
The magnitude Of such a scheme or
the many advantages that it offers can
only be fully appreciated by those whose
experience has placed them in some such
a position as that which these wires are
supposed to remedy. At certain seasons
of the year fogs are of frequent occur
renee along the tlantic a and there
is scarcely a time when they are not more
or less in evidence. 1t such a time the
ships that are readed for the harbor are
practically helpless. Even the big ocean
liners with all their facilities to aid them
in picking their way into port are often
compelled to lie helplessly tossing n
footing in the trough of the sea. 1t may
be that she will ave to lie in this posi-
ton for hours, and neither the impatience
of the passengers or the chatlng or the
captain will help matters.
This has been the condition of things
in the past, but as soon as the present
plans can be carried out much of this
trouble can be obviated. According to
the new project, it is proposed to lay a
strong cable from Battery Park, the
southernmOst point on the Island OF Man.
haitian, down through the bay to the Mar
rows, through which the incoming YES
sells must pass. Dividing at that point.
one length of cable would be extended
for a distance of more han twenty miles
along the New Jersey coast. about four
mics from land, while the other would
extend along the Long Island coast abOu
an equal distance from the shore. The
pair of cables would thus form a sort
of gigantic unnel into which the vessels
would have to come.
All along these lines, at distances of
several boats lengths, would be placed
a series of numbered red buoys, each OF
which would be attached by smaller ca
bles to the larger ones. 1t Is intended
that each of thesebuoys shall be the sig
nal or telephone station from which the
navigator can communicate with the city
exchange at any hour of the day or night.
All he will rave to do is to select his sta
Etion and attach his kerite wire. The rest
of the operation will be as simple as IL
he were on land and wished to call up a
friend from the pay station in the cor
ner drug store.
In order that these buoys may be more
easily distinguished in all kinds of wealth.
Ter they will be provided with the most
powerful electric lights, the power Tor
Which will be obtained from stations To-
Fcated at convenient points along the
Shore, SO that the line of stations would
mot only offer a means of communicate
ing with the city of New York, but would
also tend to serve as a guide to pilots
f~unacquainted with the approach to the
harbor. 1t is also proposed to run a SIM
.ilar line Of cables up the sound frof He'll
Gate to provide for the accommodation
Of craft entering the harbor from that
direction.
TIL Importance of uch a system of
yhat might be called oceanic commu-
n.cation can be appreciated when it is
remembered thai during the past few
wears there have been several bad ship
wrecks along the New Jersey and Long
Island coast. One of the most notable
of these disasters was that in which
the liner ST. Pau went ashore. and II
is claimed that this continued series OF
light by night and red buoys by day
would make such casualties practically
impossible. Not only would these sta
tons provide a means for immediate
communication in case Of accident OF
distress. but they would act as a safe
guard upon life and property.
At the present time the plan has gon'