The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1900-07-26

nately the report of the board does not
make 1t clear just how Mr.. Rossi pro-
poses to make his vessels disappear. The
only plan which appeals to the casual
reader as feasible is so to arrange mat
tiers that the defending feet shall sail
quietly out and surprise the enemy. Then
firing a terrific volume before the hated
foe shall have time to load it's guns, each
Of the defending ships should dive under
meath the water, disappearing from sight
entirely. After remaining beneath the
surface until the enemy has again been
lulled into sense of fancied security the
fleet might rise again and deliver another
blow. 1t is charitable to suppose that
the board had no clearer idea of the
workings of Mr.. Rossis disappearing
warship," for the only epitaph it has in
the annual report are the two words,
mot recommended"
No less than 10 patriotic inventors,
anxious to save their country from all
danger Of attack by foreign foe, sub
mitted plans for flying machines, air
ships, balloons and other devices from
which death and destruction could be
hurled down on an approaching enemy.
One of the airship projectors was a wonl-
an, and her plan sounded so feasible that
it was referred to the chief signal officer
for further investigation. An idea much
favored by the inventors was that of
device, guided from the ground but car
rying no men, which would take up
large number Of dynamite shells high into
the air and travel with them until direct
ly above an enemy's army or battleships.
BY an automatic device the bombs would
be then released to wreak havoc as they
strike the earth or water. Several sub
mitted plans for making and firing aerial
torpedoes, which should duplicate on land
the work which is done under water by
such internal machines as that which de-
stroyed the Maine. One plan includes
the erection of tall steel tower from the
top of which the enemy's position nav be
spied out, while at the same time i'm
mense aerial torpedoes may be discharg-
ed. Many If not most of the airship sug-
gestions were referred for investigation.
so it would appear that along this line
the ordnance board has strong hopes of
success in the near future.
But If Boston and other timid localities
are not yet satisfied they may read the
plan of John Coefiled and rest in abso-
lutte security. Johns plan is simple
one, and it is only strange that it has not
occurred to any one before. In brief, he
would cover the ocean for several miles
out from the port to be defended with
petroleum. When the attacking fleet
came into sight, but before it got near
enough to do execution with its long
range guns, he would touch match to
the floating oil. In other words, he
would set the ocean on fire. Lest any
one should fancy that it might be difficult
to distribute the oil equally another gen
ctteu
which might run to the far extremity of
Cape Cod, with discharge stations at FIRE.
quent intervals along the line. The mem
bers of the Chicago fire department, who
on several occasions before the opening
of the drainage canal were called on to
put out the river, will doubtless give the
scheme their hearty Endorsement. While
the oil is burning a number of balloons
might be sent up to point high above
the smoke and flames, from which they
could drop their bombs upon the doomed
vessels of the enemy and make his dis
comfiture complete.
Many inventors have devoted more at
tention to providing improved shells for
cannon and field guns than to any other
one point. One man wants to fill them
with chloroform and so stupefy whole
regiment at time. Another thinks il
would be an awe inspiring plan to fill
shells with inhammable OIL so that when
it burst Il torrent of flames would con-
sumo everything within reach. Snuff,
which would set the enemy to sneezing
and so render him harmless red pepper,
which would have a similar but even
more violent effect; chemical which
would develop great clouds OF dense
smoke; prussic acid, which is the deadli-
est poison known, and gasoline, the ex-
plosive powers of which are painfully ia
miliar to many housewives, are among
the materials suggested as filing for
shells. Not one of these startling sug-
gestions seems to have met with favor at
the hands Of the board, though ridicule is
admitted to be one of the most deadly of
weapons, and certainly nothing could be
more ridiculous, for instance, than q