Richmond daily palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1876-1904, 1901-04-29
SUBMARINE SICNlLlNC.
Great Possibilities Predicted For
System Developed at Boston.
4 SUCCESSFUL TEST REPORTED.

4 SUUUESSFUL TEST REPORTED.
II II Asserted That the signal Ca. he
Heard Over . Distance of Tea Miles
For Projections of ye..eIs-Brftish
Interesaed-sfEn.I He'll to he Placed
NJ Mouth of the ST. Lawrence
The interest manifested by the Brit
ish government in the system of sub
| marine signaling controlled by Boston
men, together with the announcement
that the first bell to be attached to
buoy win be placed at the mouth OF the
| comment among persons who profess
TO see great possibilities for this inven-
| ton, says the New York Herald.
| The assertion is made that IL has
been clearly demonstrated that signal
| ing can be done under water for dis
| lance Of ten miles. Plans are now be
| ing made to put the system into pra cti-
cal operation That the Canadian gov
eminent has taken hold 81 the system
Is due to Henry NJ. Whitney. brother Of
the former secretary of the navy who
is president of the company controlling
the invention and who is also president
Of the Dominion Coal company, the
vessels of which are in constant dan
ger at the mouth of the St Lawrence
river. Signaling bells have been placed
In Boston harbor Tests are being made |
at Boston almost daily for the benefit |
OF persons interested in the invention |
Mr.. Blount. the British consul ut Bos-
ton. early notified his government |
about the invention. Captain Lewis /
Bayley, Il. N. British naval attache
was directed to Investigate it.
The scow Sea Bell, on which was the
operating apparatus. a few days agoi
was anchored OF Winthrop head. A
large bell was lowered 20 feet into the
water through a well In the bottom OF
the scow. The first test was made att
distance Of a quarter OF a mile. The
bell was operated from the deck of the
Sea Bell by an electrical machine which
controlled the tongue of the bell.
The receiver. with its II ears" was
dropped overheard from a vessel to a
depth of about IL feet. The company
then went to the pilothouse. and by
means of telephone receivers, one
placed TO each ear, a strong sound as
of a bell. somewhat muffied, but still
with a good metallic ring. was heard
with distinctness. When all had been
satisfied that the bell could be heard
the vessel started to point about
three miles distant. With the excep |
ton that 1t lost a trifle of the metallic !
ring the sound was heard even more G
distinctly than when the vessel was n
quarter of a mile away. q
At four miles the sound came more
and with the same vigor as In !
the previous tests. Those operating
the bell had adopted another method
Of communication. the ringing being In
strokes of two. Eight nautical miles
out, or ten statute miles. the receiver
was again lowered. and the sound
heard resembled a short. sharp rap r
It was more like striking with ones '
upon wood than the muf1ed q
'ound Of q bell but this at the dist anct p
vas considered g highly successful
II wap explained that the df6erenes
due to the fact that the funda mental Il
tone of the bell became an overtone
\ tenor bell which, 1t is believed. will
overcome what little difficulty exists
Is being cast in Troy. The test of th, h
day was demonstration that vessels n
equipped with receivers In a harboI r
guarded with bells have nothing &c n
fear In the thickest of weather or the L
densest of the fog.
Professor Elisha Gray. who died sew
eral months ago. and Arthur j. Nun
dy Invented the system. The compa
ny which controls the invention is
now preparing to guard Boston harboi
rs 4 10 70
to set out two bells. one or Nahant
and the other of Minot's ledge. They
will be about IL miles apart and in
practical service from buoys held down.
by mornings. These bells will be con-
nected with the shore by a short ca
BILE from a power house. When theyl
are In operation, they will ring 81
Vessels coming into the harbor equip Ii
ped with receivers, 1t is commended. will
hear the sound at least ten miles out
from those points. The bells ringing to
gether and heard aboard ship will indi :
cate a direct course to the mouth of 81
the harbor. even though thick weather =
be on Should only one bell be heard. te
the pilot seeks a course until he again 3
hears the sound Of the two bells. On z
the ringing Of either bell he can deter
mine his position by the use Of a chart.
The bells will be different in tone in
order to be recognized.
Other uses Of this form Of submarine y
signaling. it is believed. will make il h
possible for one ship to telegraph to an {,
other and thus avoid collisions and also i,
enable lightships to communicate with a
the shore. 4
All of the Dominion Coal company n
vessels will be equipped with receivers. +
and tests of its practicability will i,
be made. Montreal shipowners have /.
agreed to adopt this service as soon as 4
they can obtain bells and receivers. .
Deputy Minister Of Marine Gourdeau !,
of Ottawa has declared that the serv n
Ice viii be adopted by him as soon as
possible.
Valuable Pearl Found In lows.
A button pearl perfect In shape and
color. weighing 81 grains and measur
ing three-quarters of an inch across
the top. was found by Mrs. John Lowe
OF Lansing. Ia, the other day. 1t II
the finest find In the pearl line vet re |