Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1903-02-27
LETTERS IN SHELLS.
New Method of Communication by
Armies in Time Of War.
Ordinary Cannons Are Successfully
Used a. Mall OArrIerS-Domb6
Explode at VIII Of the
Sender.

EtSblOIS SSSiNlN W IL
military authorities is that made by
Capt. Hardin Beverly Littlepage, at
present employed in the division of
naval war records in the navy de-
lsIrtmcni. II * n new method in the
forwarding nf dispatches in the time
of war. "A system hy which time will
be almost ohlitcratcd. while there
will be no hanger of the courier fall |
ing into the hands Of the foe. says
the Washington Post.
The mgaus * an ordinary cannon, |
from which II ~''dispaich boom" can
he fired to the distance to which Il
shell is sent. The pTujrciilc IL n
cylinder or sphere so constructed as
To insure its fight, its explosion at
the proper time, its breaking into
harmless fragments and AT the same
time unfolding a trailing streaIncr
of any cOlo preferred containing
the message.
y dispatch at night could be made
of luminous ribbon, so as To be read
lily found IN the darkness. While the
shell itself would be So p~yrotechEic
i'll character that il would plainly in
dictate its course while IN the Sky
and lie easily seen at its explosion.
The shell. which can he timed SO rs
TO explode ut any point desired il
81 arranged that when exclusion
takes p!Icc the sides Of the u~rCiec-
tile will fall apart, releasing the rib
bon ON which the message i. written
and allowing it to trail on the
ground.
This method will obviate the diff
GUILTY NShirh o., kr,l l-.L ....
during the civil war. Captured
~couricrs have been the reason Of one
branch Of the nrmv heing DELAYED
or routed through their ignorance
of orders which were in,crrrrted.
will" the bad results ~ such orders
falling into the hands 81 the enemy
cannot hc "vrrestimatel.
Had the French during the siege Of
Paris by tie Gcrmuu army cnplnvcd
such methods they Cuuld have sent
messages over thu h"adS ~ the enc
my right into the hands Of friends.
The c0nfrd"ra;cs could have .,igunlnd
over the union lines in ~. civil war
at the assault on For Fisher. while
ut the Investment Of Fort Mnrvnu.
after fnrruguI's fleet had passed IN
side aud the fort was entirely cul pr
from the confrdcrmtcs. the latter
could have semi dispatch booms over
the federal lines without 4 single
message being Intercepted.
AT present the navy is cNpcrimcnt-
ing Will wireless ~rrlygra1hv. whirh.
of course. can he used q, a means of
communication even with an enemy
intervening. but there nre MANY
points about the bomb which render
II cifica|inus III places where he
telegraph could not be conveniently
utilized.
Capt. Littlepage Is a Virgnian by
birth, n graduate OF the naval acad-
einy AT Annapolis aud was in III: .rry-
ic" OF the government AT The E~cgiuning
OF the clNIl war, when he resigned his
commission to east his lot with his
native state. IIc was one of The crew
Of the famous Mrrrimnc. the building
OF which he graphically describes.
He also says that the statement 90
often made ia histories md universal.
~ b~clicvcd-rhai the N"rfirr =, i,rt.
cd the Merrimac- j. Absolutely With
out a VcstiPe OF truth aud that the
facts are that the Mrrrimar NOT only
whipped the Cumberland. Coryr,s
81 isf " renee ana lkEg.llp
but that She gave the "%li,iI. .hr,..
boz such n Smelling that III" Latter
was glad TO run into shallow xnicr
INTO which she could no, toe followed
by the McrriInac. On hCiu" invited ia
battle next day by the proud victor the
Monitor drew away, declining to ac-
ccpt the gage.
HE idea OF armOring the MCrrimnc.
ne also states, WAS not the rrguIts of
u mans thoughts. hut the gradual
outgrowth OF the suggestions of Soy
crnl naval oiliccrs. RfiIrond iron, w.r.
first used in their original state. but
ia'er on were taken To the Tr,dnrcr
works in Richmond where the, ,yrr,
rolled out. Ia this way they were
fastened in overlapping style. both ON
the sides and top. while ship. grease
was fheruiIy rubbed over all to facili.
tate the glancing Of the balls.
"That the Mcrrimac wn, no, d..
featcd by the Monitor. but that ,hc
latter declined To renew the contest"
says Capt. Iii;icpngc. 81 ran prove bv
tho reports Of the captains of s,,crnI
OF the federal ships. rs well ~ by
u'Spn'chea hcht I" home governments
~ ''i''Eh cups III our wntgTs.'
The flag OF the Mcrrimac vna
brought home 10y Capt. Tittlrungr. but
Is now owned hy {. r. Gunthri. OF chi.
cago. th" famous relic collector who
removed Libby prison from kfchnond.
Capt. Liiil"pnrr is u warm friend md
cin"Nmnic of Murmadukc. now com.
mand'r 0f ia" Bprnln. which /, Hrbt-
ihE the insurgents IN the interests az
Ia" '"lcmh5an governments. The OIL
tnIs Of the tOlOmiinn government
hisi "n"r'G The commission in their
rrrN 4" Lin page. but NJ he was runr.
=. u. hr "ns unable To- accent and
turned II "l,r To- M~ntmndukc. who. n
bachelor. wns free to seek his for.
tune In any pari OF she world.
white Ornnsca.
In n fcw years white oranges may
grace the American dinner table or
the Italian fruit wagon. One Of rho tx.
plorcrS Of the agi irulrurul dcpor,men,
discovered thia ircrh uf nature along
the shores "f the Mediterranean gomr