The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1904-09-20
A Device That Promises to do Away
With Submarine Roats IN
Warfare.

sells in time OF war promises to be en-
tirely dissipated by the appearance o
La simple apparatus, which the inven
| tor, j. 3: Millet. of Boston, Mass
/ calls ships ears says the Philadel
| phia Mort, American. With this new
device. secret marine attack is. the
| inventor claims, made impossible, and
all the former disadvantages of the
bell buoy and the lighthouse, particu-
| larry caused by a heavy fog. are done
away with. for the new ears" catch
| sounds under the water and locate eX-
actly the point of the compass from
which they come.
In making use of the idea of trans
mittins sound signals under water.
the originators of the scheme. A. J..
Mundy and Prof. Elisha Gray. of Bos-
ton, were pioneers. When they start
ed their work in the summer of the
Spanish war. they had no idea of maxi
ing ears for vessels but when the re-
suits were finally turned over to Mr.
Millet last year he soon had his work
running on the lines on which it was
finally completed.
The principle OF the invention had
been established largely by expert
ments, but the method had not been
TO make it so and has apparently sue
ceeded.
The invention has been installed on
steamers of the Metropolitan Steam
ship company, and for four OF five
weeks these vessels have been using
the apparatus constantly for the pur
pose of testing it's accuracy under all
conditions.
The captains of the steamers have
reported to the officers of their COM
pany that they have been able, invari-
ably, to locate al three miles distance
the Boston flagship, upon which a sub
merged bell was being runG, when the
vessels were approaching at full
speed.
a striking instance of the efficiency
of the device occurred a short time
ago when a steamer was approaching
the Boston lightship on her return
from New York. Owing to a severe
gale, which had been blowing for
several days. the seas were noun
ton bay the lightship was obscured by
rain and fog. Not hearing the foghorn
on the ligbtship, the captain of steam
or turned to the signal apparatus and,
adjusting the earpieces. Immediately
heard the submarine bell and got the
Five minutes later, having |
proceeded or his course, he heard the |
whistles on the lightship for the first |
.ime,
The receiving apparatus of this
Unique submarine telephone has two /
-eceivers, one for each side of the YES
sci in which it is installed. These are
nclosed in iron cases screwed into the
lull of the vessel below the water line.
\ connection is made by wire between
he hull and the wheel house, where
he telephone box is placed.
BY moving a switch to right or left
nd then holding the earpiece to his
ars the listener can ascertain wheth-
T or not there is any danger or warn
ng of danger ahead and where it is
ocated.
This method is SO accurate that the
teamers using the system have often
ound their direction within one
oint, and by a little maneuvering of
he vessel 4 captain can always get
is direction with accuracy.
The vibrations which he hears are
Inflated by the bell that is hung over
1e side of the flagship or suspended
/ the water at the end of cable from ,
lighthouse or bell buoy. The bells ,
re struck by a hammer exactly like ,
bell in the air. only with more force. ,
hese vibrations are taken up by the :
eceiver on the sides of the vessel and F,
,ansmitted through the telephone. I
A type of apparatus designed for f
shing boats or small vessels of any
ind Includes a receiving box, with
all receiver, which is lowered into IS
re water. It is obvious that some +,
FUNDS would be too delicate to pene-
ate the side of a vessel. To meet
lis case, a receiver has been invented
hich is lowered directly into the
alter and picks up sounds OF com n
aratively small intensity. g
Where vessel is not supplied with =
on her hull, by lowering a =
al recaivar first on one side of the :