The Savannah morning news., 1904-03-20
Fighting Ships of All Nations to
Anchor in st. Louis Fort.

Fighting Ships of All Nations to
Anchor in st. Louis Fort.
| st. Louis, Mo-, March 19-While the
greatest universal exposition in his
tory is given in celebration of the
peaceful acquisition of the Louisiana
territory from France, when Napoleon
sold it to the United States in 1904 for
| $15,000,00O yet one of the most time
! and interesting features of the fair
will be the war display in the marine
section of the transportation depart
ment. Here will be displayed models
of water craft of every conceivable
type, from the massive man-of- war
that sails the seas. to the smallest
pleasure boat that glides over a placid
lake or river. These models will come
from many parts of the world, and 1t
will be an International display of the
progress made in the building of ships
of war and of the ships of peaceful
commerce.
Especially interesting at this time
when the dogs of war are being UNI
leashed in the Far East, is that por-
tion of the marine display devoted ex-
Germany and France have already sig
nified their intention of sending dis
plays in the way of models of war
ships and naval equipment, and Ja-
pan, whose naval fleets are now ell
gagged in actual warfare with the Rus
sian navy, may send a naval exhibit.
The United States government, in its
own building. will make a most COM
prehensive naval exhibit.
40 nj ft,,D
comprise a portion of the transpor-
tation department and will be housed
in the great transportation palace. In
addition to the models of the latest
battleships, men-of-war, cruisers, tor
pedo boats and torpedo boat destroy
ers, there will be a comprehensive dis
play of the material used in the con-
struction and fitting out of ships Of
war, as well as the electrical equip
ment installed on a ship with refer
ence to battle conditions While the
electrical signal gear of a mammoth
battleship is of inestimable value,
making 1t possible for the officer in
the coming tower to signal any par
of his ship, yet the rapid advance in
the application of wireless telegraphy.
even in the present limited status, re-
veals the possibility of an admira
from his flagship talking to the COM
fleet, and even conversing with the
scouting ships many miles away at
sea. In fact, the report seems now
to be confirmed that the Japanese ad-
miral is the first naval officer on rec
ord to use wireless telegraphy in ac-
tual naval warfare, and this was done
at Chemulpo to locate the Russian
ships, and resulted in the latter being
caught in a trap and the Variag be-
ing destroyed. Two systems of wireless
telegraphy-the Marconi and the De
Forest-will be fully illustrated on the
expedition grounds.
There will be a full display of ma
rine war appliances and accessories,
like torpedoes and all kinds of naval
pyrotechnics. The famous Whitehead q
torpedo, which is OF dirigible or auto
mobile construction, will Ne on exhibit
tion. and it's wonderful mechanism
shown and explained. The visitor will
soon realize then the great importance
of this flying engine OF destruction
in naval warfare. and get a faint idea
OF how the Japanese disabled q num-
Der of Russian battleships at Port
Arthur by means OF the Whitehead
torpedo.