The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1906-07-28
a Naval Feature
sEARcHLiGHT DRILLS WILL Sc
IMPORTANT FEATURE or
JAMESTOWN EXPO
siTios

NORFOLK. Va. July 2T.-seareli.
light drills VIII be an important fez
stnre Of the naval pag santry ot the
IaInestoS er ntenniai
to be held ~ III y shore of Hanp tpls
Roads. near Norfolk. next year:
cry detail Of the taln1us waterWays Isl
surrounding shores and even cloud
land oyerheads VIII be i11uminated for
the benefit of the spectators
searchligIts used on warships ore
among the most powerful in exist
,ence. Each battleship and cruiser Of
the first class carries from three 70 /
Eve Arnored vessels having Two
bridges usually carry one at each end
Iof the bridge Sometime they carry
in addition TO these one more perchsedH
upon plat form fastened to the mast
The main searchlight of the hattie
ship Connecticut; said to be the larg=
est naval searchligh t La existence, has
a lens more than i've feet in diameter,
throwing a ray in the light of which I
can easily be read on the
darkest night more than twelve miles
away. Under favorable atmospheric
conditions this can be done at even
greater distance The light has an
intensity Of more than fifty thousand
candle power furnished by a dynamo
and engine used for this sole purpose
From this great size searchiights
range downward to the smallest, hay,
Ing an intensity of only a few hundred
candle power.
This accessory of naval warfare vas
originally adopted for The purpose Of
discovering torpedo boats engaged In,
a night attack. Although this is stilli
their most important function, they
are now used to supply many other
naval needs. They are employed for
signaling, for directing the rescue OF
men overheard, and as an aid to nayt.
CATION in narrow channels and places
where pilot marks are hard to dtstin.
guish at night.
When warships are at anchor in q
harbor certain hours at night are set.
apart for drill in axerttng torpedo boat
attacks. The ships steam launches
are called away and sent out into the
night, with instructions to proceed
a certain distance and then turn and
head for the moIher ship at full speed.
Every EFFORT is made to reach the side
of the ship without being picked up
by the great beam of the searchlfght
sweeping wide and swift over every
square yard of the water surface from
horizon to horizon. Often the end of
the ray and the hurrying launch hap
pen to be in the same place at the
same time. Then the launch is count.
ed out. 1t lis theoretically sunk; the
attack has failed.
There are recorded however, in. /
stances of the little craft, going at
a speed Of over fourteen miles an hour,
reaching the side of their parent ship
unseen. This of cource means the de
struction OF the Snip, in theory,
When man has fallen overheard at
night the searchlight is at once put
in operation, and its long finger Of
light feels all the surface of the wa
tiers until the unfortunate is found.
Then the ray is steadily held upon him
until he is picked up by rescuing
boat.
searchlights are used for signalling
In two ways. One method employs the
ordinary wig-way system, in which
the ray Of light is alternately flashed
from left to right, as an ordinary Tag
is waved in hand wig.wag signalling.
For the other system any telegraph
code may be used. Nearly all search
lights are now equipped with shut.
ter fer this purpose. With this fhe
ray is alternately interrupted or short.
ened and prolonged. thus forming
equivalents for the dots and dashes
or ordinary telegraph codes. The ray
is thrown against the clouds, If tae
might is cloudy, or straight up II the