Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-04-06

When the Eiffel Tower was built a Paris it's sole mission in life was thu Rffording of sensation-loving people the opportunity of attaining a gidd! height and looking down upon tho ! earth as it lay stretched out below Its daring protector had no other thought than that of supplying a new amusement feature for the Paris ex position about to open, and up to the present time 1t has found no prac tical use save that of aiding meteorologists in studying weather conditions from its thousand foot al titude. But with the development oi wireless telegraphy has come new and important field of service which at once gives the French nation a command over its army and navy and the country round which it had not dreamed of few years ago.
 Eiffel Tower is to become nothing less than the gigantic war eye of the nation that will sweep the whole of France-her frontiers, her chains Of Actresses and her seaboard-for it has been made the central point of the great wireless signal system of the French army and navy.
 From the top of the tower, which is 9S4 feet from the ground. officials of the army may direct military opera tions in any part of the republic, and even for considerable distances over the frontier in adjoining counties. Its naval fleets in the Mediterranean, the Bay of Biscay, the English channel, the North sea or the Baltic will be in constant touch with the directing authorities in Paris.
 Should France and England be- come allies in some future conflict, direct communication with London can be maintained from the Eiffel tower. Southward from it waves of warning and command will float into Algeria and Tunis. From this remark able tower may issue orders that will change the map of Europe.
 During the army maneuvers last fall the various corps were directed from the new station. Later, fleet movements in the English channel and the Mediterranean were ordered without a hitch in the same way.
 Quite recently the scope of com munication from the tower has been extended, so that now messages are exchanged with London and Berlin on the one side, and with Tunis and Algiers, on the African coast, on the other.
 The work of equipping it for signal purposes Is now going on. and it is expected to install there the most com- plete system of wireless telegraphy in the world.
 The French are pleased with the idea of retaining the architectural curiosity. and their vanity is tickled by the plan to make it the most won- derful war eye on the globe.
 Indeed, the enthusiastic people con fidently expect. in a short time, to see airships arriving at and departing from this great steel stem-an airship station nearly 1000 feet above earth.
 From the top of the Eiffel tower on a clear day one can see about s5 miles. At night a searchlight from this eminence stabs the surrounding darkness.
 At it's base this wonderful tower covers nearly two and a half acres of ground. Its lower section consists of four built.up iron columns. each of which consists of four smaller col umns. resting on masonry piers.
 Springing gracefully upward. the four main columns curve toward each other until. 62O feet above the sur face. they join in a single column. Above this the longer needle of the tower rises s6i feet higher.
 At 1ss feet. al 3sO feet and again st eOs feet there are platforms which are reached by elevators. as well as sy stairs
 from the highest platform a wind | ing stairway climbs to the very pin | uacle of the structure. but this part | has never been open tO the public.
 When these different platforms are into sirship stations. the French will. indeed. possess a novelty of which they may be proud
 When the French complete the equipment of the EiEel tower as the sye and brain of their military opera tons. they uiIl doubtIess have some , artlfng innovation to present.
 Upon a peace footing the French army consists of about s5e.000 men: he total war strength of the nation is