The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1907-05-22
COAST DEFENSE.
Steady T|oat.. Forts Invented
by a Los Angeles Man.
PRESIDENT CONSIDERS PLAN.

Utilization Of Dead Weight Of Water
Below Wave Movement May RevoIu-
tionizs Methods Of Building Break
waters Lighthouses and Fortresaes..
Methods Of coast defense promise. to-
be revolutionized by the inventions Of a
Los Angeles engineer. William Edward
Murray, which have just been pre-
scented to the consideration Of Presi-
dent Roosevelt, Secretary Taft Of the
var department and Secretary Metcalf
Of the navy. Mr.. Murray has spent
eight years In scientific calculations
and experiments toward the practical
utilization Of the static resistance Of
ocean water below the comparatively
shallow wave movement. He has per-
fected a system OF steady floating
steel structures which. according to en-
gineers Of worldwide repute, absolute
" conquer and overcome the power of
old Neptune and make it possible to
establish and maintain floating forts.
absolutely steady and anchored in po-
sition several miles out to sea, not to
speak Of lighthouses. breakwaters.
floating bridges. summer hotels and all
manner Of steady floating structures
along the coasts.
The average layman. if he thinks of
the matter at all, imagines that the
wave action stlrs the ocean to great
depths. AS a matter of fact. the big
| gest pillows do not move the water to
a depth beyond fifteen feet. Below
that the ocean. ever In violent storm.
Is a mass OF inert water. The posi-
bility Of utilizing the stupendous hold
ing pressure Of the water at depths be-
low the wave movement is what Mr..
| Murray has demonstrated and what he
proposes to put to practical advantage.
The American Shipbuilder in a re-
cent issue thus describes the principle
Of the invention: by going deep
enough down with bouyant steel cais-
sons into the tranquil lower waters Of
the ocean that lie below the compare
lively shallow surface stratum of wave
disturbance and by constructing these
steel caiSSonS SO that they have ut
their base Il wide projecting and heav-
lily weighted tiange on which the SUI
perimposed waters rest with ponderous
weight. exerting at thirty-two feet be-
low the surface a pressure of 2,1GO
pounds per square foot. u at sixty
feet down q pressure that exceeds two
tons per square foot. Mr.. Murray in eff
feet secures n steady floating founda-
ton on which any su~perstructure, prop
nV1v 1NciTr,n.1 70 p,ipty,tyn thu ,y.ot.nos
blows. may be placed, be 1t lighthouse.
breakwater or fortress. Such Il founda-
ton opposes the dead inertia Of Its own
weight and the weight of the water
resting upon it to such a degree that
the wave blows above are powerless
to disturb the equilibrium of the float
ing body as Il whole. Thus we attain
steady tlotation and can secure for a
hundred and one uses decks or plat
forms rising from the surface of the
sen that defy oscillation above because
of the static resistance deeper down
offered 10y their m%otionless and rigidly
connected foundation"
FortresscS built on this principle can
be placed well Off shore, rendering i'm
possible the approach of a hostile fleet
intent on Lombarling coast city. ar
senal, dock or commercial harbor.
They can defy torpedo or submarine
attack. because. being stationary. they
can be surrounded by any number Of
circles of wire netting immersed to
any depth desired. They can Mount
more guns than the turret of a bat
tleship, those guns can be aimed with
greater rapidity because Of the steady
platform, and for the same reason they
will have the deadly certainty Of hit
in rough weather that the battleship
never possesses.
With the fortresses supplemented by
a screen Of submerged torpedo sta
tons built on the same steady floating
plan and Invisible to an approaching
enemy perfect coast defense seems to
be assured. All this can be done at q
1.-THE Of the cost Of battleships, it is
claimed. for no sailors, no stokers, no
engineers are required on the station
airy ~forts-only the trained men behind
the guns.
With the strategic positions on our
shores thus safeguarded, our fleets Of
battleships and cruisers car be re-
leased for offensive operations in the
enemy's home waters. The indefinite
expansion Of the navy will be checked,
and thus a great economical and sociO.
logical problem will be solved.
For every class Of stationary marine
structure the same principle Of steady
iotation can be applied-for breakwa.
ters requiring no useless rock founda'
lions, for lighthouses which can be
| put in the vicinity of dangerous shoals
for lightships in a new form sitting
! steadily on the seas like lampposts on
shore, for bridges cushioned in the
waters: even for hospitals. quarantine