Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-03-29
NEW COAST DEFENSE.
Steady Floating Forts Invented
by a Los Angeles Man.
PRESIDENT CONSIDERS PLAN.
Utilization Of Dead Weight of Water
Below Wave Movement May Revolu
tionize Methods of Building Break
waters, Lighthouses and Fortresses.

tionize Methods of Building Break
waters, Lighthouses and Fortresses.
Methods of coast defense promise to
be revOlutioniZed by the inventions of Il
Los Angeles engineer, William Edward
Murray, which have just been pre-
scented to the consideration of PreSi-
dent Roosevelt, Secretary Taft of the
war 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 n system of steady floating
steel structures which, according to en-
gineers of worldwide reputc, absolute
1y conquer anl overcome the power of
old Neptune and make it possible TO
establish and maintain floating forts,
absolutely steady and anchored in pO-
sltion 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 stirs the ocean to great
depths. AS n matter of fact, the big
gest pillows do not move the water to
a depth beyond fifteen feet. Below
that the ocean, even in violent storm,
is 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 Il re-
cent issue thus describes the principle
of the invention: BY going deep
enough down with bouyant steel Gals
sons into the tranquil lower waters of
the ocean that lie below the compara-
lively shallow surface stratum of wave
disturbance and by constructing these
steel Caissons so that they have at
their base a wide projecting and heav-
lily weighted tiange on which the SUI
perimposed waters rest with pondcrOus
weight, eXerting at thirty-two feet be
low the surface a pressure of 2,fGO
pObllho pei CtuutC Ittl. VI Ut SlAlN
feet down a pressure that exceeds two
tons per square foot. Mr. Murray in eff
feet secures a steady floating fOunda-
ton on which any superstructure, prop
erly designed to minimize the waves
blows, may be placed, be it lighthouse
breakwater or fortress. Such a founda-
ton opposes the dead inertia Of its own
weight and the weight of the water
resting upon it to such q degree that
the wave blows above are powerless
to disturb the equilibrium of the float
ing body as a whole. Thus we attain
steady fiOtatiOn and can secure for 4
hundred and one uses decks or plat
forms rising from the surface of the
sea that defy oscillation above because
of the static resistance deeper down
offered by their motionless and rigidly
connected foundation"
Fortresses built on this principle can
be placed we'll off Shore rendering i'm
possible the approach of hostile fleet
intent on bOmbarding 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, these 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 battIeship
never possesses.
With the fortresses supplemented by
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 ut a
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 can be re-
leased for offensive operations in the
enemy's home waters. The indefinite
expansion of the navy will be checked.
and thus great economical and socio-
logical problem will be solved.
For every class of stationary marine
structure the same principle of steady
1otation can be applied-for breakwa-
ters requiring. no useless rock founda-
tons, 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
stations and hotels in partially pro-
tected bays. The vista of possibilities
opened UP Is far extending and fasci.
mating.