The daily morning journal and courier., 1907-03-04
sEARcH1GHT sENT1NE1s.
Important Fighting Aids-shining
 Marks Not Often Hit.

Marks Not Often Hit.
 Little has been written of what is perhaps one of the greatest fighting units in modern warfare, the search light
 Hereafter, every great power will not only have it's fighting ships well protec- ted with the searehlight, but each army corps will have it's own detachment and apparatus for this very necessary aux ilitay
 For it has come to be one of the most important uses of electricity, says Army and, Navy Life. enabling artille- rynen to remove many of the uncer- tainties from the much dreaded night attack.
 Shallow waters that are suspected to have been planted with submarine mines are always subject to such at tack by the enemy in small boats. Volunteer landing crews are often sent with orders to destroy all electrical shore connections and thus render the mines useless.
 I Foggy weather is the most favorable time for this work. The boats are usu- ally masked in gunny sacks to avoid all noise.
 Tn normal weather scouting of this character is, by the use of the light, sure to be detected. Then woe unto the small boat crews. For the great white beam gives only a few seconds of silent grace in which to raise the flag of surrender, then glares on the slaugh- ter by the rapid fires.
 Important channels or such passage ways of water as are too deep to be successfully mined usually rely for their protection on several of the lights As discovered vessels form very good target, the gunners in the forts glee- fully lick their chops; while the enemy owing to the disappearing gun carriage now used, has practically nothing on which to concentrate his fire.
 The operator does not stand near the light, but takes up his position in the fire commanders station, an elevated tower at some distance from it. It is above set level and commands the har- bor.
 Here is located the controller, which by reason of its electrical connection with the two motors in the base gives full control of the light. By merely shifting the handle the flashing beam travels at will
 A dense fog, however, is absolutely impenetrable and smoke or slight mist causes the beam to be followed With difficulty. Then, sometimes, distinct Images are shown which are caused by impurities such as dust in the air and which to the novice would appear as dark objects on water.
 However, when weather conditions are unfavorable, the enemy is not apt to move about much. Cloudy weather and rain are rather beneficial than oth- erwise, as dust and smoke which act as a screen to the light are washed out of the air.
 But the very natural question is Why doesn't the enemy throw a few shells and destroy the searchlight? It's certainly bright enough and, one would think, would afford an easy mark.
 u mas been lOuIiu, HONSNOi' eA1OA lS peated trials that to determine the ex- act location of the lamp is almost an imposslbility Then again, the forts have the advantage of fixed gun and a comparatively large target, whereas the ship has an unsteady gun base and very small target, in fact not more than eight feet. An expert marksman even at half a mile distance has hardly one chance out of fifty to hit the pro- jcctor.
 Very well then, wait until daylight and blaze away at the shelter house in which the lamp Is kept is said.
 A very good scheme, very good in deed, only the shelter house, under ac- tual war conditions, is mostly a blind and contains nothing, For the latest type of searchlight is mounted on q motor car, and like the service ghost is never around in the daytime.