The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1907-09-05
sEARCHLIGHT sENTINELs.
Important Fighting Aids--Shining
Marks Not Often Hit,


LS.le 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 fghting ships well
protected with the searchlight, but
each army corps will have its own
detachment and apparatus for this
very necessary auxiliary.
For II has come to be one OF the
most important uses of electricity,
says Army and Navy Life, enabling
artillerymen to remove many of the
uncertainties 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
bent with orders to destroy all cleo
trical shore connections and thus
render the mines useless.
Foggy weather is the most favor
able time for this work. The boats
are usually masked in gunny sacks to
avoid all noise.
In normal weather scouting OF this
character is by the use of thelight,
sure to be detected. Then woe unto
the small boat crews. For the great
white beam gives only few seconds
Of silent grace in which to raise the
flag OF surrender. then glares on the
slaughter by the rapid fires.
Important channels or such pass
ageways 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 gleefully lick their chops:
while the enemy. owing to the disap-
pearing gun carriage now used. has
practically nothing on which to con-
centrate 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 sea level and COM
mands the harbor.
Here is located the controller.
which by reason of its electrical con-
necton 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 such az
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 benifi-
cial than otherwise as dust and smoke
which act as a screen to the light arc
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.
1t has been found, however, after
repeated trials that to determine the
exact location Of the lamp is almost
an impossibility. Then again the
forts have the advantage of a fixed
gun and a comparatively large tar
get. whereas the ship has an unsteady
gun base and very small target.
IN fact not more than eight feet. An
expert marksman even Mt half mile
distance has hardly one chance out Of
nifty to hit the protector.
Very we'll then. wait until day
light and blaze away at the shelter
house in which the lamp is kept. is
said.
A very good scheme, very good in
deed. onfy the shelter house. under
actual war conditions. u mostly q
blind and contains nothing. For tho
latest type Of searchlight in mounted
on a motor car. and like the service
ghost is never around In the daytime.