Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1907-04-27
SEARCHLlGHT SENTlNELS.
Important Fighting Aids - Shining
Marks Not Often Hit.

Marks Not Often Hit.
Little has been written of what is
perhaps one Of the greatest lighting
units In modern warfare, the search-
light
Hereafter every great power Will not
only have its fighting ships well pro-
tected with the searchlight, but each
army corps will have It's own detach-
ment and apparatus for this very nee
essary auxiliary.
For II has come to be one OF the
most important uses Of electricity, EN-
aiding artillerymen to remove many Oh
the uncertainties from the much dread
ed night attack.
Shallow waters that are suspected 10
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.
Foggy weather is the most favorable
t,me for this work. The boats are usu-
ally masked In gunny sacks to aVoid
all noise.
In normal weather scouting or this
character is by the use Of the nght
SIRE 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
slaughter by the rapid fires.
Important channels or such passage
wovs of water as are too deep 10 DE
successfully mined usually rely Tor
their protection on several OF the
lights. As discovered vessels form
very good target. the gunners III the
forts g!eefully lick their chops, while
fine enemy. owing TO the disappearing
cun carriage now used, has practically
nothing on which to concentrate MS
fire.
The operator does not stand near the
light. but takes up his position In the
FIRE commanders station, an elevated
I, tower Mt some distance from It, Ii Is
I above sea level and commands the
harbOr.
. Here is located the controller, which
! bv reason of It's electrical connection
with the two motors in the base gives
I full control of the light. BY merely
: shifting the handle the flashing beam
!, travels at will.
{. dense fog however, Is absolutely
4 or
! causes the beam to be followed WIN
l. difficulty. Then sometimes distinct
5 images are shown which are caused
u nv impurities. such as dust, In the all
y and which to the novice would appear
% as dark objects on water.
q However when weather conditions
!. are unfavorable the enemy Is not APP
1t 70 move about much. Cloudy weather
u and rain are rather beneficial than oth
ervise. as dust and smoke, which ac
as a screen to the light, are washeC
out Of the air.
But the very natural question Is
ID WHY doesn't the enemy throw rev
shells and destroy the searchlightF III
In certainly bright enough, and one woul'
n think 1t would afford an easy mark.
st. 1t has been found, however, after re
Is peated trials that to determine the ex
e. act location of the lamp is almost al
rt lmpossibillty. Then, again, the fort
n have the advantage Of fixed gun ant
IT. comparatively large target, wherea
he the ship has an unsteady gun base an
lis very small target-in fact, not NOR
lst than eight feet. An expert marksma1
mt ever at half a mile distance, has hare
ed " one chance out Of fifty to bit ID
ng protector.
ur every we'll, then; wait until ga!
light and blaze away at the shelte
an house in which the lamp is kept"
in said.
ck A very good scheme, very good Il
,nt deed. only the shelter house under a
ON tual war conditions is mostly bin
70 and contains nothing, for the late
ON. type Of searchlight is mounted on
nd motor car and like the service ghos
Zoe is never around in the daytime.-Arm
nd and Navy Life.