The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1907-12-10
sEARoBLIGHT sENTINELs.
Important Fighting Aids-shining
Marks Not Often Hit.

LiS..a has been written OF what Is
perhaps one OF the greatest ighting
units In modern warfare. the search
light.
Hereafter. every great Power Will
not only have its lighting ships we'll
protected with the searchlight, but
each army corps will have Its own
detachment and apparatus for this
very necessary auxiliary.
For Il 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 10 such at
tack by the enemy In small boats.
Volunteer landing crews are often
sent with orders to destroy all eiec-
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
dag Of surrender, then glares on the
slaughter by the rapid fires.
Important channels or such pass
ageways Of water az are too deep TO
be successfully mined usually rely
for their protection on several OF the
lights. Az 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 70 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
II. II is above sea level and COM
mands the harbor.
Here il located the controller.
which by reason OF It's electrical con-
nection 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. 10 absolutely
impenetrhble and smoke or slight
mist causes the beam to be followed
with dificuity. Then sometimes
distinct images are shown. such as
dust In the air and which to the
novice would appear a. 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--
ciai than otherwise - dust and smoke
which act az q screen to the light arc
washed out Of the air.
But the very natural question r.,
Why doesn't the enemy throw few
shells and destroy the searchlight?
It's certainly bright enough and one
would think, would AFFORD an easy |
mark.
II 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 q nxed
gun and a comparatively large tar
get, whereas the ship has an unsteady
gun base and q very small target,
ln fact not meHe than eight feet. An
expert marksfRIan even at half mile |
has hardly one chance out of |
nfty 70 hit the protector.
"very well then. wait until day
light nnd blaze away at the shelter |
house In which the lamp 10 kept, "is
said.
A very good scheme. very good IN. |
deed. only the shelter house. uRder |
actual war conditions, Il mcstly .
blind and contains nothing. For the |
atest type Of searchlixht In mounted
on motor ear. and like the service
Ihest = esysE sFogse e " . 1ayt'ne' :