New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-03-31
ISLANDS TO ORDER.
NesC Scheme for Making Them Any-
1chere, Any Size, in Deep WGter.

1chere, Any Size, IN Deep Water.
An inventor has risen up recently who has
been able to prove to certain engineers that
the of the sea by the writer of the Prov
CRIBS to depict the instability Of the drunkard's
way Is not a perfect Illustration. He has con-
WINGED them that it is possible, provided bottom
can be reached by anchors. to establish In mid
ocean floating Ravens coaling stations. repair
plants, lighthouses and fortifcations made of
plates of iron which win have the steadiness OF
the pyramids.
The name Of the man who has devised a way
OF making an island grow where no island was
known before is William Edward Murray He
was born in Scotland, but his Inventions were
thought out in Los Angeles, Cal. Remembering
that the water fifteen feet below the surface
Of the ocean. even when the weather is most
tempestuous. is as tranquil as the proveroial
millpond. he concluded if he could construct
floating foundation in the form Of an iron or
steel caisson. the greater part of which would
be submerged like the iceberg. and whose centre
Of gravity was down in this quiet depth. it
might remain steady. although the waves hat
upon it and the winds blew. He figured upon it
a long time and, by devising sort of horizontal
bilge keel which could be adjusted by weight
Ing with gravel and water ballast to balance
the onslaught Of the most powerful waves and
meet the conditions peculiar to any particular
locality, ne believes he has accomplished his end
1t is asserted that on this principle midsea'
or deep water. harbors and floating lighthouses
piers breakwaters. coaling stations hoteis,
sanatoriums. forts. torpedo stations, railroad
bridges and terminals salvage platforms or
pontoons for raising and repairing ships. etc,
can be maintained at any distance from land
that is desired.
few days ago the White Star steamship
Suevic went ashore in the neighborhood OF the
Lizard Her officers. IT is said. had failed TO
find the light until they were within the danger
zone Had there been lighthouse situated
further out. the accident might have been
avoided, II is declared, A floating. stationary
lighthouse would solve this problem.
For many years a Iightship has been anchored
on the Nantucket Shoals forty miles southeast
Of Nantucket. There lighthouse would prob
ably serve the purpose better. A lighthouse is
badly needed or the Diamond Shoals of Cape
Hatteras, but the conditions are such that until
recently no scheme for erecting one that
seemed practical has been suggested.
With the invention of great guns capable of
throwing shells twelve miles, such cities as San
Francisco. which lie directly on the ocean front
can with difficulty be protected from bonn
bardment by fleet of distant battleshiDs- Mr.
Murray's invention, apparently. would solve
this problem. He would anchor a series of
floating forts around the entrance to the harbOr
several miles of shore According to his de-
signs these would be submerged steel cylinders
topped with revolving turTetS. They would be
heavily armored that she'll could pierce
them. and the form Of the top would be such as
to cause all missiles to ricochet from it. Being
on a firm, level platform. the forts would have
the advantage of the dipping battleships. not
only in the ability to secure good aim. but in
rapidity Of fire.
The Notifications could be surrounded with
circles Of network 10 protect them from
torpedoes. Between the floating forts would be
other large cylinders entirely submerged, except
for ma
From openings in the sides Of these could be
discharged toTpedoes. All Of the defensive
works would be anchored 20 the bottom by
means of numerous chain cables attached to
fifty-ton blocks Of concrete and connected with
the shore and each other by telegraph and tele-
phone cables
1t is claimed that by this means the United
States could save a large amount OF money in
protecting it's great seacoast for the floating
forts would cost much less than battleshipS.
owing to the fact that they would need no costly
equipment of engines and boilers. They would
also be much less expensive for maintenance, as
forty or fifty men would be sufficient 10 man
each. Unlike battleships, they would not be out
OF date by the time they were finished The in
ventOr thinks that the floating fertilization is
the best peace machine that has been discov-
cred.
The breakwater is another application of the
invention. This, in crOsS-seCtOn. IS like ship
turned keel up II can be made in sections and
in cases OF communities whose commerce and
resources are modest the harbor can be con-
structed 10 suit the conditions When the BUSH
ness OF the port grew beyond the capacity Of the
artificial haTbOr. il would only be necessary 10
secure more sections. Just as one buys sectional
bookcases, and tow them out. and make the
harbor larger.
The advantage of the steel floating break
water over the stone structure is that deep water
Is no bar and a harbOr with piers can be con-
structed off any kind of a shore or in mid
ocean
Great nations. by diplomatic procedure. are
gObbling up sites FOR cOaling stations all around
the globe. With this invention. all this trouble
would be Obviated, says the inventor Each ma
ton could plant a harbOr equipped with a coal
ing station and repair outfit anywhere il chose
In the high and fortfy it with floating
fOrtresses and torpedo stations. The Atlantic
steamship lane itself. if II We're desirable. one
imagines. might be fortified in this fashion and
provision made at regular intervals for calling
ports for vessels in distress and for wireless
telegraph stations.
These me tai islands are recommended as eSpe-
cially desirable sites for quarantine stations,
sanatoriums and hotels. II the air unsatiS-
factory. the scene unattractive TO the guests
of the hotel or the sanatOrium, the site with It's
burden and occupants could be towed to another
anchorage.
Much money could be saved, It Is believed. by
the use Of pontoons made after Mr.. NUTrays
designs for railroad bridges. Railroads could
be carried across arms Of the sea, across large
lakes by means OF these steady caissons- For