The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1907-04-07
SEARCHLiGhT SENIlEELs.

| important FtShting Ads -- Shining
Marks Mo- Often Hit
Little has been written of what Is
perhaps one of the greatest fightin.
units in modern warfare, the search
light
Hereafter every great power Will not
only have its fighting ships we'll pre-
tected with the scarchlight but each
army corps will have its own detach-
ment and apparatus for this very nee
essary auxiliary.
| For it has GENE to he one of the
most important uses Of electricity, en-
aiding artillcrymen To remove many Of
the uncertainties from the much dread
ed 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 al electrical
shore connections and thus render the
mines useless
Fogsy weather is the most favorable
ally masked in gunuy sacks to avoil
all noise.
In normal weather scouting Of this
character is bE the use of the light
sure 10 be detected Then woe unto
the small boat crews for the great
white beam gives only Il 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
ways OF water as are too deep to he
successfully mined usually rely for
their protection on several Of the
lights. AS discovered vessels form II
very good target, the gunners i'll the
forts gleefully lick their chops. while
the enemy, owing to the disappea ring
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
above sea level and commands the
harbOr
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 fashing beam
travels at will
A dense fog however, Is absolutely
and smoke or slight mist
causes the beam to he 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 9th
arwise. as dust and smoke. which act
as a screen to the light. are washed
)ut of the air.
But the very natural question is
Why doesn't the enemy throw n few
shells and destroy the searchlight? It's
bright enough, and one would
-hink it would afford an easy mark.
1t has been found. however after re-
,eated trials that to determine the ex-
lct location of the lamp is almost an
Then, again, the forts
ave the advantage OF Il fixed gun AMI
comparatively large target, whereas
he ship has an unsteady gun base and
very small target-in fact. not more
han eight feet. An expert marksman,
ven at half a mile distance. has hare
Y one chance out of fifty to hit the
Protector.
Very well. then; wait until day-
light and blaze away at the shelter
louse in which the lamp is kept" is
aid.
very good scheme, very good in
eed. only the shelter house under ac-
nal war conditions is mostly blind
nd contains nothing, for the latest
ype of searchlght is mounted on a
actor ear and, like the service ghost,
! never around i'll the daytime.-Army
nd Navy Life