The wageworker. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1904-????, 1908-05-23

steel caisson which is sunk down into
the tranquil areas of ocean depths.
far below the comparatively limited
portion OF wave-iiSturoed water near
the surface, These steel caissons
have at their base a wide fange. ex-
tending all around and heavily weight
ed Upon these fianges the water
above rests, pressing down with enor-
NOUS weight. exerting AT - feet be-
low the surface pressure of s.1eo
pounds per square foot. or at 60
foot depth = pressure of more than
TWO tons per square foot The inert
weight of the structure itself and the
weight of the water upon il more than
counterbalances the action of the
waves above Imagine an ordinary tin
basin turned upside down and sub
merged. and YOU get an idea of the
Murray foundation. Upon this steady
floating foundation. then. any desired
superstructure may be built-light
house. fortress or living or storage
room of any kind
The whole structure. then, in its
Steadiness and imnlobilicy. might be
hkenei 10 = floating iceberg To any
one who has ever gone to sea in the
winter time one of the wonders of the
deep must ever be = sight of great
iceberg floating steadily with the cur
rent. no matter how violently the
great waves beat against its sides
Every schoolhoy knows that this
sSeadineSs of the floating mass of ice
is owing 10 the fact that two-Shiris
of its bulk is below the level of the
sea And it is partly this principle and
partly the additional one OF adding TO
the depth below water the widely pro
Sectins ,ange of steel that makes Muir
rays invention 50 valuable and inn
portant in the eyes of all marine en-
gineerS The downward thrust on this
fiange of the immense weisht of stable
water is the great secret of the prac-
ticahilty of this invention
Only Surface Of Sea Aeitaeed.
Countless experiments by marine
engineers all over the world have
demonstrated the fact that the depth
to which the wave disturbance of the
surface of the sea extends averages Is
feet A homely proof of this is to be
found in the way in which a diver can
work on the bed of the ocean without
feeling the slightest effect from any
motion of the waves over his head.
And in many of the longtime sub
mersion tests OF submarine craft the
crews have sunk below the level in 8
calm and risen to the surface in .
storm without feeling any indications
of the abovesurface disturbance
: Not only is the Murray principle sp
: plicable TO lighthouses and hghtships
and floating fortresses. but to every
class of stationary marine structures
such. for instance. as breakwaterS
and piers, bridges across arms of the
Sea or detached areas of water. sub
merged torpedo stations whose stead
ness will give hidden gunners deadl,
aims floating coaling stations, pro
vision and oil storage depots and ever
hospitals and temporary hotels.
Applied commercially. the Murra,
invention may revolutioniEe breakwa
ter construction Millions of dollars
have been spent in the building o
breakwaters in the creating of gooG
harbor or the construction of a largs
railroad and shipping terminal. ans
in a number of cases these breakwa
tiers. after much time. money and ef
fort had been expended, have been de
clarei insufficient and unsatisfactory
These hreakwaters have been built u,
from the bottom of harbors by III,
dumping in of enormous quantities o
rock at huge cost The Murray SyS
TEN. it is declared. will do away witt
this expensive construction entirely
The Murray breakwater is built in sec
tons, each section resembling an in
vertei vessel. the upturned keel doin:
the work of breaking the force of tn
inrolling waves and the great project
/, ing bulk underneath held steadily b
: the pressure of the water
n OF Value for Iightships.
n One of Mr.. Murray's chief claims q
l. the value of his invention. however
G lies in its application to another, an
T. more picturesque. marine structure
If the lightship- As ;ightships now ar
e constructed. il is impossible for ther
$ to carry light at \ greater heigh
IF than 20 feet above their decks, In az
dition they must always be anchore
= close TO the reef or shoal over whic
1t they stand guard. since it is not Do: