The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-04-11
ENGLISH INVENTOR STEERS
 BOATS WITH HIS VOICE

From the Manchester Chronicle.
 There is man living at Knott End,
 across the river from Fleetwood, who
 can make boat obey him by speaking to
 it. At the word of command model boat
 moves through the water turns round and
 stops. By the mere act of singing note
 the same man can cause a gun to be
 fired, lamp to be lit, or a bell to be
 run.
 This sounds like black magic and the
 skeptical may be pardoned for struggling
 their shoulders in disbelief. But really.
 like most apparently marvellous things, 1t
 is very simple when explained. MT. Gard
 ner IS not magician, he is an inventor.
 His powers are not derived from magic, but from science, and there is neither trickery nor illusion in the remarkable feats I have mentioned.
 Among the natives MT. Gardner is known as the Wizard of Knott End
 and bronzed burly fishermen regard him and all his works with awe. They will tell you that he is a silent, unsociable
 man, one who keeps his own counsel and
 minds his own business. and they will point to his lonely workshop on the rugged beach where barbed wire fencing keeps out inouisitive strangers, and where Mir Gardner spends the greater part of his days doing wonderful things with strange instruments.
 While making due allowance for the prejudices of the unimaginative fisher folk, I confess it was with certain amount of timidity that I approached the workshop of the Wizard. The wind was blowing great guns and the path along the beach was extremely difficult huge powders and deep ruts barring the way to the compact little structure which contains many scientific secrets. Nor was req ssured by the aspect of the building There was the barbed wire completely en- circling the workshop, and there was a disconcerting appearance of stern privacy about the whole place.. On the seaward side a powerful windmill was working a small dynamo. Under the influence or the gale the windmill was revolving like the fiywheel of gas engine. generating electric light for the lonely workshop out there on the beach,
 knocked at the door and prepared my self for hostile reception. To my sur prise and relief, however. the door was opened by thoughtful looking man of middle age, who greeted me with hos pitable smile. He obviously did not care to be interrupted in his work, but the manners of the host overcame the enthus- iasin of the inventor, and he invited me into the mysterious workshop where no inha bitant of Knott End had ever set foot.
 q want to know how you make boat obey your voice." l said, carefullys avoid ing three or four batteries on the floor. MT Gardner. with an air of resignation, l handed me box of cigarettes. selected l one himself. and. smiling. blew cloud of l smoke to the roof.
 Nothing easier" re replied. "It is just
 a simple experiment to show the force of | sound vibrations. Have you ever noticed when a piano Is played in room where | there are ornaments certain ornaments l will respond to certain notes struck on 1 the piano? The vibrations produced oy i sound act upon the ornament and cause l it to respond Again, if you strike a wine | glass and sing into 1t the same note it ] emits you can shiver the glass to frag- ! ments by the vibration of the voice. It Is l the same with the boat. By singing q 1 fixed note can start or stop the machin- ] cry of the boat at considerable dis :. tance. I have performed the experiment {! many times for the benefit of electrical 1 experts"
 /. "Can this invention or discovery be put i to commercial user" I inquired.
 "Of course. That is my object I have i discovered method of signaling by {, sound and it is to be used to warn ships :! on dangerous localities. You will under stand the idea better if l explain to you /, what is already being done around the 1 American and Canadian coasts. also 1t
 the Bar lightship and the nor west light ship, Liverpool. A bell is sunk beneath 8 lisiitship deep in the water. and is runs by means of machinery. Water, as you know, is a much more powerful and swfier conductor Of sound than air. and the bell can be heard for two or three niles Fitted on the ship is q telephone receiver, and an officer by putting his ear to the receiver can hear the warning of the bell. That is g system already axter- siveIy in vogue But it has one weakness. You. must be at the receiver before you