Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1909-04-01


thousand feet second or through wa
ter at n slightly greater rate OF speed
and that when sound is reproduced at
a distance by means of wireless waves
Its velocity is practically that Of light,
or $4,000 miles second.
"Thls is how l have applied these
two well known scientific laws: A bell
ringing I'm the air, IL the sound waves
are gathered by the transmitter OF a
wireless telephone, may be heard dis
tinctly In wireless receiver one mile
distant In one e-hundred-and eighty
six thousandths of second, or in
simultaneously so far as the human
senses can determine. The same sound
travelling through the air will reach
the same receiving point just five sec
onds later.
"These two sounds are identical in
tone, and 1t is this fact which will
prevent any mistake on the part of the
operator in picking out a particular
bell. The instant the sound OF the
bell Is heard through the wireless re-
ceiver the operator presses button
which starts device similar to q stop
watch, except that the points around
the circumference of the dial instead
OF representing seconds indicate dis
tances in miles and feet
''The instant the sound of the bell
reaches the operator through the air
or through the mechanism of the sub
marine bell he presses the button once
more. This stops the clocklike de-
vice, and the hand of the dial indi.
Gates accurately the distance between
the point where the sound originates
and the point of its reception. For
example, should the sound Of bell on
board vessel in a fog be heard by
means OF the wireless telephone and
arrive seven and half seconds ahead
OF the same sound going in the natural
way through the air or transmitted
through the water by means Of the
submarine bell device 1t Is q simple
matter to calculate that the vessel Is
1900 feet distant, or not quite n
mile and half away. The Indicator
of the fog phone, however, gives the
exact distance In feet.
When the sound OF the bell is next
heard the operation is repeated, and
the dial of the indicator shows whether
the point from which the sound ema
mates is nearer or farther away than
before. This knowledge enables the
man In the pilOthouse to avoid all dan
ger or collision. a bell ringing from
q station on rock or other menace TO
navigation will accurately Indicate the
location Of such danger and make II
an easy matter for the pilot of a YES
sci to steer clear of ii.
In some cases it is desirable to use
a submarine bell instead of the ordi-
nary fog bell. This is made possible
by the fact that all vessels are now or
soon will be equipped with the sub
marine bell apparatus, and the wire
less telegraph system is now almost
universally used by all seagoing ships.
AT the receiving station the opera
tor has pair of telephone receivers
held to each ear In the usual way.
One of these is attached to the wire
less receiver, while the other connects
with the transmitter which picks UP
the sound coming through the air or
water.
when II is desirable to reach out
great distance for the sound Of the
warning bell both receivers at the on
orators ears are connected with the
wireless telephone receiver When he
hears the sound OF the bell he presses
the button, and this not only starts
the measuring device going, but
switches the telephone receivers from
the wireless receiver to the telepbone
transmitter used TO pick up the sounds
from the air or water. When the sig
nal Is heard by way OF the water or
air the pressing of the button regis
tiers the distance separating the point
or reception from the other vessel or
danger point and at the same time
switches the head telephone back to
the wireless circuit
ut Is fact often stated by the of
hcers OF ships that It is next 10 i'm.
possible 10 calculate the distance or
direction OF vessel I'm q fog by the
sound OF her bells or whistle coming
through the air. naval officer told
me OF q point I'm Puget sound where
such n signal could he heard more
than hundred yards In one direction.
While In other directions It might be
heard two miles or more. The fog
phone sets such conditions as these at
defiance. New York Post.