The San Francisco call., 1909-11-07

A bell has been devised to take the
place of the two stones. Long expert
ment has shown just what tone car
ries best in the stiffness down below,
and the bells have been tuned accord
ingly. An instrument has been placed
,pn the ship that will go down into the
quiet depths and get the message of
the bell and bring 1t into the pilot
house 1t is submarine wireless. but
with advantages over the wireless OF
the air because 1t indicates the d.
rection from which the sound comes.
The bells that send out the warning
are at present located on a score OF
lightships on the Atlantic coast, on
others on the Pacific and on eight upon
the great lakes. All these are at
danger points and in bad weather are
put at work. They are run automatic
ally by power furnished by the ship.
They may also be placed on a buoy
with an attachment that will cause the
action Of the tides and waves to ring
them. or they may be placed a mile
to sea with a cable connecting with
the. mainland which carries the cleo
tricity that keeps the bell changing.
In any case the result is the same
the message goes forth. Somewhere
out to sea there is a vessel lost In
the fog and unaware of its position
or the proximity of land. On each side
Of that vessel is clamped receiver
which gets the vibration of the bell
and conducts 1t to the pilot house.
There is a difference in the vibration
of each bell, and the pilot knows what
point he is approaching. He listens to
the receiver that is attached to one
side of the ship, and the sound comes
strong. He listens to the opposite side
and the bell can not be heard. Thus he
determines the side on which the bell
is located. He changes the course
of his vessel toward that side and
gradually the sound may be heard from
the other receivers. He listens alter
nately to the one receiver and then
the other, and when the sound is equal
ly distinct in each 1t is dead ahead. He
has positively located his bell and,
consequently, the ship
All this time the fog has blotted
out the flashes from the lighthouse
All this time the roaring wind has
drowned the voice of the Nsiren. The
bell was picked up when the vessel
was Is or possibly 20 miles away and
may be depended upon at a distance
of Is miles under any and all condi-
tions. Thus has the new assurance
been given to all those who go down
to the sea in ships, and thus may the
old tar say In time of storm with more
reason than of old: God pity the poor
devils on shore this night"
But the utility of the water wire
less" by no means ends here. It is
probably developed to its greatest
utility on the government submarines
Each of these vessels is equipped with
both the sending and receiving attach
ment. They are also given code and
may freely talk with each other while
under water. In this way the boats
may keep in touch with each other and
act in unison in making an attack just
as surface fleet may give battle. each
boat being an auxiliary of the other.
Surface vessels are at present
equipped with merely the receiving
machinery They get signals from the
lightships and other forms of stations.
but they send no messages. They are
protected against danger from the
coast. but there is one remaining dam
ger that must be nlet--that of collision
with other vessels. When this is done
the dangers of the sea will have been
conquered.
To this end it is necessary that the
ships should have a sending attach
ment as well as one for receiving. Then
when the fog is dense they may set
their bell at work and any other vessel
in the vicinity can be warned, and
there would never again be danger of
such an accident as lately proved the
death of the Republic. The chain
would be complete and the proximity
of any vessel would be known.
At present sending bell may be
very readily lowered over the side of
the vessel and put to work. This, how
ever. is not a satisfactory method on
the part Of a vessel under way. Nor
would it be advisable to attach the bell