The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1910-12-14

been at work devising methods
by which dangers to their
crews can be reduced to a
minimum. Those who are used to
serving in these deadly little craft
will tell you that these dangers are
not so great as is usually imagined,
and that the loss of life from acci-
dents has really been comparatively
small.
The two great dangers are COLI
sion and explosion, and special at
tention has been given to methods
that will prevent loss of life in case
of accident from these two sources.
When the submarine is submerged
1t is really half blind, for the peri
scope Is only makeshift eye, but
even this has been greatly improved.
Formerly the lens In use only allowed
half the horizon to be examined, un-
less the periscope was turned round.
It could therefore happen that ship
might come up unnoticed and strike
the submarine before It could dive
to safety. Now, however, new lens
has been devised which gives a COM
plete view all round, so that an ap-
preaching vessel can be seen from
scope is the eye of the submarine.
Its vertical telescope tube looks like
very thin smokestack, extending 15
feet above the submarines bridge
and its top part contains the so-called
eye, which sends down images of the
outer world to the interior of the sub
marine, either by reflection or refrac-
ton. One system is almost as good
as the other The reflection apparatus
has two mirrors at As degrees at the
two extremeties. The apparatus by
refraction has two prisms of total re-
fection, as In camera. Behind the
top one a mirror sends down the
image that can be enlarged-like the
telescope attachment to a camera
but both systems have the disadvant-
age Of looking on the world through
a pinhole.
Suppose the "eye" be fixed north.
Those in the submarine get glimpse
due north. To glance few degrees
on either side the whole tube must be
turned or else the eye alone. In the
first case-if the tube does not twist
or grip-the image turns with 1t and
observers have to move around the
table. If the eye alone be turned the
lower prism or mirror remains fixed.
The image, consequently, shows all
objects inclined at the angle of the
eyes turning.
For years past the French admir-
atty has never ceased to hunt for
something better. The navigation
of submarines under water absolutely
demanded an apparatus capable of
disclosing simultaneously the whole
circle of the horizon-plus a tele-
scopic magnifer for the object to be
carefully examined.
And here we are on the delicate
ground of a state secret. They have
found their apparatus. 1t is known,
too, that they got upon its track by
seeking to utilize an annulary prism
devised by Colonel Manjin for the
taking of circular photographs Of the
horizon from captive balloon. This
is all we really know of the construc-
ton of the machine that is to put
French submarines on footing of
such enormous superiority that the
mind does not at first grasp the
meaning of it. But the effects pro-
duced by the machine have not been
kept so secret.
In Brest three submarines and
three submergibles were fitted with
the apparatus at once for experiment
and extraordinary tales are told of
exploits under water.
Up to within a mile of its prey
the submergible floats on the surface
like simple torpedo boat. Then,
fearing to be seen, it sinks and con-
tinues navigating six feet under wa
ter with the aid of the admiralty's
perfected periscope. Within 800
yards of the doomed ship they pull
in the telescope tube and navigate
short time by the compass.
When they judge they are within
500 yards they push the tube into
the air again-just high enough to
let them see their prey. 1t is prac-
ucally invisible to people unsuspi-
cious of it's presence in that particu-
lar spot. At 300 yards the torpedo is
shot and what happens is what hap
pened to the Russian fleet 80 often.
These are submergibles, 112 to 220
feet long, semiseagoing and furnished
with both steam and electric engines.
Their normal plane of travel being
on the surface just like torpedo
boat, their primary motive power is
the steam. These steam engines run
Sle dynamos to renew the motive
power a the electric engines and all