The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1914-11-14
WIRELESS IN War
Upon 1t the Fate Of a Battle Fleet
May Often Depend.
SEARCHING FOR THE ENEMY
The Cruisers Take the Lead and Act az
Scouts. Keeping In Touch With One
Another and Report by Wireless toy
the Battleships That Follow.

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Very few people realize the great i'm
portance OF wireless telegraphy in time
OF war or strained relations-for in
stance, fleet OF battleships at sea
while their country is at war with an
other power Each ship I'm that fleet
has its wireless installation, adjusted
SO that they can send and receive sig
nails and messages TO other squadrons
nc sea or in harbor az 10 stations
ashore. One ship OF - neet is al
ready I'm direct touch with the navy de-
partment The chance OF interference
from an enemys ship is reduced so as
10 be almost not worth counting. Each
ship I'm a battle fleet is responsible for
some station ashore or for a cruiser
squadron or lotilla or torpedo boat de
stroyers. All foreign intelligence and
the movements OF foreign ships so TO
the capital by telegraph, cableGram
and wireless from different parts of
the world and from thence it IS trans
mitted to the admiral in charge OF the
fleet. who directs his ship accordingly
The whole safety OF battle feet
depends on wireless telegraphy In time
OF war.
When number OF battleships are
steaming along, perhaps looking for
the enemy il would not do for them
10 run into superior number OF the
enemy's battleships. To guard against
this great number of cruisers are
sent out ahead and spread a number
OF miles across. The duty or these
ships is 10 keep a thorough lookout
and report TO the ship In the battle
feet looking out on their particular
zone This ship in turn reports by
semaphore or Morse lamp 10 the ad-
miral OF the battle feet. The cruisers
are sometimes assisted by torpedo
boat destroyers. Now, IL thirty OF
these ships are used it will be readily
seen that the area OF their vision IL
enormous, and IL would be almost I'm
possible for fleet TO pass unobserved.
Immediately any OF the ships sight
the enemy's squadron they would re-
port at once by wireless. stating the
number Of ships sighted, with their
speed, latitude and longitude, etc. The
admiral would then give his orders
also by wireless III the admiral de-
termines To attack he directs the cruis-
ers 20 steam at full speed and take
refuge behind the battle fleet.
Let us suppose we are reconnoiter-
Ing i'm hostile waters. The cruisers
are ordered TO spread themselves out
IN the vanguard OF the fleet on look
out duty. They steam along without
lights OF any description. These great
vessels. invisible as the night can make
them. are brooding on the troubled wa
tiers. Yet they are very alive. Cease
lessly they communicate one with an
other. for i'm each vessel, hidden as far
as possible from external view. is the
sOundless and padded wireless room.
Here the operator is at work, the cleo
trio lamp glowing brilliantly above
him. but q messenger enters with an
order from the commander. Imme-
diately as the handle OF the door Is
touched and pulled open by the entrant
the lights go out, and pitch darkness
prevails until once again the door Is
closed behind him and automatically
the lights are switched on. That is
part OF the secrecy which prevails on
a battleship I'm time OF war.
The men on lookout duties are sta
toned in various parts throughout the
cruiser. Their duty Is TO keep their
eyes open, as there is always a chance
that one Of the enemy's destroyers may
come rushing along ut speed OF some
thirty miles an hour, shoot n torpedo
into the ship and get away unscathed.
At the best OF times IL takes cunning
gunnery to strike a vessel going at
this speed, but In the darkness posi-
bilities OF the marauder's escape are
increased tenfold, and only the eyes OF
the crew and watchers can, as far as
possible, safeguard mishap. AS soon
as anything is sighted IL Is reported TO
the battle feet This IL done by the
wireless, and the operator Is compel.
led TO work at high pressure, for he has
TO read every message n cruiser sends.
INFORM his captain and himself bet i'm
touch with the fleet II his officer siotld
desire to send n reply. Then there IS
the admiral OF a feet TO be considered.
The operator must keep good lookout
In case some battle order should be
transmitted from this important quar-
ter.
All this time. remember. the ship is
cruising at imminent risk r6t only
from the actual attacks OF a secret en-
envy. but from the danger OF floating
mines and even aerial attack. II re.
quires no little personal courage, there
fore. for the operator to remain I'm that
closed wireless cabin, whence. should
disaster occur. there Is no chance OF
escape. and all the time he must keep
MS head and send and receive mes
sages with a much nonchalance as
though he were seated at home I'm the
security OF his own little den. But
quiet heroism is one OF the traditions
OF wireless service. Never yet has an