The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-12-06
John Hays Hammond, Jr, Believes Hi.
Dirigible Torpedoes Operated by
Telautomatics Will Accomplish
That End

| there was nothing really new, because
| both the French and the Germans had
been doing the same thing by means Of
Hertzinn waves for a number Of years:
| but special credit was due to Mr.. Ham
mond because Of the nicer control
which he was able to exercise, and in
| this he evidenced the advance in the
, art which his own cunning had made
possible. But Mr.. Hammond was not
| content. for he wanted TO do something
more than merely steer houseboat pro-
PEELED by a gasolene engine. and he de-
sired at the same time to overcome a
very practical objection to his whole
| scheme considered from military
! standpoint.
Mr. Hammond realized that an enemy
could interfere with his control o'
boat or torpedo by sending out a con-
tinuous series of dscordant or unequal
wave lengths. and this meant ruin TO his
whole contemplated system of dirigiblc
torpedo defence, How did Mr.. Ham
mond overcome this obstacle? How
did he make his present method posi-
BILE? Here is where he was shrcwd
enough 10 profit by the earlier expert
mcnts OF other men and by combining
the principles employed separately by
them to evolve virtually new device.
free from possible hostile Interference.
John Gardner of England some years
ago built a small submarine boat and
made u just obcdient to his will
- the craft At Gloucester has been sub
j"ct 20 Mr.. Hammunds dominance. Mr.
Gardner employed sound waves trans
mitt.d through water where they travel
much better and reach further than
when despatched through the air. Mr.
Gardner used audible sounds. and he
made the receiver on his submarine
sensitive only TO tones of certain
pitch.
He Effected this 10y means OF metallic
ribbons or reeds which would vibrate
sufficiently only whep the right note
reached them. You know how you can
awaken "a response by singing into
piano. when this metal rlbipOu was Vi
hr1ted with sificicn, amplitude il com
p, ted ar electric circuit. and started
desired mechanical movements which.
ion their turn were impeled by suitable
sources OF energy. You must under
stand that the sensitive receiver could
u (, itself. do any work il played the
part only IF messenger telling It's
capable associates when 10 act.
Tho success II any tcldutoiuatic In
stallatinr hinges upon it, degree az So |
lectiv!ty. that il response to certain
arbitrary impulses and Indifference g.
all others. To this end Mr.. Hammond
mas purpuS"ly made his controlling me-
dunn complex on" - that his receivers |
could he Indifferent To- other vibrations.
In the first place h. uses tuned. IN
audible sound waves. ana these olvrat. |
in conjunction with the beams Of a
powerful SsarchHrht $50 as - modify !
ia" degree II their intensity. The in !
audible VA ara superposed or laid az
'' blanket upon the light waves thus |
Producing Il peculiar character of ether !
disturbance. The result may be likeE-d !
to ID" step nf II man that aas sorv, d a |
prison term and had t. drag =, ball ard |
chain. His step Is normal - far as its !
span * Con''eru-d INT Their" IS Lag in !
% part "t the movements which makes |
ms CTtt noticeable, This is lust what |
hIrp"n"d with the Hammond apparatus, |
"n'. fuiS is TIN key 20 the SricCt,vity Of |
...s ~o-"II.c,t system ~ light l,lntrn, Of |
Wireless
in speaking 81 MS invention Mr.. |
Hammond has SAID This system could !
To-. "p"rdt"d just as We'll tH ia" daylight. |
a. kGrhm"r has carried ru ll:ht t"lr- |
pr'ny very successfully during the day |
time Therefor" I would not Ice limited /
t. use n merely for night purposes
Besides this, IN tho daytime the system |
= far NOR, highly S-lcctivc than IL /
Wireless, rs the beam Of light - ahSo- /
lutcly concentrated
Hor'2.an waves rad ate IN circles ?
after he fashion Of the ever Widening .