The Ekalaka eagle. [volume] (Ekalaka, Mont.) 1909-1920, 1914-07-17
Setting Up a Wireless Plant In the
Field Is Only One. Of the Many
Duties of This Branch of the
Service - Wonderful Strides
Made Since Spanish-American
Wharf.-The Different Methods of
Transmitting Messages In War.

EI11 SlLllldE III CONSTRUCTOR u
~ the human body Is Uncle
Sans field army Of today.
The brain of the field army is
Its commander. The limbs and trunk
are the troops of the line-calvary, in
fantry and artillery. The nerves. fash
ing frof' brain to muscle the impulses
directing the great body. are the men
of the signal corps. Without that body
the field army is helpless.
The army pushes its way through
hostile territory. Well in advance Of
the main body is the independent cav-
airy, far flung over the country, a fex-
tble screen. searching out the enemy.
Comes a clatter of rifle from the
front. the signal that the screen has
come in contact with a hostile force.
The advance guard engages, drawing
out the enemy, disclosing his strength.
Far to the rear is the commander of
the field army. How is the cavalry
commander to give him in detail the
information he has obtained? In old
times mounted messengers would have
gone back at full gallop. running the
risk of falling into the hands Of scat
tered forces of the enemy. of being
ambushed by guerrillas. Today the
field radio set solves the problem and
avoids delays.
The cavalry command r scribbles Il
message to the general, telling him just
what he needs to know, and turns it
over to the sergeant riding at the head
Of the signal corps detachment with
the little silk crossed flags under his
chevrons.
Tied on a Pack Horse.
"Open station" calls the section
chief. Out Of the column the riders
turn, dismount; the horses are linked
in q circle and left to n man, the
horse holder, while the others fling
themselves at the pack animals. Off
come boxes, poles and all the impedi-
menta they are carrying.
On the leading pack horst IS a little
iron frame. The instant that it touch
es the ground one man springs upon
It, holding a section of pole from which
radiate four shining strands of phos-
phor bronze wire, the %an.ennae, which
four men are paying out from hand
reels. The man on the frame raises
the pole; another man slips under ii
another section; a snap, it is fastened
and the pole goes up higher. Section
after section is added until the mast
steadied by three men, towers sixty
feet in the air.
Back in headquarters a similar piece
of apparatus is set up, while from il
abouts of the general himself. The
buzzer is a combined field telephone
and telegraph. The wire from this is
laid out from two horse reel carts ant
can be paid out on the gallop if neces
sary. The wire lies on the ground
construction that cases have beer
known where it was possible to work
through breaks in the line up to dis
tances Of fifteen feet. Besides this
the buzzer car he coupled to CONNER
cial telegraph lines and worked with
out interfering with them.
Many Means Of Communication.
To adapt any medium to the purpose
Of communication is the motto of tn.
signal corps. Literally this means tt
communicate by sight. hearing an,
touch. using all kinds Of instruments
from the most sensitive and finely ad
justed wireless telegraph outfit to thu
crudest and most hastily impr0yise(
method Of wagwagging.