Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1914-11-26
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 to
the 7attieships That Follow
Very few people realize the great im-
portance of wireless telegraphy In time
OF war or strained relations. for In
stance. feet of battieshps nc sea
while their country IL al war with an
other power Eacn snip In that beet
has its wireless installation. adjusted
30 thar they can send and receive sig.
nails and messages 10 other squadrons
at sea or In harbor aud to stations
ashore One ship OF that tieet Is al
ready In direct touch with the navy de-
partlnent. The chance Of interference
from an enemy's ship IL reduced so as
to he almost not worth counting Each
ship IN Il battle teet is responsible for
some station ashore or for u cruiser
squadron OF tlotilla OF torpedo boat de-
stroyers All foreign Intelligence and
the movements ~ foreign ships go to
the capital Dy telegraph. cahlegram
and wireless from different parts OF
the world. and from thence 1t Ii trans.
mitted to the admiral IN charge Of the
fleet who directs his ship accordingly.
The whole safety Of Il battle fleet
depends on wireless teiegrnphy in time
OF war
when number OF battleships are
steaming along, perhaps looking for
the enemy It would not do for them
TO run into a superior number OF the
enemy's battleships. 10 guard against
this great number OF cruisers are
sent out ahead and spread number
OF miles across. The duty OF these
ships Ii 10 keep thorough lookout
and report to the ship in the battle
feet looking out on their particular
zone. This ship in turn reports by
semaphUre or Morse lamp to the adj
mira OF the battle fleet The cruisers
are sometimes assisted by torpedo
boat destroyers. Now. II thirty OF
these ships are used 1t will be readily
seen that the area Of their vision IL
enormous, and II would be almost I'M
possible for feet 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 II the admiral de-
termines 10 attack he directs the cruis-
ers 10 steam at full speed and take
refuge behind the battle fleet,
Let MS suppose we are reconnolter-
ing In hostile waters. The cruisers
ARE ordered to spread themselves out
sn the vanguard OF the feet on look
out duty. They steam along without
lights Of any description These great
vessels. invisible as the night can make
them. are brOOdng on the troubled WA
ters. Yet they are very alive Cease
lessly they communicate one with I'M
other. for in each vessel, hidden hs TAR
as possible from external view Is the
soundess and padded wireless room
Here the operator Is at work, the cleo
tric lamp glowing brilliantly above
him hui messenger enters with an
order from the commander lmme-
diately as the handle Of the door 10
touched and pulled open by the entrant
the lights 20 out and pitch darkness
prevails until once ugan the door ID
closed behind hin and automatically
the lights are switched on That is
part Ut the secrecy which prevails ON
battipship In time OF war
The men OH lookout duties are sta
toned in various parts throughout the
cruiser Their duty is to keep their
eyes open aS there Is always Il chance
that one Of the enemy's destroyers may
come rushing along al q speed II some
thirty miles IN hour shoot 4 torpedo
into the ship and get away unseathed.
At the best III times II takes cunning
gunnery 10 strike d vesse going ut
this speed but IN the darkness possi-
bilities of tile marauder's escape are
increased teufoId. and only the eyes Of
the crew and watchers can as far as
possible. safeguard mishap AS soon
as anything IS sighted il b reported to
the battle feet This * done by the
wireless ana the operator is compel
led 10 work AZ high pressure. for be has
~ read every peasdge q cruiser sends.
inform his captain and himself get In
touch win The Beet II his officer should
desire 10 send reply. Then there Is
the admfrai Of a Heet ~ he considered
The operator misi Keep GOOD lookout
III case srme battle order should be
transmitted from this Important quar-
ter
All this time. remember, the ship is
cruising Al imminent risk not only
from the actllai attacks Of secret en-
envy out from the danger Of floating
mines and even aerial attack. II re-
quires no little personal courage. there
fore. for the operator to remain IN that
closed wireless cabin. whence should
disaster occur there is no chance of
escape. and all the time ne must keep
his head md send Hnd rpcrive mes