Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1915-01-23
SIGNAL CORPS SUPPLIES
''NERVES" OF THE ARMY

One fact has been brought out pre-
eminently in Europe by the tit2ni:
struggle which is being waged there;
That is the increased importance Of
the work of the signal corps in mod
ern warfare work that has hereto
fore been considered by all of the
powers in the light of secondary ad
iunct. The marvellous network Of
communication established by the Ger
mans and the Allies throughout Bel
GUM and France, principally under the
spur of necessity, has demonstrated
the inestimable value of such an ar
rangement when troops are to be NOV
ed simultaneously over wide areas and
caused a stir of activity among the
departmental heads in our own coun
try, with a view of increasing the
efficiency Of our own signal corps.
The field telephone in its little lea
Their case, the "buzZer" telegraph that
works without wires, the brass-bound
trunk carried a-muleback and filed
with wireless apparatus that can be
set up at a. moments notice-these
are the Nerves of Wharf.-The far-hung
gangalia of the military brain that reg
lister strategical and tactical informa
ton to the commanding officer and
the various divisions of the army.
; AS a rule the signal corps travels
far ahead of even the scouting divi'
sion of the army. Theirs is the work
Of mounting a hilltop, the upper crests
CT mountain ridges, climbing the tall
est trees and flashing back to the main
body of the army, observations OF
what they see ahead-the movements
of the enemy, the approach OF oppos'
ing scouting parties and the like. %
Supplant the Telegraph.
| Formerly this was accomplished by
means of a Photograph. a small COM
bination of mirrors and shutters, that
. reflected the sunlight for, few score
miles in clear weather. This refec-
ton was broken up into short and
long impulses corresponding to the
dots and dashes of the Morse tele.
graphic code, and with 1t the signal
: corps men spelled out their bits OF
information slowly and labriously.
This device was discarded in the
Transyaal in 1889 when Boer and Brit
on locked horns beneath a feverish,
sun-shot sky. The twinkling mirrors,
seen and read by keen-eyed bushmen
| frequently frustrated the most import
ant plans and had to be supplanted'
The substitution of the field wireless
sets after many experiments, marked
a new era in signaling overland, the
additional objection to the telegraph
that il would not work in cloudy wea'
! Their or at night being entirely obviat'
ed by the wireless, which worked at
all times.
Wireless apparatus designed FOL
army use present many curious phe
nomena. Ordinarily it is carried in
small trunk that weighs approximate
~ 100 pounds. Another trunk contain
| ing storage batteries also forms par
of the equipment. In service the two
trunks are strapped on each side OF
a patient army mule, in the manner
| OF the panniers of French peasants
and may be transported any distance
! with absolute safety.
In action, the trunks are unloadeo
and a collapsible pole or a tall tree
utilize as a mast. From the top. foul
/ wires are suspended about thirty fee'
| long. A nail connected to the appara
: tus is pushed in the ground, and the
set is ready for work. Communlca
| ton may be carried on with set o.
| this nature, over distance OF 2O'
| miles with similar set at headquar
tiers. 1t is seldom that signal corps
| works that far ahead of the main
army, hence the equipment is amply
sufficient for all performances.
! In the field telephone and "buzzer,
sets, used by the signal corps and car
J ried in a small leather case strapped
to the hip, the perfection OF rapid
| army communication has been reach
ed. The buzzer itself is similar IN con
! struction to the ordinary buzzer used
| In offices to summon stenographeri