The Fayette falcon. (Somerville, Tenn.) 190?-current, 1915-02-05
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nected with each other and with the shore by one
main cable. It is only when a current of cleo
tricity is turned on that they become dangerous;
under other circumstances they are dead" and
harmless. But when they are alive" II ship
hits them, circuit is automatically closed and the
water is quickly strewn with her remains. Varl
GUS ingenious means have been devised for bring
Ing about this closing Of the circuit one Of them
being a little cup partly filed with mercury,
which, II tilted by shock, causes the mercury to
reach metal bar. This does the business and
bang goes the mine
1t is interesting Just now to consider the fact
that the very first employment Of floating mine
was at the siege Of Antwerp by the Spaniards in
1855. The besiegers, being able to make little or
no Roadway in their attacks upon the stout walls
OF the city, resorted to a novel and unheardot
stratagem Loading ship with great quantity
Of gunpowder. they set her adrift at time when
the wind and tide would surely bring Ter up
against the sea wall; and, when she was tolerably
close, two men on board OF her ignited pre-
viously arranged fuse.
The idea worked out, however, in a way not
at all In accordance with the plan contemplated
For the sturdy burghers OF Antwerp repaired the
damage done to the wall by the explosion before
the besiegers could take advantage of Il, and,
adopting the suggestion offered them by the en-.
envy, sent out similar gunpowder boat under full
sail against the Spanish feet and. blew up one OF
their biggest ships.
In recent news dispatches a good deal has been
said about the use OF mines on land for the oppor.
tune blowing up Of bridges approaches to forti-
fcations while the enemy was passing over them.
BY such means whole regiments are said to have
been annihilated. The expedient is by no means
new. but the methods adopted are of uptodats
and superior ingenuity
Suppose, for example, that piece OF road is to
be mined. The Internal machine Is concealed from
view by spreading over II few inches OF earth.
In consists In part Of a small electric battery.
provided with two wires one OF which communi.
Gates with receptacle containing large quantity
OF high explosive. while the other runs to an ar.
rangement called "springboard" When man
or horse steps on the springboard. piece Of metal
beneath the latter Is brought into contact with
projecting pin, thereby completing circuit which
ignites fuse
The same idea is easily applied to q bridge
In the case Of fort. system OF more scientific
ally constructed mines may render every approach
waiting volcano, q switchboard inside the de-
lenses enabling the besieged to explode them at
the moment when they are likely to kill the great
est number Of men.
In modern warfare Wholesale killing takes the
place Of the old-fashioned military murder by re
tail. Doubtless as time goes on, Improvements"
In this direction win steadily progress The Brit
fish and Germans have both been experimenting
with means whereby CT Is hoped submarine
mines may be set on by wireless apparatus They
are also trying to contrive a submarine FISH tor
pedo" (resembling the Whitehead) which can be
steered from shore to attack hostile ship per.
haps miles from land
The Whitehead Is an Englishman's invention,
and Is the only kind Of fish torpedo used IN the
British navy. Oddly enough, the similar devils