Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1915-02-26
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nected with each other and with the shore by one
main cable. 1t is only when current Of elec-
trcity is turned on that they become dangerous
under other circumstances they are dead" and
harmless But when they are "alive" II a ship
hits them, circuit is automatically closed and the
water is quickly strewn with her remains Vari.
Gus ingenious means have been devised for bring
ing about this closing Of the circuit one Of them
being little cup partly filled with mercury,
which. II tilted by a 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 a floating mine
was at the siege Of Antwerp by the Spaniards in
1855. The besiegers being able to make little or
no headway In their attacks upon the stout walls
OF the city, resorted to a novel and unheard-of
stratagem. Loading a ship with a great quantity
of gunpowder. they set her adrift at a 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 a pre-
viously arranged fuse.
The idea worked out however. in a wav 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 it. and,
adopting the suggestion offered them by the en-.
emy. sent out a similar gunpowder boat under full
sail against the Spanish fleet 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-
hcations while the enemy was passing over them.
BY such means whole regiments are said to have
been annihilated. The expedent is by no means
new. but the methods adopted are of up-to-date
and superior ingenuity.
Suppose for example, that piece Of road is to
be mined The internal machine is concealed from
view by spreading over it few inches of earth.
In consists in part of small electric battery
provided with two wires: of which communi.
Gates with receptacle containing large quantity
of high explosive, while the other runs to an ar.
rangement called "springboard" When a man
or horse steps on the springboard piece Of metal
beneath the latter is brought into contact with a
projecting pin. thereby completing a circuit which
igntes fuse
The same idea Is easily applied to a bridpe
In the case Of fort a system Of more scientific
ally constructed mines may render every approach
waiting volcano, a switchboard inside the de-
fenses enabling the besieged to explode them at
the moment when they likely to kill the great.
est number of men.
In modern warfare wholesale killing takes the
place OF the oldfashioned military murder by re-
tail Doubtless, as time goes on, Improvements,
In this direction will steadily progress. The Brit.
ish and Germans have both been experimenting
with means whereby Ut is hoped) submarine
mines may be set of 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 Englishmans invention
and Is the only kind OF fish torpedo used in the
British navy. Oddly enough. the similar devils