The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-04-18
ny CLEVELAND MOFFETT,

II 1914. there returned from
\ abroad an American inventor,
Prof. r. A. Fessenden. who re-
ported to his associates in the Subma-
rine Signal Company of Boston. Mass.
that one OF the great European
Powers q am not at liberty to say
which one), after thorough tests. had
decided to equip several of its battle
ships with the Fessenden electric os-
cillator, an instrument that promises
to change the conditions of naval war
fare. especially the relations of bat
tleships and submarines.
He announced. furthermore, that an
other great Power was in active nego-
tiation for this American invention,
the practical value of which will prob
ably be demonstrated with startling
effect in one of the not.distant sea
battles.
Not only will this electric oscillator
be of immense Importance in time of
war. but it bids fair to render still
greater service in time of peace by in
surfing ships against collisions at sea,
either with one another or with Ice
bergs. Recent tests by the United
States revenue cutter Miami demon
strated this latter point in a memoir
able cruise through the iceberg region
OF the banks of Newfoundland dur
ing the month Of April, 1914.
To put it simply. this Fessenden oc-
cillator Is a submarine sounding ap-
paratus that sends its signals through
the water not through the air. one re-
suit being that these signals travel
more swiftly than they would through
the air, since sound moves through
water at the rate of 400 feet a sec
ond. while through the air it moves
at the rate Of only loo feet a second
All seafaring men know the I'M
trustworthiness of sound warnings
sent through the air from steam
whistles or steam sirens. These
warnings are often unheard even at
a very short distance, say one mills
or less. owing to adverse wind con-
ditions. or To dsconcerting holes in
the air. or to unfavorable reflections
or sk!ppings of the sound from the
waters surface. For this reason SUBJ
marine bells have for years been used
with excellent results on lightshlps
and buoys, and 10 some extent on
moving vessels, their warnings being
transmitted for miles through the
water
In fact 1t was in trying to extend
me usefulness of these submarine
peiS' especially in connection with
ships mat Prof. Fessenden evolved
MS present electric osCillator and
solved the whole problem of protect
ing vessels from collisions at sea. His
system of submarine signalling IS
really Kind of water wireless des-
uned' perhaps, To as important a de-
Fe!opment as the aerial wireless.
a Few weeks ago in Boston I had n
talk with Prof, Fesscndou about his
invention at the factory of the Sinh
marine signal Company, a grimy and
resembling establishment. the birth.
pace or submarine bells, scores of
winch are now Changing forth their
warnings under the sea. elcCtricaI.. or
pneumatIcally, on buoys or HghtshipS
spaced along the perilous ocean
Ting"S of many lands
| found the professor in Iaboratorv
room hled with strange apparatus,
electrical instruments, a model of his
hi'il 'N'h A''''IS utttGlnr ana various
other Indications Of an inventive mind.
All his life Prof. Fcssondcn has been
an active explorer in new fields of
knowledge. For years he was assoc
ciated with Thomas \. Edison. He
was one of the pioneers in wireless
telegraphy, and his system of wircl, IS
transmission is used in the great Ar
Nngton towers at Washington. -. G.
Also his system of electric power
transmission was used by the Canadian
Government in distributing the energy
OF Niagara Falls through the Province
Of ontario. For years he was profess
sor of electricity and physics at the
University of Pittsburg. | have never
met man more kconly interested in
more different kinds of things.
In one corner of the factory, in a
fenced off space, we came to tine new
born osclllatOr, "A smallsh metal affair
no bigger than sewing machine with
many copper parts for the electrical
connections and a drumhead of solid
steel, twenty-five inches in diameter
and five eighths Of an inch thick, that
v.brates astonlshngly under the cleo
trio current and gives forth a sound
OF terrifying loudness.
Would you like to hear ito" asked
the professor, Then turning to an
assistant. "Are you ready?"