The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-01-24

T y Inc accounts ofthe recent raid OF
German a.rships on English towns
l. mention was made Of various
lights. red. green. white. which
were noticed on land and at sea and
which II is suspected were shown by
German agents to guide the raiders. It
is argued that without some such sig
nails the German nicrs could not have
found their way.
1t Is plain sailing for an airship in
daylight in good weather. But after
nghtfall or in fog the aviator is handi-
capped by the lack Of landmarks. 1t
has therefore been found necessary TO
devise means II signalling so tina. the
a 'rman can check his course under
such circumstances.
The Germans. with their Characters
tic regard for details. nave worked out
onc Of the most practical systems for
the guidance ~ the aviator and for tho
exchange of messages. Much prepare
tory work Of this X nd has been done
near Berlin at the famous aviation field
In Jolanulsthal. \ visitor to this
centre of German aeronautics tells the
following story III what he saw there.
We arrived about 10 O'Clock at night
al the Johanristhal aviation field. where
We expected to- welcome an aviator
friend upon his return from a flight.
\ tine dr!zzlc was failing that blurred
nearby objects and the night was inky
dark aud seemed 20 close in upon one
al . short distance. How. We asked
ourselves could the pilot lind his land
ing place? But We were soon to see
the manner in which thy was made
possible by facilities there
While we were pulling our heads
about the matter, from "A tower at the
NORTH end OF the field fiashlight APP
plratus kept sending forth intermit-
tcnty dazzling beams. First one flash
then two and then a final group OF
three IN rapid succession. These seemed
to cut their way through the fogike
drz1le with the kcenness Of white
hot blade.
THAT IS the Banag hashligat' an
nounccd our officer guide, which tells
tho aviator without fail by night and
In time Of fog that he is approaching
ne Nv la lbl VIVA W b'lillHsSAllftis I tl'
flashes. I-II--III pause -I--IT--III--
pause, represent 1913. which Is the Off
cial number OF this field according to
the aviator's handbook The aeronaut
GUIDED in this fashion knows to a GER
rainty whore his objective lies and he
can thus reach II by the shortest
route
"'rhe source Of light for this appa-
-. ri l0aF .ll..at rio or lDDlnC fha
latter using acetylene or baugas An
electrically illumned Bamag hashlight
of $4,000 candle power Is provided with
special aviltion lamps. surrounded by a
series of lenses which make the rays
visible in clear weather for a distance
of at least thirty miles. The designa-
ton number, such as the 1923 for Jo-
hannisthal, Is produced by a special
apparatus the ingenious construction
Of which enables the operator 20 fash
any desired numeral by a simple ma
nipulat ion Of the prisms,
While practice has proved that
flashes Of not more than eight-tenths
Of a second are sufficient in signalling
the designating numbers, still it has
been deemed advisable 10 sustain the
last flash for a period Of five seconds
The prolonging Of the final fash in
forms the aviator that the signal is
terminated. and at the same time II
gives him a point toward which TO
steer.
And just how simple is the operation
NJ the installation The flashlight Is
automatic in its action, and will send
forth it's guiding beams until the cur
rent is switched of. All that the oper-
ator has 10 do is to set it for the code
or number that he desire.
ION top ~ mountains and where cleo
tric energy IL not available, gas is sub
situated, and this flashing can be used
with equal satisfaction. This type is
set In motion by tho turning on Of a
valve and the automatic lighting OF the
gas. Il works continuously so long as