Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-05-22

".
Navy Department. recently played it's
second war game" this time for the
purpose of testing the efficiency of
me telephone and telegraph systems
OF the country in case OF war. The
demonstration lasted for two DAYS. in
witch tho United States was supposed
10 DC on tho owe OF mobilization. Word
was received that an imaginary enemy
mad been sighted or the Atlantic Coast.
and Secretary Daniels ordered the
United states battleship New Hamp-
shire OH scouting duty b. wireless
telephone. The naval officials comm,i-
nicated with the various nuvy-yards
ny long Substance telephone, and the
,eleGraph wires were kept busy send
Ing and receiving war messages
among other things. word was re-
ce'Ved from tho Brooklyn Navy-Yard
that the Brooklyn Bridge had been
blown up by the enemy, several new
SHIPS mad been damaged, and they were
waiting Tor orders. This particular
message was SO much in Keeping with
anonymous threats recently addressed
|" the Navy Department that II came
near being accepted at face value Aa
result Of these threats. BrookIvn
Bridge. as we'll as other bridges. ia
patroiled by detective force, which
looks askance at every pedestrian with
nuigihs pockets or packages Aftor
the FIRST startled moment, the navy.
Sard got It's orders right back over
the telephone
since the officials were compelled m
give up their Sunday holiday 10 tho
war game, they determined to get as
ihucf iun out OF II as possible Thev
asked the hardest questions OF tbs
nhNy-yards and the navy-yards rotoI-
,a.ed by doing the same thing. This
was All very good for tho cause sInca
90 answer fair question dealfnr WITH
ms snecfal line OF work, IL was "a
icrIed 10 sort of umpire, who man.
!. MS business to find out why. ANY
apparent lack OF efficiency was inm.,
diatcly Investigated for updor a.,.o,
war conditions tho work ~ eaoh '1.uhi
Is tremendously Important and IN
S'tshtest mistake may cause tho r,a,.
est blunder. ''e great
heid Long Distance Talks.
Io,,, ,;n. 'i'chtlon was established bv
's Instance Telephone over thous,nds
81 ,es OF wire with naval stations AZ
Ne" 1ork, Chicago. Norfolk. P.ns,coia
San Diego and Puget Sound Snnra'
'ary Daniels sat at his desk ana c,li
ca up United States Battlcshin Ee,,
hampshire. which was stationed n,
'pt"h ROADS. The telephone oper-
al the Navy Department trans
nii''eo the communication to tho ArI-
'hston wireless stations. where ~
secretary's voice was projected in,o
'he ether by wireless and carried to
me pattleship where the wireless oner.
a,or received 1t and transmitted II
through the telephone to tho captain
Thus the voice of Secretarv DANIEL.
IN Washington was clearly heard nv
captain Chandler on board the Nov.
Hampshire. lying of Hampton Roads.
ne Secretary OF the Navy told Can
tain Chandler that the enemy had been
CT q
to get tho New Hampshire under wav
Immediately III the role OF scout. Can
tain Chandler replied that the New
Hampshire could not get under way un-
III 10 o'clock the next morning. 10
which the secretary replied that 10
o'clock would be satisfactory. and for
the ship to report her position every
hour thereafter to the government sta
lions at Arlington. Such report was
made by telephone for the first time
in the history OF the world
Private Company Helped.
During tho two days in which the
war game lasted all telephone and
telegraph facilities were put at tho
disposal OF the government by the
American Telegraph and Telephone
Company In order to show It's ability
to take care Of government messn ges
In time OF war This company has es-
tabiished preparedness station in the
Navy Department which is to CO.
operate with the government wireless
stations In perfecting a system OF
communication, Of efficiency which no
country has ever had before All the
latest Geographic and telephone de-
vices arc to be placed in this station
FOR example. one machine permits the
sending and receiving simultaneously
OF eight mcssages-that is. four out
going and four incoming-over sim
gle wire.
One man, after viewing this appara-
tus and hearing the result Of the
conversation by wireless telephone
said that absolutely nothing could
astonish him in the future RI he
were suddenly handed an excursion
ticket by aeroplane to Mars. he said.
he would accept il with perfect cana
nmity.
Yet II has only been n matter OF
about seventy years that the telegram,
has been in existence, and acuuaint-
ances Of Professor Morse were certain
OF his insanity. In 1914, a New York
the first copy of tho Governors speech
to reach its Office. One OF tho first
telegraph lines had just been comploted
between New York and Albany and
was the subject OF much conjecture I'm
these communities. The majority Of
the people were frankly OF the opinion
that IT was simply waste of money
so that when tho New York paper
made It's offer tho people unhcsitat-
insly provided relays OF horses with
which to carry. the message and beat
tho telegraph. Great crowds gathered
along the roadside to SEQ the messen-
gers gallop past. AS they rode mt n.
furious pace into New York the news
boys were calling "Extra--rull COPY Of
Governors message This was the
first complete victory OF the tcIe-
graph.
Since then, we have had no more his
toric rides. Paul Revore's record haa
mover boon effaccd. and individuals