New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-11-18

propelled by an electric motor derlv-
ing its power from storage battery, and
guided by means Of electromagnetic
waves sent out from a transmitter on
shore. He equipped his torpedo with
short masts between which were
stretched the wires forming the an
tenna. Wireless telegraphy was then
in a crude state, having just been IN
troduced by Marconi, and il is doubtful
whether Tesla would have had much
success with his wireless II he had
tried his craft under practical condi-
tons. But even if he did achieve sue
cess in the required degree the fact
remains that his crewless craft only
solved half the problem. There still
remained that Of seeing the craft at
a distance from the control station.
Following in Tesla's footsteps,
numerous other inventors have from
time TO time come forth with a wire
less controlled craft. Perhaps every
country in Europe has had at least one
such device developed within It's bor-
ders some time during the last fifteen
or twenty years, and in each case the
device has been loudly greeted as the
solution of the naval problem, only 20
be ushered into Oblivion in a gradual
and unOstentatious manner shortly at
terward. The truth of the matter is
that while IL is possible 20 control
craft by wireless at the present state
of the art, there are so many difficult
ties in the way of operating such
weapon that IL is hardly practicable.
Then there is always a possibility that
the willy enemy can make the torpedo
do all kinds of unscheduled tricks by
interfering with its mechanism or
merely by sending out waves Of
length TO which the receptor Of the tor
pedo is attuned.
A few years ago John Hays Ham
mond, jr., conducted an interesting
series of experiments with wireless
controlled craft developed by himself
and staff of assistants in Gloucester
harbor, Mass. On one occasion his
motor boat Natalia made a twenty
eight-mile trip out 10 sea and return,
with no one on board; and no diff
Guilty was experienced in navigating
the vessel from the shore station.
This same craft was safely guided
through dense harbor traffic by the
wireless operator on shore. and in
every way proved the possibilities Of a
understandable craft when properly
developed. Young Hammond's scheme,
like others before him. called for the
protection OF our coasts by large num-
bers of understandable torpedo
boat destroyers, guided from observa-
ton towers placed at regular inter
walls along our shores.
Hammond, jr., no doubt has gone fur
Their into this problem than any other
investigator, and he has had every ia
cility at his command 70 carry out
experiments on an extensive scale. De-
tails concerning the mechanism ne en-
good and sufficient reasons, but there
is ample reason TO believe that he
solved many Of the difficulties which
have heretofore branded the wireless
controlled torpedo or torpedo boat de-
stroyer as nothing more than labora-
tory or lecture room toy.
All of which leads up TO the German
crewless raiders of the present day.
According TO a statement issued by the
British Admiralty, the present raiders
are in the form Of motor boats PRO-
PEELED by twin gasolene engines, par
TALLY closed in, and capable of travel
ling at a high rate Of speed. Each
raider carries a drum with between
thirty and fifty miles Of insulated sin
gle core cable, which is paid out In
the wake of the craft, and which serves
70 maintain electrical connection with
the shore operator. The foreP-e~' OF
the craft carries a considerable charge
of high explosive, probably from 3OO
t. 500 pounds in weight.