The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1917-10-04
The Submarine and Kindred Problems;
SUGGESTIONS Receive Careful Attention
bulletin Issued by Nav al Construction Board)

IN the present emergency indi-
"a,o the patriotic fervor of the mass
If our citizen.. The board makes a
oaref,l examination of every proposal
onted To facilitate this work, by
a,ggesting the elimination OF imprae-
s,ao1 ideas. the board calls to the at
.anton of those who desire to assist
!, some of the popular miseoncep-
.iops as to certain fundamental prln-
o,n,es which are most frequently mis-
understood by the layman.
Electro Magnets and Magnetism.
Tho electro magnet, the magnetic
noodle. permanent magnets, and mag
.ot;sm have been carefully studied
sor MANY years; and the laws govern
inc their application may be found IN
INV hook on the subject Although
chase laws are generally known, and
annlied in a practical manner in
multitude of devices in common use,
oven the man of wide experience will
ho astonished at the limited range OF
practical effect of electromagnetic Of
large size. For instance, the magnets
used in our manufacturing plants for
lifting heavy masses of iron or steel
are designed to exercise maximum
magnetic effect, and for operation re-
ouire a very considerable amount of
electrical energy; yet magnet which
ran lift twenty tons, when placed in
contact with an iron plate of that
weight, will not lift a two-inch cube
Of iron or steel if separated from it
distance of two feet. Therefore pro-
posed devices which depend on the at
tractive power of magnets for their
operation in DETECTING or arresting
torpedoes, mines or submarines, must
be governed by the simple laws of
magnetism. A torpedo weighing ap-
proximately $500 pounds and travelling
at a speed of 25 to As miles an hour,
will not be DETECTED to any practical
degree by any known application of
magnetism; and it is not believed that
an enemy torpedo, mine or submarine
will ever be found in position to be
interfered with effectively by any cleo
tro-ma ghetto means, however power
full
There Is a general misconception re-
garding the identification of water
and the atmosphere. There is no
known method of charging the sea
with electricity, or shooting bomb of
electricity, or of charging the atmo-
sphere with electrocuting current.
Suggestions along these lines should
show that the writer has made re-
search in the laws governing the ap-
plication of electrical energy and they
should contain sufficient proof of their
feasibility to insure serious consider
alton. On the other hand, applica-
tons of the transmission Of electrical
energy by means of alternating or
pulsating currents-as used in Wire
less systems, for example-belong to
a different class of electrical develop
ment Inventive genius is rapidly i'm
proving apparatus Of this type for the
sending and receiving of signals and
messages, and the possibility of valu-
able results in this field is unlimited.
Protection Against Submarine Attack.
This subject, which is occupying the
public mind as is no other, divides it
self into a number of problems the
most important being the following:
(a) Means of discovering the ap-
proach of hostile submarine and To-
eating it so as to permit OF prompt
action for combating it's attack.
(b) Protection of cargo carrying
ships by nets. guards and screens.
(c) Protection through decreasing
the visibility of vessels.
(d) Methods of destroying or
destroying or binding a hostile sub
marine.
Submarines, to operate most effect
lively, must APPROACH within close range
of the vessel which is intended to be
torpedoed The installation of offens-
i've weapons on the merchant marine
has increased the necessity for the ut
most care being exercised by the sub
marine commander in remaining un-
seen by the officers on the vessel to be
attacked.
Reports from abroad indicate that IN
many cases submarines must nave re-
NAMED along certain lanes OF travei
for periods extending into weeks OF
waiting with the expectation of torpe-
doing certain vessels. Under certain
favorable conditions where the waters
are less than 200 feet in depth, SUD-
marine might lie at rest on the bot
tom, and If equipped with sensitive
listening devices attempt to detect the
approach Of vessel. AS soon as this
evidence was secured the submarine
might come to the surface for a quicf
observation by means Of the perl
scope and in this manner obtain thf
proper aim which would be required
to register an effective hit. In cas-
the water is more than 200 feet II
depth a submarine must be kept II
motion to obtain steerage way In or
der to hold it's proper depth OF SUD
mergence. This speed may not exceed
or miles per hour, but to renal
submerged, and at the same time un
observed, the water must be at leas