davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-11-18
By Austin c. Lescarboura


SURPRISED lot Of men must
n have been the crew OF the first
British warship TO be attacked by
an electrically controlled German raid
er. It was an entirely new experience,
even in this war Of surprises. Yet with
rare presence of mind the Britishers
found quick means of frustrating the
attack of the onrushing crewless de-
stroyer. navigated through the medium
of long cable by an operator miles
away on the Belgian coast. Since then
several crewless destroyers have been
encountered by Allied vessels cruising
rhe waters off the coast of Flanders, but
so far this latest scheme of the Ger
mans has proved OF no avail 20 them.
However that may be for the present or
in the future, the revival and practical
application of the crewless destroyer
idea is OF more than passing interest.
The present crewless destroyer -
anything but new idea. II belongs IN
the same class as the torpedo, the sub
marine. the torpedo plane. the torpedo
boat and other similar machinery de-
vised by inventors of this and past
generations as an answer 20 the war
ship. so that even the weakest nation
could possess a weapson which would
place II on an equal footing with the
nation possessing the most powerful
fleet afioat. In other words, inventors
have long endeavored to doom the
hattie fleets of the world 20 the junk
nile by means of new devices or ma
chimes.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-11-18
Dangers Repaid By
Beauties Not on Land

Another difficulty occurs in the water
tight chamber, itself The humidity Of
The cell would sometimes become 80
great that 10 would blurr the inner
sides Of the middle lenses-there are
four lenses In such camera-and moth
Ing more could be done until ! had as
eended 20 the barge, taken the lenses
apart and wiped the affected surfaces.
I BEGAN my assignment in steel
bali, three and quarters feet in
height and four feet In width, equipped
With a camera stand in the middle, a
Dst FOR the operator, q clear glass
loskout a teIephone, and intake and
srhsuat tubes for the air supply. The
ts5es and wires passed through a
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-11-18
Film Perils Modest
Compared With Facts

The film produced at that time has
overwhelmed audiences unacquainted
with the actual perils of its production.
To rs. who risked our lives for 10, the
pi,t,ire seems a tame and inadequate
presentation Of the adventures through
which we passed in ocean depths, where
devil fish spread their giant tentaeles
70 choke us in a death embrace, and
angry sharks fought deadly comoats
with ihtruders in their vast domain.
During the six months m which /
explored the mysteries and braved the
perfs OF the deep, ! exposed 10000
feet Of film and of this vast cham
Of ocean-bed records only 200 feet
we're used in the finished production.
Uudersea pictures are obtained with
extreme difficulty. Il is at all times
hard 20 get ones bearings for scene
on the ocean floor, owing 70 maSnityIng
effects o. the water. Things appear
larger and closer than they really are.
and this makes il necessary 20 have
the stage and relative distances almost
four times as great as under oicina7y
conditions. Al other times the opposite
state is true. I once tried 20 take
picture az a distance OF eighty feet
and the object-a submarine-ll fect
in length. registered as though 1t were
three hundred feet away. This pecu-
liarity lasts only an hour or so, when
the usual magnifying condition returns.
Another effect Of the water is that
when the surface is marvellously clear
there will be a murkiness underneath,
while the contrary, also, is often true
The camera, too, sometimes fails to get
outlines undersea that are perfectly de-
fined 20 the eye, and often catches
objects that are not beheld, az all, by
any human being. The combination Of
light and currents produces strange
Effects. not understood, al yet, in deep
sea photography. and clear pictures at
depth below ffty-odd feet are prac-
tical.y impossible. At eighty feet no
daylight is available. A twilight con-
e.tion prevails, and the use Of large arc
ligats, $500 candiepower each, has been
found % dazzle" the film and give u
milky appearance. This is caused by
TOO intense reflections oceasi0ned by
the movement Of the water. / finally
Induced the director 20 abandon his
theories about the advantage OF arc
lights a. great depths, and 20 confne
operations 20 marine studios ilumin-
sted By daylight.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-11-18
u. S. Diplomacy
Also Has a Blind Eye

"And our people nave no moHOPN,y
in this sort Ct thing. Take the people
Of America, now, for example Inc!
bavo said 10 themselves that they are
Inc greatest lovers Of freedom, OF IN
ternational righteousness ana peAce'
such a thing as fighting other people
over the disputes OF the otner people
territory was the most mohsiouS
thing imaginable.
when the United States annexed
Texas. New Mexico and Upper Can
fornia. in 1913, and later Hawaii, the
Philippines and the islands IN the
caribbean. il was solely for the sake
of humanity and international right
eousness. There was not the slightest
shadow of aggressive imperialism, not
the remotest shadow OF an idea OF e&-
tending the territory Of the United
States, or her economic and CONNER
cial advantages; il was done purely
and simply for the happiness and pros
peritv of the people Of Texas and New
Mexico and California.
"When America forced the recogni-
ton of the Republic of Panama on the
Colombian government 1t was aDso-
!,telv for the defence OF the United
Sts,es and the good of the people Of
Colombia and Of the Canal Zone. And
50 il was. Only the American people,
ike the japanese, did not, could not
see how the people and government Of
Colombia stubbornly refused 70 extend
an eager invitation 10 hear President
Roosevelt on his lecture tour through
South American states.
"Our coed American friends are
scandalized 10 hear that an English
writer like J. VI. Kennedy could write
a book on Imperial America or that
some japanese newspapers and maya
zines. however yellow, could ever think
of the United States in terms OF polit-
"The simple fact Of the matter is
that our school children never hear
OF the breaking Of Japan's solemn
pledge for the maintenance Of the in
dependence Of Corea, any more than
the American children read in their
school histories of the violation OF the
treaty of 1916, in which the United
States guaranteed the rights Of SOW
ereignty and ownership which New
Granada (the present Colombia) holds
and possesses over the territory IN
question, namely, the Canal Zone.
president Roosevelt took the Canal
Zone because 10 was essential for the
national defence of the United States.
japan annexed Corea for the Same rea-
SON. Only COLOMBIA was not menacing
the very existence of the United States,
while Gorea certainly was through her
intrigues with Russia.
"Now, the American newspapers
never kept on telling their readers OF
the somewhat scattered fragments OF
the Colombian treaty. But some OF
them told in more or less Acrid terms
Of the rape OF Corea.' On the other
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-11-18
Dangerous Fishes Make
Divers Work a Series
of Deadly Adventures
pv Eugene Gaudio. Camera Man,
and Henry Clay Foster

<fxT oU'VE surely got nine lives
like cat" said the director
- OF q marine drama TO me,
-,.,Ihad been resuscitated after my
ventures in the bottom Of the ocean.
aWs worked like fury, but we didn't
.xnset 70 see you alive when we got
you
Law. soaked with blood and sea
r...r in a state OF semi-consciousness
tor a long time, on the deck Of the
hsrre. ffty-fve feet above the ocean
nd where / had been photographing
combat with a giant shark. The tele-
,.ope down which l had been lowered
had broken close up TO the barge when
,,s steel chamber in which I worke !
.truek q sand mound and stuck lowed
Nv our yacht, the barge moved on, bend
ing the telescope chimney so that all
NV tubes were squeezed, cutting Off
the air. Sealed in this marine coffin,
trsn,ieally telephoned up intelligence
o, ny predicament.
During those terrible moments when
The yacht had to be signalled TO stop,
,,verse its course, cables detached and
rssttaehed TO the other end Of the tow,
I sat- noting the change Of oxygen in
nv tiny cell, and wondering how long
man could live on the supply left me.
Ths torments Of air pressure. terrific
s.st and cramped position began 70
~. Realizing that my only chance OF
M. lay in alertness, l struggled against
~ faintness that was overcoming me,
listening eagerly for any sound that
would indicate the approach OF res
euers. Ny mind followed, in agony, the
slow movements Of both boats, while
was being asphiXiated.
Instead Of q signal Of relief 9 grind
ing tearing sound from above broke on
nv ears. Water began 10 pour on my
head in bucketfuls. The torrent IN
creased in volume. Instantly | realized
hat the telescope had broken in reao-
iustment and that my only hope lay Il
getting out of my chamber before II
fued with water. There was no ladder.
| scrambled up that steel chimney,
clinging 70 its joints, the water beat
ine me back with increasing power. |
swallowed il, gasping. as ] tried %
breathe. battling up that ffty-fve feet
Of oeean-flled tube, until it seemed my
muscles would no longer respond 70 my
frantic efforts. At that moment Of col
lapse. my head suddenly shot above the
surface and ] caught gasp OF pure
air. A second more, and the rescuing
crew had lifted me 70 safety.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-11-18
Inventors Busy With
Device in Past

Inexpensive, readily constructed IN
large numbers and lending itself most
admirably TO the defence OF coasts, the
crewless destroyer or directive torpedo
has in the past received its due snare
Of attention from the inventors guild
As far back as 1885 the British con-
ducted experiments with an electrically
controlled craft named the Vernon 10y
the purposes of coast defence. 81.
over a score OF years ago the oIils-
Edison torpedo was introduced. ms
directive torpedo was driven through
the water by an electric motor carried
within the shell, and was steered by
exciting certain magnets which con-
trolled the steering gear. Current Tor
operating the motor and magnets was
supplied through a flexible cable wh'ch
was wound upon p reel carried within
the steel body of the torpedo, with one
end connected 10 the shore. AS the
directive torpedo travelled through the
water the cable was paid out in its
wake. and in order 20 maintain the eX-
plosiye charge at the proper depth the
torpedo proper was attached to a canoe
shaped float. To enable the operator
10 follow the course of this odd craft
two small fagstaifs were carried on the
float. and By keeping his eye on these
the operator was supposed 70 be aoie
20 steer the deadly weapon unerringly
on its course. By night two colored
lights were carried at the top Of the
AagstaFs. each being hooded in such
a way as TO be visible TO the operator
and invisible TO the enemy.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-11-18
How America Could Know
Japan and Work With Her
Commissioner to u. S. Says Countries
Are Equally Culpable in Each Others
Ewes and Innocent in Their Own-Sug-
gests Disarmament in Pacific Islands

hand. the japanese papers never spoke
of the murdered Corean independence,
but called attention 20 the i'm
perialstic strides of the giant America
over the Pacific through the occupation
Of Hawaii, Guam and the Philippines.
and there is the whole thing.
Suppose, now. America were 10 put
herself in the shoes Of Japan and then
take a comprehensive look upon what
Japan has done in Corea and China?
A. the same time let Japan look upon
the annexation Of Texas, New Mexico,
Hawaii, the Philippines and what Mr..
Roosevelt did with Colombia over the
Panama Canal through American eyes.
"Our American friends would doubt
legs say of US:
well, those Japs behave scanda-
lousy over there sometimes, but, then,
we do q little behaving on our own ac-
count on this side OF the water of and
on. Those rascals have a canny way
Of looking after the interests of num-
Der one-pretty nearly as much as we
have over here, when we think Of Il a
bit. Hang b. all. they are human, after
all, like most Of us
"And that will be about the most
eloquent and final epitaph on all the
American-Japanese war talk"
what about the japanese soldiers
going 10 Europe?' | asked.
81 like 20 dream Of it," said he,
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-11-18
United States Military
Growth Logical

What do you think Of the effect Of
all this stupendous expansion Of
American military power on the Far
East? ?" / asked.
ITO the japanese il is the most logi-
cal thing in the world, as you know"
he said. with something over 10000
miles of coast line, the United States
should have a much more imposing
navy even than the splendid feet she
commands at present. And the great
new army which is being whipped into
shape to-day is none too large for the
country, which is a good deal more
than thirteen times the size OF the
entire Empire of Japan.
There is one thing | am rather ap-
prehensive Of Il is the effect that the
sudden and tremendous expansion Of
American arms might have on China.
The United States might increase her
naval power along her Pacific seaboard
10 any extent; she might strengthen
her Notifications along her Pacific
Slope. All that would not have the
slightest effect upon the Chinese.
America might turn Hawaii into a great
fortified military and naval base, and
even that would not impress the major
portion Of the Chinese politicians, be-
cause al ludL Is 100 lar from 0hlNd.
"But IL the United States were 70 in
crease her army 10 a sensational de-
gree in the Philippines and maintain
an imposing Aslatic fleet based at
Philippine port, that would have an
immediate and profound effect upon our
neighbor. Chinese are practical people.
They would draw their conclusions
from the increased armed might Of the
United States much quicker and more
readily than from the Lansing-Ishii
note.
IF America went on increasing her
garrisons in the Philippines and at the
same time If Japan were 10 20 ahead
terrifying the islands in the South
Seas which she had taken from Ger
many, the Chinese might think just
what they wish 70 think-namely,
that the United States has az last TAX
en- the effective means 10 Kill the pre-
tensions and aspirations OF Japan. IL
might look TO them that Japan and the
United States are in the race for the
armed supremacy in the Far Eastern
waters. And that is about the last
thing ! would like to think of-let
alone see--in fact. The moment the
Chinese politicians think il feasible 20
match the United States against Japan
and play their old fayorite game the
peace of the Far East is bound to suf-
fer.
what, therefore, l would like to see
is this:
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-11-18
Crewless Raider
Only a Freak Idea

Under average conditions the crew.
less raider would probably be OF no
more use than it has always been;
where other weapons Of naval warfare
can be employed, such as the subma-.
rine. the torpedo boat and the torpedo,
the idea is little more than a freak IN
vention, and 60 all intents must always
remain as such. Rear Admiral Brad
lev A. Fishes torpedo plane, which IS
nothing more nor less than sedplane
which carries two or more tOrpedOes
which are launched al a hostile surface
craft from a few thousand yards dis
tant, appears TO be far more promising
type Of battleship destroyer, and al
ready il has been successfully em-
ployed by the Germans against mer-
chant shipping. And there are other,
several other, ideas which have muen
more promise Of future success than
the crewless raider.
In conclusion. 10 is we'll 20 bear IN
mind that the German crewless raiders,
whether sperated electrically or wire~
lessly, are only practical under me con-
ditions existing of the coast 81 Flan-
ders, and even so, II Is doubtful n they
will catch the British OF their guard
But the Germans, even II they are our
foes. deserve credit for taking up an
old and discarded idea and working on
II and bringing 10 up 20 date, Just as
they have done in so many other direc-
tions during the present war. As usual,
they point the way TO the military en-
ployment OF old ideas In new form,
and the Allies and ourselves, taxing
the ideas from them, perfect them stili
further and use them IN our own good
turn.
Copyright. 1917, Otis F. Wood
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-11-18
Fighting Sharks to Thrill Movie Fans;
Camera Man Work on the Ocean Floor
Risks More Than Re-
paid by Sight of Fan
tastically Beautiful
Marine Grottos

tistry and flmy ferns. all this will
never fade from my memory. To feel
that through me the public has been
able 70 look upon some of these beau
ties for a few feeting seconds. makes
my experience in filming this daily
panorama of my undersea life all the
more worth while.
IL was among gardens like these that
met with the accident which called
forth the directors exclamation that
was possessed of nine lives. But even
when accustomed TO the pain Of air
pressure IL still requires a tremen
dous effort of will to endure it, even at
inconsiderable depths. At twenty feet
below the surface It was bad; at forty
feet IL was terrific, the pressure being
thirty-two pounds per square inch.
Below that depth it increased in pro-
portion, until, at eighty-fve feet, the
pressure must have been about sixty
five pounds to the square inch. At
any depth the temperature in my
little chamber rose rapidly and re-
NAMED at an almost unbearable mark
during every operation. The water
outside never seemed TO have any cool
ing effect upon it. When I made my first
descent | felt as though ! were being
SAOn NAuo " htall III q FA1t N4Gb
pressed with equal weight upon every
part of my body. The depression, the
crushing, impotent sensation, cannot b
described. Ny face flushed; my eyes
seemed to be starting from their sock
cts; my temples throbbed painfully;
my ears rang, my breath came in gasps
that set me wondering If ! could sur
vive till / reached the upper air again.
And when, at last, / was brought up
my condition was one OF complete ner-
vous and bodily exhaustion.
But the body will accustom itself to
almost anything, in some degree, and
was soon able TO endure the terrific
strain in a logged, half-stunned man
ner, and to do my work in spite Of the
discOmforts and even suffering that il
entailed. In spite of this, on the occa-
sion on which | went down So feet
which is, so far as | know, the record
for camera man in a chamber OF any
kind suffered untold agonies from
and could scarcely breathe
at all. / dared not open my mouth and
allow that terrible wise to press upon
my lungs inside. Blood flowed from
my nose and ears UNDECIDED, so grea.
was my torture. II is under condi
tons such as these that the wonders of
the deep are caught on the film and
brought to the upper world for the en-
tartainmput Of thousands
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-11-18
The Way the Plan
Will Work Out

Japan and the United States enter
into an agreement whereby the two
countries would practically do away
with Notifications and naval bases in the
South Seas of the coast Of China. Let
Japan agree not to fortify any of the
Marshall group Of islands, let her strip
her Formosa Of all~the signs % mill
tary or naval machinery, and. in ex-
change, let the United States agree not
20 fortify the Philippines. II this could
United States and Japan are completely
in accord in their Far Eastern policy.
and henceforth it is worse than
idle for the Chinese diplomatists even
to think OF such thing as to play us
against the United States.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-11-18
By Adachi Kinnosuke

llTHERE is not and never has
been any serious trouble be-
tween the United States and
japan, except a case Of auto-hypnosis''
said Mr.. Kotaro Michizuki, who might
he STYLED the brain Of the parlia-
mcntary commission from Japan
"And I don't mean 70 be cryptic IN
the least. Most Of us cannot hypnotlIe
other people very well, perhaps Dut We
can hypnotic our precious serves
most marvellously. We are "OJeor
slaves ~ adiectives, TO start with. Our
naonla in Japan have been saying that
Janan stands for international right
so,I -ness: her SOU is true and free OF
stains as the Samurai sword. We call
our country the land OF the gods every
action Of our country is as sacred ana
above criticism as the divinity our
coun+rv eushrinesl We have been say
inc this sort Of thing 70 ourselves so
often and so persistently that we nave
ali ended M by actually believing JUST
what We say. III, Ct.i,.
"Wben we went to war with emma
and took Formosa 1t was Tor the ue-
fence of our sacred land, Tor inc pres
ervation of our God-gven rights lV
was for the inestimable good OF the
Formosa natives, it was for the peace
of the Far East. When we annexed
Corea il was once more Tor Ihe us
fence, pure and simple, Of the very lie dis
If our nation; il was for the happiness
and prosperity Of our Corean neignoor'
i was for the cause OF both righteous
ness and l.eace in the Extreme East.
u" And so it was, of course. Only, we we
,oyer could see how in the name OF
sense and sanity the outsiders espe5,
cisIIv the Chinese, Formosans ana
Coreans. could see it in any other llsht
man our own viewpoint. We hypho-
Ted ourselves with the music OF our
,u-n vOices.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-11-18
Australia Tries
Crewless Boat

The Victoria. an Australian inven-
ton. differed from the SimS-tdlson
torpedo in being entirely submerslble
and in using compressed air instead OF
electricity as its motive power. When
first started, it hauled a cable after IT,,
unwinding il off a reel on shore, and
the first part of its course was covered
at a moderate speed, but wren the
operator had guided the torpedo 20
within striking distance OF the enemy
a current was sent through the caole,
releasing a reel on the torpedo which
then began TO pay out cable At the
same moment an electrical impulse
through the cable started the air en-
cines at full speed. and the final dash
for the victim was then made.
Still another directive torpedo or
crewless destroyer Of the later COS
was the Brennon, which received con-
siderable attention as the result Of its
being taken up by the British Ad-
miralty and subjected to exhaustive ex-
periments. Like all the torpedoes OF
the dirigible type, however, IL proved
to be only moderately successful, and,
in common with them, was not re-
garded with much favor by the naval
authorities. With two miles or more
Of cable trailing behind, as in the case
OF the Sims-Edison torpedo. one can
well imagine the difficulties of navi-
eating the crewless craft from shore.
Another important problem has always
been that Of visibility, and the flag
stats and lamps carried by such craft
can only be seen at a distance nearer
than three miles, so that their range
Of action is seriously limited.
To overcome the difficulties due to
the long cable wireless control was
suggested as far back as 1898 by Nikola
Tesla. the we'll known New York in
ventor. and made the subject OF a
United States patent granted him that
year. Tesla proposed using torpedo
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-11-18

lITHERE is not and never mas
been any serious trouble be-
tween the United States and
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-11-18
Actor Got Stage Fright
and Lost Himself

tertainment Of thousands.