The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1918-07-02
italian Invents Canned Lightning
Capable of Destroying
Trenches of Enemy.
TERRIBLE ENGINE OF DEATH
Claimed Invention Could End War In
Thirty Days and Allies Could March
UnchaIIenged Into Berlin.
Tests Prove Its Value.

Rome.-The kaiser's dream of vic
tory and world supremacy may be
blasted out by scanned lightning"
terrible death engine invented by an
Italian scientist. Dazzling swords of
fire, more deadly than are highest ex-
plosives, followed by annihilating ex-
pIosions, are capable of destroying en-
emy trenches with one binding fash,
according to his claims. Mine sweep
ers equipped with this device could
fire mines thousands of yards distant.
On the land, canned lightning" could
be used to form most successful bar
rage and could wipe out the defenders
of German trenches with unerring cer-
tainty.
The scientist is credited with hav-
ing discovered means of concentrate
ing and rejecting electric rays in such
a manner as to produce the results de-
scribed. Tt is reported that this In
ventor has proved to representatives
of his government that electric cur
rent can be concentrated and directed
in rays.
Tests Held on Banks of Tiber.
In describing the results of these
tests, held on the banks of the
historic Tiber, IT. III. Randall, writing
in the Illustrated World, says that the
scientist was asked to burn through
a three-inch plank of hardwood. In
an instant, the writer says, the plank
was scared and broken as If 1t had
3 snxhk knfv
Officials then asked the scientist to
explode two bombs, one hidden along
l the bank of the river and the other In
the bed of the stream. Within ten
minutes the bomb along the bank ex-
ploded. 1t required a much longer
time to explode the other bomb, but
this, too, was finally accomplished.
The entire outfit used by the inventor
was placed on single small barge.
| An approximate idea of the power
| of the arcing electricity may be OBJ
tanned by watching an electric furnace
at work. 1t will cut the hardest steel
like putty. To flash such a flame
through an aeroplane, submarine, bat
tleship or a trench would leave a to-
tai wreck. Mines placed in the North
sea by the Germans could be elm
mated, and mine sweepers could de-
/ stroy all of these hidden terrors Of the
sea located within thousands of yards
of the ship.
Death to AirpIanes.
In a graphic description, Mr.. Rand
all paints picture of what would
happen with this machine I'm action.
Every enemy airplane or any fleet of
them would fall to earth. crumpled
wreck. At the touch of button,
bolt of electricity would suddenly
shoot forward with incredible speed.
A few SCARED parts would be all that
was left of what had been a soaring
airplane a few minutes before.
A scout could lurk with his deadly
weapons, connected with the gener-
4 ators and concentrators behind the
lines, in shell holes or craters in mo
mans land" When the enemy
charged he could sweep the whole line
as it passed, annihilating each success
sive wave of advancing Germans
Mr.. Randall says that he can't say
that this has been done or will be
done, but ne don't dare to suggest that
it cannot be accomplished. Light,
heat and rays of other kind can be
reflected. He concludes by saying:
"Once this problem is solved there
will be no war. If the allies We're pos
sessed of equipment that would permit
the arcing at distance Of powerful
electric currents, the war would be
won in 80 days and allied troops would
be marching unchallenged into Ber-
lin."