Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-10-05
GREAT POWER
From EARTH's INTERIOR
Gir Charles Parsons Believes ~
Mile Depth Will Develop Trc-
.f \ mcndOuS Pressure.
USING COAL SUPPLY RAPIDLY
English Scientist Declares His
Country Must Soon Turn From
Coil rs Source Of Energy Owing to
DWindling Store.
ny FORBES w. rAInHAIRN.

81 LONDON. oct. 4-liEh pressure
steam imprisoned deep in the carths
interior may he the future motive
power. of the carth's industries.
So iprophcsies Sir Charles Parsons:
BritaM's most prominent electrical
and hotivc engineer. inventor OF the
oil tErbinc and president of the Brit
9ish Association. an orEanization COM
posed of the most prominent British
scientists, engineers and men OF let
ters. He asserts that by boring
hole lin the carth's surface twelve
miles in depth enough energy would
be discovered 10 furnish all the motive
power OF the world
a There is little question" he says.
that the world is running short OF
energy. "jtoncr o. later the coal
supplies OF the earth Will he used up.
Something must take their place. We
know very little OF the carths in
terror, but we do know that there is
tremendous amount of energy slowed
away.in it's depths. Witness the in
canic eruptions.
Using Coal Supplies Rapidly.
I'VE are using up our coal supplies
very rapidly, England more than any
other country. England's water sup
ply IS comparatively small. TO har
ness the water supply Of the world
would cost $40. 00s. 600. 600. l put for
yard var .the susgss,ton which which ! did in
twelve miles deep because so little is
at present known of the carth's in
. ter or oo The estimated COS; would be
days war in the recent struggle 1t
seems probable that 10y such boring
large amount of power might be oh
tanned through the discharge OF high
pressure steam.
England e:speciaily needs TO revo-
sesses only per cent Of the water
power of tho world and only = IL
per cent Of the coal. Of the world;
The cos, Of sinking, the shaft
possible knowledge that might be
gained"
@ Great War Developments.
At the recent meeting OF the British
Asso ciation. Sir Charles spoke OF the
great engineering and scientific de-
velopments during tire war. To illus
trate .aEtillcry development he men
! t.t%oned t fhat The suneraread drought.
guns. discharged eighteen tons of
metal. developing 100000 foot-tons of
energy, an amount five times greater
ish guns on the western front during
the last offensive.
He told of the development Of the
underwater sound detecting devices
including experiments with sea lions
which were found to have directional
hearing under water UP to speeds Of
six kpots and with the hearing organs
of the whale. which hears by sound
waves transmitted through the sub
stance Of the head. These experiments
phone, by means of which the slightest
sound can De heard miles away under
water and by means OF which ships
s stea ming through fog can be given
their ,posit!ol.S with accuracy for 4
range of 500 miles
= Device Detects Mines.
He also told how both Germans and
allies directed their ships safely
through mine fields by means Of cleo
trio cables laid on the bottom of the
sea CARRYING an alternating current.
Dencate instruments on board the shin
ena bled the vessel TO follow the cable
at any speed with the precision of an
electric street car.
Sir Charles concluded with warn
ing to British Industrial engineers to
give serious attention to the question
,of future sources OF energy
J'ailing, new and unexpected dr.
velopmcntS in science, such as harm cse-
ing of the latest molecular and atomic
energy in matter" he said the great
position of England cannot be main
tanned for an indefinite period. AT
sometime more less remote-lonE
before the exhaustion Of our coal-the
population will gradually begin 10 mi
crate to those countries where the ma
tural sources OF energy are most
abundant"