Putnam patriot., 1922-10-27
MAKES FOR SECURE
 OCEAN VOYAGES

vessels commander holds forth and from where the weasel .s steered. As 6 matter of fact, ths bridge is to the ship what the brain is Co the human body
 Timid folks who hesitate about taking a sea trip would do well Co kHo# of the great many safety de- vices which are part of the bridge equipment on the vessels Of the Unit ed States LiHes. Wth safety as theiF first consideration. the operators of the big American see. have been keen 70 take advantage of all equipment which will make every increased security
 One of the interesting safety de- wees which make 8 decided appeal to the laudlubber s the submarine signal. This device consists of two j telephone receivers on the bridge. one ! 0f which is connected with an under water microphone on the port side. and one with 8 nicrophone on the starboard side Of the vessel The submarine signal is used during heavy fog, and by its Use the Captain is able to locate his position. and keep his 5 ship in the proper course. The device comes into use when nearing shore. Lightships stationed off the coast of Europe and the United States sound an underwater bell which is detected ] by the microphones When one mi erophone register the sound lighter : e aH nis course until both receivers sound equal in volume. and he then knows ] he is headed for the lightship. Al lightships have individual signals. For instance. the lightship of Ambrose Channel and which marks the entrance to New York harbor. sounds ] tWo bells, and after @ brief interval ] sounds two more bells. The first ] Ilightship to be picked up al a steam i ship hears Great Britains shores. that of DaHnt's Rock sounds three bells
 Another ingenious instrument 70 be i found aboard the vessels of the Unit ed States Lines. and which gives in- creased protection Co the passengers is the fire detector This device con ssts of a cabinet on the bridge which contains twenty-eight indicators, each Of which is numbered. These indiea- tors are directly connected through vacuum suction tubes with every freight and passenger compartment on the steamer. The slightest puff of smoke in any of the compartments k immediately registered by the de vice on the bridge. and in iiffy the Captain and his crew may take action against the impending blaze. This mechanism is so delicate that a per son striking match close to the receiving end in the various eompart- ments. gives the signal to the bridge.
 The bridges of the United States liners are equipped with Sperry compasses which, operating on the gyroscopie principle, indicate true North. Ths compass is connected with the man compass in the engine
 room of the vessel. where the gyro- scope is constantly operating The
 gyroscopic compass overeomes many
 problems which confront the mariner with the old style compass which deri- ates from the true North in various . circumstances. For instance, the
 magnetic compass is shown to deviate
 almost ten degrees as vessels enter the harbor at New York.
 i The steering of the vessel is ac- ] complished through a Brown tele-
 motor steering wheel This is oper- , ated by hydraulic action with the
 aid of giyeerIne and water, and is ! connected with steam motor which . moves the rudder The slightest
 pressure on the small steering wheels, through the hydraulic action, causes
 the big steam motor to act, and the i giant rudder responds promptly. Another interesting instrument Co
 be found on the bridge of United
 States liners k the Klevite sounding
 machine. through which soundings can be made which not only indicate the character af the ocean bed but give the depth of the water. The machine
 consists of motor and a drum. on , which Is wound 500 feet of piano MlIet on the end or Whlfh q aiNt4 %
 pound lead weight is attached. Al the bottom of the lead weight, in a de
 pressicn tallaW is placed. and when this tukes the bed of the ocean, par ticles of sand or shell adhere to the tallow By referring To his chart, the ! Captain can tell from the character of the particles brought Co the sur
 face and the depth indicated, his exact position.
 Among the other interesting de vices to be found on the bridge of the
 liners are the giant searchlights. port
 and starboard engine telephones, by 2 which the navigator can communicate
 Co the engine room below. his desire for speed CT maneuvers. Then there . is device operated from the bridge . by which all the water-tieht doors ! throughout the vessel can be closed by the throwing of switch The water.tight compartment arrangement
 on such ships as the President Roose-
 Ff.s