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Show Vessels Fitted With Ears That Will Warn of Danger iMwW Novel Appliance JSH 7 Pf l Pictured 'sBBj l?fev Tho terror In which submorlno boats hae hitherto been held by I ocean vessels In time of war promises to be entirely dlselpated by tto np-1 pearance of n simple apparatus, which the Intentor, J. II. Millet, calls "ship's , ears." With this rew devlco secret sub-marine sub-marine attack Is, the Inventor claims. I made Impossible, nnd all tho former disadvantage of the bell buoy nnd the lighthouse, artlcu1arly caused by n heay fog, are dono nway with, (or the new "earn" catch sounds under the water nnd locate exactly tho point of tho compass from which thvy como. In making uio of tho Ides of trans milting sound signals under water tho originators of, tho scheme, A. J. Muii-dy Muii-dy ond Prof. Ullshn dray of lloston. wero pioneers. When they started their work In tho summer of tho Spanish Span-ish war they had no Idea of making "ears" for vessels, but when tho results re-sults wero finally turned over to Mr. Millet last year bo soon had his work running on tho lines on which It was finally comploted. Tho prlcclplo of tho Inrontlon lis been established Isrgcly by uiporl-menti, uiporl-menti, but thn method had not been mado practical. Mr. Mlllot undertook to mako It so nnd has apparently succeeded. suc-ceeded. The Invention has been Installed on steamers of tho Metropolitan Steam ship company, nnd for four or flvo weeks Iheso vessels have been using tho apparatus constantly (or tho pur pose of testing Its neetiracy under all conditions. The captains of the atenmera have reported tu the officers of their coei-In coei-In that they have been able. Invariably, In-variably, to hicale at three miles distance dis-tance the Itoston lightship, upoa which n submerged bell was being rung, when the vessel were approach-lug approach-lug at full speed. A striking Instance nt the efficacy of the device occurred n short time ngo when n steamer was approaching tho lloston lightship on her return from New York. Owlrg to a sovcro gale, which bad been blowing for sov-oral sov-oral days, tho seas wro mountain ous. As tho steamer camo up Doston bay tho lightship was obscured by rain and dig. Not hearing tho foghorn fog-horn on tho lightship, tho captain of tho steamer turned lo tho signal apparatus and, adjusting tho earpieces, ear-pieces, Immediately heard tho submarine sub-marine bell nnd got hla direction. Five mlnutos later, having proceeded on his coune, ho heard tho whlstlo on tho lightship for tho first time The receiving npparatua of tbts unique aubmarlno Iclephono has two receivers, ono (or each aldo of the vessel In which It Is Installed. These nro enclosed In Iron cases, scrowct1 Into tho hull of (ho vessol bolow the water lino. A connection Is mado by wire between the bull and tho wheel-house wheel-house whero tho telephone box It placed, lly moving a switch to tho right or left and then holding tho earpiece lo his ears, the lisioner can ascertain whether or not there Is nny danger or warning of dinger ahead, am) where It Is located This mttli. mI is no accurate that thn steamers uslrg the sjstoni have often found their direction within one point, and by a HUN- maneuvering of the vessel a captain can nlwaya get bis direct Ion wlih accuracy. The vibrations which he hear are In'tlated by the brlt that Is hung over the aide of the lightship or suspended In the water at tho end of a eablo from a lighthouse or bell buoy Tho bells are struck by n hammer exactly like a U-ll In the air, only with moro force These vibrations are Inkcn up by the receiver on llio sides c the vessel and transmitted through tho telephone A tyio of apparatus designed (or fishing boats or small vessels of any kind Ircludes a receiving box, with a bsll receiver, which Is lowered Into tbo water. It la obvloua that lomo sounds would be too dcllcato to pono-Jrste pono-Jrste tbo aide of ft vossol. To meet tbla case, a receiver lias been Invented which Is lowered directly Into tho water and picks up sounds of comparatively com-paratively small Intensity. To npprcolato tho Importance of thlc Invention lo the marltlmu world It Is only necessary to consider that at the present moment thero nro no sound signals In tho air which can bo trusted. |
