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About The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current | View Entire Issue (March 8, 1908)
THE SUNDAY OREGONIAX, PORTLAND, MARCH 8, 1903. THB Navy Department does not in tend to let gome of our older but fairly itpeedy cruiser be placed upon the shelf, so to speak, but la earnestly Intent uport making- them up-to-date craft In other directions. The IT. S. B. Baltimore and the U. S. B. Ban Francisco are to be converted into mine-laylnfc vessels, and In this con version they will bear all the hall marks of one of the most striking lea sons taught by the Russo-Japanese war. Japan cannot claim precedence In this direction; neither can Russia, be cause Germany set the pace ( some yearn afro. It required, however, the operations of actual warfare to prove how anticipatory the Germans were In their work in the field of submarine mining. The purpose of the mine-laying-ship is that of sowing speedily a field or line of offensive mines known in naval parlance as blockading mines or naval defense mines. These mines rarry from 75 to 100 pounds of gun cotton, which i sufficient to destroy the under-water bodies of the heaviest battleships when exploded in actual contact with those vessels. When once planted, these mines are a men ace alike to friend and to foe, as they amply proved during the war between Russia and Japan. Purpose Is Two Fold. The layman may reasonably, ask: Why are such dangerous Instruments of destruction used if they are a peril to any vessel after once being plant ed? The answer to this Is, that un less they break away from their moorings, their location Is known to the ship or force sowing them, while their presence can only be suspected, but not known by the foe. Their pur pose Is twofold: To form a defense to the approach of a position tempo rarily taken by a mobile force such, for instance, as a halting place in one if our northern harbors that an en emy might take as a temporary base, and, again, the momentary retreat to such a place on the part of- one of our own squadrons w,hen menaced by a superior naval force. The defense mine In the latter case take the part that would otherwise be assumed by the sea coast batteries, if any were theie. What the Russians Did. The Russians used mines of this sort to supplement their military defenses In & vain endeavor to huld the Japan ese either at arm' length or to force them to take position in attacking which would enable the Russian gun ners ashore and afloat to bring their ueppons to bpar with heaviest effect upon the assailing Japanese. The Jap aiienr, on the other hand, used their min os rot for defense, but for pur poses of offense. They did this by enticing the Russians out of harbor over mine fields just laid and by swinging tn behind the Russians and planting lines of these mines between their foe and the approaches of the harbors to which their enemies must subsequently repair. In this work the Japanese showed a keen strategic sense, and their work was a practical application of certain peace-time ex periments conducted by the Italians In the course of some of their naval ma neuvers a year or two before. The Russians started out In that war with a vessel especially built and equipped for mine-laying work. That ship was the Yenisei, a crafty of 2j00 tons, which was capable of - planting about 600 mines in fairly rapid succession. The Yenisei car ried an armament of powerful rapid-lire guns with which to resist torpedoboat at tack while engaged In her work. Com mander Sueter. of the Rritish navy, has this to say of that vessel: "After the successful attack made by the Japanese torpedoboats on the night of February 7- ism, the Russians realized the tremendous blow that had been struck at their naval supremacy in the Eat. The authorities were thus face to face with a very grave state of affairs, and at once commenced to lay mines across the entrance of Tslienwan Bay to protect Ualny from any attack: all these belonged to the elertro-meehanical type, and were laid by the armed mine-layer, Yenisei. While laying the 301st mine, one previous ly dropped came to the surface, and In clearing It the mine-layer fouled the last laid with her bows: a severe explosion occurred, and the Yenisei sank rapidly, taking with her moat of the crew. Only a few survivors were picked up." Operation of Japaivcse. The Japanese, on the other hand, re sorting to an expedient, made use of cer tain of their small craft to plant their of fensive mines. This Is what Commander Sueter tells us of that operation: "On the night of August 12-13. 1904, the Japanese sent a mining expedition of destroyers, torpedoboats, plequet-boats and mirie-layera to operate off Port Ar thur. A pretended torpedo attack was made to screen the mine-layers, and during this feint mines were dropped, from the destroyers and the mining vessels right across the channel usually used by the Russians. 'The next day a weak' decoy squadron was sent by Admiral Togo to draw the Russian fleet out of Port Arthur, the main Japanese fleet being kept out of sight, but in wireless telegraphy touch with the detached ships. During the morning the Russian squadron proceeded out of harbor and gave chase to the decoy squadron, which then made off. but kept In touch by wireless with the main squadron below the horixon. After some time the latter appeared In sight. The Russians were not apparently ready to try conclusions with their enemy, and therefore the Admiral signaled to his net to return to Port Arthur. Suddenly under the starboard side of the flagship a column of water was thrown up, fol lowed by several dull reports It is be lieved the Japanese mines were coupled togethei and when the bow of the Pe tropavlovsk tll.OCO tons touched the con necting cable she carried it with her and swung the two lines with considerable force against her side, probably one to port and one to starboard. The terrific shock may also have detonated the explo sives In one of her maxaxines, for the ship disappeared bow first, with a heavy list to starboard, within two minutes of the explosions, only some 40 men out of a crew of Too were saved. Admiral Makaroff, the most brilliant scientist of the Russian navy, went down with that ship. The Pobieda was also damaged by a mifte on the same occa sion, but she was able to stagger into harbor and was ultimately repaired. The Russian latt1eship Sevastopol was twice damaged by Jriprmfse mines, and the crul iit tiromoboi was severely damaged by soother Jjaes nns whan goinr south Vi-r. - ... :-- mm ... k i-.Li-.e." t !!"- 0 - W T , 7 JV,ii 11 from Vladivostok to meet Admiral Rozh destvensky's aquadron. On the other hand, the Japanese lost the battleship Hatsuse. with most of her crew, and had the battleship Yashima so badly damaged that she was not again able to take part in the war. Ia addition to this the Jap anese lost three cruisers, several gunboats and a number of smaller cra'ft by their fatal stumblings over Russian mines. The Japanese offensive mine was ren dered innocuous during a certain period after planting half an honr by a clock work contrivance which gradually made one of the contacts In the explosive elec tric circuit. All that was then necessary was that the mine should be tilted by a passing body, mhen a pendulum made the second contact and thus completed the circuit which detonated Us mass of shimose. powder. The Russian mine was slightly different in its safety feature, and some of them were arranged with a solu ble Insulator, which, melting after being In the water a short while, set the mine free to explode by any blow that would tilt It over far enough to make the neces sary contacts for that purpose. Hacue Conference Couldn't Stop It. It will probably.be remembered that an effort was made during the last Hague Conference to substantially do away with submarine mines by reducing their field of application to a great degree. Ger many had too long recognized the mine as a potent means of coast defense to assent to such a proposition, and France quite naturally, and for much the same reasons, took the same stand. Germany also claimed with characteristic biunt ness the right to sow mines off the coast and harbors of an enemy "without re gard for the merchant shipping which is certain to be destroyed." for it was ar gued that merchant ships are not com pelled to putJta..sea jex.cept tar purposes of gain, and upon them should rest the risk in that venture. To have assented to the abolition of submarine mines. Ger many would have found herself with two new special service vessels on her hands, built at considerable cost, for which she could have no possible use. These vessels are the Albatross and the Nautilus, ships of 3000 tons displacement and capable of making 20 knots an hour. ELach Of these boats renrpsents A cost of i JN35.000. They carry a number of rapld- nre guns or about four-inch caliber. In addition to these there - is the cruiser Pelikan, of 2360 tons, having a speed of 15 knots, and carrying an effective arma ment of anti-torpedo rapid-fire guns! -The newer vessels of this fleet are fitted with an ice-boat, so that they may be able to carry out the work of laying mines In Winter when ice may be about. These ships are only part of a very consider able organliation. which includes a. num ber of smaller vessels, and this section of the German navy represents a person nel of something like 1300 officers and en listed men who have been systematic&lly and carefully drilled In this sort of work. How Mines Are Laid. The German mine-laying ships, like the British mine-layer Iphigenla. are so ar ranged that they can handle ready for planting between 400 and 300 mines. Tnese weapons or Instruments of destruction are stowed along the main deck adjacent to a specially designed trolley system by which they can be rua aft and dropped overboard through large ports made for the 'purpose, so that the mine is swung completely clear of the.craft before it is dropped into the water. These mines are generally planted about a hundred feet apart, and in parallel lines, so that a large vessel passing safely between two mines in the first line would surely hit a mine further on In the second line. Tiie mines of the most modern type are ar ranged with self-anchoring mechanisms, which hold them at a predetermined depth below the surface. Otherwise, they might show at low tide and warn an en emy of their presence. To destroy them by gunfire would be a very easy task, and the foe could then be-sure of a safe line for approach and attack. The Baltimore and San Franctsco are to be. made thoroughly up to date, and in doing this the Navy Department in tends to profit by all that has been done abroad In this direction. These ships are 20-knot vessels, and are of 4000 -tons displacement. Being- thus considerably larger than any mine-laying vessels so far constructed they should prove that much more efficient for this service. They will probably retain a battery of five-inch rapid-fire guns, the caliber which is now recogn ized as essential for repelling the at tack of torpedoboats supplied with the modern long-range torpedo.' The Chief of Artillery, Brigadier General Arthur Murray, has called the attention of the War Department to the urgent need of making sufficient and immediate provision for the proper mining of our principal harbors and the waters leading to some of our sea ports lying some distance back from the coast. He has pointed out some important places on both the Atlantic and Pacific Coasts where this work should be done without further delay; and he has also called attention to our unpreparedness in this direction In some of our Insular possessions. Fur ther. General Murray says: "When the value that this completed mine defense would have, not only for its actual worth as a destructive ele ment of harbor defense, but also for its moral effect in- closing our harbors against sudden attack even by the most enterprising enemy, and the compara tively, small cost at which tills protec tion can be obtained is considered, it will be apparent that this completion should be accomplished at the earliest possible moment." What this means toward the comple tion of our permanent defenses, the fitting out of the Baltimore and the San Francisco means to such temporary defenses as the Navy may see fit to supply during the various strategio moves of coast defense lying essentially within the domain of that arm of the Nation's fighting force. Good Anecdotes of Thomas Edison Xovel AVay of Getting Kid of Annoying Visitor.s New York Tribune! THOMAS A. EDISON is an excellent source of anecdotes. This Is dem onstrated in a book about him by Francis Arthur Jones; which Thomas Y. Crowell & Company are shortly to pub lish. Edison is somewhat deaf in his right ear. Through constantly placing his hand behind it the lobe has been pressed slight ly forward. This partial deafness has enabled him to pursue his work undis turbed while surrounded by all the noise of a busy shop. Naturally it would look well in an advertisement, from the adver tiser's point of view, to' be able to an nounce that Edison used the article ad vertised. Accordingly he has had many visits from persona with "a-sure cure for deafness" to sell. One visited his labora tory at Orange recently in order to ex plain the merits of a method which, he declared, would bring about a speedy re moval of tha obstacle to hearing. "No," said Edison, "I think I will not try it." "Why not? I wish you would tell me why you will not." Edison smiled. "Suppose you did cure my deafness." he said. "Think of the lot of stuff I'd have tu listen to that 1 don't want to hear! To be a little deaf has Its advantages; and. on the whole, I prefer to let well enough alone." His deafness has been described as be ing more In the nature of a psychological phenomenon fhan a physical disability. A story Is told illustrative of his ability to hear when it is least expected. Sev eral visitors had called at the laboratory, and although Edison, as usual, was ex tremely busy, he made them welcome. He did not express any irritability even when foolish questions were shouted at him in unnecessarily high-pitched tones. When He Could Hear. At last the humorist of the party re marked to a companion in an ordinary tone of voice: "I guess he would hear if we asked him to take a drink." The inventor, who is temperate in the use of liquors, turned about, looked the young man squarely In the eye and smil ingly said: -"Yes, perhaps, I should; but no, thank you. not today." Edison has strong opinions regarding diet. He firmly believes that half the ills that flesh is heir to are due to incorrect and excessive eating. He himself is very abstemious and often does not consume a pound of food In the'eourse of tic day. Yet he is no faddist in wiiat- he shaH eat. taking anything he fancies, but in very small quantities. He -Is fond of- telling a story as an Illustration of how great a, slave to meal hours a man may become. "You know, of course." he says, when telling It, "all about tho Ohio man who went to New York for the first time, and, having taken a room at a gooi hotel, unpacked his grip and went to the desk to inquire about the meals. " 'What Is the eatln' hours in this yere hotel r he said to the' clerk. " 'Breakfast. the clerk answered. 7 to 11; lunch. 11 to S; dinner S to 8; sup per. 8 to 12.' " Jerusalem!" exclaimed the astonished farmer, 'when am I goln" to get time to see the town?' " Visitors to the laboratory are some times so numerous that Mr. Edison will not grant an interview unless they are well known to him. Some of these vis itors with great pompousness assert that they have known ."Tom Edison" since they were boys together, and act as If much affronted when the gateman in form them that Mr. Edison is so busy that It will be impossible to see him on that day. On one occasion a bona fide friend who had known him from childhood called at the laboratory with a companion, and was greatly offended when told that Mr. Edison was very busy and could not re ceive visitors. "What!" said the caller, ' indignantly, . "do you mean to say that Thomas Edi son won't see me? Why. I have known him intimately all my life." Knew Him Better. "Oh, no. I don't Bay he won't see you," replied the man. "but Mrs. Edison wait ed here two hours this morning and had to go away without seeing him, and I don't suppose you know him any better than she does." Occasionally when visitors are admit ted they stay so long that they become nuisances. Edison once disposed of a party of unwelcome callers In an unusual way. In his experiments with explosives he- has produced some so sensitive that a drop placed on a table would explode if any one shouted. "You see," he said, by way of explana tion, "the thing Is. In a state of very delicate equilibrium. It is a question 'depending upon surrounding conditions, as to which it will do remain a. liquid' or turn Into gas. When this balance is about equal it takes a very little to incline It toward a gaseous form, so that even the sound of the voice will produce the ef fect. And so would a heavy weight dropped on the floor." While conducting his experiments In ex plosives he was visited- one morning by a company of clergymen. The Inventor treated them, as lie treats every one, courteously, but as the day wore on and there was no sign of their going, he began to study how to get rid of them without offending them. He casually re marked that he was experimenting with very delicate explosives, and would be sorry if any of them were injured. This had only the effect of increasing their interest. They got in the way and distracted him by foolish questions. He finally became nervous and almost irri table. A method of eliminating them from the scene finally occurred to him. Taking some of the material with which he had been experimenting he put a drop or two where there was no danger of blowing a minister through the window. The clergymen watched his action with added interest, apparently feeling no uneasiness, and crowded around him. The Inventor seated himself at his bench and again took up his experiments. Sud denly he Jumped up, shouting: "I have it!" at the same moment knocking a board from the table as If by accident. It fell to the floor with a crash. What followed was even more disastrous than Edison had Intended. Even Edison AVas Startled. No windows were broken, but several glass bottles were smashed, a piece of electrical apparatus was disabled, a table overturned and the ministers were fright ened. They put their hands to their heads, fearful of something worse to fol low. "What happened?" one of them ex claimed. "Such explosions are constantly happen ing," replied Edison, calmly. "I'm glad to say that they haven't killed any one since the fall. You can never tell when one will happen, but I hope you will not be treated to another today." The clergymen declared that it was all Intensely interesting, but they would bet ter not remain longer. Grabbing their hats, they hastily bade the inventor good bye and did what Edison had long been wishing them to- do. The faculty for remembering faces is especially well developed in Mr. Edison. An incident that exhibits this and amused Mr. Edison greatly happened re cently. A certain great American machine fac tory, devoted to the manufacture of elec trical appliances, attracts many visitors from all quarters of the globe. One en gineer at the factory, who may be called "Steve," . is frequently detailed to serve as guide, because of his fund of informa tion and his lucid explanations. Recently he was assigned to conduct through tho plant a guest from the West a light-: haired little man. The visitor seemed i duly impressed with all he saw but made no comment'. He was apparently drink.-; ing In and silently criticising every word which young "Steve" uttered. That usually confident person grew nervous and Buspiclous. This fellow," he thdught, "must ba some smart electrician, and he is just taking all my statements with a hugs grain of salt." At last, when they had returned to the office and "Steve" was feeling limp and tired, the little man held out hi hand and said: "I am exceedingly obliged to you. I don't know much about the electrical trade. I am a barber. If you ever come to Chicago, look me up." onnets on Hame. . Chicago News. Ah, borne, sweet home! My home is dear t me; It is my kingdom; there I am King. There to the winds my troubles I mar fling And feel from all dictation I am free. There none with my opinions .disagree. Right from the moment I my doorbell I canlwy what I choose yes, anything Do -what I pleaae. whatever it may be. Thra I can be myself without dissulfte. Without restraint; tlie bonds that held me tight Are loosed. For me home .hasn't any tie; I'm quite unfettered, which Is only right. It wonldn't be home were It otherwise. At home I do not have to be polite. H. Away from home I am compelled to smils ' Though in my heart Is bitterness and gall. Be nlf-e to people I don't like at all And speak quite softly, though I rage the while. At home I freely manifest my bile. If things don't suit me you hear some thing fall. Yes, there they all come running when X call And meekly listen if I should revile. I'm bosssupreme. Who shall dispute my away Or talk beck when upon some fault I pick? When I demand, who dares to say me nay? I'd settle a rebellion mighty quiek. Ah. home, sweet home! I love It. I must say. It's just the one place where a man caa kick.
