WIREIESS-DRIVEN SUBMARINE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3390, 4 December 1911, Page 2

WIREIESS-DRIVEN SUBMARINE.

STRIKING EXPERIMENTS BV

NAVAL OFFICERS

Great success ha-s attended a series of ex]>eriments made bv the staff of the Vernon Torpedo School at Portsmouth in controlling submarines solely bv Hertzian or wireless waves.

j The Vernon torpedo experts have discovered a device which makes it posI sible to navigate a submarine from’ the i deck of a warship, though the little vessel may have no one aboard. 'lne experiments have shown that so .•mnpletc is the influence exercised over the craft by means of the wireless wa-cs that it can be driven either submerg'd or on the surface. The experiments are a development of the operations on which the Admiralty in perfecting the wireless t*. rpedo. Tins’ is now in an advanced stage, though much has still to le achieved before it is brought to a slate of .perfection. The experiments with the -.ubmanoe were conducted with oho of the F(>'land boats off Solscy. The eontrohmg apparatus was aboard the cruiser Furious, tender to the Vernon, and i,unused largely as an experimental useless ship. As a precautionary measure no one was allowed on board the :• mmarine during the trials, thought it is said that the step ivas quite unnecessary, and volunteers were ready to undertake the duty if required. [t is considered more than possible that in the very near future it will be possible for a torpedo to be directed :y means of wireless to the hull of ail enemy’s vessel from a position in which its assailant can counc to no harm.

The Admiralty authorities are naturally closely guarding the secret o! this invention,’which is destined to have a far-reaching effect in the future of a naval war.