PROTECTION OF BATTLESHIPS’ FUNNELS

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8355, 15 February 1913, Page 2

PROTECTION OF BATTLESHIPS’ FUNNELS

A lid to place over the mouth ot battleship funnels, wifioh, while in no way interfering .with the emission of smoke, will prevent the airman ot the tuture from dropping bombs into smokestack* and thus destroying teh most vital parrs of the vessels—the motor sections—is what the United States navy wants. , At the ISiavy Department in Washington tho officers have had under consideration this serious proposition which i» likely to face any nation at any time during this airship age. Tho airmen ot to-day are being trained to drop bon/bs from fairly great heights upon targets of what may bo called inconceivably small sizes, and Brig.-lien. Allen, chief signal officer of the army, says his men in a few years will bo so adept in the art of dropping explosives from airship* that they will be able to deposit bomb after boiilh in tho mouths of the tunnels on battleships. , The department wants to make such a thing impossible. It is realised that an exploding bomb dropped into a smokestack can do more damage to tho vessel than if it hits any other part of the ship. Hence the desire for a lid. -the engineers and mechanicians in tho department are now working on designs for such a protection.— 'Topular Ma chanics.”