USING SMOKE IN WARFARE

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 266, 23 May 1888, Page 6

USING SMOKE IN WARFARE

An Odd but Effectual Mcthou For Baffling tho Enemy. Smoki will ccitainl} play an impoitant j pa ll in wariaie of the fntuie. Last}eu at Mdfoid lfa\cn and this ear in Lang tone Harbour it was aitiiiciully cicaled in laigc i quantities in oidci to foi m screens b hind which attacking foi cos might, unob-ri\ed, approach w ithin rancreof foi ts and b.it 1 im ie^. On each occasion lafts laden with combustibles were set. on liie and floated into position^ from w Inch the wind caiiiedthe smoke in a more oi les.s dense cloud in tin. duection of the defence. On the other hand, c\er c'incc the intio duction of the modem oiduance and tapid lifle fire, it has been felt that the huge \olumcof smoke which would bo bclelud foi th dining a battle of the pro-cut day would piobably pre\outthe use of big g"i)s to tho best advantage. Smoke, in fact, may, accoidin" to circumstances, be either a gieat assistance or a grave impediment in warfaie. The ideal state ol things is, of course, one in which the production of smoke shall be controlled so that cither a clear atmosphcie or a cloudy ono may, as need may aiise, be created around a balfeiy or ship in ae'ion. This ideal has now, to ionic extont, been attained. It i* found that smoke, as it issues from the mu//lc of a heavy gun, can be almost instantaneously precipitated by means of a simple electrical apparatus. Thcimention is based upon the researches of Trofes«ei Tyndall, Lord Rayleigh and I'lofess-or Lodge in the action of electricity upon float inirdust and vapour, and it should be of considerable militaiy value. 'St. James's' tia/ettc.'