Artificial Light: Its Influence upon CivilizationLuckiesh, Matthew
History
Artificial Light: Its Influence upon Civilization
Luckiesh, Matthew
Electric lighting; Lighting -- History
All kinds of lighting and lighting-devices were used depending upon the
needs and material available. Even self-luminous paint was used for
various purposes at the front, as well as for illuminating watch-dials
and the scales of instruments. Wooden buttons two or three inches in
diameter covered with self-luminous paint could be fixed wherever
desired and thus serve as landmarks. They are visible only at short
distances and the feebleness of their light made them particularly
valuable for various purposes at the battle front. They could be used in
the hand for giving optical signals at a short distance where silence
was essential. Self-luminous arrows and signs directed troops and trucks
at night and even stretcher-bearers have borne self-luminous marks on
their backs in order to identify them to their friends.
Somewhat analogous to this application of luminous paint is the use of
blue light at night on battle-ships and other vessels in action or near
the enemy. Several years ago a Brazilian battle-ship built in this
country was equipped with a dual lighting-system. The extra one used
deep-blue light, which is very effective for eyes adapted to darkness or
to very low intensities of illumination and is a short-range light.
Owing to the low luminous intensity of the blue lights they do not carry
far; and furthermore, it is well established that blue light does not
penetrate as far through ordinary atmosphere as lights of other colors
of the same intensity.
The war has been responsible for great strides in certain directions in
the development and use of artificial light and the era of peace will
inherit these developments and will adapt them to more constructive
purposes.
XV
SIGNALING
From earliest times the beacon-fire has sent forth messages from
hilltops or across inaccessible places. In this country, when the Indian
was monarch of the vast areas of forest and prairie, he spread news
broadcast to roving tribesmen by means of the signal-fire, and he
flashed his code by covering and uncovering it. Castaways, whether in
fiction or in reality, instinctively turn to the beacon-fire as a mode
of attracting a passing ship. On every hand throughout the ages this
simple means of communication has been employed; therefore, it is not
surprising that mankind has applied his ingenuity to the perfection of
signaling by means of light, which has its own peculiar fields and
advantages. Of course, wireless telephony and telegraphy will replace
light-signaling to some extent, but there are many fields in which the
last-named is still supreme. In fact, during the recent war much use was
made of light in this manner and devices were developed despite the many
other available means of signaling. One of the chief advantages of light
as a signal is that it is so easily controlled and directed in a
straight line. Wireless waves, for example, are radiated broadcast to be
intercepted by the enemy.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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