MIRACLES OF SCIENCE 



The first really successful effort in this direction was 

 made by the German engineer Dr. Otto Shlick, who 

 in 1904 was able to make a successful demonstration 

 by installing a gyroscope apparatus on a torpedo-boat 

 called the Sea-bar, discarded from the German Navy. 



Dr. Schlick's gyroscope consisted of a powerful 

 fly-wheel installed in the hull of the ship on a vertical 

 axis, and so adjusted that the entire mechanism is 

 free to oscillate lengthwise of the ship. In action, 

 stimulated by the precessional motion engendered 

 by the rolling ship, its mighty mass, pivoted on lat- 

 eral trunnions, lunges forward and backward with 

 terrific force, as if it would tear loose from its bear- 

 ings and dash the entire ship into pieces. It causes 

 the ship to pitch a trifle fore and aft as it does so; but 

 meantime it steadies the lateral motion. Some critics 

 think, however, than its use may not be unattended 

 with danger since the revolving wheel of the Schlick 

 gyroscope, to be effective, must bear an appreciable 

 relation to the mass of the entire ship. Such a weight, 

 revolving at terrific speed and oscillating like a tre- 

 mendous pendulum, obviously represents an enor- 

 mous store of energy. Should such a gyroscope in ac- 

 tion break loose from its trunnions, it might go 

 through the ship with the devastating effect of a 

 monster cannon-ball. 



It was not at first seen how the obvious disadvan- 

 tages of the Schlick gyroscope, incident to its enor- 

 mous size, could be overcome. But presently Mr. 

 Sperry devised an ingenious method that has enabled 

 him to utilize the gyroscope as a stabilizer of ships 

 without necessitating the employment of revolving or 



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