can be swept for a radius of approximately thirty miles. Therefore my
plan is this:--place flotillas of destroyers or squadrons of scout
cruisers on the ocean, each vessel to take a station sixty miles from
its neighbor in any direction. These vessels are to do patrol duty at a
predetermined speed along definite courses arranged so that the patrol
is constantly maintained over the same stretches of water. At no time
during the patrol must the sending apparatus of the wireless be used
by any vessel, but the operator on each ship must maintain a constant
watch at his receiver.
“All these vessels should be equipped with a low powered wireless
sending apparatus. I believe such sets are available, and the radio
engineer should be instructed to adjust them so that they have a range
no greater than sixty-five miles.
“If at any time it is necessary for the patrol craft to
intercommunicate they would use these sets for the purpose. In cases of
emergency they could use their regular sending apparatus.
“In the event of the pirate being observed the word will be passed
along the lines by the wireless sets. In this connection I would
suggest a simple code to express that fact, which could be followed
by the figures of the position. For instance the letter O could be
used to express the meaning ‘pirate observed’. Suppose he were seen in
Longitude 178 E. and Latitude 12 N.; the signal sent along the lines
would be 'O 178 12'.
“Immediately upon receipt of such a signal the vessels of the flotilla
would proceed to the general vicinity of that position at full speed
and render such assistance with their anti-aircraft guns as would be
possible under the circumstances.
“That is the general plan I have to suggest, gentlemen. If it is
feasible the next question to be determined will be the extent of the
territory we must cover by this means.”
A large map of the Pacific Ocean was spread across the table before
the members of the cabinet, and they had all studied it during the
discussion. At this stage the President said:
“Well, gentlemen, if it is found feasible by the naval experts to use
naval vessels in this work, don’t you think that it would be advisable,
in order to save valuable time, to authorize the Secretary of the Navy
to go ahead along the lines of the plan that Mr. Seeley has outlined,
or along similar lines that may be suggested by the naval staff. I
also think that Mr. Cowl should be authorized to proceed under the
admirable plan that he has put forward for the forces controlled by his
department.
“Before we go any further, however, I would like to state, in
connection with Mr. Seeley’s suggestion, that I have been studying
the map of the Pacific ocean. Of course I am not an expert, but at a
glance, it seemed to me that if naval vessels were used at all, it
would be a very good scheme to use them in a belt between the Hawaiian
archipelago and the Marshall Island group to the eastward. How much
territory would that involve Mr. Ingleton?”
“Why, roughly speaking, Mr. President,” replied the secretary of the
navy after a quick calculation, “it would mean a belt of about two
thousand miles in length, and I presume three hundred miles in width.
This would not be impossible. In 1919, within our own memory, the Navy
Department spread out a network of destroyers across the Atlantic Ocean
over a distance as long, although not so wide, in connection with the
first flight across that ocean with the historic old NC seaplanes that
are now in the Smithsonian Institute. So far as the physical aspects
are concerned, such a patrol would not be impossible.”
“That’s what I thought,” said the president. “There is another thing
that suggests itself to me, and it is this: Why not take advantage
of the location of the mid-Pacific islands as lookout positions,
place observers on each of them, and make them part of the general
observation system, with instructions to the observers to report
immediately to Honolulu if they should happen to sight the pirate.
“Well, gentlemen, I propose that the different departments be empowered
to put the suggestions made here to practical use. The details of each
scheme can be worked out by the experts and then be put into operation.”
Before any reply could be made to this suggestion, Secretary Ingleton
broke in and said:
“Mr. President, the fears that beset me constantly arise in my mind,
and I cannot overcome them. I feel that in the circumstances I am
in no condition to actively prosecute the affairs of my department,
particularly as the most pressing problem of the department is in
connection with the cause of my own troubles. Therefore I desire
to tender my resignation right now, and transfer my department to
abler hands. I will send you, Mr. President, the formal notice of my
resignation as soon as this meeting is concluded, and I implore you to
accept it in the interests of the country. I am going to the Orient to
cheer my wife and aid in the search of my daughter.”
CHAPTER TEN
For two months after the attack on the Wilbur Wright the airways of
the Pacific Ocean remained free from the activities of the unknown and
mysterious flying pirate. The aerial transport companies slowly and
cautiously resumed their schedules as the government patrol system
steadily increased in efficiency and scope.
Although the pirate had apparently suspended his operations, the
government had gone ahead with the organized plan developed at
Washington for dealing with the menace caused by his advent. By the end
of two months squadron after squadron of fighting airplanes had been
dispatched to the Pacific, and had taken up the duty of patrolling the
airways.
Under the plan of stationing a squadron at every available island as
nearly as possible within five hundred miles of each other, squadrons
had already been distributed and established as follows:
Squadron No. 1, at Johnston Island, Hawaiian Archipelago.
Squadron No. 2, at Wake Island.
Squadron No. 3, at Jaluit Island, Marshall group.
Squadron No. 4, at Ponape Island, Eastern Carolines.
Squadron No. 5, at Truk Island, Middle Carolines.
Squadron No. 6, at Yap Island, Pelew group.
Squadron No. 7 at Guam.
Squadron No. 8 at Asuncion, Marianas.
In addition to these, six reserve squadrons had their base at Honolulu
and were operating temporarily from the islands of Midway, Laysan,
Necker, Kauai, Oahu and Hawaii. All of the first eight squadrons were
now definitely engaged in patrolling the airways east of Honolulu. To
the westward the reserve squadrons and other squadrons on the Pacific
coast of the United States were doing similar work. Wing Commander
Fitzgerald in charge of pursuit operations had taken up headquarters
with squadron No. 2 on Wake Island as the most centrally located.
The squadrons on the islands had each twelve airplanes in reserve at
all times. Their headquarters had been linked together with special
cable arrangements wherever facilities permitted. Where cables did not
exist special wireless stations had been installed, and the code system
had been definitely agreed upon.
The big naval wireless stations at Honolulu, Guam and Manila had been
designated to control all operations within their respective zones,
and the Honolulu station was in supreme charge of the entire situation
so far as wireless was concerned. Each of the three big stations was
equipped with the latest type of Direction Finder apparatus.
Thus slowly, methodically and persistently the government laid the
trap which it hoped would ensnare the man who had caused the havoc
that threatened to entirely disrupt all aerial transportation. As yet,
however, the quarry had refused to snap at the bait and in fact had
apparently vanished completely so far as information revealed. The
routine of the organized plan, however, was continued daily, with an
occasional alarm to test the efficiency of the system.
Commodore Heathcote at Honolulu, who was in control of all base
operations, had taken a keen interest in all the plans for the pursuit
of the pirate and had personally tested all the arrangements. More
particularly was he interested in the wireless arrangements for
co-operating with the aerial fleets.
As soon as he was appointed, he made it a point of going to the naval
radio station at Honolulu and familiarizing himself with the methods
employed by the operators in picking up the signals of the pirate and
getting his location in the event the latter should use his wireless
apparatus. He listened attentively as the chief operator explained to
him the working of the Direction Finder.
“The theory of its operation is very simple, Sir,” said the latter,
“although some complicated calculations enter into the working out of
a position due to certain variations that have to be determined and
allowed for.”
“You see this loop of wire around this frame,” continued the operator
pointing to a large square wooden frame, around the edge of which a
wire was wound several times in parallel loops, with the two ends of
the wire attached to another piece of apparatus. “Well it was found
several years ago that such a ‘loop’ produced peculiar results when
placed in the path of a train of electro-magnetic waves. It was found
that if the edge of the loop was pointed toward the direction from
which the waves were coming, signals would be recorded on the apparatus
connected with it. In other words a small current was induced in the
coil which was then registered by the delicate detectors and recording
instruments.
“Now if the coil is turned so that its edge is at right angles to the
path of the waves there is absolutely no current induced in it. In
fact the moment the edge of the coil is turned away, either to the
right or the left, from the true direction of the wireless waves, the
signals immediately decrease in strength, and this decrease is more
pronounced the more the coil is turned toward the right angle position.
As a matter of fact the amount of current picked up by the loop is so
small that we have to employ apparatus that amplifies or increases the
effect produced by the current, consequently signals picked up from
long distance are only received when the edge of the coil is pointing
directly towards them.
“As you see, we use a compass with the Direction Finder. With that
we are able to get the bearing of the coil in degrees as soon as the
adjustment for the strongest signals has been completed. That bearing
of course tells us in what direction the station sending out the
messages is located. Of course there have to be allowances made for
magnetic deviation and certain other factors, but they are all charted
and comparatively easy to apply.”
“That’s very interesting,” said Commodore Heathcote, “very interesting,
but as I understand it that only gives you the direction of the sending
station. How do you find his exact location?”
“Well, we do that with the aid of two known wireless stations and
triangulation,” replied the operator. “It’s done this way. Take for
instance the station at Guam and this station. Suppose there is a ship
at sea between us that is sending out signals, and we wish to determine
its exact location. First of all I get a bearing on the ship with my
Direction Finder, and of course Guam is doing the same thing with
its apparatus at the same time. Now we know the exact latitude and
longitude of both Guam and this station. As soon as I get the bearing I
take a chart and then work out the angle of the bearing to our meridian
of longitude and continue the resulting line of that angle across the
chart.
“Guam then tells me what bearing he has obtained on the ship. I
repeat the operation by obtaining the angle of Guam’s bearing to his
meridian, and also continue the line across the chart. Somewhere on
the chart the two lines will cross each other, and the point where
they cross is the exact location of the ship that is sending out the
wireless signals. If the ship is moving we repeat the process in a
couple of hours, and that gives us an exact line on the course the ship
is following. That’s how it is done, Sir.”
“By George!”, exclaimed Heathcote, “that’s wonderful. Now I’m sorry
I didn’t pay more attention to wireless. Why, there are marvelous
possibilities in that. The more I think of it the more it appears to be
the only way in which we shall be able to track this fellow down. God
help him if ever he opens his wireless mouth.”
“If he does, Sir, we’ll get him sure,” said the operator with the
earnestness of conviction.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Day after day had passed in continuous patrol by the aircraft
units without event. The concentrated destroyer and cruiser patrol
discussed by the President and his cabinet in Washington had not been
established, as the experts of the naval staff had considered it would
be ineffectual in the circumstances. By this time practically all the
aircraft of the aerial patrol developed in detail at the conference in
Washington had been placed at their respective posts over the Pacific
Ocean, and the whole plan was functioning well. The airway had remained
clear so far as anything of piratical intent was concerned, and the
aerial transit lines were very close to normal again.
So the daily round of routine passed until one morning, about ten weeks
after the pirate had made his conspicuous advent, the operator at the
Honolulu naval wireless station was suddenly moved into intensive
concentration by strange signals in the receivers about his ears.
Although they were continuous wave signals and lacked the individuality
of the old type spark signals, there was nevertheless a very familiar
aspect about the sending itself that caused the operator to pay the
closest attention to the signals.
Switching hurriedly to the Direction Finder apparatus he began to work
feverishly with the searching coil, moving it around slowly within
the radius of a narrow arc as he adjusted the delicate receiving
instruments connected with it. While he worked with excited but
skillful haste, he turned around to his assistant and exclaimed:
“I’ve got the pirate. Get Manila and Guam on the cable quick. Tell them
to get a bearing on him. He’s using a five thousand meter wave. Rush it
before he stops sending.”
The assistant jumped to the table where the cable apparatus was located
and in a few seconds had flashed the news across the Pacific that set
the operators at the other two control stations busy.
“Gee!”, yelled the chief operator in delight after a few more seconds
intensive work, “I’ve got my bearing on him. If the other fellows hurry
up they can get one too before he stops. Get Mr. Heathcote on the
’phone. Tell him we’ve got the pirate, and that we’ve got a bearing on
him. My bearing reads W by S 78. Rush it quick now. This looks like the
best chance we may get.”
In response to the telephone message Commodore Heathcote came rushing
over to the wireless station personally.
“Have you heard from Manila or Guam yet?” he inquired.
“Not yet, Sir,” replied the operator.
“Is the pirate still sending?”
“No Sir, he stopped just before you came in.”
At this moment the cable instruments began to work, and the assistant
operator read out aloud each word from off the tape as it came in:
“Guam--got--bearing--on--pirate--just--before--he
stopped--sending--but not--finally--adjusted--for
maximum--signals--bearing--as--obtained--is--E by S 82.”
“Fine,” said Commodore Heathcote, “you say yours was W by S 78.
Alright, give me that chart.”
Quickly and steadily the air officer worked out the triangulation
of the bearing on the chart, first obtaining the bearing line on
the Honolulu reading, then one from the Guam bearing. When this was
completed he continued the resulting lines across the chart until they
crossed one another.
“That puts him roughly in latitude 16.50 N. and longitude 179 W.” he
mused to himself, “Let’s see now, that’s about 700 miles from Wake
Island, and--er--about 500 miles from Johnston Island.”
Turning to the operator he said: “Get Commander Fitzgerald on the cable
at Wake Island quickly. Tell him we have heard the pirate sending by
wireless from Latitude 16.50 N. and Longitude 179 W. Tell him to rush
to that position at full speed with every available machine in his
squadron. Tell him that we will advise him by wireless code of any
change in the pirate’s position we may get. If he doesn’t hear from us
again, tell him to make a general search of that vicinity as soon as
he arrives there. By the way you haven’t heard from Manila, have you?”
“No, Sir.”
“Alright, get Wake Island first, then when you have sent the message
call up Manila and ask him if he got a bearing. If he did we may be
able to work out a more definite position.”
The assistant operator at the cable complied with the Commodore’s
request, and in a few moments got an acknowledgment of the receipt of
the message from Wake Island. Then he called up Manila. After a short
conversation with the operator at the latter station, he told the
Commodore that Manila had not been able to get his instruments adjusted
properly before the pirate stopped sending.
“Alright, never mind, we’ll do the best we can with this,” said
Commodore Heathcote, “Let’s see now, there’s no cable at Johnston
Island is there? Well, I don’t know whether it would be advisable to
notify the squadron there by wireless or not. The position that we
would have to give with the message would tip the pirate off that we
were on his trail. Wait a little while till we hear from Fitzgerald,
and then I’ll tell you what to do. In any case it will not take the
machines at Johnston Island so long to get to the position as it will
Fitzgerald’s squadron.”
About five minutes later a cable reply was received from Commodore
Fitzgerald at Wake Island. It said that fourteen airplanes of the
squadron stationed on the island were ready to take off and would
start out immediately to the position given.
“That’s fine,” said Heathcote, “it will take them about three and a
half hours to get there. Fitzgerald will undoubtedly use his judgment
in spreading his forces so as to cover as wide an area as possible.
Keep our ears open for the pirate, and if he sends again get a bearing
on him if possible so that we can get an idea of the course he is
following. Tell Manila and Guam the same thing over the cable. Don’t
use your wireless at all. I’ll be back again soon and let you know when
to advise the Johnston Island squadron. If you get another position let
me know immediately.”
“Alright sir,” replied the operator.
Before Commodore Heathcote got to the door, the operator at the cable
instruments called to him to wait a moment as a message was coming. A
few seconds later, he said:
“It’s from Wake Island, sir, he says that Commander Fitzgerald with
fourteen airplanes has just left in pursuit of the pirate.”
CHAPTER TWELVE
For two hours after Commander Fitzgerald and his squadron left Wake
Island a wireless silence reigned over the Pacific Ocean. Throughout
that period the operators at the naval wireless stations of Honolulu,
Guam and Manila sat with the telephone receivers glued to their ears
listening with concentrated attention for the slightest sound from the
pirate.
In the meantime the squadron of pursuit airplanes was speeding over the
vast reaches of the ocean at slightly better than two hundred miles
an hour toward the position given in the cable message from Honolulu.
They were now within a flying distance of one hour and a half from that
spot. The question revolving in the mind of Commander Fitzgerald as he
sped along was the probability of the pirate rushing along from the
position given at a speed equal to, or even greater than their own. The
next two hours would determine that all important point.
Suddenly in all three of the great naval wireless station the signals
from the pirate’s airplane were heard again simultaneously. Clearly
and distinctly they came across the intervening space. Apparently the
operator on board was merely trying out his apparatus because he was
not sending out any intelligible message. Nevertheless the operators
at the naval stations took full advantage of the situation and trained
their Direction Finders on him. A few moments work and all three
obtained bearings before the pirate operator ceased sending.
“’Phone Commodore Heathcote quick,” yelled the chief operator at the
Honolulu station to his assistant. This done he continued, “Now get
Guam and Manila and ask them if they got bearings.”
Before the cable queries were sent and answered Commodore Heathcote
entered the station.
“What do you make it this time?” he inquired breathlessly.
“Why, Sir, it’s very strange,” said the operator, “but my reading
is exactly the same as last time. I’m waiting to see what Guam and
Honolulu say so that I can check up with them.”
“Here’s the Guam report now,” broke in the assistant operator from the
cable table. “It says ‘my bearing is the same as last time. I made two
adjustments but obtained the same results each time.’”
“Alright,” said Heathcote, “Now call up Manila and see if by any chance
he has succeeded in getting a reading. He was forewarned this time, and
may have got a bearing. If he has it will act as a complete check on
the position.”
After a few seconds’ work, the operator at the cable instruments got up
and said: “Yes sir, he obtained a bearing, and he reports that it is E
by N 87.”
“That’s good, let’s see what it shows,” replied Heathcote as he picked
up a chart and commenced to work upon it.
“By George!” he continued a few moments later, “that absolutely
confirms your first observation and puts the position at 16.50 N.,
179 W. The only explanation I can give for it is that the pirate has
been flying in circles around that general vicinity, probably for the
purpose of picking up and attacking some commercial airship. If he
only keeps there, Fitzgerald will get to him within the next hour. We
couldn’t have wished for anything better.”
“Shall I advise Commander Fitzgerald by wireless, sir?” asked the
operator.
“No,” replied Heathcote, “keep quiet. Fitzgerald is going to that
position as fast as he can get there. He will continue on his course
I’m sure, even though he does not hear from us, and it will bring him
there shortly. If you send any signals now it will tip the pirate off.
Fitzgerald will be able to tackle him with his squadron, and won’t need
any assistance. This looks like a great chance to get this fellow. I
don’t think it would be wise to send the Johnston Island squadron after
him. No, the best thing we can do now is to keep quiet. Tell Guam and
Manila the same thing. Tell them under no circumstances to use their
wireless again without instructions from us.”
For the next hour Heathcote remained in the wireless station. Both he
and the chief operator were in a state of suppressed excitement. The
latter listened intently for the slightest sound. In their minds both
conjured up a picture of the dramatic scene that they were certain
was about to be enacted close to the central meridian of the eastern
world, a scene they felt sure would cause a thrill to surge throughout
civilization. The minutes ticked slowly by until more than an hour
passed since the second reading had been obtained. Then across the
ether came this signal from Fitzgerald’s airplane:
“PCG.”
That was all. Heathcote, keenly alert, had noticed the almost
imperceptible movement of the operator as the signal commenced and
leaned over his shoulder as the latter wrote down the three letter
signal.
“Good,” exclaimed the commodore, “that means he has sighted the pirate.
Now things will begin to happen in a few minutes. Everything depends
upon the speed and maneuvrability of the pirate machine. If it is no
better than our own machines we’ll get him sure.”
Patiently the three men in the wireless station waited for what seemed
an eternity. Then suddenly there came this signal:
“AE.”
“That means he has engaged the pirate,” said Heathcote, “and has opened
fire. Keep your ears open now for everything that comes along. There’s
nothing more we can do but wait.”
And wait they did. For thirty long minutes not a sound came from the
spot in the vast Pacific where was being fought the momentous battle
in the skies that was to determine the immediate future of commercial
transport. At the end of that period Heathcote could no longer restrain
his impatience. He said to the operator:
“Send out a call to Fitzgerald and ask him what has happened if you can
get him.”