In the leasing of farms, a location with a greater probability
of shipwreck on the shore brought a much higher rent.

XIV

ARTIFICIAL LIGHT IN WARFARE

When the recent war broke out science responded to the call and under
the stress of feverish necessity compressed the normal development of a
half-century into a few years. The airplane, in 1914 a doubtful
plaything of daredevils, emerged from the war a perfected thing of the
air. Lighting did not have the glamor of flying or the novelty of
chemical warfare, but it progressed greatly in certain directions and
served well. While artificial lighting conducted its unheralded
offensive by increasing production in the supporting industries and
helped to maintain liaison with the front-line trenches by lending eyes
to transportation, it was also doing its part at the battle front. Huge
search-lights revealed the submarine and the aerial bomber; flares
exposed the manoeuvers of the enemy; rockets brought aid to
beleaguered vessels and troops; pistol lights fired by the aerial
observer directed artillery fire; and many other devices of artificial
light were in the fray. Many improvements were made in search-lights and
in signaling devices and the elements of the festive fireworks of past
ages were improved and developed for the needs of modern warfare.

Night after night along the battle front flares were sent up to reveal
patrols and any other enemy activity. On the slightest suspicion great
swarms of these brilliant lights would burst forth as though flocks of
huge fireflies had been disturbed. They were even used as light
barrages, for movements could be executed in comparative safety when a
large number of these lights lay before the enemy's trenches sputtering
their brilliant light. The airman dropped flares to illuminate his
target or his landing field. The torches of past parades aided the
soldier in his night operations and rockets sent skyward radiated their
messages to headquarters in the rear. The star-shell had the same
missions as other flares, but it was projected by a charge of powder
from a gun. These and many modifications represent the useful
applications of what formerly were mere "fireworks." Those which are
primarily signaling devices are discussed in another chapter, but the
others will be described sufficiently to indicate the place which
artificial light played in certain phases of warfare.

The illuminating compounds used in these dev