Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 91.djvu/261

 Popular Science Monthly

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��The Largest American Flag in Existence

THE city of St. Louis, Missouri, possesses the largest American flag in ex- istence, as far as is known. It is 150 feet long and 78 feet wide. Each of the thirteen stripes is six feet wide. Imag- ine a plot of ground contain- ing 11,700 square feet — al- most one-quarter of an acre — and you will have an idea of the size of the flag. When used in parades it requires two hun- dred people to carry it. But on account of its great width it cannot be carried through many of the streets of thecity.

���The submarine hoists a sail 'and runs on the surface to approach within striking distance of a fast

��in order freighter

��This Machine Is Five Times as Fast as an Expert Bank Teller

AN expert bank teller can count by l hand from six to ten thousand coins per hour for one hour only. With the new machine illustrated one man, not an expert, can count fifty thousand coins per hour indefinitely.

Mistakes are impossible. In the course of a certain, test, two thin dimes were glued together and mixed with the mass of coins. The machine separated the coins and the final registration showed the correct count. Mutilated coins or thick counterfeits stop the machine.

There is a sepa- rate head or counter for each denomina- tion of coin, and the change from one size to another can be made instantly. The coins pass between two wheels, one at a time. The cyclome- ter, which is in plain view, shows the ex- act number of coins- which have passed through the machine at any time. The machine can be ad- justed to stop auto- matically. There are no springs in it.

���This machine automatically counts and wraps up coins of any denomination at fce rate of from 500 to 1000 coins per minute

��Submarines Disguised as Sailing Vessels, Creep Up to Their Prey

TO deceive vigilant merchant ships, the commanders of German submarines disguise their vessels when they can. Frequently they hoist sails so that their craft look like peaceful sailing vessels.

According to the captain of a swift British freighter, as he was standing on the bridge of his vessel one day he sighted a craft lying low in the water, far astern. He had looked in that direction a few minutes before and there was no ship in sight. That aroused his suspicion. Furthermore, the ship was moving along much faster than the wind alone could have taken her. Ordering full speed ahead, he kept his eyes on the strange vessel, final- ly becoming con- vinced that it was a German submarine disguised as a sailing vessel. There was not much of a breeze but the ship cut through the water at high speed just the same. After the mysterious craft had followed hia vessel for several hours it disappearedentirely, sails and all.

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