Tom Swift and His Great Searchlight

Last updated
Tom Swift and His Great Searchlight
Tom Swift and His Great Searchlight (book cover).jpg
Author Victor Appleton
Original titleTom Swift and His Great Searchlight, or, On the Border For Uncle Sam
LanguageEnglish
Series Tom Swift
Genre Young adult novel Adventure novel
Publisher Grosset & Dunlap
Publication date
1912
Publication placeUnited States
Media typePrint (hardback & paperback)
Pages200+ pp
ISBN 978-1515122432
Preceded by Tom Swift and His Wizard Camera  
Followed by Tom Swift and His Giant Cannon  

Tom Swift and His Great Searchlight, or, On the Border For Uncle Sam, is Volume 15 in the original Tom Swift novel series published by Grosset & Dunlap.

Contents

Plot summary

Tom has finally perfected one of his latest inventions, a noiseless airship. This is a project Tom has been working on since the last few volumes, and now that it is finished, it appears that Tom is suddenly under scrutiny by United States border agents, who are tracking smuggling operations which utilize airships to move goods out of Canada, and avoid paying duty tax. Once Tom convinces the agents that he is not involved in smuggling, he is hired to help break up the operations.

Inventions and innovation

In previous volumes, but only mentioned peripherally, Tom has been working on a noiseless airship. These are basically modifications to the engine: a new muffler and sparking device.

Built for use in this adventure is Tom's giant searchlight, as the title of the story suggests. A device utilizing a mixed electric current, the searchlight can be seen for miles and miles, and is used specifically to search for smugglers during the night.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tom Swift</span> Fictional literary character

Tom Swift is the main character of six series of American juvenile science fiction and adventure novels that emphasize science, invention, and technology. Inaugurated in 1910, the sequence of series comprises more than 100 volumes. The first Tom Swift – later, Tom Swift Sr. – was created by Edward Stratemeyer, the founder of the Stratemeyer Syndicate, a book packaging firm. Tom's adventures have been written by various ghostwriters, beginning with Howard Garis. Most of the books are credited to the collective pseudonym "Victor Appleton". The 33 volumes of the second series use the pseudonym Victor Appleton II for the author. For this series, and some later ones, the main character is "Tom Swift Jr." New titles have been published again from 2019 after a gap of about ten years, roughly the time that has passed before every resumption. Most of the series emphasized Tom's inventions. The books generally describe the effects of science and technology as wholly beneficial, and the role of the inventor in society as admirable and heroic.

<i>The Mark on the Door</i> Book by Franklin W. Dixon

The Mark on the Door is Volume 13 in the original The Hardy Boys Mystery Stories published by Grosset & Dunlap.

<i>What Happened at Midnight</i> 1931 book by Franklin W. Dixon

What Happened at Midnight is Volume 10 in the original The Hardy Boys Mystery Stories published by Grosset & Dunlap.

<i>A Darkling Plain</i> 2006 young-adult novel by Philip Reeve

A Darkling Plain is the fourth and final novel in the Mortal Engines Quartet series, written by British author Philip Reeve.

<i>Tom Swift in the Caves of Ice</i>

Tom Swift in the Caves of Ice, or, The Wreck of the Airship, is Volume 8 in the original Tom Swift novel series published by Grosset & Dunlap.

<i>Tom Swift Among the Diamond Makers</i>

Tom Swift Among the Diamond Makers, Or, The Secret of Phantom Mountain, is Volume 7 in the original Tom Swift novel series published by Grosset & Dunlap.

<i>Tom Swift and His Wireless Message</i>

Tom Swift and His Wireless Message, or, The Castaways of Earthquake Island, is Volume 6 in the original Tom Swift novel series published by Grosset & Dunlap.

<i>Tom Swift and His Submarine Boat</i>

Tom Swift and His Submarine Boat, or, Under the Ocean for Sunken Treasure, is Volume 4 in the original Tom Swift novel series, written by Victor Appleton and published by Grosset & Dunlap.

<i>Tom Swift and His Airship</i>

Tom Swift and His Airship, or, The Stirring Cruise of the Red Cloud, is Volume 3 in the original Tom Swift novel series published by Grosset & Dunlap.

<i>Tom Swift and His Electric Rifle</i> Young adult novel in the "Tom Swift" series of the early 1900s

Tom Swift and His Electric Rifle; or, Daring Adventures in Elephant Land is a young adult novel published in 1911, written by Stratemeyer Syndicate writers using the pen name Victor Appleton. It is Volume 10 in the original Tom Swift novel series published by Grosset & Dunlap. The novel is notable for inspiring the name of the Taser.

<i>Tom Swift and His Air Glider</i>

Tom Swift and His Air Glider, or, Seeking the Platinum Treasure, is Volume 12 in the original Tom Swift novel series published by Grosset & Dunlap.

<i>Tom Swift in Captivity</i>

Tom Swift in Captivity, or, A Daring Escape by Airship, is Volume 13 in the original Tom Swift novel series published by Grosset & Dunlap. The work was also published under the title Tom Swift in Giant Land or, A Daring Escape From Captivity.

<i>Tom Swift and His Wizard Camera</i>

Tom Swift and His Wizard Camera, or, Thrilling Adventures While Taking Moving Pictures, is Volume 14 in the original Tom Swift novel series published by Grosset & Dunlap.

<i>Tom Swift and His Giant Cannon</i>

Tom Swift and His Giant Cannon, or, The Longest Shots on Record, is Volume 16 in the original Tom Swift novel series published by Grosset & Dunlap.

<i>Tom Swift and His Photo Telephone</i>

Tom Swift and His Photo Telephone, or, The Picture That Saved A Fortune, is Volume 17 in the original Tom Swift novel series published by Grosset & Dunlap.

<i>Tom Swift and His Aerial Warship</i>

Tom Swift and His Aerial Warship, or, The Naval Terror of the Seas, is Volume 18 in the original Tom Swift novel series published by Grosset & Dunlap.

<i>Tom Swift in the Land of Wonders</i>

Tom Swift In The Land of Wonders, or, The Underground Search For the Idol of Gold, is Volume 20 in the original Tom Swift novel series published by Grosset & Dunlap.

<i>Tom Swift and His War Tank</i>

Tom Swift and His War Tank, Or, Doing His Bit for Uncle Sam, is Volume 21 in the original Tom Swift novel series published by Grosset & Dunlap.

<i>Tom Swift and His Air Scout</i>

Tom Swift and His Air Scout, Or, Uncle Sam's Mastery of the Sky, is Volume 22 in the original Tom Swift novel series published by Grosset & Dunlap.

<i>Tom Swift and His Undersea Search</i>

Tom Swift and His Undersea Search, Or, The Treasure on the Floor of the Atlantic, is Volume 23 in the original Tom Swift novel series published by Grosset & Dunlap.

References