Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-09-15

hAADOas
The inventive spirit OF modern American genius
hovers tenderly and persistently over tAe War
and Navy Departments There il something
glitter1ng In the promises and chances offered by
the neld OF engines OF war. and the archives OF
both Departments are filled with the plans and
drawings Of inventions that have been sent here
for examination. II would seem that the proper
place for such things Is in the Patent Ofnce
but there are inventors who, for many
reasons prefer TO deal directly with those Depart
menus IN the lines VI which their productions
run. IN number OF cases the main reason for
tniS preference seems TO be the fact that the In
ventions are worthless and have been rejected by
the Patent ONCE, but the inventors uncrushed by
such defeat, send them to these departments In
the fond hope that perhaps the technical eyes Of
nsval ana army experts viii see the real merit OF
SOME ODD INVENTIONS
A few OF these oddities OF American invention
were recently called TO the attention OF STAR re-
porter by naval officer, through whose hands q
number OF them had passed.
I'VE get any quantity OF ideas thrust upon u.s."
ne SAID 10y cranks and others, at the rate OF one
invention month, or Whereabouts, should say.
Most OF them are utterly worthless, and the for
mality through which it is necessary for us TO
mis- plan is practically a waste OF time. think
mat the last one saw was the most unique
piece OF toolishness I ever encountered. 1t was
Of some rough pencil drawings on piece Of COM
mon manila paper accompanied by q few notes Of
By the Navy Tns shp to the
Ing, seemed to be designed as a sort OF double
ender, there being no difference between the bow
llne outward for short distance, and then re-
treated, thus forming point, or ram. on either
END end There were three projections IN the plan.
along the deck, eQut-dstant, that looked like mast
SSumps or smoke-stacks but they were neither:
They were the tops Of elevator shafts. The
ship, explained the notes, was to be divided into
three decks, and each deck cut up into twelve
rooms BY an ingenious arrangements Of bulk
heads and partitions each OF the three elevators
was 10 open into four rooms on each deck. These
rooms were TO be provided with strong locks and
other means OF security, and also with 'all modern
improvements and conveniences.' The inventor
Claimed that when the ship was attacked the
crew could retreat 10 the elevators descend to the
rooms by sort OF system or drill, lock them
and thus 0prevent the ship from being
taken" That formed the central idea OF
the plan. There were no provisions for boilers
defense, except an arm0r plating two inches thick.
Inc inventor, Texan, evidently thought that his
snip was model II was, in its way. The draw
sent around the usual course and finally returned
70 the inventor few weeks ago with letter from
Inc Secretary thanking MIN Tor the chance which
Out regretting an inability 70 adopt it."
SENDING PLANS OF HALIFAX HARBoR.
zone OF these people-these inventors-is regu-
lar correspondent with the Department, living In
Halifax, N. s. Besides sending numerous plans
and designs he is continually sending maps OF the
maroon or Halifax with various schemes by which
70 Capture that port and also to annex NOVA 80
tia. lie is crank on the subject OF Canadian am
time to the development OF schemes TO that end.
One OF his recent productions in the line or inven-
ZION Is an arDor Tor battle-ship consisting OF u
considerable thickness OF india rubber. his idea
was that the elasticity OF the substance would
cause The shots striking the vessel to rebound
without damage TO the snip. The plan has been
az ~
This idea Oh rubber armor, however, is not so
FOOLISH as might be thought, as an armOr.plate
expert at the Department explained to the re-
porter.
AN ELASTIC ARMoR.
'There has been invented" he said, ga sort of
elastic paste which is spread the unprotected
unarmOred parts OF ships hull. 1t Is made OF
prepared powder, produced by grinding the nbers
OF tne cocoanut. It's properties are such that II
stroyed or torn away as in the case OF iron or
WOOD, out the hole closes up instantly, leaving
only minute cracks where the shot en-
water cannot enter, and this is the main object
OF This armor to prevent The ship from filling and
sinking. II has been used experimentaily In
Europe with great success, and has been adopted
Dy the French navy. or course, as an armor
strictly speaking, 1t is valueless; but as a means
GOOD ae 1S}, Inc compartments OF ship dry, 1t is
out entirely, but this can be used where the
metals cannot. II Is peculiar substance, men
being AFFLICTED with frequent nose bleeding"
LIKE THE FRENCHMAN AND THE FLEA.
"Your mention OF queer inventions" continued
this officer, "reminds me Of a letter which
noticed recently from fellow who wanted the
Navy to buy his secret for destroying hostile naval
vessels by means OF a torpedo. His plan was
detailed in the letter about as follows: man.
Clad IN new and Improved diving suit was To
swim out TO The enemy's vessel, and, diving under
her hull TO fasten to her bottom metal eye-DOlt
I'm n
which he had lowed out with him and swim back
10 his starting place. torpedo OF q peculiar
Ses,gn should Then be fastened TO the line and
hauled out to the vessel by means OF the rope and
ring. When 1t came in contact with the snip &c
couid be exploded, either by the contact or by q
time fuse. The inventor wanted several Thousand
dollars ior his secret which consisted In the diving
suit the method OF liking the eye-bOlt to the ships
ootIoin and the style OF the torpedo. The Depart
ment rejected his Offer"
REVOLUTIONARY PLAN.
This idea Is somewhat similar to that OF David
Bushnell, torpedo genius OF Revolutionary DAYS
Among his many schemes and engines for destruc.
ton was one called the American torpedo. De.
scrleed as machine shaped like water tortoise
sufficienJ air to support respiration tor thirty
minutes without being replenished, valves 10 ad.
mt or reject water for the purpose OF raising or
sinking, ballast TO keep II UPRIGHT and seat for
The operator. Above Tue rudder was place for
carrying large powder Magazine constructed
d ~ u Two pieces Oh OAK timber, and capable
apparatus lOr nr1ng II, consisting Of time trigger
Inc object was TO SWIM SO low ON the surface OF
the water that the machine could approach at
night Very near to the ship without being dis
covered. After sinking quickly ne could keen at
any depth and row Ia any direction. When the
ship was reached wooden screw was to be liked
into the bottom, The magazine attached and the
operator would swim away In his turtle and await
Che action Of the time lock. The expertmenIs of
MI bushnell, performed on the British fleet In the
Delaware, were not at all successful and the
American torpedo Was abandoned. In lit he
performed feat somewhat like that proposed by
the modern inventor mentioned above Oy draw
British frlgate Cerebus from a whale boat The
machine accidentally became attached to a
schooner ana exploded, tearing her to pieces.
TO SAVE LIFE.
The genius OF these inventors Is not all OF an ap
gressive naJure-that is, 1t does not always de-
velop machines OF destruction, but sometimes
takes the turn of saving life. On the window sill
OF an ONCE IN the Bureau OF Construction and Re-
pair Lies q TIN concern covered with dust and
almost hidden with papers and books. II Is the
model OF patent nfe-00at OF q most striking de-
sign. The bow and stern are perfect cones-pOints
outward and horizontally in line. bar connecIs
them and supports the body OF The boat winch is
entirely separate from the ends. 1t ii half round.
without q keel and swings freely upon the central
bar. The object OF this cOntrivance is u prevent
the tipping OF the boat. The cones being hollow
and water-tight would AFFORD buoy ancy, and when
ever wave struck the boat 1t would swing unre-
sisting upon Its axis and right itself as soon as
the wave had passed. The tin model has been
resting on the wlndow-sil for many months and
the hfe-p0at has never been adopted by the Navy.
MIR. Alcoss's vegetarianism.
From Ia Roato Mt