The Portland daily press., 1895-12-28
THE WIZARDS VIEWS.
Not in Favor of War but Thinks 1t
Would Bring New Inventions.

fence
Ii there is a war, which trust there
ing that there will be some remarkable
things done by Americans said Thomas
A. Edison, in an interview in the New
York Journal. The famous in
ventor was in his laboratory at Lewellyn
Park when he spoke. Ee appeared con-
fident that implements Of war unknown
to tho fighters of today, and possessing
tho most terrific destroying power could
be supplied in an incredibly short time.
He is reported as saying:
sit would require but the impetus of
war to bring forth such inventive
genius as would astound the world As
it stands today battle on land need not
be fought. A handful of men could
sweep away an army. The destructive
power is found in electricity.
"Water can be made more effective
than bullets. For instance, if an engage
ment should take place or fort be as
saulted near running stream, all that
would be needed would be dynamo and
hose. One man for the dynamo, one
for the nose and one for general assis-
tant-three men all told. They could
charge that water with 5000 volts, and it
would sweep everything living before it
away like chaff. 1t would simply be a
1f g. 4.
forced. The three men could hold a posi-
ton against an army.
Then, again, city could be surround
ed with cables that would deal death to
all who should attempt to GROSS Them
They could be SO successfully concealed
that none would know until the work
had been begun.
Another idea that suggests itself as
we chat is the firing of electric chains
into the invading force You could take
chains of whatever length was desired
and attach one end to the wires of the
dynamo. The other end could be placed
in the cannon with as light or heavy load
as desired and fired into the ranks of an
approaching enemy. You could send
death to every living thing within reach,
and keep the air filed with chains like
great flakes. There are hundreds of other
possibilities thatl would suggest them
selves when once We realized that we were
face to face with war,
WAR NOT PROBABLE.
81 do not believe that war will follow
this dispute. We will not fly at each
others throats until every other means
of honorable settlement is gone
81 am confident that we can supply
simple agents that viii sweep foreign
cruisers from the sea- The power is al
ready at our command. Dynamite and
other high explosives furnish that. 1t is
simply a question of how to place it,
81 believe that the submarine boats
| improved that they will be irresistible
when bent on destruction. With properly
compressed air l think it would be posi-
| BILE for such a boat to remain under water
for days at time. At present you say
they are too slow to be effective. That
could be overcome
II believe that speed of 90 knots can
be secured beneath the water by proper
construction and the right kind of power
Eve hundred pounds of dynamite ex-
ploded directly beneath an ironclad OF any
size or strength will send her down. If
vicinity it will shake her plates So that
she will leak. Seyeralauch shocks would
tell the story. Their. torpedo nets are
not effective against the submarine boat
and l think the mysterious thing under
the sea is one of the great engines of the
future.
SUBMARINE BOATS.
SIT is necessary, of course, that such q
vessel be fast, because after placing her
mine she will have to scuttle away at a
good gait to save herself from her own
work. We have never had occasion to
build Il subma rine boat and where there
is no demand for thing men do not give
it their best thought Mako the occasion
and you will find an American to meet
| it.
"Our Civil war was a alf-hearted
affair. We were fighting against our
selves. But God," said the Wizard, ris-
| ing with shining eyes and outstretohed
hand, show different it would be with a
foreign powerp
"Could New York be saved from de-
struction by war ships?" was asked.
| IT believe that the aerial torpedo fur
| nishes us with protection from hostile
| warships," replied MIR. Edison. 'tWe
are just beginning to understand how
effective they are and how they can be
improved. have not the slightest doubt
| that an aerial torpedo can be steered.
The cost of construction would be tri.
fing-about $500 for each. Each torpedo
could be set to explode at a certain time
after being cut loose from its !ship. Now
suppose fifty of these things were lot
loose at one time and sent out to sea with