The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-02-11
COEN STILhS.
MIR. Edward Atkinson Discusses 'he'" :"
Connection Win Naval vessels.

Connection Win Naval Vessels.
Editor Of The Times:
sir-Among the amenities OF the recent
silver contest, the editor OF a CoIorduo
paper sent me a copy, in which he caIed
my attention to his remarks upon myself
lie said that Edward Atkinson was the
champion liar Of the world-the must
accomplished man in mat line that hdn
ever extsted-and that Ananias was very
discreet I'm getting himself born early,
aimee II he had waited until now he would
have had no reputation at all TO ,this
responded that my common RUE III
dealing with the silver question was
wherever / saw silver head TO MT H.
and that / was very glad to have ms
own testimony. that In his case had
cracked "A skull which was empty OF
everything except courtesy
Before | have completed the careful and
guarded statement. which l am about TO
submit, on the subject of Corn stalks
my readers may come TO the conclusion
that the Denver editor was right
ON a recent visit to Philadelphia one
Of my business associates who Happened
TO know that on the first Introduction OF
the silo / had made study OF the l9ou
properties of green corn plants or stalks.
desired me to meet certain gentlemen
who were Interested In new corn stalK
food for winch titN itQ St'uitN q Pth''HNf
and in the application Of the pith or
celfulose OF the corn stak 10 many other
purposes. also patented. They were the
representatives of the Marsden invention,
INCORPORATED under the title OF THE
Nlarsden Development Company l lis
tened for over an hour to the claims put
forward on the uses and benefits OF these
products cross-questioning the gentlemen
Of highest standing and authority in PM
adelphia who were present. All that L
could say TO the friend who had brought
about the meeting was that so Tar as
had any knowledge of the food properties
of the corn stalk. and of the properties
of the prepared celulose derived from
the pith, every claim that had been made
might he justified by the analysis of the
material Everything claimed was there
jn the natural combination. Whether or
not the separation had been made and the
different uses had become possible. was
a matter on which | could not ATTEMPT
TO pass: but II the claims were justified.
the inventions would correspond in their
influence to the revolution In cotton pro-
duction worked by the Whitney cotton
gin.
subsequently, TO that meeting. I have
received the reports of the Navy Depart
ment and of the Agricultural Experiment
Stations on the use of cellulose or corn
stalk pith in naval construction. and on
the properties of the resduum as food
for stock after the pith is removed. Upon
these two subjects of the claims, the evil
dence appears TO be conclusive and the
action OF the Government may also be
noted In providing for the use of corn
ceulose In vessels now under contract.
There is as yet no evidence derived from
experience attainable on other claims.
which yet seem to be founded in reason
and fact
In the matter of naval construction.
many efforts had been made abroad to
put into certain parts OF the iron-clad
ships OF war what are called coffer-dams
for the protection OF such parts of The
vessel as could not be wholly protected
with the very thick shot-resisting plates
of steel In France cellulose had be- n
made by expensive processes from the
fibre OF the cocoanut. The cellulose from
corn pin proves to be so far superior
TO that or any other as TO wholly dis-
place every other known material
II may be compressed TO a delsity OF
six and one-half pounds to the cuhic
foot which is. | think. about one fourth
the weight of pine and about one seventh
the weight OF oak and elm. Yet IN this
condition II will take up twenty 'incs .'s
volume OF water The steel plates thus
backed with a sufficient thickness OF n Is
and eight-inch shell the watec immed'-
ately following: but in the eXpe" ae'''s
OF which we have reports from the Navy
Department "A cofier-dam of three fett
I'm thh lncss pierced by an eight - h
she'll swells up so quickly after The aSell
has passed that the water penetratcs only
two feet. When IL gets to that point tho
hole Is stopped. Under similar coaCi-
iions the cell )luSe made from the Cocoa
q tho Wutgr wholly
This mode Of protecting the on3s - d
the decks OF armor-clad vessels enables
the constructor TO fix the metacentric
point at so great "a variation from tho
former method as 10 give very much
greater stability 10 the ship. and even
the armor-clad vessels fitted in sufficient
measure with this bouyant sUbsta-ice
r. in the naval report OF which i have a
copy. and in lectures ono given by a
navel constructor. the other by Mr.
cramp himself who says:
For protection Ina comprehensive
sense, a cellulose belt OF three feet may
be said to be about as ef-
:lc.cnt as six-inch belt Ct
steel. so that We can protect our stability
when we have a good protective deck
back OF which TO defend the vitals OF
the ship with one hundred tons or cell
hlose TO an extent equivalent TO that
derived from say one thousand tons Of
urmor."
III this be true the time may be near
when the unsuitable ana indestructble
sLlp may meet the Irresistible sn1 With
out harm on either side. We may then
place both In the national garnet with
other old Junk. TO my uninstructed mind
the thought occurs that under such CON
dliions with the further inventions which
next week. next month or next year Will
probably develop or some other line an
that we shall need except few cruisers
Tor the protection OF our commerce from
pirates working under the name Of pri-
vaittrs win be some light ut. corn
stalk rams with steel beaks and very
powerful engines against which every
typo of naval vessel would be helpless
n one dared stop across the mouth a.
the harbor. We may then convert our
forts into Fairgrounds. A. we have al
ready converted Fort Independence IN
roston Harbor
n ma. happen TIA, tho huge battle
shlps. clad In solid steel plates. MOUNTING
guns 30 big as 20 be dangerous 10 tn
stability Of the vessel. worked with abou