Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-05-02

numbered Lee. Jackson and Mosby
| among his intimate friends. Another
of his acquaintance, by the way was a
| physician named Whistler who also
served With the Confederate army, and
| this friendship led to later one be-
tween Ambrose McEvoy and the physi-
clans famous brother. James Mcneil
Whistler. which lasted FOR over 10 years.
SHELL FUSE INVENTION.
McEvoy's first invention was a fuse
to be used in shells. and was shown by
the young soldier to Lee. Go and see
Brook, was the generals terse COM
lnent, the reference being to Colonel
Brook. who now is head of the Virginia
Military Institute, and who then was
in charge of the ordnance department
of the confederacy Brook Instantly
saw the merit of McEvoy's idea. adopt
ed 1t forthwith. and shells of the type
suggested thereafter were tourned out
in millions at the Richmond arsenal. 1t
was many months later that McEvoy
turned his attention to the problem Of
submarine mines which he solved so
brilliantly.
Ambrose McEvoy came to England
at the end of tho war. married and
settled down. AS the only man who
knew anything about submarine
mines. he did not lack for attention
from the British admiralty. and Eng
land is defended today by his mer-
eurial circuit closer. Another OF
McEvoy's later inventions WAS the
Spar" torpedo, which remained in
general use until the advent OF the
white head and the famous ELS
wick sights We're also devised by
him,
BREACHES OF FAITH.
1t seems unlikely that the fun story
of the British admiralty's dealings with
Ambrose McEvoy would make pleas
ant reading. He told his family OF
devices refused by my lords and
finally adopted after the patents on
them had run out, and Of similar
results We're disastrous for the invent
or. Orders came to him from other
countries. 1t Is true, but II was inter-
mittently, and by the time Charles Nc
JSvoy Mas II the wolf had looked in
more than once at his fathers door
And as q consequence the young au-
thor of David Ballard" who had
hoped &c 20 to Cambridge. was COM
PEELED to relinqulsh that dream and
20 into his fathers business as svon
as he left school
ANTHONY UNDERSTAND"
Ambrose McEvoy is the original of
Anthony Understand in George Ber-
rard Shaws play Major Barbara"
Mr.. McEYoy died In 1905. but some
time before then. his younger son had
met and made q fast friend of the
author OF Man and Superman." As
Il consequence the playwright and
the inventor of tho submarine met
once or twice, and IT was these neot-
ings and the occasional references
made by Charles MoEvoy to his
fathers career which led shaw to lAko
Ambrose AlcEvoy for his model when
drawing the maker of explosives" as
foil TO his salvation Arm. lassie, !
Major Barbara
INVENTED A NINE.
Incidentally, there is good and suffi-
Gent reason for believing that II the |
young author of David Ballard" had /
rot decided TO invent plots for PLAYS |
ln6told or invcnting engines OF war
no might himself have achieved results |
IN the latter direction which oven his |
sire would not have disdained For |
Valparaiso harbor NJ this moment Is |
oeieEded By submarine mine which |
practically owes IT'S construction 10 |
charles McEYoy The unfinished plans
Tor IL were his fathers legacy to tho |
young man. The result was a con-
kiomeratlon OF apparatus, complete, |
cut Ioi the essential thing-tha cir
CUT which Ambrose McEvoy had rot
VIC rked out To his son, thun whose
early apprenticeship In his fathers
eShpp5 row stood him in good stead.