New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-05-27
AN INVENTORS PATRIOTISM
Recalled by The Tribune Story OF the
Capture Of Fort Donelson.

! To the Editor ~ The Tribune.
Sir. The story told In Sundays Tribune
Of the capture Of Fort Donelson recalls
phase OF naval armament that l think was
never widely known. In 1851 sidney =
Jones, born IN Rhode Island, was me-
chsnic and bridge builder In The employ
| Of a Missouri railway. He enlisted ardent
" and intelligently in the work OF helping
n create tho fleet OF gunboats which under
Foote and Porter performed such signal
service. In those DAYS armor plate was
not the massive and infiexible construction
now i'm use. and in the course OF his work
! (, occurred to Mr.. Jones that lining or
rubber interposed between the woodwork
Of the vessel and the iron plates would give
| the latter greater resisting power. ana
accordingly a number of boats vere so
equipped.
Th. records Of the COMMITTEES on Patents
o, the House of Representatives from lso'
or 1865 to 1879 prove the correctness of Mr.
Jones's theory. and an account OF the
Vicksburg campaign published In Harp
er's Monthly" forty-odd years ago chron-
icles the number OF shots that struck each
| Of the gunboats that ran the batteries,
| with notation Of the fact that those sup
| piled with rubber backing underneath the
| armor plates were pierced far less often
| than the others.
Mr. Jones followed the feet down the
| Mississippi and was sent by Commodore
Porter 10 Cairo with messages or reports.
The boat conveying him grounded. and
Mr.. Jones finished the journey on foot.
The exposure and hardshps Of breaking
lis way through brought inismmatory
rheume tism. and II was not until two or
three years after the war had ended that
Mr. Jones was able to go 10 Washington
and press his claim against the government
for the use of his invention, which had
been patented and the patent issued AT
the instance Of Commodore Porter to
himself and Jones jointly. Porter de-
sired 10 financial return in the matter.
hut felt that a share in the credit for the
Invention was calculates TO win him pro-
motion. He undoubtedly overlooked the
fact. which Jones did not know, that a
federal statute gave TO the government the
right of free use Of any invention by
naval or army officer. and thus Mr. Jones
was shut out from the right to bring suit
in the Court Of Claims.
For Eve years al least Mr. Jones sought
relief or compensation AT the hands OF
Congress. He had added intellectually TO
the efficiency of the Mississippi feet. had
been crippled and had suffered loss Of
health In tho government service and had
spent every dollar OF his private means
(about 1000 In forwarding the work.
Not until 1875 was he able to obtain even
respectful hearing. In that year. toward
the close If the life OF the Congress bill
permitting him 10 take his case before the
Court OF Claims was passed by the House.
but died I'm the Senate files for lack OF
time 10 reach IT, II was Reverdy Johnson
IL memory serves me correctly, who had
agreed 10 take the case into court II the
enabling act should be passed, and Mr.
Johnson had no doubt Of obtaining a judg-
ment running into the hundreds Of thou
sands Of dollars.
Disappointment and rheumatism. I'm Mr.
Jones's weakened condition FASTENED his
end, and not many weeks after his return
10 ST Louis he died-a man Impoverished
b. his patriotism and broken hearted by
his governments ingratitude and Injustice.
Malone. n. Y. May "a. 1911. Els.