The Washington herald., 1914-09-27
Some Inventions Which Ought Be Used in European War

These were forced into thin steel tubes
and inserted into the torpedo. The tor
pedo is designed TO take up the feed
water from the sea while running. which
water is pumped into the combustion
chamber and there evapOrated by being
driven through baffie plates by the fame
blast from the burning motOrite. and the
steam and the products OF combustion
are led to a turbine. which drives the
propeller. The combustion OF the motor
lie is confined absolutely to the exposed
end OF the stick in the combustion cham
Der.
The system worked to perfection
but the company that had worked with
me in making the experiments to de-
velop my system had a torpedo OF it,
own and as IL believed there would
be more money in making and pushing g
its own inferior torpedo than there
would be in making and pushing mine.
IT chose the former course.
then took my invention to the ord
nance bureau Of the United States navy
and sold it TO the navy at merely
nominal price. Although this system
has not yet been brought into use, II
is destined in the near future to play
a very important part in naval warfare.
BY means Of mOtorite. the energy
available for driving tOrpedOes can be
quadrupled. In other words. there
would be with my system four times
as much energy available as there is
with the present torpedo. Further
more. the torpedo would he far less
expensive to make than the present type
Since turning over my torpedo in
vCntions TO the United States govern
ment. I have invented very impOr-
tant improvement. especially in torpe-
does for short range work.
The torpedo boat I suggest would he
made largely according to some OF my
United states patents. II would be built
somewhat on the lines Of the present sub
marine. but it would be adapted TO run
upon the surface of the water in the
same way that an ordinary torpedo boat
or light cruiser runs until sighting the
enemy, then. as soon as it got in range
OF the enemy's guns, ii would 90 down
to a semi-submerged position. with only
a whalnbaCk ridge with coming tower
and TcTlsCope tunes above the water. II
would then make very small target
and would be exceedingly difficult to hi'
going head on. Even should it be struck.
il would not be seriously injured. be
cause the whole superstructur". except
the coming tower. perisCopc tubes. air
intake and exhaust would be wholly dis
pensable. However. when getting into
very close quarters. or when the tirc
Of the enemy got too hot, the boat could
then BE- quickly sunk TO a completely sub
merged position. with only tn" pe-IsCope
tubes out Of water. and in that way ad-
vance within close enough range to
launch its torpedOes. These torpedoes.
made according to my invention. would
earH carry a ton Of explosive. i've Of
them would he carried in a revolver with
means for disCharGing them with great
rapidly. one after another. The revoI-
Yer. also could he quickly reloaded from
a supply OF the tOrpedOes carried on
board.
These torpedo boats could he built OF
sufficient size for harbOr defense. at
SlCo."oo each Consequently, u" Of them
could be built at less than the cost OF
a single I5.00O.O0N battleship. They could
be built of sufficient size for open. sea-
going travel at S3a0."oO each. easily. three
for &l0G0Gn. forty-fve Of them for a
little more than the cost Of a single SIS
@O,OC0 preadnouCht. These boats would
be of sufficient size and roominess to
render them as comfortable as a battle
ship. and they would have A speed far
greater than any hatJleship in the
world.
In the construction and use Of fight
ing ships. the rational way. as In every
thing else. is to get the most service
for the least money. II from forty-five