The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-07-18
NAVY A VAST EXPERIMENTAL
LABORATORY FOR NEW IDEAS

viii attract attention to the navy,
simulate public interest in It's prob
lens and development and enlist the
I'D OF creative minds.
Al the same time 1t should be remem-
bred that the navy Is. and has been
for many years. one Of the
forces the country Possesses for prog
ress by inventive development. There
has long been a close cooperation OF
Effort between II and the Industrial
worid. Thousands Of men, including
naval officers, enlisted men and indus
trial experts and inventors. have been
al work for the mechanical develop
ment of the navy. Through special
boards n experimental plants the
navy IL constantly trying out hun
dreds or new suggestions. Daily rom
!erences and correspondence go on
between the navy n the civilian in
ventors who come forward by hum
dreds. Moreover, a great many of the
havy's problems are similar to those
Of the mechanical world Of industry.
N which countless brains are trying
" ~ vi DlFSlllt DTfI11S
70 develop improvements which would
Incidentally he of service to the navy.
A generation < the Cnited States
navy was the pioneer in ~. develop
ment Of the practical Application OF
electricity to mechanics. To-day the
United States navy is the most pro-
sressive force in the development Of
wireless biography. 1t was to a large
extent the United States navy which
developed the steel industry In this
oountry.
Finally. the fact should be borne in
mind that the system of mutual co-
operation between the navy and the
commercial arts has resulted in the
transfer OF some of the navy's most
brilliant inventors and scientists to
he commercial field. where they are
developing guns or engines or armor
for the navy probably with greater
rapidity and effectiveness than would
have been possible IL they had re-
NAMED in the naval service. The
steel. electrical. shipbuilding and ar
mament Industries in the United
states are to-day largely directed by
zen whose brilliant achievements in
"a" bIoukHl IllPlu OPPORTUNITIES
10 continue the same line Of work with
hrger compensation and con-
rhuity Of specialized effort than was
possible in the navy.
The navy has three sources OF
IDEAS leading to Improvement and adj
vance. In the order of their impor-
lance as shown by results they are the
navy itself, that part of the industrial
world which is engaged in attacking
problems Identical with or similar TO
hose OF the navy, and finally. the
,housands Of individuals all over the
'ountry engaged in more or less hap
aazard invention.
The great bulk OF the navy's me-
chanical development comes under the
division Of what Is known as steam en-
gineering. which includes also all cleo
'rical work: the ordnance department.
including runs. powder, torpedoeA.
mines and armor; and finally, the con-
s,ruction bureau, which concerns itself
with the design and building Of ves-
sells.
The fleet itself is one great expert
mental laboratory for trying out new
IDEAS, in fact. the acid test OF a new
device Is to put II on board n OF the
vessels Of the navy In addition, how
ever, the Bureau OF Steam Engineer
.ng has at Annapolis what is fast be-
c1ming recognized as one OF the oun
irys greatest experimental engineer
.ng laboratories. At indian Head, Md.
he Bureau Of Ordnance has a proving
ground for testing all sorts of devices
'e!atlng TO powder, guns and armor.