New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1915-07-13
TO ASSIST
navy DEPARTMENT.
Inventor to Head Advisory Board
for Bureau Of Invention

yentors for a bureaus Of invention and
development to be created in the
navy department. His acceptance
will go forward at once to WASH
ington, where the new plans await
word from the man who can turn
dreams into realities.
Mr.. Daniels's idea of utilizing the
inven5ive genius Of Americans in and
out of the military and naval service
to meet conditions of warfare shown
in the conflict on land and sea in
Europe, is outlined in a letter writ
ten last Wednesday,, asking Mr.. Edi-
son whether, as patriotic service
to his country, he would undertake.
the task Of advising the proposed bu-
roau The plan is to have several
l.. en- prominent In special lines Of IN
vens.ve research associated in the
work.
TO Meet New Danger
Among the great problems to be
laid before the investigators, the Sec
Rotary mentioned submarine warfare.
adding that he feTo sure that with
Mr.. Edison's wonderful brain to help
them the officers Of the navy would
be able 'to meet this new danger
with new devices that will assure
peace % our country by their effec-
tiveness.'
"One of the impe } i've needs OF
the navy, in my Judgment said the
secretary in his letter, sis machinery
and facilities for utilizing the natural
inventive genius of Americans to
meet the new conditions of warfare
IS shown abroad, and it is my in
tention, If Il practical way can BE
worked out, as ] think it can be, TO
establish, at the earliest moment, a
department Of invention and develop
ment to which all ideas and sugges-
tons, either from the service or from
civilian inventors, can be referred for
discrimination, as to whether they
contain practical suggestions for us
to take up and perfect We, OF
course, receive many suggestions, bur
our only way Of handling them 1t
present to to leave them to various
bureaus already overcrowded with
routine work, and it is not always
possible to give the necessary atten-
ton to propositions that are not so
definitely worked out as to make them
immediately available for the SER
vice. Ideas which contain the germ
OF Improvement cannot always lie
given the attention they deserve, as
there is at present no adequately
equipped department to which TO
send them for the careful study re-
quired. s4- sf3. 1-a@s tsnes hs' y
FL There are, unfortunately, no ON
GERS now detailed who can take time
from the mass Of work which they
are called upon to do in order to de-
vote 1t fully to studying new sug-
gestions and inventions. The depart
ment Is also unprovided with the
best facilities for work Of pure ex-
Fermentation and investigation with
the exception of our testing station
at Annapolis, which is as vet, a small
affair. Most OF all. as have said,
there Is no particular place, or par
ticular body of men, relieved of other
work, charged solely with the duty
OF either devising new things Them
seves or perfecting the crude ideas
that are submitted to the department
by our naturally inventive people.
Plan Still Hazy.
/ have in mind a general plan Of
orga nizing such a department which
Is. still very hazy as to details but
which. in a general way. meets so
Tar as the navy is concerned. with
your IDEAS of such a department for.
tne government in general. I want
10 use such facilities for the expert
mental and Invention work as we
nave under the direction of men par
4 tlcularly selected for ability shown
III this direction, to whom would be
referred all suggestions of new de-
wees sent into the department and
VINO would work out such ideas TO ii
practical point.
what ! want to ask is If you would
| DC willing, as a service to your coun-
Try, TO act as an adviser to this board,
! !, 70 take such things as seem to you to
be OF value, but which we are not AT
| present, equipped to investigate. anu
70 use Your own magnificent facilities
In such investigation if you feel it
| worth while For our part. we will
endeayor not to bother you with tri
Wal matters as we will probably have
suH1clent facilities to handle such
small matters as they come UP. This
1 is great deal to ask and I unfor-
/ tunately have nothing but the thanks
of the navy and, | think of the coun.
try at large. together with the feelina
i Of service to your country that yo
will have. to offer you by way of re-
compense; yet SO clearly have YOU
shown our patriotism and our unset.
fish loyalty to your countrys Interests
that / feel justified in making this
| request
Assure Peace To Our Country
I'VE are confronted with a new ant
terrible engine Of warfare in the sub
4 marine, to consider only one Of tn,
| big things which / have in mind, AM