The sun., 1916-01-16
E-2 FIRST TO USE
EDISON'S BATTERY
Invention Installed as a Guard
Against the Formation of
Chlorine Gas.
FIRST TEST IN NOVEMBER

Tho submarine E-2 was the first OF the
United States undersea boats to under
go tests of the new Edison storage
batteries designed 10 eliminate the
formation of chlorine gas. set OF the
batteries was tried out on rolling,
pitching platform in the New York
Navy Yard In July, 1914, but the ex-
perlments on the E-2 were not under
taken until last spring. The official
test Of the E-2 equipped with such bat
teries was made last November ana
was reported to have been remarkably
successful In spite OF much adverse
criticism voiced about them by sub
marine builders and others.
Late in the summer OF 1914 the E-2
met with an accident while running
| submerged near Newport. The boat
| filled with chlorine gas from salt
| water reaching her batteries. This acct
! dent, which for "A time laid up several
members of her crew. led to extensive
| changes in the battery Innings, &v, of
| other submarines. 1t was decided after
| that accident to make the E-2 test
| boat for the Edison batteries because
| SO serious was the affair that the e.
almost ended her career in a fashion
| similar to the fate Of the F-4 at Homo
! lulu last March.
The leak in the ~ at the time Of
| her accident was found to have oc-
| CURED In the lead lining OF the storage
| battery tanks, through which acid
| trickled. causing leak in the ballast
| tanks. As soon as the odor of
chlorine was detected the submarine
| commander gave orders to surface the
vessel. Then the matches were opened
and tho men ordered on deck. but two
Of them suffered hemorrhaees. A call
by wireless brought aid and the sub
| marine was towed 10 the New York
! Navy Yard
| In the type OF battery used IN the E-2
| and other submarines at that time .hs
! condition was likely 10 happen a
I leakage of salt water from the ballast
| 'anks into tho battery tanks. where
| sheets Of lead are suspended IN SUI
phuric acid within hard rubber Jar. or
| vice versa, or any contact between
the sulphurlc acid and the salt water
| admitted and discharged in the manipu-
| ldtion OF the boat would produce
| chlorine gas one Of the deadiest OF
poisonous gases
IL was coutend2d for the Edison
storage batteries, experiments on which
Re.s. Iiu,chinson MAJ .hn,,. ,,,,,,'i,,,, ',,,.,
la,a In iGtI ,b,, 49,, -, ,'I,'''..
the FORMATION NJ ct,orIno ,,as ,,, ,,o,,n'.
the strategic efficiency of underwater
craft by providing II with a battery
! which would extend the undersca cr.,iis-
ing range to $50 miles. nifty more than
torv Nr uu,r,i.,' .a,1 H., 'ta.i,'t,,,, "a ~ or,
I'M. r.di.n, h.,,,rr ,i1, 4, ,,,,,., I
| nu-ify. tho al, I, ,uh,,a-,,o ,,. 20
DAYS .hrouyh moi, oh .h.nr,,,to,, -, -
| honlc acid vas ''
Tn. Edison b,,,erv ror .,,,,,r,,os L..
"a rickrlirop-aIl,-,li .,r' .o,,',,o,,,.l -,
nickel iron oxid and sta.l i1 . .oi',
tion of notash Tbe rnt,,b ,,., 49, .
pres,ryaiiye OF ali tho c,n,,'fn,1 ,is.
ments so that tho battery ,lemc-ts 4,
not destroy each other Th. ,h,nry Of
/, 10 this: The subn,ripo is st.,.l ,pd
floats in AN alkaline solution of ,ratc-
The new battery is st.el and contains
an alkaline, solutio. so thar ,be raug,,
for the generation OF chlorine gas does
not exist.
Thomas 4 Edison first became I'm
teres,ed in this problem IN Julv I0In.
when four naval officers urged him TO
begin experiments to eliminate subm. =
rire battery hazards Mr.. Edison spent
two and "a half years Experimenting AMI
'wo more In laboratory work II IS
sad he conducted $4,000 rxj-riments.
which eliminated In the test on the
rolling. pitching platform IN the navy
yard In July. 1914. The battery is said
TO have cost Mr.. Edisog 81 100000. and
when the first experiments We're made
| IN the navy yard secretary Daniels was
mdaifestly pl ased with their success.
Following series OF exhaustive tests
OF every conceivable KIND, set OF ths
new batteries was Installed IN the e
,aSt summer II was then believed thaI
the submarine battery problem wa,
solved. but Mr., Edison was not sat ed
without more thorough tests OF the sub
marine E-2. Even then the battery had
e | not prly stoOi I'm IN nil the tests mn q