The sun., 1916-03-08

who knew of Mr Edison ever having
asked permission to max. pubic IN" de-
tails of the batteries. While IL WAS DE-
c.ar.i that there ~ no law to prevent
such publicstion officials expressed sur
prise ;ast II should hav. been published
Without consulting the Department
Attention was called to the fact that.
although Mr.. Edison has already sold
three of the batteries 10 the Russian
Government, the Information ;hat Az
pears in the catalogue is not OF kind
which other Governments are accus-
toned To make known.
Iermasy Guards Secrets.
The problem OF rnding suitable bat
icriss is one OF the hardest when Cow
ernmcr,s have TO contend with in build
ing submarines. The success ot the
German submarines is attributed largely
20 the batteries which they use. Though
the secrets Of these batteries is well
guarded.
Although the Edison battery was on
the submarine E-2. on which an exp'o-
sion recently occurred in the New YORK
Navy Yard, due to the ignition OF hydro
gen gas generated from the battery.
the Navy department experts are OK the
opinion that with p' per ventilation s!s-
tens on the submarines the gas danger
could be eliminated. on the other hail"'
;hcv believe that tne principle of the
Edison battery Is sound. and that Win
It's development the United states navy.
c.pectally II II possesses the secrets ot
the battery exclusively. would be IN An
advantageous situation.
The older type batteries used on other
submarines ~ the navy are or IN" Itan
rlat. variety and generate the deadly
chlorin. gases So dangerous to the crews
opera,iug the slbmersibl-s. The Edison
ha,,.ry. however, has nickel and iron
electrodes. from which there IL no gem
GRAFTON Of chlorine gas. but from whicn
hydrogen gas Is generated III sn"i'
! quantities.
"Th, fundamental principle is .he
/ oxidatiou and reduction Of metals In All
..i.,,rolyte which does not dissolve" the
catalogue discloses. and will not COM
I b,ne with either the metals or their
| on Nides'
Before the Edison battery was per
f.ctcd. officials Of the Navy Department
state. the navy experts had been AT
work ON the development OF this pr!n-
/ riu,. and formula of the chemical re-
q actions which would occur In the
oret,cal batteries were worked OUT by
officers of the navy. some OF these
officers worked with Edison AZ the
Orange plant when the battery was
( being developed
Tried Out At y. y. Yard.
u.for. the Navy Department con-
.,n,.d tn try out the battery elaborate
.xn.ri,u,uts w.r. conducted at the New
York Navy Yard. "A special movable plat
forn, being constructed there in order
chat conditions NJ operation on rough
,,,t.r might he simulated.
The. catalogue is entitled Edison Stor-
age Batteries for Submarines. II
starts with statement BY NJ X. Hutch
,son chief engineer for Mr. Edison. tell
ing how he was invited In 1910 by Lieut.
WrNair AT the Naval academy to max.
several submerged runs in submarines
and how he became Interested IN th'
: deyelopment Of new battery. In u
he says
"I wish to accord due credit to Liauts
Fred Y. McNair. T. -. Eilyson. Alfred
I II Miles and Lee Petit Warren. all %
! the United states navy, as the real In
stigstors of the submarine type or tn
| Edison storage battery.
lie then discusses In detail the short
, co,nings OF the older type of batteries
and tells how all these officers exccp
. lieut. Miles visited the Edison labora
tory and placed before him a complete
: ANALYSIS OF the weaknesses OF the lea'
: batteries The catalogue then tells OF IN
. nerf.ction of the new battery and tn
,, tests at the New York yard, ana enumer
l .tes twenty -four points of superiority u
the never type over tn, older, Their
I follows "A complete statement OF the speci
G tcatiOns of the navy yard tests, and
Z chsu,.r Is devoted to the characteristics
4 design and const ruution OF the battery.
, Details Chemical Secrets.