The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1916-03-01
SEEN AND HEARD
BY GEORGE MINER
Special Correspondent Of The wash
tnEton Herald.
Copyright, 1916, b. the Mcclure Nevzpsp@
GyDdicatAl

New York, Feb. z.-The naval con
sulting board Is to hold a meeting next
week for the purpose Of deciding whether
research laboratory or trial shop" a.
Mr.. Thomas A. Edison calls IL At the
last meeting such a laboratory was dis
cussed and Il was decided TO be the most
pressing need Of the times Plans have
been prepared, under the direction Of DR..
l. II. Baekelsnd, who Is chairman Of the
committee having the matter IN charge
These plans show that there will be
twenty-three buildings in all and that
the cost for the preliminary building
Will be H,5Oo.OOO. When the laboratory
Is completed il will have cost 5000 900.
Mr.. Edison, whom President Wilson put
at the head OF the naval consulting
board, Is very much interested in the
proposed laboratory and believes Il will
be Of great benefit 10 the service Mr.
Edison is very chary about giving inter
views for publication these days but 7
found him quite willing to talk on this
subject
With such a building" said he. 1T
would be possible TO turn out a subms-
rine In sixty days n my method werp
adopted. / would put 80 men Al work
each man making certain parts. In the
OLD way It requires five months 70 build
the engine. but by the new method IL
could be set I'd in six DAYS.
am told by an admiral that Il took
year 10 get a specially designed gun
carriage, which I am satisfied could he
built in seventy-two hours in the Isbors-
tory. The new building will be equipped
with universal tools which can be applied
TO all kinds Of work
The preliminary building will cost about
a million and half dollars, and good re-
suits will be obtained even from that
much OF the plan.
Il have another argument in favor NJ
the laboratory. We have not vet oh
tanned thoroughly satisfactory results
from the submarine engine. This may
be because the builders have to eNnerI-
ment, with the result that engine tr5u-
bles are caused. Now ! would build an
engine and then test ii thoroughly. 7
would speed IL UP twice its required
speed and drive Il until IL breaks Then
would drive II again and break IL until
] was satisfied that Al tho moderate
speed al which il would be used il would
be perfectly safe
Il run things TO destruction 20 find out
what want 10 know
After doing this. my advice is 10 20
/ 10 some commercial house with the plans
and find out how much IL will cost 10
I build fifteen engines like the one tried
j.
ments will have to be made and they will
he reliable because the original will have
been thoroughly tested
IT they want cheap preparedness. this
is the way 10 get IT,
The hoard has done many good things
which viii he vslushlc Mr.. Cofiu. chair
man Of the committee on production or
canIzation. manufacture and standardiza-
ton. has an inventory Of every tool and
lathe in the Jrited States with which
. ammunition and other things necessary
in war. such a. boats blankets canned
provisions and hundreds OF Other things
ran be made"
As the great inventor heart i> ." -sr
ON that 'triar shop" there is iittLo doubt
that naval consulting hoard pretty near
2 IN his inside ro0h.I
T. is surprising the --y they are turn
- aN sorts q manufacturing machinery
MO Re making OF var supplies There
-'sr-- TO be very little association w.
~ zen chez, ing gum and cannon to most
reoNlo. except those who Do not appro o.
n gum and would like TO turn rsriS-
Ere guns on the 'gummeTs." There is-
ro- ever.
NJ A. J. Canning used 20 30 interested
in gum. Not in the msnufsCtI-u Of it,
iIC rFt tat to spruce trcey 4ug the
chemists Nnst nc hid was q, r. 30 ma
hines in which YOU could drop q nickel
and got 4 few Eobs Of gum that would
cIvir= a passa BILE imitation Of a COW
.neWi0c hor Cud.
Hon arc tho gum slots ] asked
Not uciuC done" he replied. Il sold
out that "or'0anv. and soon after they
stopped making the machines You SCI.
the war came a .onE and they CoUlI make
= great deal more money making fuses
hr- -r,4 ~ z