Gilpin observer., 1917-06-21
inventors Strive for Means to Rid
Sea of Menace to
Shipping.
EARLY ACTION IN AMERICA
Thousands Of Letters Received by
Boards Of Inventions In England
and United States but Few
Practical Ideas Advanced.

London.-The New York Herald's
naval correspondent writes:
A development of the war which will
receive special attention from the his
torian is that which is connected with
the mobilizing of inventions for fight
Ing purposes. In Germany science was
harnessed to the Moloch of destruc-
ton before hostilities began, and all
the resources of technical knowledge
were brought to bear for the purpose
of devising new methods of killing. 1t
was the use by the Huns Of poison gas
and similar contrivances which awak-
ened the allies to the necessity for
mobiliZing inventions and the imagi-
native enterprise Of thoughtful men
and painstaking Investigators.
AS a result there were established
In France and England boards Of in
vention connected with the naval and
military departments. for the exami-
nation and trial Of such plans and pro-
posals as seemed to be of value. BY
these measures the flow of invention
was directed to channels from which
1t was hoped might issue provision
Of new weapons and new kinds of mu-
nitiOns helpful to the forces by land
and sea.
Early Action by America.
With ready forethought America,
while yet at peace, provided her own
bureau Of invention. She should be,
therefore, more ready to utilize her
natural inventive genius now that she
has become participant in the war.
1t is comparatively easy to find men
Of expert judgment and experience to
Inquire into or advise upon the feas-
lbility Of schemes and proposals. many
of which are only rough hewn but may
contain the. germ of improvements;
but what is less simple is to detach
and detail the right kind of officers
from the naval and military services to
carry forward the work of experiment
and investigation to point of useful
ness.
Just at present the attention of in
ventors is directed particularly toward
finding an antidote for the submarine.
1t is said that the consulting board of
the United States navy received in one
week more than two thousand letters,
each containing what the writer be-
lieved to be solution of the subma-
rine menace. How many letters the
British board Of inventions has re-
ceived on this subject has not been
made public, and yet 1t is manifest that
no device has been discovered the prac-
tical application Of which is an assured
success. The explanation OF this un-
satisfactory state Of affairs seems to
rest mainly In the inability Of the in
ventor to grasp rightly the factors in
the problem.
The principal obstacle to effective
dealing with the U-boat is its invisible
lty, its quality Of submersion for n
considerable length Of time, during
which 1t can travel comparatively long
distances under water and change its
position without discovery by the
watchers on the surface. 1t is true
that 1t must come up Mt times to re-
charge its electric accumulators or to
give its crew fresh air. 1t must more
often put Its periscope above water
and the circumstances in which its at
tack Is made may oblige It to emerge
for the purpose Of bringing its gun into
action.
The Real Solution.
In these conditions 1t may be treated
as surface boat, and proposals for
dealing with 1t. whether from the mir
or the sea, have already attained a
high degree Of efficiency. Again,
where the U-boat is forced to operate
or to reach the scene Of its activity
through narrow channels or construct
ed waters. the value of nets and mines
rs deterrent has, as official records
show, been proved up to n point.
Nevertheless, to overcome the SUBJ
marine. 1t is not sufficient to be able to
obstruct Its passage in certain limited
areas. or merely to be prepared to deal