Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-04-18
D0UBLE-BoTTOMED SHIPS,
a Plan to Prevent Sinkings by Sub.
marines.

To the Editor Of The Star:
Now that Congress. acting for the
people of the United States and I'm de-
tense Of our national honor, has de-
clared war against Germany, 1t be-
hooves us to make all due preparation
to meet adequately and successfully
every contingency that may confront as
In such war, not merely in the furnish
ing of the allies in Europe with finan-
cial, munition and food supplies, but, IL
necessary. with troops as WELL This
brings us to the consideration of the
best means to be adopted to accomplish
this las' and perhaps most dangerous
and difficult undertaking, in view of the
ruthless submarine warfare being car
RED on by the enemy. 1t is of common
knowledge that the transfer of large
bodies of troops from our shores to
England and France would require
huge. commodious transports. in con-
siderable numbers, and such transports
ought to be made fairly proof against
attacks of submarine torpedoes I'm
fortunately. no such type of vessel has
as yet been produced. and the largest
pattIeshlp is as vulnerable as an ordi-
nary 1relghter when il comes to resist
ing the submarines weapon This be-
ing the fact, why not resort to some
other form of naval architecture that
may, perchance. solve the problem? II
venture to suggest as one such possible
form double-hulled vessel of large
tonnage, the inner hull, some 400 feetfu
iength and of proportionate beam, to
be the vessel proper. containing the en-
slnes. boilers, fuel bunkers. officers and
crew quarters. etc. on any ordi-
nary vessel, while the outer hull would
pc separated from the inner by a space
OF twenty or more feet at bottom and
SIDES: and the connecting Orders. unit
N ftrA
transmit shocks from the outer to the
inner in the least possible degree con-
sistent with necessary strength and ri
gldity OF construction. The space thus
PROVIDED between the hulls should then
De packed from the keel up to say four
or nve feet above the loaded water line
with any suitable fibrous, elastic ma
terial. such as baled cotton. hay. straw.
excelsior, IN short substance which
would absorb but not transmit any
shock from the outer to the inner skin
OF the vessel with sufficient force to
break the latter The remaining space.
up to the deck. could be utilized for the
slowing of supplies, ETC.. or in any
other desired manner
O1 course, torpedo exploding
against the side of such a vessel v-ourd
tear up considerable area of the outer.
hull at the point of contact. but that n
would have sufficient force to break
through and destroy the inner hull, in
spite of the irterposed twenty or twen-
ty-hve feet thickness of fibrous pack
ing, L cannot well believe. in the alb
sence OF definite experiments, and these
II seems to me, in view of the urgency
or the situation. and the necessity of
providing for the safety of any troo,,s
winch IT may be determined to send
ABROAD, should be undertal ken at once
A ready and comparatively inexrnrs-
sfve proof of the practicability of this
suggestion might be found by con-
structfng a double-walled. nodded Sec
tioh, representing, for all practical pur-
poses, portion of the side of surh
ship, filling the space between the walls
with the material mentioned. and then
sending torpedo against it, II sue
cess attends the experiment 81 great
load VIII have been lifted from the
hearts of our people: if IL should fail
we would be no worse off than before =
WIN. GIUSTA.