New-York tribune., 1917-11-16
More Than 100000 Tons
Would Be Made Available
Under Scheme
Ford to Make Parts
Inventors Proposal To Be Laid
Before Admiral Capps
at Once
[Staf Correspondence

WASHINGTON. Nov. 10. - More
than a million and a half tons Of sail
ing ships will be made available for
transatlantic carrying, If a plan pro-
posed by Thomas A. Edison 70 Chair
man Hurley Of the Shipping Board to-
day is found practicable.
Mr. Edison proposes to install twin
screws on all sailing vessels which
might be used as cargo ships. This
equipment. he stated to-day. will con-
vert them into ocean carriers COM
pairing favorably with the slower
steamships in the trans-oceanic SER
vice.
Chairman Hurley announced that
he would Immediately order an in
vestigation of the possibilities of the
scheme. "Mr. Edison's ideas are al
ways worth investigation at least" he
said, "and this one appeals to me par
tcularly." The proposal will be laid
before Admiral Capps at once, said
the chairman Of the Shipping Board.
The head Of the Emergency Fleet
Corporation is counted one Of the
best naval constructors in the coun-
try and is eminently capable to pass
on the merits Of the Edison plan. In
all probability, however. the scheme
will not be merely referred to Ad-
miral Capps for an opinion. The head
g ny ina tai fo
day that he would arrange personal
conference between the inventor and
the head of the Fleet Corporation. at
which the merits of the plan could
be thrashed out.
To Get 5,3s2 Vessels
According to figures supplied by the
Bureau of Navigation. there are 5,3S2
larger sailing vessels of an aggregate
tonnage of 100000 under United
States registry. These do not include
the smaller fishing smacks, private
sailboats and yachts or lighters. To
them must be added the 100000 tons
Of French sailing vessels which are
to be turned over 70 the Shipping
Board within the next few months in
return for the ocean bottoms recently
given to France for the transport of
war supplies.
While the greater part of the sailing
tonnage is wooden, a onslderable part
of it is steel, according TO officials Of
the Shipping Board. The greater per-
centage of the vessels are large enough
for ocean transport if the Edison plan
to convert them into power vessels
proves a success, it is stated.
Tho aup tiOn of converting sailing
vessels into power carriers is likely to
regenerate the old question Of wooden
versus steel ships. A number Of en-
gineers associated with government
snip construction have claimed that no
wooden ship could stand the strain i'm
posed by engines powerful enough to
drive them through the submarine zone
at rate that would be measlrably
safe. The twin-screw equipment. how
ever, according to Mr.. Edison, distrib-
utes this strain in way that makes
IT ada table TO wooden vessels. There
is bound TO be strong pressure brought
to bear on Washington officials to give
the Edison plan most thorough in
vestigation.
Ford to Build Parts
Henry Ford's automobile plant at
Detroit, now largely engaged in manu-
featuring airplane cylinders, is about
tc begin also the production Of ship
fittings. Mr.. Ford called on the Ship
ping Board to-day and arranged 10
turn out for the government small
parts which his plant can produce in
large quantities. The price to be paid
for the work ne left to the board.