New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-06-15
An Inventor S Wall
Our Inattentive and Ornamental
Adjuncts Of the Navy
To the Editor of The Tribune.

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: This is wall from patriotic Ameri-
can who has passed the age considered by
this great State of New York as the end Of
military usefulness. | have had more actual
sea experience than some naval officers oil my
age, and more actual fighting than others.
Nearly fifty inventions stand to my eredi'' ana
| therefore feel justified in saying that am
not inexperienced in matters pertaining 10
the sea, nor in the mental processes involved
in the creation of new inventions, nor in
combination Of the two.
Building ships to feed TO submarines seems
to me to bear some resemblance to an attempt
to extingush a fire by piling more wood on IT,
Therefore, and although such ships VIII I'M
doubtedly prove useful later on, | regard
feverish shipbulding programme, with It's at
tendant controversies, as of secondary I'M
portance; whereas the problem OF prime I'M
portance is the immediate protection of exist
ing ships from torpedo attack, ana the de-
struction of enemy submarines.
Knowing something of torpedoes and sub
marines, and much of what the sea itself may
be expected to do TO apparatus for hghting
either, | made two very simple inventions
one for each purpose-neither involving any
untried theory, but made up OF few simple
elements, each of which has been separately
and successfully tested. | believe that IL Is
possible to drive the enemy submarines from
the sea for per cent of the money to be ex-
pended in prey therefor, and that this can be
accomplished before q ship whose keel is laid
tomorrow can begin her first voyage.
With the one idea in mind of doing my
bit" in aiding my country in its present Crisis
the attention of the Secretary Of the Navy
was called to these inventions. They were
also formally submitted for consideration TO
the Committee on Marine Investigation, Coun-
ell of National Defence, the head Of which is
a gentleman experienced and no doubt expert
in digging holes in mountains, or, in other
words. mining engineer.
Nothing happened within reasonable time,
and so | turned to the allies of my country
and submitted both inventions for considera-
ton to their representatives here. They came
before a naval officer who evidently recog-
nized at sight their practicability and poten-
tal value, for he lost no time IN forwarding
them to his superior officers abroad. Ihey
are about due there now.
Passing the Buck"
And then, fourteen days late, there came
from the Committee on Marine Investigation
n letter which seemed to me rather good
example of loftily passing the buck" to an
other organization, the members OF which
for aught I know-may be chemists or auto
mobile builders, and intimating that If would
submit full particulars TO that organization,
a full investigation would be conhdentiaily
made and would be informed on two points
that obviously know all about without any
such investigation.
Thus American inventors having long ex-
perence with and special knowledge on the
subject matter involved are encouraged 70
devote their energy TO the service OF their
country. Thus they are driven TO the service
Of foreign governments for aid in introducing
inventions quite as useful and quite as I'M
portant to our own service as to theirs.
have completed third invention along
the same general lines, as simple, as practl-
cable and having as much potential value as
the others; It relates solely to the sea, and
in view of my experience with the recently
established efficiency branch Of our own Navy
Department it will first be submitted for con-
sideration to a foreign government which
employs seamen for the examination of mat
tiers relating TO the sea, government whose
navy fortunately lies cleared for action be-
tween our efficiency engineers and the enemy.
The inattentive, although highly ornamen-
tai. adjuncts of our Navy Department are
lust as welcome in my traditional locker as
enemy surface and sub-surface ships.
Pipe below! DAVf JONES
New York, June 13, 1917.