The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-10-13
Edison's Invention Making
Merchantmen Almost Invis-
IDLE Plays Large Part
SHIPS PAINTED TO
BLEND WITH OCEAN BLUE
Many U-Boats Are Destroyed
While Lack of Material
Makes Recently Built Ger
man Submersibles Death.
Traps

washington. Oct l2.-Detaiied In
, formation reaching the government
has confirmed The opinion in official
circles that the sumbarine crisis is
past.
Germany. building more U-boats
than ever before. Is obtaining less re-
suits than at any time since-and
even before-her proclamation OF I'M
restricted undersea warfare.
This information included figures
as to the number OF submarines cap
tured. and the mum Fer believed to
have been sunk. "
officials acquainted with them de-
clare that the total would give a
thrill OF establishment and satisfa elton
70 the allied peoples should they be
made public. While 1t is admitted
that Germany probably Is increasing
her feet of U-boats. the destruction
being less than the reported output,
the new U-boats show the deprecfa-
ton of Gernanys resources They
are mercy shells with engines in
them compared TO the powerful sub
mersibles she had in the early months
OF her campo ign. Many of them are
little better than death traps, ii is
declared. and the opinion lis express
are lost through the risks of the sea
which. II added TO the allies toll.
| would throw balance the other way.
Situation Still Serious
The situation is still serious and
there II no attempt to under estimate
it. but the belief here liz that the
German tide In now recedfng on sea
+ as well as on sanf and that wTffe a
tonnage shortage WIFI continue ana
seriously handicap the nations fight
ing Germany. the danger point has
been left to the rear.
The situation ia viewed as follows:
l. There Is no hope or driving
the submarine from the seas, but it's
activity can he limited TO the destru
ton Of smaller and less speedy ships.
g. The only serious aspect Of this
question IN that submarines win limit
+ RS TRANSFORMATION IT patrol 70 the
entente. as tankers are sfow boats
| Conveying IS depended upon TO get
petrol to The allies. the tankers TO be
sent in fleets guarded by fast destroy
ers.
3 There developments have en-
tered into the reduction Of submarine
efflctercv They are armed guards on
m~rchs rtnen. increased number of
dcstrovers and deveioprne OF devices
designed to disguise merchantmen
from scouting submarines,
The last two devefopnents are en-
ttreIy due TO the entrance ~ the
United States into the var. The de-
strovers America was able to throw
into war zone ga We tfle.needed balance
To the allies The art OF disRuisirg
chips SO that the aversge merchant
man f. practically tndistingutshahle
at even short distance has been
perfected by an American to a point
| where Il Is hut one more step to make
merchantmen invisible
Titsou's Contribution.
The American tr Thomas A. Edison
wor n, onths II has been heralded about
| that he WAS at work on a scheme TO
eliminate submarines. Rut the plan
he was working on was no sensa-
tional invention 70 blow IN and de-
strov rv-boats, IT was instead a
| method OF hiding the masts and paint
| ing the vessels SO they would blend
with the sea
ri was declared at the naval depart
mert today that merchantmen treat
ed with the Edison method are now
| as '.fnvfsfbie es the submarines" Con-
| fdence was expressed that they soon
| WIN be entirely ~fnvfsfofe against the
horizon"