The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1917-03-11
MOSQUITO BOAT
FLEET is ASKED
Naval Board Urges Immedi-
ate Construction of Fast
Motor Craft.
EDISON LIFE PRESIDENT
Improvements in Submarines,
TOrpedOes and Engines
Are Recommended.
EDISON LIFE PRESIDENT

armed high speed motor boats for the
protection Of the country's coast and it's
shipping was recommended yesterday at
the annual meeting OF the Naval Con-
suting Board in the Engineering So
cieties Building. 20 West Thirty-ninth
street The vessels. 1t Is understood. are
to be of the same type as those now used
by the British Admiralty to combat the
submarine peril
England put anoat $50 Of these ves-
sells in 500 days. II the Navy Depart
ment adopts the recommendation OF the
the wholesale duplication OF parts
this record can be eclipsed. The cost of
them would be met out of the emergency
fund Of $500 900 900.
With wars menace enhanced by the
decision to arm merchant vessels it be-
came apparent at yesterdays meeting OF
the consulting board that they have gone
far i'm the work of preparing for the sit
uation. An experimental station site has
been found on the Atlantic coast and
will be available within a short time.
Board OF Inventions Created.
The Council Of National Defence has
named the members as a board OF in
ventions to inquire into all suggestions
made for the army and navy. Thus far
they have received approximately one
hundred suggestions a day and all these
are being sifted. Those found at all
feasible have been or will be given trials.
Reports have been filed by the mem-
bers for Improvements in submarines.
torpedoes and internal combustion en-
gines. Hudson Maxim has contributed
many important recommendations for the
betterment Of big gun construction.
1t is foreseen by the members that the
main danger to this country in the event
Of war will not be feet bomba rdment.
but attacks BY submarines. Therefore
the board has fled reports on the de-
velopment OF new devices for the detec-
tion and location of submarines and tho
defence of vessels against torpedo at
tscks. Another recommendation that has
been made to the Navy Department is
that the Government investigate and
make trial Of a new type Of light mos
quito craft.
Edison President for Life.
Complete quietus was put upon the
rumors that Thomas A, Edison has re-
signed from the board. As proof that
he is in full accord with the board the
announcement was made that he had
been elected president for life at yester-
days meeting. One of the members said
afterward that Mr.. Edison is devotins
himself exclusively to the defence work.
He Is giving up eighteen out of every
twenty-four hours TO the discovery OF
new principles and already has for
warded fourteen reports to Secretary
Daniels.
He could not find it possible to attend
yesterdays meeting. There were present
Lawrence Addicks. DR.. l.. H. Baekeland.
w. l.. r. Emmett. DR.. Peter Cooper
Hewitt. who is vice-president A. NJ
Hunt. Dr. NJ r. Hutchison. X. c.
Lamme. Hudson Maxim, Spencer Miller.
Joseph W. Richards. Andrew l.. Riker.
Thomas Robins. secretary of the board
NJ. B. Sellers. Frank j. Sprague. b. B.
Thayer. W. l.. Saunders. chairman: DR..
A G. Webster, and DIR. w. r. Whitney
The absentees We're Bion J. Arnold. AL
fred Craven. Elmer A. Sperry, Dr. r. l.
Woodward and Howard Z. Coffin.
Yesterdays morning session was given
up to reports from committees. The most
important of these related to ordnance
and explosives and to special problems.
The afternoon was devoted to the meet
ing Of the board as whole. A state
ward follows in part:
The board to-day accepted the recon-
mendations of Mr.. Addcks and has
started in with a station for special ex-
periments on the coast of the United
states. DIR. Whitney, the head of the
laboratory of The General l;lec-
trio Company; Mr., Lamme OF the West
inghouse Company, Elmer E. Sperry and
A. ". Hunt are specially directed by the
hpa rd tals oh IN n fpp
tlons OF this work with Mr.. Addicks. A
special committee was appointed, OF
which DR. Baekeland il the head, to con-
serve the raw material of optical glasses. I
"A new committee on rnetallurgy was
appointed with Prof. Richards OF Lehigh |
at its head.
Submarines specially Discussed.
The subject OF submarines received al
great deal of attention. Reports were
made on methods of improvement of
torpedoes and on the development Of in |
ternal combustion motors. Hudson |
Maxim made a report on improvement |
In methods OF constructing large guns |
Certain recommendations for important |
experiments relating thereto were ap-
proved.
Important reports were made on de-
veloplng new methods OF detecting and !
locating submarines and defending ves-
sells against torpedo attacks. The fol- /
lowing resolution was adopted
THE Naval Consulting Board Is
OF the opinion that a large !
fleet of light draught. high speed motor
boats, built preferably of wood because
Of the opportunity'it gives for quick con-
struction and carrying guns, should be
provided at the earliest possible moment
for the protection of the coasts and hsr-
bors of the United States and vessels |
thereon
The committee on special problems
has started in to make experiments on
detection by electric. mag
netic and electromagnetic means.
Capt. w. s. Smith, representing the
Secretary of the Navy. was present. He
Npressed to the board on behalf of the /
Secretary the qualification at the prog
rcss that the board has shown in con-
nection with the problems confronting
he navy to-day"