The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1917-05-10
WORK ON U=BOAT PROBLEM
AMERICAN INGENUITY WILL
FIND WAY TO COMBAT MENACE.
Chairman of Naval Problem Commit
tees Statement Clears Up Mis-
apprehensions.

from the naval consulting board con-
cerning progress made toward find
ing a solution of the submarine men
ace. referred to in New York yester-
day by Chairman w. L. Saunders, of
the board. had not reached the navy
department tonight, but were expect
ed tomorrow. Secretary Daniels
said that while no information would
be made public as to the nature or
experiments which had been in prog
ress. he was satisfied that Amerl-
can ingenuity eventually would check
the undersea boats.
Mr.. Daniels spoke, however, With
out knowledge of the specific devices
with which the members of the con-
sulting board have been experiment.
ing and his confidence was based
solely upon the record for mechanic
al inventiveness which American en-
sineers and scientists have maintain
ed for years.
Clears Up NIisapprehension.
A telegram to the Associated Press
from Lawrence Addicks, OF Eliza
beth. n, j., chairman of the special
naval problems committee of the con-
sulting board, served to clear up
Mr. Saunders's statements yesterday.
Mr. Saunders statements yesterday.
The message follows:
81 fear some of the statements IN
the morning papers regarding the
naval consulting board may unWlt-
tingly give wrong impressions re-
garding progress made in combating
the. submarine menace and that con-
clusions are likely to be drawn that
the problem had been either fully
solved or given up as hopeless.
Satisfactory Progress.
s.While it is evident that specific
information as to progress made
would be contrary to public policy at
this time as chairman of the COM
mittee of the board dealing speclhcal-
" with the submarine menace, l feel
justified in saying that good and
satisfactory progress has been maze
and that we have now under prac-
tical trial. some naval devices OF
great promise.
This committee was formed at
the time of the break with Germany
to take over all problems relating to
the destruction of submarines and
defeat of the torpedo and has under
its direction the various experiment
tai stations devoted to this work.
sIn addition to this Mr.. Edison is
separately conducting a line OF ex-
periments in his own laboratory, re-
garding the results of which l am
not qualified to speak.
Busy for Months.
Mr.. Addicks's statement conhrms
the understanding of officials of the
department have had of the progress
being made by the inventors. They
have been at work for months on
various research studies and since
the declaration of state OF war
with Germany have !redoubled their
efforts to find way to cope with the
U-boat menace.
In many instances naval experts
have been called into consultation by
the board members or have aided in
direct experiments. Every precau-
ton has been taken by the depart
ment however, to prevent any knowl-
edge of the nature of the experiments
from becoming public. That policy
will be pursued to prevent Germany
from preparing against any new
weapons in advance.
American Ingenuity.
Il have great faith that American
ingenuity will find means OF COM
batting the submarines said Secre-
tary Daniels tonight, "although l
have in mind no special device among
the hundreds which have been pro-
posed to us to fight the menace.
truly believe something will be de-
veloped that will be effective against
the underwater boats.
Experts of the naval consulting
board and of the navy department
are working hard experimenting with
the devices which may go long way
toward giving us victory. Some
probably have merit, the others not,
but all are given fair tests. The pre-
else nature of any cannot be dis
closed, of course.
The department itself has done a
great deal of experimental work both
with devices for the destruction or
detection of submarines and also with
lof fo orchinc AGAINST