The Washington herald., 1918-01-17
HAS
PLAN TO STOP
U-BOAT PERIL
Hudson Maxim Explains
Concrete Ship Theory
to Senate Committee.

'Our enemies are sinking our ships
at the rate Of 5000 worth per min
ute. II we could get our ships across
the sea without having them sunk,
we could well afford to do it. And
we can do it, as sure as gospel"
Hudson Maxim. the inventor. made
this declaration before the Senate
Commerce Committee yesterday to
tell how Gen. Goethals, Admiral Capps
and other officials of the Emergency
Fleet Corporation, failed to give him
a chance to prove his nonsinkable ship
theory. He added that Thomas A.
Edison. with whom he had discussed
his plan. had agreed that it appeared
feasible. -
Fayors CsheFete shAps.
Il think it is no breach Of conf
denee." Mr.. Maxim asserted. ito say
Mr.. Edison strongly is Of the opinion
that the concrete ship offers remark
able opportunities"
Under questioning by Senator Nell
son and others Mr.. Maxim described
his theory. The prevention OF the
sinking of ships. he said, is not q
problem for ship architects, but for
an explosives expert He approached
the problem with that idea in mind.
and conceived the idea of nulIifying
or minimizing the effect Of the tor
pedo explosion.
The aged inventor explained that
concrete framework. in the first place,
lessons the lateral spread Of torpedo
damage, and localizes the effect of
the explosion. Tests have proved this
point, he asserted. Inside the outer
framework he proposed to utilize a
space between it and the bulkheads
with either water cylinders or moist,
watery cargo stuffs. Loose vegetables,
Mr.. Maxim suggested. would serve
the purpose. In any case, his idea
was simply to get sufficient water or
moisture between the shell and the
.buikheads, 10, minimize the expIosson,
and prevent the spread of gases.
By means Of the concrete cover
ing to localize the, impact, and the
moisture to absorb the explosion
gases, Mr.. Maxim declared a ship
could be made practically unsuitable
by torpedoes.
The committee went into execu-
tive session with Mr.. Maxim, to
learn the details of his dealings
with the Emergency Fleet Corpora
tion and the actual working of his
torpedo-proof ship theory.
Attacks Navy Department.
Almost at the same time the inven-
tor was testifying. Senator McCum-
Der was delivering a scathing indict-
ment of the Navy Department and
Shipping Board on the floor of the
Senate. Senator McCumber declared
we have overcuftivated our conceit
and undercultivated our striking
strength while looking at our
enemy through the reverse end Of the
telescope"
Actually, he declared. the German
alliance is in better position than the
allies as regards men, territory and
food supplies. This being the case, he
asserted. II behooves the Navy De-
partment and Shipping Board to use
every possible means TO hasten the
shipping program, and develop protec-
ton against the submarine menace.
In the face of a need FOR 7,0o0, 900 tons
of shipping, Senator McCumber con-
tinued:
I'VE appointed Kilkenny Shipping
Board and then we went to sleep. and
as this board wakens to the chimes
OF the New Year, It says that 1t hopes
to produce 100000 tons"
OF the Navy Department, he said:
Had the Navy Department been
able to get out of its shell of anti
quated ideas, we could already have
seen the doom of the U-boat. But
so ossified had become this great
department. that it condemn
ed without hearing and as a gross
impertinence any suggestion that
ship could be so constructed as to
continue afioat after being struck
by a. torpedo. And while it was
wasting millions, II refused $50,o
asked for by the greatest expert on
explosives in the United States to
test a torpedo-proof hull"