Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1918-07-30
INVENTIONS. TO END WAR.

5 sing Minority. Man Who Proceeds
Independently on Such in Grave
Danger of Simply Wasting Time.
. What is the wake of a torpedo? A
ribbon of tiny bubbles across the
sea. They break and leave no mark
upon the surface.
There is a second track which the
torpedo has made. This is groove
cut deep in the minds of the Amer
lean people, but not as Germany
tried to engrave it. Our reaction to
the submarine is persistence, not ter
| ror.
Germany shattered our peace with
/! torpedoes. Submarines have reached
our coast in their efforts to hold back
our troops and sink our supplies.
They have only increased our deter
mination to "get across with the
goods" A submarine has been our
best recruiting agent. The torpedo
which sank the Tuscania won more
recruits to the Army than any patri-
otic demonstration could have done.
The submarine has become as much
part of our mental background as
flivvers and hatracks.
With many men the defeat of the
"sea wolf'' has become obsession
Inventions flood the Patent Office,
and suggestions pour into the Navy
Department. Men Of all sorts submit
their plans-professional inventors,
captains of fishing boats, and ex-
pert mechanics. Each one believes
that his invention will clear the seas
of enemy craft.
Not all war inventions have 20 do
with the submarine. They range
from fireless cookers to chain armor.
At the Patent Office t here are
filled plans and patents on devices
which never can be used. A super
ricial knowledge of the subject has
led men to elaborate impractical
schemes. To discourage such men
from continuing the expensive pro-
cess of procuring patent, the office
has prepared booklets for inventors
which contain some valuable "Do's"
and "Dont's" on the subject of way
inventions.
Device Not Workable. :
One impractical plan often sub
nitted is to have a torpedo shield on
each side OF vessel, which will
either deflect the torpedo or explode !
il at a safe distance from the hull. |,
The character Of this fender varies J:
with different plans. =; One man
sketched a shield OF steel bars, like
a tcaster. This was to be. at the end
Of arms which extended from the
side of the ship. At the approach OF
torpedo it would De lowered. and
would reach TO sufficient depth 10
protect the vessel. Variations OF
the same scheme are steel nets, nao
even walls of steel plate running par
allel with the length OF the ship.
There are two distinct objections 70
devices of this sort. If they are. per7
manently lowered. they would So
impede the speed OF the snip aS 70
render maneuvering impossible. Then,
to protect the hull if shell shoun
explode against it, the shield wouLs
have to be some 50 or 40 feet away.
The strain of huge stee! net OK
wal! on the supporting arms wou!d
be tremendous and the ships null also
would be in danger of tearing. Again,
to lower such protection against
coming torpedo would be impossioIe'
both because of the speed at when
il travels and the fact that Il does
not advertise its approach.
SYSTEM of Magnets for U-Boats.
One ingenious patriot suggested 4
| arm ramrrf bromr norm rmrr mrnH
line of magnetized poles along me
coast which would draw submarines
inshore. Torpedoes fitted in some way
with magnets are popular idea. But
the field of magnet is smaller tnan
the distance transport captain tries
to keep from the enemy,
All applications for patents pass
through the hands of a Patent Office
advisory committee. They send oi-
rectlv to the War and Navy Depart
ments any inventions which they
think Of military value. Then, Il the
publication would aid the enemy, the
natent is deferred until after the war.
But only a small percentage OF ths
war inventions go to the Patent Of
flee. They are sent to the War De-
| ,rS +bora ora 20