Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-08-25
PAINTING OF SHIPS
NEW DEVELOPMENT
Art of Marine Camouflage Is
Producing Radical Changes
for Protection.
IAN DECEIVE AS TO SIZE
Peculiar Color Schemes Offer
Torpedo Target Not Very
Often Hit.
rBy Associated Presa.l

WASHINGTON. August 24.-New de-
velopments in the art OF marine camou-
hage have effected radical changes in
the painting of ships to protect them
from the enemy. Modern naval war
faro no longer reckons upon "invisi-
bility" as a defensive factor. authori-
ties having arrived at the conclusion
that paint itself, being dependent upon
light Will not overcome shadows
Battle painting" has been developed as
a substitute to deceive a submarine
commander as to the size and form OF
ship and her course and speed.
Camoufage on land still Is success
fully applied along the lines of protec-
tive coloring. by which guns and roads
and men are made virtually invisible
under screens which blend with the
surrounding terrain. In the case Of
moving ships. under conditions con-
stantly changing and the elusive hori-
zon always difficult matter to deal
with, similar principles were found
less efficient than those which frankly
admit the existence OF q boat, but by
peculiar color schemes offer the torpedo
such queer. deceptive target that a
hit Is only matter of luck.
acknowledgements Norman Will
kinson, royal naval volunteer reserve,
the inventor OF battle painting" came
TO the conclusion after long expert
ment that the moment a submarine
comes to the surface within striking
distance, no method OF painting would
render ship sufficiently invisible to
escape being seen.
There was time" the artist says.
when / thought it possible to in
crease or decrease . ships visibility
But that was before the submarine was
considered as a real active factor in
naval warfare"
His decision took into consideration
the submarine hydrophone, BY which
the presence OF ship. her probable
size and her course can be ascertained
under water. The problem, therefore.
has resolved into rendering the ship as
difficult TO hit as possible, and battle
painting the only present nationally
accepted method of marine camoufage
was evolved.
Battle painting Ia simply project for
> breaking up all accepted forms of a
ship by masses OF strongly contrasting
colors, distorting her appearance so as
10 destroy her general symmetry and
bulk. The idea is totally to mislead
the submarine. or course, some YES
sells so painted have been also sunk
but there are records OF far greater
number at which torpedoes were fired
unsuccessfully. Equally important, a
much larger proportion of battle painted
vessels which arc hit by torpedoes are
able to make port than ships painted
gray. owing to explosion in less vul-
nerable parts. This aim of the sub
iva, IL, 4, l..
GIVE EXAMPLE OF THE
VALUE OF CAMOUFLAGE
Frequent reports, appearing some
times in the newspapers. confirm the
success OF the system, and prove it's
value OF defense against the submarine.
The newspapers recently Contained a
story of an'encounter between L battle
painted freightcr and German U-boat
in which the latter was rammed and
sunk. The article concluded with this
pertinent paragraph:
The theory bearing on the incident
held by shipping men is that the sys-
TEN of camoutiage designed especially
to elude submarines deceived the Ger
man commander. On his assumption
he mistook the course held by the ship,
and instead of coming TO the surface
at right angles to the course, got
squarely in the way"
a clever story is told of a meeting
between an excursion steamer and a
vessel outward bound from an Atlantic
port to dare the submarine under pro-
lection of her battle color design The
passengers crowded the excursion
steamers side to gaze at the queer
boat, which piowed steadily forward
Apparently the camouflaged steamer
was heading straight for the heavily
loaded pleasure boat, and when a
woman shrieked, panic was imminent.
Shut up. you fool" yelled a man who
understood the principles of battle
painting. She's heading six points Off"
1t was true. The camoufage had so
changed the aspect OF the boat that she
seemed to be going in a direction where
she was not heading.
That is the purpose of battle painting
Ito keep U-boats guessing as to
whether their prey Is coming or
going"
UAMOUFIAGE DEPARTMENT
NOW FULLY ESTABLISHED
Marine camoufage is under the di-
lection Of the Navy Department. with
The work executed by the Shipping
Eoard's department of camoulage.
headed by Henry c. Grover, of Boston.
In each district Of the Shipping Board
) stationed a district camoufleur, with
corps of trained men. The organiza-
ton now comprises moro than 100
camoufeurs. including a number of
artists Of national repute. New battle
designs are continually in preparation.
In the opinion OF Mr.. Grover camou-
flage Is a decidedly disturbing factor.
"We know from valued sources that
the submarine does not like our battle
painting" he observed. "Mr. Wilkinson
informed me that the enemy had
sketched number of their battle
painted ships in neutral ports. but l
don't think that will help them little
bit"
a school for training camouheurs
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