Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1919-09-16


feared again. was the result of the invention in
the United States of a wonderful listening Device
submarine detectOr, which came very close to
driving the Hun submersible from the ocean, and
would have done so, in the opinion of naval ex-
perts had the continued through another
summer.
AS soon as the United States entered the war
the navy department formed special board to
develop ways and means for combating the U-boat
peril, then growing TO alarming proportions.
This board consisted largely of officers from the
bureau of steam engineering of which Rear Adj
miral r. S. Griffin is chief 1t called to its assist
ance in an advisory capacity many noted engineers
ind scientists from industrial concerns, including
the General Electric company, represented by DR..
w. r. Whitney director of that company's re-
search laboratories.
Commander c. S. Mcdowell, q. S. N, served as
executive secretary of the board while the other
advisory members Col. F. B. Jewett of the
Western Electric company, and Prof. K. A. A1illi-
kan of the University of Chicago
Development headquarters were established at
New London, Conn. The General Electric COM
pany in conjunction with the Submarine Signal
company of Boston started experimental field
station at Nahant Mass, and later joined by
experts from the Western Electric company
Out of the activities of these two groups of
scientists there developed the American
listening device an instrument which proved to be
able successfully to detect submarines while sub
merged within range of anywhere between 8 and
II miles,
Even with the signing of the peace treaty little
can yet be of the details of this device. 1t
is however an instrument using the principle of
Sound-wave transmission through water in new
and startling way and it depends fo its di
rectiongetting qualities on the peculiar aud little
understood faculty of the human to detect the
direction of sound by the shifting of sound from
to the other as the instrument was re-
volved.
AS the device was considered practical
the General Electric company undertook its man.
ufacture 81 large scale in Lynn, Mass, develop
ing three kinds of listeners: One which was hung
overheard from the deck of submarine ChaserS, an
other which could be trailed off the stern and a
third which prOtruded through the hull of the
vessel American destroyerS chasers and subma-
rines were at once equipped with the instrument.
When the submarine detector had been turned
out in sufficient quantity, the navy department be-
leved that the allies should get the benefit of the
invention at once. A special service party, in
charge of Capt. r. II. Leigh of the bureau of steam
engineering, was formed TO take samples of the
apparatus abroad and test it under actual condi-
tions before the British admiralty. The instru-
ment was likewise demonstrated to the French
and Italian navies. The party consisted. besides
Captain Leigh. of Lieutenant Carter U. S. N. En-
sign WEIGH U. S n. R. F.. six enlisted men, c. E.
Eveleth c. f. Scott. and t. P Collins Of the Gen.
eral ELECTRIC company, representing the Nahant
group and w. L. Nelson Of the Western Electric
company. who was connected with wireless devel-
opment They sailed November 30, 1917 and
Joined the British grand fleet at Scapa Flow In
the Orkney islands during the first week of the
following month
The Admiralty and the supreme war council
shortly afterward adopted the American device
aid from that time on submarine patrol work was
revolutioniZed.
Defensive tactics which had been employed
since 1914 were now no longer the sole reliance
The war was carried into the enemy's territory
Fighting ships instead of patrotng the steam
ship lanes looking for stray sub" to poke its