The sun., 1919-05-11
One of Greatest Scientific and Indus
trial Achievements Born of War
:: Exigencies Scored in Am azingly
Brief Period by Government
.. Experts and Private
: Manufacturers

A MERIcANs can look with salts
u faction upon what we achieved
within an amazingly brief
span in the way OF making us indie
pendent Of optical glass of foreign
origin. The exigencies Of war COM
PEELED US to create and to develop a
wide variety Of domestic facilities,
and, thanks to these. we can depend
from now on upon our own factories
to give US plenty of this essential COM
modify
In 1914. let 1t be remembered, there
was no glass fit for optical require
nents produced within the bounds of
The United States. That is to say, in
any measure of commercial moment
Broadly speaking. we saw, where arti-
6dally stimulated vision was desired.
only through the help Of Teuton cum
ming, i. e.. through lenses manu-
hctured of the famous Jena glass.
Early in 1918, however. this situa-
ton was reversed, and We were in a
position TO meet not only our own
needs, to aid our Allies. but able be-
ttes to export optical glass in con-
hderabls quantities. To be a bit more
precise, the United States Bureau Of
Standards, at its Pittsburg laboratory.
tg the middle of last year was produc-
Ing optical glass capable of meeting
rigid inspection at the rate OF a ton
eRd half every thirty days; and one
large private establishment was turn
Ing out each month something like
Nty tons Of this precious commodity
Ia the early half of 1918. In fact. it is
suthoritatively reported that the fac
tory Of the Bausch & Lomb Optical
Company at Rochester, ~. Y, Ia to-
cay one OF the largest optical glass
plants in the world. Surely this is a
startling performance: and but for
our participation in the European war
we should probably still have had TO
JOCK mainly upon Germany for glass
Tor wide range Of optical services.
Keeping Up With the Big Guns.
BACK in 1898, when we measured
iorees with the army and navy of
oValn' even the largest of our guns
muse adoat-were not expected to
nave a maximum effective range of
more than 5000 yards. and our naval
HSfKsmen counted upon doing their
Work at considerably shorter distances.
opucaI range finders were then we'll
iAgn IN their infancy, and those in our
.xhting services were few and far be-
Neeh' With the advent of 1914. both
'Anu and naval ordnance had devel-
o1eu 70 such a point that range finders,
capable OF cooperating efficiently with
Sne sunpointers, were available which
"ou'u give accurate readings up to a
Instance OF quite 10000 yards. At least,
Sse nnders equipped with lenses OF
~ NC oeSt optical glass could do this.
4Her success depended fundamentally
upon the grade of the material from
"nlch they were ground.
Inc great reach OF field pieces high
pV"ered cannon of various sorts. and
.ne batteries OF fighting craft-not to
"'ent'on the increased range of the in
.Fyman's rifie-compelled long dis
.sUe observation. and this to the
meeuiul degree could be obtained only
"'ough optical aids OF one sort or
snother The Germans had shrewdly
sc'pated this demand. and for years
.S'oFe the outbreak OF strife had made
W world at large very greatly de-
S.nuent upon Jena glass for its indis-
,hsnSaDle lenses. The Teutons realized
mar their potential enemies, lacking
NC power OF penetrative vision, would
niue more formidable than near
n'eo foemen, and no matter how
w. EQUIPPED otherwise their adverse
,es might be they could not use their
'his to advantage.
And how did the long traj.ctories Of
~ os ana shell amplify the urgent
80 of greater quantities OF suitable
. glass? That Is TO say, In what
or' Of apparatus were superior lenses
Do fitted in order that battling