The sun., 1919-01-19
By LINDELL T. BATES,

81,
Secretary Of tho Submarine Defeuc,
ASSOCIATION, graduate Of Yale, 10, holder
Of Scrcn degrees in tar and the Kuioht's
cross Of Isabel la Cdtolicd from the
hinO Of Spain.
Csmounage has had almost as fasci-
i.ting an evolution in marine as In land
warfare. In many respects, however. Il
- the youngest science, and until March,
1918, 1t might rather be called an art
than Il science.
The Germans were the first to apply
the lessons of visual deception to the
sea, Early In the l. boat campaign they
peEan to paint their vessels in various
Designs to make them less conspicuous
In the late nineteenth century British
arships used to be black in color, and
.tnerican white In sea hehts at fairly
close range low visibility was not con-
stdered of great importance. In the 9O's
The Germans changed from black to dark
gray Great Britain and the other Pow
ors shortly thereafter followed suit. but
different shades Of gray were used by
different nations Dark gray, called
"hattleShip gray was the prevailing
,olor. At the outbreak of hostilities the
French. Italian and Austrian fleets were
Of a color different from those OF the
british and Germans. The former IA
,ored a gray and khaki mixture. The
DOtC0 SHIPS were STtPnISl Drown in hue.
In 1914 Austria adopted the German
color for the sake OF uniformity with
Ter ally.
Prior to the entry Of the United States
INTO the war the Allies had made no
"otable effort to disguise their vessels as
help in the struggle against the boat
when America entered the only instruc-
ton to merchant vessels was to paint
thcir white or light colored upper works
hill utr ,~lA
were decorated early with false painted
ows and how waves, or a silhouette OF
dcstro: cr, submarine or n sinking
ship,
Artists Took Jp the Work.
IN the course of tho war several
american artists, noting the rapid de-
>elopnent Of land canoufiage. became
uteresttd " its marine possibilities.
William A. Mackly and Lewis Herzog
toh Of New York, appear to have heen
the pioneers of elaborate camounage
both OF this country and abroad, alt
'E9ush in 1917 attention was beginning
20 focus on this question simultaneously
N many quarters. Gero,ne Brush. Maxi
milan Toch and Everett L. Warner soon
uttered the new field. Mr.. Mackay even
established 4 marine camouhage school
10 New York city. the first OF It's kind.
These artists were divided at the out
set INTO two groups, those who favored
gaintins for low visibility and those
who favored a so-called dazzle sys
TEN. Mr. Mackay's original system was
'or low visibility, as was that Of Mr
Brush Mr.. Warner considered decep-
lion Of ajor and low visibility of minor
Importance. Messrs. Herzos and Toch
sought to reconcile both aims.
The United States Shipping Board
jnok interest in the possibility of camou-
iisse as a defensive measure for Ameri-
an merchant ships. On October !,
~, the Treasury Department through
'ho Bureau of War Risk Insurance is-
sued an order requiring under penalty
~ i per cent. increase in war risk
premium tho painting of vessels for
protective purposes. Ship owners were
AZ hberty TO select either & Ave svstems
mentioned. Should an owner wish to
~ his own or a different scheme, the
order required him TO obtain for II the
prior approval Of William l.. Saunders,
chairman Of the naval consulting board.
Little experimental work was con-
Quoted with reference to marine camou-
tiage prior 10 the adoption OF the five
systems. Mr.. Mackay had painted some