Gunnison news-champion., 1920-12-24


years instead of four.
The Sunday New York American
publishes the following dispatch from
Washington:
The part American ingenuity played
In winning he war is disclosed in .
history of the Naval Consulting Board
of the United States made public BY
Secretary Daniels recently.
The volume reveals achievements.
which IL projected decade ago. would
probably have been ridiculed as @visi-
onary." Chief among these was q de-
vice by which the launching Of q tor
pcdo could be heard on shipboard over
1000 yards away--or further than .
torpedo can effectively be launched
from . submarine.
This invention was but one Of
score or more contributed by Thomas
A. Edison, president Of the board.
Mr.. Edison appears to have been
the moving spirit of the board. For
saking his laboratories at the outbreak
Of the war, he practically became a ma
val officer. He spent most Of his time
in the Navy Department offices here,
and took long deep-sca cruises that he
might be in closer touch with the prob
lens 10 De solveu-
His Listening Device"
Because of the German submarine
menace ship protection claimed most
of the attention of the board. To this
problem he devoted his traditional "a
hour day and after overcoming many
obstacles, finally perfected the listen
ing device.
This contrivance was in the form Of
an outrigger suspended from the bow
spirit of q vessel and containing an
immense phonograph diaphram. BY
means of conpensatOrs, the noises Of
the vessels engines was obliterated.
thus making it possible for the device
to work perfectly on q ship even when
plowing thru the toughest seas.
With this device. boats moving
100 yards away could be heard while
submarine five and . half miles away
could also be heard while . big storm
was in progrcss and the boat was also
proceeding ct full speed.
Mr.. Edison followed his invention
with device for the quick turning Of
q vessel, whenever the detector indicet-
ed that . torpedo was coming in the
vessels direction. He did this by
means Of strong conical canvas bags.
A heavy rope was attached to the
mouth Of the bag and light rope In
10 alp knet, to tie tapering end.
Tie sDesgs fsg Quick veefing
when cat into the sea, the mouth
sgsn.d l.s ths ss beg Nth Sc n.;1;sr wats. sSd I'd
iaster inas aeoa aop. q IS smaller "a q shs BAG
WAS opened. This let the water out
instantly, relieveing the resistance.
-Four Of these bags cast from the side
Of . 5000 ton vessel laden with 1000
tons Of coal caused Il to turn ninety
degrees from its course in two minutes
with IN advance Of only 200 feet.
Night sailing Of ships next attract
ed HIS attention. By working day and
night over tie records Of submarine
sinldngs, he discovered that not more
than six per cent Of the sinhngs took
place At night.
Nj. Edison commenced to work ont
. plan for tie ships to sail in and out
Of the danger zone ct night; to for
take the old standard lines Of travel
as much Is possible; to anchor through
the day IN comparatively shallow wat
ers and harboB, where submarines
could not approaeh them, steaming
only 1t might TO other ports Of anchor
age on ths way to their destinations.
efxstegie MaDs
Mr.. Edison prepared . new set Of
stxategic maps On which be chartered
tie harbors n which there vas safe
anchorage for = long distance inshore
h comparatively shallow but safe wat
|ezs, whese suhnaxines eo1ld NJ ap-
pguaeA DubmaRgod.
Oehee WAx.tm6 mveutions by 1Gr.
(cs1faesd = fags Issr)