The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1920-11-09

AhS PoAt ln6Chully pidyCu
in winning the world wal is disclosed
In a history of the Naval Consulting
Board of the United States, made pub
lie by Secretary Daniels today. Be-
cause a local advertiser is referring
lie by Secretary Daniels recently. Be-
Silver State publishes some extracts
from this history. They are interest
ing stuff" to all citizens.
The volume reveals achievements
which, if projected a decade ago, 'un-
doubtedly would have been ridiculed.
Chief among these was a device by
which the launching of a torpedo
could be heard on board a ship 1000
yards away-or further than a tor
pedo can be effectively launched from
a submarine.
This invention was but one of a
score or more contributed by Thomas
A. Edison, president of the board.
Edison appears to have been the
moving spirit of the board. Forsak-
ing his laboratories at the outbreak
of the war, he practically became a
naval officer. He spent most of his
time in the navy department offices
at New York, and took long deep-sea
cruises that he might be in closer
touch with the problems to be solved.
Because of the German submarine
menace, ship protection claimed most
of the attention of the board. To this
problem Edison devoted his tradition
al 24-hour working days, and after
overcoming many obstacles finally
perfected his listening device.
This contrivance was in the form of
an outrigger suspended from the bow
spirit of a vessel and containing an
immense photograph diaphragm. By
means of -compensators, the noice of
the vessels engines was obliterated,
thus making 1t possible for the device
to work perfectly even when the ship
was blowing at full speed through
the toughest seas.
With this device boats moving 1900
yards away could be readily heard
while the vessel was, going full speed.
A submarine bell five and one-half
htiS away tOdAo daoO NC hCdlu, NllilC
a big storm was in progress and the
boat also proceeding at full speed.
Edison followed this invention with
a device for the quick turning of a
vessel whenever the detector indi-
Gated that a 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 a light rope, in
a slip knot, to the tapering end.
When cast into the sea the mouth
opened, filling the bag with water and
thus acting as a drag. BY pulling the
lighter rope the small end of the bag
was opened. This let the water out,
instantly relieving the resistance.
Four of these bags cast from the side
of a 5000-ton vessel laden with 1000
tons of coal caused it to turn ninety
degrees from her course in two min
utes, with an advance of only 200
feet.
Night sailings of ships next at
tracted his attention. By working
day and night w the records of
submarine sinkings he discovered
that not more than six per cent of the
sinkings took place at night.
Edison commenced to work out his
plans for the ships to sail in and out
of the danger zone at night; to for
sake the old standard lines Of travel
at much as possible; to anchor
through the day in comparatively
shallow waters and harbors where
submarines could not approach them,
steaming only at night to other ports
of anchorage on the way to their des-
tinations.
Edison prepared a new set of STRAIT
egic maps On which he charted the
harbors in which there was safe an
chorage for a long distance inshore
in comparatively shallow but safe
waters, where submarines could not
7pproach submerged.
Other wartime inventions by Mr..
Olson were a cartridge for taking
aings: a convoy light visible to
vessels in the convoy, but in
e0rl the decks of a submarine;
ierwater searchlight capable of
g rays 200 feet; a projectile
would enter the water from an
le instead of richocheting; a sta
II ger for submerged submarines, and
(. line fuse to cause shrapnel to burst
only six feet above the ground.
He devised a mask to protect OBJ
servers on the tops of masts from
fokestack gas; a turbine head for
~ro'ectiles which enabled the latter to