The Republican journal., 1920-11-11
, Devices Aided u. S.
Navy Defeat U-Boats

.orN n dtutu VI iohPSaoSs ahSi
o.,,s Enabled Ships to Make Quick
70 Escape. Made Night Sailings
Strategic Harbor Maps, Camou-
JnvsbIe' Convoy Light Revealed
Daniel Report.
.Srg3fy New York American pub
Se fo..owing dispatch from Wash
' ,s-. American ingenuity played in
.@.te war rs disclosed in history
N. 5.' Nya Consulting Board of the
.5 les. made public by Secretary
Y. ~ ,UDcne reveals achievements
,-lected a decade ago, prob
sgmsf have been ridiculed as "vis-
w. gnIef among these was de-
4t, Urr. the launching of torpedo
sis heard ou shipboard 1000 yards
.r-,r further than torpedo can be
gt,siy launched from a submarine.
m, N, entiJu was but one of a score
n~s contributed by Thomas A. Edi-
m,s.5en. Of the board.
h, Edison appears to have been the
r.o spirit of the board. Forsaking
gSorafores at the outbreak of the
Bs Drscucally became naval offi-
Hf spent most of his time in the
NV Depg-smeut offices here, and took
issr.sea cruises that he might be in
Mt touch with the problems to be
HIS Listening Device"
a,s1,f of the German submarine
snc ship protection claimed most of
attention Of the board. To this prob
Mr. Edison devoted his traditional
E1ty,bour working days, and after
Ttynne many obstacles finally per-
snd BIZ listening device.
IIg lga.rryance was in the form of
n.lsgeI suspended from the bow,
Erto. a vessel and containing an i'm
f!as monograph diaphragm. By means
anpensatoIs, the noise of the YES
asmaueS was obliterated, thus max
n t possible for the device to work
karty even when the ship was ploW-
hi toll speed through the toughest
Et1 this device boats moving 1,700
5Enway could be readily heard while
hBsel was going full speed. A sub
tza be. uye and one-half miles away
h sso be heard while a big storm
i Hh progress and the boat also pro-
E4-lg at full speed.
NJ Edison followed this invention
|Fl sdtyIce for the quick turning of
FsA whenever the detector indicated
p. torpedo was coming in the YES
He did this by means of
HN-s cgl4al canvas bags. A heavy
sE9 vas attached to the mouth of the
kg alc q 4EAt rope, in a slip knot, to
h'nperns end.
The Drag for Q4ick Veering
Ersa -as. into the sea the mouth
fsled, tlliag the bag with water and
hA acglag as a drag. By pulling the
-slitf Iope The small end of the bag was
aelel This let the water out, instant
\ 'e45ynE the resistance. Four of
-a5 tags cast from the side of 5000
VI EsSse .aden with 1000 tons of coal
'Asa i 10 turn ninety degrees from her
,4!t !, ID two minutes, with an advance
fe.g 200 feet,
Aglt sailing of ships next attracted
\, \ itentlon, By working day and
ls1i over the records of submarine
aNogs he discovered that not more
A- Per cent, of the sinkings took
ece at night
An' Edison commenced to work out his
ls I IoT the ships to sail in and out of
\ \ u'ugeF Aoue at night; to forsake the
,.,a aallard lines of travel as much as
,s %ao-5 To anchor through the day in
s.l shallow waters and har-
wy wy "lsfe submarines could not ap
%s Isy1 'hem, steaming only at night to
~ ~ Por's OF anchorage on the way to
lH destLnstions.
, Strategeic Maps
NJ
. .~ llson prepared new set of
.,s .5Isl2 maps on which he charted the
a'us !. .t.' In which there was safe anchor
s,,., r,3l long distance inshore in COM
h., shallow, but safe waters,
,Sn +S.e submarines could not approach
IN ,usI "' wartime inventions by Mr. Edi-
r,r, s~Sl7 cartridge for taking soundings;
,os 4co. Iglt visible to all the vessels in
envoy m but invisible from the decks
h, .a"l .aau"O1litarlne; an underwater search
D,ct,PI -aPaole OF throwing rays 200 feet;
on D,.,'' a., mat would enter the water
,Hl'1la ru angie instead of richocheting;
tina ,1't 4of submerged submarines, and
Nv e., 'eSe to cause shrapnel to burst
H. ia i5eJ above the ground.
n. Ivy lS7l a mask to protect observers
Is ta .opS OF masts from smokestack
s6,sl ~ y, 1'ns head for proieetiles which
Ia S,, ''e latter to be fired from smooth
lsec. 9.Hs ana still have rotation and &C
aggs g Jle" up plans for mining Zee
'pficl' Il'ainof, and developed method
aIsbinsa yum soin nlmIunicating signals between
d 'S could be sent by means of mir
N, Prevented Sinkinss
ougB' lesson devoted great deal of
lsiDg,, W various plans for preventing
deneesS ana he suggested a number of
oLosiGoo W THIS end. One of these was a
Id 'Ou TO furnish merchant ships
Oh sbelIp pe 81 Of specially designed three
oducjS5nn 5nS lllied with an oleum smoke
bnsripsac com ound with which to blind
The nrob, ros Il they had long range guns.
al %lSolem of extinguishing fires in
resn IAeis NJ NJ. he solved with a small
aor ~ 1ooS s'ticate ae of soda played on
ts striEosa Uoa lire. The moment the sill
lsI opa1s. aTs the incandescent body the
apOrstra of water in the silicate
4ss cost.5 si and the glowing body be-
ldiag ,ed tba with CLASSY surface, ex-
lite, oxygen and extinguishing