Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1921-06-10
EDISON'S war WORK
Made Many Inventions That Helped
Win the Struggle.
A few OF THEM Are here NAMED

Noted Wizard Got Busy as Soon as
War Was Deciared-Stuek on Job
Throughout.
Prosper Brunelli in the New York
World.
If you were asked what service
Americas premier inventor had rem
dcrcd during the war, what would you
icuswer? Probably Nothing in par
ticular" Yet the recently issued Off
cial report on the work OF naval con-
sulting board of which Mr.. Edison was
president, credits him with astonishing
accomplishment. listing no fewer than
forty Edison war inventions, most Of
which were in use or ready to be used
when the armistice came.
When the United States declared war
Mr.. Edison gathered a staff OF assist
ants, engineers who had worked under
him in his East Orange laboratories
and young graduates Of chronological
schools. AS the head Of the naval con-
su:cing board, which advised the navy
upon inventions, the big technical
p..Jn.iems of the war at sea were sent
. him for recommendations. The old in
verltor sat in his laboratory and de-
vised experiments for his assistants to
make consultations with naval COM
manders upon war needs to be over
come, and went out on ships to super
wise the tests Of his inventions.
The thorny problem Of that day was
the submarine.
One Of the first ideas that engaged
him wan to provide merchant ships
with a listening apparatus that would
enable them to hear the sound of the
torpedo as soon as 1t was fired from
the submarine, and also means OF
changing their course speedily TO
another course at right angles, so that
the torpedo would miss. He construct
ed a device to hang upon the bow
spirit Of a ship below the water level
set Of brass tubes with a phono-
graph diaphragm at the end. With this
device boats moving 1900 yards away
could be plainly heard, while the YES
sci was going at full speed. A subma-
rine ball five and one-half miles away
could be heard in a great. storm. And
a torpedo could be heard more THAI
four thousand yards away, which Is far
beyond the distance at which torpe-
do can be launched from submarine.
Quick Turning Device.
Mr.. Edison then set about furnishing
ships with a means Of turning quickly
at a right angle. He believed he could
accomplish this with sea anchors. Tne
sea anchor is strong canvas bag, con-
i ical in shape. When cast into the
ocean the mouth opens and water fills
the bag, thus causing a drag, Mr..
Edisons plan was to use four large sea
anchors, which could be thrown into
the water when a torpedo was heard
land the ships helm put hard over,
bringing vessel almost to a stand
still and turning her at right angles.
A loaded vessel Of 1926 feet in length
was turned 90 degrees from her course
in two minutes and ten seconds, and
with an advance of only two hundred
feet.
AS means of minimizing the loss OF
torpedoed ships Mr.. Edison planned
the use of collision mats to plug the
rent caused by the explosion. His ar
arrangement contemplated the use OF
ten collision mats on each side of the
ships deck. In fifteen seconds mats
could be gotten in position to cover
hole made by an explosion.
Another plan utilized small subnfa-
rine chasers lying idle for getting ships
out of mined harbors. Two chasers
steamed parallel, carrying a cable be-
tween them. The ship sailed half a
mile to the rear midway between the
chasers. When q mine was encounter
ed the vessel would change it's course.
Then a Convoy Light.
In July, 1917 steamship officials call
cd upon Mr.. Edison for a camouflage
scheme. He devised a method of. pro-
tcctiye coloration that was adopted.
The Valerie of the Cunard line was the
first ship to use the system. She ran
in the submarine zone safely for year
and a half, but, upon joining convoy
was torpedoed.
A means OF taking soundings quick
ly was provided in small cartridge,
! which, bring tossed into the water, ex-
ploded upon striking bottom. From the
time between the throwing of the little
bomb and the explosion the depth Of
the water could readily be calculated.
When the system Of conveying a
number of merchant ships came into
vogue there arose a demand for safe
sailing light for use at night. The re-
quisite Of such light was that 1t
should be visible to all other vessels OF
the convoy. including destroyers, and
not to submarines. Mr.. Edison devised
a combination Of black disks screen
ing a light so that it would be
visible only from an altitude equal
to the crows nests Of accompanying
ships. To avoid the dipping effect