Imperial Valley press. (El Centro, Calif.) 1907-current, 1923-02-17
BY MARK ETHERIDGE
Copyright, 1928, by the Imperial
Valley Press

WASHINGTON, Feb. IL. - The
United States navy gives Thomas
A. Edison credit for one wartime
achievement-the perfection of the
telephone system used aboard war
ships. The navy had experienced a
great deal of trouble with its tele-
phone systems, especially when a
vship was in action. "Mr. Edison
Z during the war improved the system
J to such an extent that the navy
owes him a lasting debt of graft
tude.'
AS to his other war time inven-
tons the navy shrugs its shoulders.
1t will not discuss them. IT does
not wish to enter into Il controversy
with the sage of West Orange, who
claimed in his 10th birthday ami
versary Interview that the navy had
pigconholed 40 of this Inventions,
making no other use of them than
an outline publication in navy
book.
From every indication at the navy
department today the Edison in
ventions are likely to remain pigeon
holed. In refusing to discuss the
matter, naval Officers point to the
little blue book published a
year ago and already virtually out
of circulation. 49, sss
Names Them as Plans
This book lists 80 Edison inven-
tions or "plans,' as the book con
stantly refers to them.
Admiral William S. Benson, re-
tired, who was in charge of naval
operations during the war, declined
today to be drawn into the controv-
ersy. He said that former Secretary
of tho Navy Josephus Daniels was
in direct charge of the naval con
sulting board which Edison headed
and through which he furnished his
ideas. Admiral Benson therefore
declines to take responsibility for
nigeonhOling the Edison plans.
The blue book states that Mr.. Ed
ison submitted carefully worked out
plans for the mining of the harbor
of Zecbrugge, the Belgian channel
port used as base for German
submarines. The British had at
tempted to block this harbor in one
of the most daring naval exploits re-
corded in history. Mr.. Edison OPP
posed the navy's pet plan of zigzag
ging ships in the submarine zones
when these ships were capable of
only 10 miles an hour or less.
Depth Bombs Greatest Invention
The greatest wartime invention
used by the navy, the depth bombs
for submarines, it is pointed out,
was the result of a collaboration of
naval experts. The art of camou-
flage is credited, of course, to the
French, while the British are given
credit for working it out for ships.
Mr.. Edison spent his early months
with the consulting board in look
- ing for a device to detect submar-
ines, Captain Scott says, and was
successful only to the point where
the apparatus would record the APP
proach of a torpedo 5000 yards dis
tant, provided the ships equipped
with,the apparatus were not in mo-
ton. Further experimentation, Cap
tain Scott says, was left to others.
The implication in the Edison in
tCiNiCN lidt NAVAL OIlltcTS were III
spired by jealousy in pigeonholing
most of the wartime inventions sub
mitted to them is loudly denied in
naval circles. -.-
Here's Complete List
Here is a complete list of the Ed
ison plans and inventions listed by
the navy department.:
l. Listening device for detecting
submarines.
2. Plan for quick turning of
ships by the use of sea anchors.
3. Plans for saving cargo boats
(night sailing through the British
/ channel.)
= 4. Use of collision materials as
protectors against t6rpedoes.
5. Plans for taking merchant
ships out of mined barbors by set
ting two small boats ahead with
a cable swung between thcm-a
sweeping device.
6. Suggestions that anthracite be
used in war zone.
7. System of protecting the coast
by signally submarine buoys.
8. Cartridges for taking sound
ings. Tr
9. Sailing lights for conveys.
10. Smudging the sky line, a
semi-smoke screen from smudge pots.
ii. Obstructing torpedoes with
nets. /
~. Underwater searchlights.
Is. Olcum cloud shells. Such
shells were later employed by the
Germans.
IA. High speed signalling search
lights. ptrr. ]
10. Water penetrating proiectilc, /,
n-ricochetting shell.
10. Method of detecting peris- |
copes in night hours. FE1 |