SCIENCE IN WAR

Evening Post, Volume CI, Issue 48, 25 February 1921, Page 2

SCIENCE IN WAR

SOME WONDERS REVEALED

ADDRESS BY SIR JOHN MONASH,

Some of the wonders accomplished by science during the war were outlined by Sir John'Monash in an address before the annual meeting el the Institute of Patent Attorneys, held in tho Council Chamber of tho Law Institute, Collins House, Melbourne. '

Sir John Monash said bono and sinew wore far from being the only things'that mattered in the fighting!. One very important invention was that of the sound ranger. It had been found to be- ex, trcmely difficult to locate enemy artillcrv by tho usual moans, all of those used being imperfect. British scientists solved the problem by inventing sound ranging, which in plain words, was nothing more than the photograph of sound. A series of posts, carrying delicate microphone:, was set up, and when an enemy gun was fired tho sound reached the posts at stated intervals. The microphones were connected with an apparatus at the sear, which photographed the vibrations, which were communicated to vertical wire* strung on instruments like harps.- In front of the wires * passed an' endless photographic film, on which the vibrations from the microphones wore recorded- • As the microphones were at varying distances from the sound of the gun the location of the letter could be ascertained with great accuracy, and in forty seconds from, tho time of firing. The apparatus was valuable, too, in ascertaining whether the burst of our own shells was accurate. Later the mechanism was used to detect the instrumental error%of our own guns, £uch-'as the lateral deflection and tho extent of tho wear. This saved an enormous amount of ordinary testing, and gave tho enemy no indication of tho amount of artillery concentrated in any place!'- The gun was silent until it was actually in action, when previously it hqd to be-tested by firing it before-it went into action. Tin's invention was one.of the , biggest; factors in the British success. Another' important scientific discovery was an apparatus to gauge tha.. height of aircraft. The apparatus consisted of a telesoopo at each end of a. base line of 1000 yards length, ÜBed in conjunction with electrical instruments. Each telescope was directed upon the aircraft above, aud 'from the angles of "the telescopes could be gauged tha height of the 'plane. This discovery led to some very accurate shoot-ins by anti-air-craft guns. Air photography had made wonderful stride-s in war. Cameras wore made as nearly' automatic us possible, so that tho pilot only had to press his foot when ho wanted to take a picture. Certain 'areas were completely photographed, and the pictures put into the form of a mosaic. Every photograph had to bo identified by an expert identifier, who? b.y means'of shadows, coold determine depressions, ■ derations, houses with or without roofs, trenches, and other things. Even copper wires could be detected. Camouflage was not concealment, but the art of disguise. The disguise was carried out by obliterating the shadow of an object, or creating a' false shadow. The Germans had bfen Cleverer than wo at camouflage. He remembered one instance in which an area concealing two or three divisions of troops was covered over'with canvas painted to represent a large field in which were stooks and hay. The most wonderful mechanical invention was the latest type of tank. The first tanks were very disappointing. They took four men to steer' them, and they novor wont 100" yards without something going wrong. The crows were ill-trained, and there were no tactics and no policy. They blundered about, and when they, did engage anyone it was our own infantry. But in 1918 an epicyclic, gearing was-invented, which enabled one man to operate a tank. The true use of these machines was discovered by the Australians, who attached them directly to, infantry instead of allowing them tp operate alone. Tho Tank Corps repair depot was an immense place, and he had seen -.there the amazing sight of Chiiiese. coolies doiag most beautiful mechanical work. Th,eso men had teen coolies worjeine in Franch ports two years previously, and had been trained by English engineers. Tho navy had a most wonderful automatic mine. It was used in the closing phases of the wa-, and waa responsible for the sinking of largo aum-> beiß of submarines. Whon it was laid it was harmless, but. at a period after the laying it became sot by clockwork, and when an iron or steel vessel approached, within 100 yards of it,.a magnet :.n the mechanism was actuated, and a'terntio explosion took place, which was sufficient to send a submarine to the bottom. Another naval invention was the paravane, for whioh a lady scientist was mostly responsible. ■ Paravanes were floats so shaped that if tied to the bows of a moving vessel they would spread themselves out almost at,,right! angles to the vessel,' and the two ropes attached to thorn woijd become so taut that i they would sweep away from their moorings all mines met with. These- paravanes were attached. to light and fast boats, which often went ahead of the fleet, and cleared the way. Valuable work was done in England in the matter of nndrog substitutes for,metals, the fear being that supplies of a particular kind might give out and not be .replaceable. Wonders had been accomplished with the manuff>.ctu»e of. optical glass, an industry of which Germany had had a complete monopoly. The making of munitions had led to the invention of automatic lathes, whioh could be operated by unskilled labour. Only's per cent, of those engasted in munition making hod been skilled .'workers. 'The machines had done almost everything. <'■■