BELATED LETTER OF THANKS

Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 93, 20 April 1935, Page 21

BELATED LETTER OF THANKS

"■ A war time service #hiehswas overlooked (Seventeen years agohas just received recognition in a.'ljStter sent by President Roosevelt to a man now seriously ill in Mystic, Connecticut. The man is Charles Denison Holmes, an inventor who developed high-powered internal-combustion-engines, states the "New York Times." . . . , ■ When the United Sta^s jnter<?d,;tne World War, Mr. HolmesV^kbP hi4vde-siWd:^rmdtor-wideTy b'*TJsea i-« iithe United States Life Saving Service,- applied himself to the .development of compact, efficient motors for submarine chasers and similar vessels .in which high power was necessary but space-was limited. It was for-a further development made on the engine he designed for submarine chasers that President Jtoosevelt expressed his thanks in-a letter, .dated .February 13, from 1 the White House; ?%vr .: . ; The letter follows:— :;> ■■/ "My dear Mr. Holmes,— ; fit has been. brought to my attention that during the later part of the WorW War period you were instrumental inthe :deve)opment.of ap mter-nal-corofcustipn engine. **~se&^*** and characteristics as>r«qutf«<l v ; by; the War Department. This enginft.was later used^ior propelling; certalnA^^guns mounted yon experimental •■ motor^arriages ahdwas alsotforieidered for,;use mSefimental tanks; *?"* *"« work 'In this.^fi^was not.allowed to die but was continued^U! -engines; of sizes and performance characteristics not then available were^satisfactorily your personal efforts hastened

the development of new types of engines of special nature, I feel that it is fitting that I should express to you the thanks of this Government as well as my own for your part in. the development of a new type, of military equipment. ■ ' -■'.;'■ ' "Very sincerely yours;; "FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT." Mr. Holmes had perfected an eightcylinder motor; capable- of producing 250 horsepower, only,a few. days before the Armistice,-The motor, designed for use in tanks and for movable gunmounts for heavy artillery pieces, had been ordered by officials of an international commission. At first, Mr. Holmes related to a brother, Jeremiah Holmes,; a short time ago, the motor was a twelve-cylinder affair, producing 400 horsepower. In that form, he said, it had been declined by the Navy Department for use in submarine chasers. But then the in*, ternational commission, seeking a motor suitable for use in tanks, urged him to produce a motor of smaller size within three months. This was in July, 1918 It was Mr- Holmes's brother who called the case to the attention of the President. Working day and night, :and at Bevere cost to his eyesight and general health, Mr. Holmes redesigned .his. motor on smaller.lines. The plans the Allies had for obtaining 2000 of these powerful motors for the artillery would have been «»«««**?. »***• tion to the strength of the Allied, armies, he said. ■ ■

| Miracle or natural phenomenon? na.l," Dr. Elliot says, "I was informed! i Again this age-old question forms the that a Greek priest read a prayer of • battleground for controversy between exorcism o£ the devil! J doctors, on one side, and a priest on the ...... . , , M . C ,-.„,_ i ot jj er ' . After the exorcism she (Miss Geor- j : The central figure is a beautiful 19- giles) had a violent attack of convul-year-old Greek girl, Miss Irene Geor- sions, was put to bed, and after a few giles, of Bayswater, states the "Daily minutes threw off the blankets, scream* ; Mail." in S> 'I see! I see!' Since then she has While at a gymnasium Miss Geor- been normal. Giles, it is said, suddenly found that she "Doubtless the strong suggestion ascould not see. sociated with the priest's action suf- ■ On February 15, Dr. R, H. Elliot, a ficed to restore her confidence in her Welbeck Street eye specialist, was power of seeing." . ■ called in to examine her, and he says Here is the: Rev. Michael Constanhe gave his. opinion without the slight- tinidis's account of events:— est hesitation that the girl was suffer- "I put on the table a Holy Ikon with ing from hysterical amaurosis and holy relics on it, and I lit a candle of would recover her sight completely, Good Friday. I started to read the serprobably suddenly. While she honest- vice for the sick and those possessed ly thought she could not see he was by evil spirits'. quite confident that she was seeing. "The girl was sitting before me on On February 18, Miss Georgiles's a chair. The prayer was continuing, father Mr Constantine Georgiles, tele- and when I was in the middle of the phoned to the Rev. Michael Constan- service she suddenly fell unconscious tinidis, of the Greek Church, Bays- on the floor. water . . . "She was. lifted by her father and The priest arrived, conducted a ser- another woman and put.on her bed, vice for those who are sick and pos- where she lay motionless and unconsessed of the devil, and, it is stated, scious. Suddenly and abruptly she the girl recovered her sight. jumped up violently and called to her Writing in the "British Medical Jour- father that she could see.