AGE-OLD ORIGIN

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 20823, 30 June 1942, Page 5

AGE-OLD ORIGIN

OPTICAL MUNITIONS AUSTRALIA’S PROGRESS ROTARY CLUB ADDRESS Although we like to think of periscopes, range-finders and aerial photography as something really new, they are founded on devices, some of which have an age-old origin. Something of the great importance of the cptical industry in time i of war and of the history attached to some of the modern devices were given in a talk by Mr. R. Dickson to the Gisborne Rotary Club to-day, when reference was made to the great strides Australia had effected in her optical munitions industry since the beginning of the war.v When war broke out, Mr. Dickson said, Australia found she had no optical munitions industry, and in this respect was in much the same position as America was in 1914. Credit had to be given to Professor T. 11. Labhie, of Melbourne University, for the part he had played in forming an advisory panel for placing the industry on such an effective basis that, despite the most serious handicap of trained men the Commonwealth had made very rapid strides. Optical mechanics were trained in the new phase of the work in an intensive course, and their degree of accuracy was marked. Australia was now turning out equipment of all sorts for the war effort, and Mr. Dickson quoted one instance of how the cost, too, had been greatly cut down. Stereoscopes for the study of aerial photographs were imported previously at a cost of £75; they .were being made in Australia now for £l2. The Burning Mirrors When he spoke of the term optical munitions, Mr. Dickson said he meant anything which assisted vision in the conduct of the war, ranging from glare glasses to the death ray, which latter had fired the imagination of so many writers. In regard to glare glasses, he said that Rommel’s Afrika Korps had been supplied extensively with glare glasses, while the American Army laid down a very high standard for such glasses. The British, however, did not think along 'the same lines, and any men who desired them had to provide them for themselves. The first optical device used in the conduct of war was the burning mirrors of Archimedes who, during the defence of Cyracuse built huge concave mirrors which collected heat rays from the sun and concentrated them to a noint for the purpose of securing a force that would burn. The mirrors were not a huge success, but the principle led to many of our devices to-day. “ The telescope, the basis of 90 per cent of all our optical equipment, was believed to have been used first in 1610 and the ueriscope used in its original form 300 years ago by one who, while lie wished to watch the battle, did not desire to get in the way. A periscope was to all intents and purposes a telescope by which we could see round corners. The same principles were employed in the range finders, of which a battleship had six or eight. They were very complex instruments, and were extremely accurate. Oh the motion of Mr. M. J. White, the speaker was accorded a hearty vote of thanks. Mr. Chas. Matthews presided.