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Show EDISON SUGGESTS SHIP CHAN B ES WASHINGTON, Nov. 16. Thomas A. Edison, chairman of the naval consulting con-sulting board, went to tho shipping board today with suggestions that may provide an emergency fleet of steamers steam-ers almost overnight. Mr. Edison suggested that the government gov-ernment take over all the American sailing vessels afloat today and convert con-vert them into twin-screw ships, wherever practicable. There had been some criticism previously against such action, it being maintained that in installing single screws the vibration would be so great that the vessels would be shaken to pieces. Mr. Edison's suggestion was a simple sim-ple solution of tho difficulty the twin screw. He explained that these could be so placed as to neutralize the effects ef-fects of the vibration. It was said many of the ships could be converted probably in as short a Ano as thirty days from the time they were taken over. Such a move would provide a large fleet for the country, it was pointed out, many, of the ships being put into service even before tho ships now being built by the emergency fleet corporation. There are innumerable vessels of 700 to 1500 tons that could be mado into steamships with little effort. They could be given a speed of more than ten and twelve knots and many of them oven made as fast as twenty-knot boats, which would Insure In-sure them practical immunity from submarines. The slower vessels would bo convoyed more closely, of course, it was explained. Although the placing Of engines and coal bunkers in tho ships would cut down their cargo space the 'superior speed attained wouidvinoro than make up .for the difference, in tho opinion of Mr. Edison. American sailing vessels are not now permitted to enter- the war zone, as they are easy sumbarine targets. There are under American registry more than 5000 sailing vessels of considerably con-siderably more than 1,000.000 tonnage. The government also will have under its control soon some 400,000 tons of sailing ships turned over by the French government. Henry Ford's automobile plant at Detroit, now largely engaged in manufacturing manu-facturing airplane cylinders, is about to begin also the production of ship's fittings. Mr. Ford called on tho shipping ship-ping board today and arranged to turn out for the government small parts which his plant can produce in large quantities. nn |