DISGUISE AT SEA

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 181, 20 April 1918, Page 7

DISGUISE AT SEA

PROTECTION OF SHIPS FROM SUB. MARINE'ATTACK. A recent official statement declares that it lias been stated at various times in the British Press that the Admiralty, have not realised the value of camouflage, as a means of assisting to defeat ■tho attacks' of' enemy "submarines on mercantile shipping, and that BUch camouflage as has been tried is not oS' British origin. "" The official' document 1 continueslt) can bo stated that the Admiralty are fully alive to its value, and several months ago a Bysteiiv .of camouflage was originated. The principles govern* • ing it cannot be divulged- at present, but it may bo said that it has not invisibility for its basis. Tho theory of rendering ships invisible at sea by i: painting them various colours is naf, longer tenable. • Endless endeavours have been made in this direction, and ; numerous schemes have been given fais trial by the Admiralty under actual conditions at sea. The results of those*, trials have invariably been disappoint-: ing, and it has been finally established; that unless a vessel and her Bmoke canbo rendered absolutely, invisible no use*, ful purpose is served.' ' ! The application, of Thayer's Law is, most commonly =put. forward ha ameansj of obtaining invisibility. This, broad/; ly speaking, is an adoption of Nature's: means of eliminating shadows. and bjq( ) reducing the visibility of birds and ank, mals at close quarters oither for purt', poses of attack.or dofonce, and it_is stated that this can bo applied to blips' by painting tho ceilings of promeiiadadocks or other projecting structures, white, in .ordereliminate all shadows. Actul - gxppriQncos at seal' liave proved, tliat}'tnis;ss /a fallacy, and' that the paiiit. itself, ..being dependant on the light of "the-sky, will iiot overcome shadows. The scheme now in usa has been extensively taken up, not only by the British/ but also by the Allied Governments; and no stone is being left unturned to utilise this important asset; which is only one of thet many devices which are used to combat tho enemy's submarine activity.