JAPAN'S BOMB-DEFYING U-BOAT

Evening Star, Issue 23699, 5 October 1940, Page 3

JAPAN'S BOMB-DEFYING U-BOAT

The Japanese navy will soon put into operation a new kind of midget submarine, built of a secret alloy, and superior in many respects to standardised submarines. The new craft, which have passed all tests, are armed with three torpedo tubes, although they are only 16ft long and of 10 tons displacement. Capable of speeding 36 knots, they can submerge to a depth of more than I,Booft, which is about 375ffe deeper than ordinary submarines may; safely go. < These submarines are capable of resisting the most powerful depth bombs* and, owing to exceptionally small dimensions, offer hardly any target without losing any of their effectiveness* They will be built on a large scale, and enter active service shortly.— ‘ Stampa,’ Turin, Italy. U.S. SECRET PLANE DETECTOR The United States secret aeroplane detector, having passed the laboratory test, is undergoing its final service tes# in the current manoeuvres. The device is believed to pick up tha rays given off by a plane’s engine. Itj lias nothing to do with the famous listening “ ears ” or locators, which pick; up the sound of a plane’s and! are used with anti-aircraft artillery* It has a far greater range than a sound locator, and it is believed that plane* cannot be shielded to prevent detection* The new detector is not intended tn replace any existing weapons or equipment employed in air defence, but will supplement them powerfully, providing the defenders with an almost certain warning of impending attack. The device helps to give the defend* ers sufficient time to get their own defending pursuit aviation into the air* and that is the function of all air-watn-ing services.—Military correspondent o* the ‘ New York Times.’ DEBUNKING THE " STRAD " Dr Frederick A. Saunders, of Ham vard University, has formed the opinion* which is probably held by many others* that the popular idea that old violin# by famous makers are incomparably finer in tone than any recently-mad® instrument is mere conventional prejudice. To test his theory he callo<4 on-ether 170 musicians and* nmsig critics at the Franklin Institute* in Philadelphia. For these ■ expert# ho had a violinist perform on» three violins behind a. screen. On# was a violin made in Philadelphia a few} months ago, the second was made in Germanv a few years ago, and the thirg was a Stradivarius over 200 years old* Only 47 of the audience picked out tha last-named as the superior instrument t Commenting on this, Dr Saunders saidfl —“ The fine old instruments . . . re* quire only half as much work to produce a good tone. They are, therefore, more responsive—important to player# working at the limit of their abilities* But for the listener there is no difference.”