Shooting Pictures

Director W. D'Arcy Ryan of the illuminating laboratory of the General Electric Co. last week announced the perfection of a cannon he had designed just too late for use in the War, a cannon shooting not projectiles but pictures. The plan had been to have aircraft hang a curtain of smoke over the German lines and project thereon pictures and remarks that would sadden the enemy. The picture gun consisted of a barrel with lenses instead of rifling. Instead of high explosives in the breach was a searchlight. The lenses were adjusted to focus a picture, dropped in on a slide in front of the light, at any distance greater than 20 feet from the muzzle. Inventor Ryan thought picture-cannon with searchlights up to 60 inches in diameter could be made. Use in peacetime: advertising over cities and fairgrounds, on mile-high clouds which can be supplied if necessary.