Edison inspects U.S. Submarine ~ 1915
In December, 1915 Eddie Jackson was invited by his friend Thomas Edison to document the inspection of a secret U.S. submarine shortly after being appointed President of the Naval Reserve Board. Edison had more than a passing interest in the battery system in submarine E-2 as he had been asked to try to improve the chemical formula used. The submarine was
moored in the Brooklyn Navy yard
and for security reasons the press
was not invited and no photographs were allowed to be taken of this highly secret craft. The United States had not entered World War One at this time and did not want any of the warring nations know that they were developing submarine
capability.
Thomas Edison walks the deck of the submarine E-2 in December, 1915 a week before the battery compartment exploded killing several saliors
Eddie Jackson was closely scrutinized when he entered the Brooklyn Navy yard even though he was part of Thomas Edison’s entourage. He was forced to leave his large format camera
at the guard gate. Eddie expected this, and carried a smaller ‘vest-pocket’ camera in his jacket pocket for just such an emergency. Eddie was able to
take three photographs of Edison inspecting the submarine and keeping his word, never sent them to be published. He did however, send several copies to Thomas Edison and received
the thank-you letter below. The set of photos that Eddie sent still reside in the Thomas Edison archives.
