GEORGE (GOGU) CONSTANTINESCO: THEORY OF SONICS (LONDON 1918 / ex. 144 din 150)

LB. ENGLEZA. Coperti originale cartonate, 212 pag. format 14,7/22,3 cm.

LIVRARE PRIN PREDARE PERSONALA IN BUCURESTI SAU PRIN POSTA ROMANA LA PLATA IN AVANS, BRD

Exemplar extrem de rar al volumului intai din "Teoria sonicitatii", elaborata de catre inginerul si inventatorul român George Constantinescu (1881-1965). Titlul original: "The Theory of Sonics: A Treatise on Transmission of Power by Vibration - Vol.1" (Published in 1918 by the Admiralty). (Volumul al doilea nu a mai fost publicat de catre Amiralitate, vezi paragraful in limba engleza de mai jos.)
S-au tiparit doar 150 de exemplare numerotate, toate fiind clasificate "Confidential" (ca documente secretizate puse doar la dispozitia personalului militar).

Acesta este exemplarul nr. 144, ajuns cumva in Romania, unde cineva a completat in creion sau cu culoare rosie anumite demonstratii din cuprinsul volumului - vezi foto. Cotorul e plesnit in trei locuri (aprox. 3 cm sus si la mijloc catre muchia copertii-spate si 6 cm mai jos, pe muchia copertii frontale).

By early 1918 Constantinesco had built a reputation as a major contributor to the war effort. No longer the object of sneers and denigration the Admiralty wanted more from him and financed the erection of a sonic's laboratory at West Drayton west of central London. Here he pursued a broad range of experimental approaches, the most noteworthy being a high frequency (12 Khz) pulsed diesel pump injector for submarines which, because it was effectively silent, removed the submarines main sound signature while underwater. At this time also Constantinesco had completed his monograph 'Theory of Sonics' and, always obliging, the Admiralty agreed to publish it as a limited edition. However, though his patent on the diesel injector remained secret until hostilities had ceased, the Germans renewed the war when the Bosch company infringed the patent thereby leading to long and bitter litigation in the courts. So protracted was the whole process that Constantinesco never benefited from his invention. Almost as the armistice was announced, the Admiralty closed down Constantinesco's West Drayton Laboratory and he found himself stranded with no base to return to. Rather disillusioned and disappointed, he returned briefly to Romania where given the freedom from wartime exigencies his fertile mind generated more ideas and he quickly returned to England. He had however benefited from the British governments 'Awards to Inventors' scheme for wartime contributions (£10,000) and his 'Interrupter' and other inventions had also brought in a substantial income. As such, Constantinesco was able to fund further developments.