The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1885-02-17 00:00:00

ELECTRICITY AND THE TELEGRAPH.

A lecture on the above Nutiject was given. in
connection with the Town Sanity, at the Burdoe
Assembly•roorn on Tueadey evening by Professor
Forbes, P.E.43, E. The professor, who was somewhat
iadisposed, illustrated his lecture by experiments,
and fez about an hour attracted the careful attention
of a rather large audience. He commenced by graying
that he wished to draw attention to the proper of
electricity. It waa applied to arts of pro% as well
as to seta of war, and none of the probable applications
struck the attention of the public more than the
like rho I that some day they would hays thole
lightest by electricity. During the past year
he and other scientific men paid • visit to America,
awl whilst there be etudied the progress "Moues bad
male. Is nearly every tiwn tits street,' were lighted
ny electricity, and on returning to England the darnel
Halite in the streets of Loudon were turplasanily
...closable. It had also bsen proposed to rtrive their
locomotives by electricity, and In New York 'tope
se,re being taken to adopt the scheme, several rail.
way °Animas" being about to lay down electric
railways for competition between thenaselvea It was
also used for torpedoes, and in some Lowey there were
electric clocks. Electricity was also need in the
telephone and in the Sandwich Wee this means of
c .mmunilation was very much in use. He exhibited
• four needle instrument, and said it WWI the firat
which ever caught a murderer. Just after one had
hen set up a murder was committed in Liverpool.
'che murderer took passage for Loudon, the instrument
was brought into use, and the murderer we. ceught,
couurroently the instrument was somewhat historical.
Toe clerks found that two needles were only
necessary, ant since then • one needle instrument
hsd been adapted, and was much in nee oaths railway.,
lie explained the A.B.C. instrument of k reestone,
which be said did not require • Ira Lto ry. In America
they used an instrument of • very different kind,
celled the "Sounder," preferring to read by the ear
r sther than by the eye, and so increase the goitrous
by which the message could be written out. It was
astonishing to go into one of the offices and hear the
r wing of the instruments, and it seemed hardly
creditable that the clerks amid woke out their own
me,sues. But he must say that it was found that
the system very materialy a&oted their brains.
Referring to field tsisgraphy, he said it did at
require a large instrument. The difficulties of the
operat if were very slight, and it was astonishing
with what rapidity the pole" could be laid. He
followed the Russian army during the Turbo-Russian
War, and sold it was only by means of the telegraph
that the Turkhdi army was routed in Asa, the
generals beau able to communicate will each other.
Toe submarine telegraphy was due to the Indomitable
pluck fibs English nation. The cable from Dover
ti Callas was carried out in 18M, and warn still
carrying messages between the two or uotries.
He remarked that the supposed long time rocupied
in sending messages was not due to the elownese of
the electricity, but to the clerk, who tranemitted the
sentences from one office to another. Eactricity waa
said to travel 288.000 miles • second, end oould blunt
round the world ten time. in the space of one second.
It had been discovered that It was possible to s ad
two meesage", in opposite directions, on the same
wire, &OA in America now four messages could be
sent no yea wire, two in one direction arid two in the
other. In conclusion he said he thought he had
shown that every intelligent person should try to take
some interut in the subject ant try to understand
something al art it. All branches of electricity were
of great int 'rut, and would be totted an enormous
pleasure to thi students.
Dr. MOOKKIAD peipued a TOW of thaeks to the
Proforma, which he briefly acknowledied.