Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1859-09-29 00:00:00

;ht, when the Serpentine was t

Icalila in

experiments connected with

invention of Mr. Ferdinand Silas

who, at about seven o'clock, rowed out with a party of
scientific nentlemen in three of the Royal Humane

Society's boats into the centre ; and, in spite of the
torrents of rain that descended incessantly from that
1 nearly ten o'clock, continued to throw over-
tream their inextinguishable signal lights.
sight appeared to be only a small disc of
wood, about two inches thick -and nine inches in dia-

lllea wits comousume material, wita a small
tube through their centre, but which, as soon as
_n the surface of the water, broke out into
an intensely brilliant flame, visible for a vast distance,
and continuing, notwithstanding the rattling rain,
which gave water from above as well as below, to burn
with the intensity of a star and the illuminating power
of the electric light for upwards of half an hour. To
test still further the anhydrous nature of the light, and
its inextinguishability, it was constantly immersed in
its progress completely under water ; but, to the surprise
of all present, it re-ascended to the surface, burning and
flashing, if possible, with greater brilliancy than before,
and leaving behind it a splendid phosphorescent trail of
light, some 20 yards in extent. The experiment showed
'most demonstrably the admirable adaptability of the new
light, as a floating signal fire for the navy and mercan-
tile marine, and it cannot fail from its simplicity, com-
parative: costlessness, and superiority over existing
methods, to command the speedy attention of the
Admiralty, Trinity House, and shippinginterestgenerally,
for.itse as life buoys at the stern, for ordinary port fires
to *aria vessels off shoals and rocks in ambush, or as
luminous safeguards against the fearful loss of life and
property that annually occurs upon the coast. A second
experiment consisted in the display of a beautiful appa-
ratus of a great signal light of stupendous illuminating
power, either for the decks ,of vessels or railways, and
which shot out its light like steam in a strong jet of
bluasilsh whiteo illuminatelighbt o
th rinsedb aboutanksof thwh smo
ke onse, intense
render-
ing clearly visible the fast falling rain upon its surface,
and every object, down even to the terror-stricken ducks
upon its borders. The new light is no " secret," since
it clearly takes that most combustible of all bodies, phos-
phorus, for its base, in combination with the
atmospheric air, with which it readily unites. These
signal lights, it is calculated, may be furnished to burn
for three or four hours, at a cost of Is. each, thougl
from the well-known rapid combustion of phosphoruls:
this may be rather doubtful, and they possess the pecu-
liar advantage of burning better in sea than in fresh
water. The experiments gave great gratification to all
present, seeing that the unpropitious state of the
weather put the invention to the severest test ; and,
although everyone was thoroughly drenched, it appeared
to be the general opinion that the occasion was well
worth a wetting, considering that the experiments illus-
trated so bea and usefully the bearings of modern
seienceontitif
tlilYneeessities of civilisation.—Morning
herald.