The Sun.
London, England, 1850-12-12 00:00:00

AD EL A IDE GALLERY.

Those who are fond of lively music, or tripping it
on " the light fantastic toe," should pay an early visit
to the grand salon de danse at the Adelaide Gallery,
where Borini's band, :perhaps one of the best of the
kind in London, is becoming as attractive as Laurent's
at a similar establishment further west. The selec.
tions of music embrace all the favourite works of the
day, and solos and concerted pieces follow each other
in rapid succession. There is besides a vocal and in-
strumental concert given every evening under the
direction of Mr. J. W. Sharp, whose powers of
rendering comic songs in the best possible style
are only surpassed by the rich fund of humour ,
which he seems always to have at his com-
mand. Miss G. Hodgson, a pleasing and tasteful I
vocalist, has this week been added to the list of
performers, and her nightly reception by the habituas
of the place is :flattering in the extreme, though,
perhaps, not more flattering than her abilities
to warble plaintive ditties, and her exertions to
please, entitle her to. At the conclusion of the
concert, the body of the gallery passes into the
charge of Mons. De l'Motte, who, assisted by
four or five polite masters of the ceremonies,
marshals the votaries to Terpsichore, and conducts
dillies, waltzes, &c., &c.,
them through an endless variety of polkas, qua.
which are kept up with
unflagging spirit till the hollow clock of St. Mar-
tin's warns them that it is time the chef orchestre
and his corps terminated their labours, for one
night at least, and betook themselves to their re-
spective domiciles.

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VOLTAIC LIGHT.
interesting lccture, delivered
technic Institution,
hoffner, in the Chemical Theatre of theyßoyal Poly-
as alight-giving
Regent-street. The discovery of
Mr. Allman differs from every other invention in-
tendedelectricity which is the c -of 'light is made
cause the
own governor, after the manner of the application
agent, inasmuch as the
of the governor to the steam-engine. The principal
by which Mr. Allman develops this invention is the
well-known instrument called the galvanometer, the
maintaining power being dependent on the deflection
of the magnetic needle. Thus, as the power of the
current is diminished, the needle returns to its normal
condition—that is, on
a line parallel to that of the
passage of the electric current. The main point in
which Mr. Allman's invention differs from those of
Messrs. Staite and Petrie consists in the electrodes
being maintained at the same constant distance from
one another, by which means the uuiformity of the
light is provided for. This object is attained, as we
have said,
by the galvanometer, within which is
placed an arrangement of mregnete, disposed in the
shape of a fan, and turning about an horizontal pivot
resting 01.1 friction wheels, by which means the action
is rendered the more delicate. When more or less
fluid is
Passing than the normal or adjusted situation
of the electrodes requires, the deflection of the lever
which immediately results corrects the variation
which has also been occasioned in the distance be-
tween the electrodes. The patent accordingly in-
sures an uniformity in the intensity of the light. The
experiment made with the light yesterday was
highly successful, and set at rest all doubts as to
whether a perfect continuity of fluid could be at-
tained. Dr. Bachhoffner, in prefacing a very inte-
resting lecture on the subject, explained that during
the interval which had elapsed since he had last ad-
dressed an audience at the institution on the subject
of the electric light, one of the difficulties which had
previously stood in the way of its practical applica-
tion had, by the invention of Mr. Allmann, been
most effectually and satisfactorily removed. The de-
sideratum of perfect continuity was now secured. In
fact, the brilliant and dazzling light exhibited at the
lecture was in steady action for one hour and a half,
and by a proportionate supply of material could of
course be made to last for a longer period.
The patentee expresses himself sanguinely as to
the superiority of electricity over coal gas as a light-
giving agent, and as a manufacture, both as regards its
beauty, cleanliness, simplicity, safety from explosion,
and its economy. Gas pipes, he contends, are more
than one hundred times the expense, length for
INTO), of electric mains. The insertion of gas re-
quires much cutting and alteration of premises.
Electricity, on the contrary, requires none ; and
whereas gas joints require careful fitting, to prevent
annoying smell and explosion, electric wires require
no fitting, contact being sufficient, or at most a sol-
dering. it appears that a slip or silver, as thin as
tissue paper, passed across the ceiling, and painted
over, is an ample conductor for the light of 2,000
candies, in every respect the patentee claims im-
mense advantages for electricity over gas, when its
usefulness shall have been fully developed; but at
present, he contends, it holds out to the chemist a
more extensive field for manufacture than was ever
presented by gas, and that if it can now, in its crude
state, produce for a given expenditure, or even at an
expense twenty times greater, as much light as gas,
the outlay of money, combined with engineering
and chemical knowledge, would speedily place it far
beyond gas on the score of economy.