Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1844-06-27

electricity like air or water seeking to
establish always an equilibrium. Besides
the mode Of producing electricity by fric-
ton, as in the common electrical machine,
it is also produced by the action Of an
acid upon plates of different metals pro.
perry attached together fact discover
ed by the person whose name is perpetu-
ated in the term GdtraniSm. The mode
in common use of producing gslvanic
action is immerse the plates in a trough
with seperate diyIsions--at one end Of
which the supply of electric fluid gener-
ated by the action of the acid is IN ex.
cess. This end of the trough or battery
is called the positive, and the other end
the negative pole Of the battery. Now,
If wire attached to one end is brought
near to a wire proceeding from The other
end, the electricity passes from the posi-.
tive to the negative poe, and a spark is
seen, like that proceeding from the COM
mon electrical machine, which is the cleo.
tricity seeking to establish an equilibrium.
IL the two wires are kept in contact, there
is stream Of electric fluid passing from
one to the other, which is kept up by the
action Of the acid on the melelic plates
already mentioned. Now, the ordinary
length of these wires, in common Gal.
vanc battery, is but few feet but they
may be a thousand, or an hundred thous.
and, miles in length, and the effect Of
bringing them in contact with each other
IS still tho same--that is, the flow through
tt,nsr Lar, IF ct. Of.
city at the rate already mentioned. If
therefore the machine or battery is in
ashington, and wire from the positive
pole is brought to Baltimore and carried
back to Washington, the end fit, brought
in contact with the wire at the negative
pole, which is but few feet long, will
cause stream of electricity to flow from
Washington to Baltimore and back again
along the wire land it is tins wire, com.
ing here and going back, which is to be
seen on the posts in Pratt street, the tro
wires there visible being in fact but the
opposite sides Of loop Of wire which
would be eighty miles in length were it
extended. And this is the first thing to
be understood.
Now it is known, that peice Of soft iron
bent into the shape of horse shoe, or
the letter U, becomes magnet SO long
as a stream of electricity is passing
through wire wrapped around it: and
the wire, from the positive pole Of the
battery, after coming to Baltimore is
wrapped here round peice Of iron Of the
proper shape, and then goes back to
Washington. To make this iron mag
net, therefore, in Baltimore, it is only
necessary to connect the ends Of the wires
IN Washington, when, so long as they
are connected, the stream Of electricity
which passes along them produces The
desired effect upon the iron. When the
connection is interrupted the iron ceases
to be magnetic. and is like any other
piece of soft iron. This magnet, which
The Professor has the power to create at
pleasure, is his prime mover. lmmedi-
atey over the magnet. say in Baltimore,
is brass lever, with piece of iroa at.
tached to ii, which is brought within
quarter OF an inch, or less, of the horse
shoe. As soon as this last is made
magnet by uniting the ends OF the wire
at Washington, II attracts the iron on the
lever and draws one end Of the lever
down, causing, at the same time, the OPP
posite end to rise. At this opposite end
is the pen or stylus, which is of steel
about an inch long, and about the size OF
a knitting needle. Immediately oves it,
is brass cylinder with groove around
it, into which the stylus strikes when the
magnet attracts the other end of the lev.
er. Not far from this roller are two
others, revolving in contact, like the roll
ers used to draw out cotton prior to spin.
ming it in a cotton mill, motion being
given to them by very simple clock work
moved by weight. The Office of these
two rollers is to draw from another roll.
er, and under the greoved roller, a strip
oil paper which is wound round it like
ribband on its centre block. With these
explanations the operations OF the machine
can be readily understood. When the
Professor in Washington wishes to send
a message to Baltimore he spells il with
letters composed of dots and lines--for
instance A. may be a dot and line, thus
.---; B. two dots and lire, thus..---.;
G. line and dot, thus. By con-
Meeting the ends of the wires for an ln-
slant only, dot is made by the pressure
of the stylus on the paper which is pass
ing over the grooved cylinder; line is
formed by letting the ends Of the wires
remain in contact for longer time, when
the stylus is kept pressed on the moving
paper. The writing when completed re.
sembes the raised characters used in the
instruction of the blind, only instead of
the common alphabet, an alphabet of dots
and lines in different combination is made
use OF.
The mode of connecting the wires as
required is very simple. One OF them is
kept always immersed in cup OF mercu-
ry INTO which the other is dipped, when.
ever it is desired to send current of
electricity through the entire circuit, the
fluid metal forming conductor b-tween
the ends. The operation of writing con-
sss in pressing outton, to which the
end Of the wires IN use is attached, IN the
manner in which a single key of piano
IS struck by the finger, with succession
of rapid or prolonged strokes, as dots or
lines are required to be formed. we
l.