The Port Gibson herald, and correspondent. (Port Gibson, Claiborne Co., Miss.) 1848-18??, 1850-01-25
From the Washington Uni
An Important Invention,

eS-@AS N@@S@0@At
The following communication Was hand
ed TO us BY the author, Rufus Porter, Esq,
who is well known to US as the former
editor Of the Scientific American, and as
man well verscd in knowledge Of the
arts and invention. He is man of supe-
rior intelligence and of great honesty Of
character, and we do not hesitate to say,
that any fact stated upon his own knowl-
edge may be relied upon implicitly. We
do not know whether all the great re-
suits which he anticipates from the inven-
ton which he describes, can be realized;
but he has stated to MS some remarkable
facts, the results of his own experiments,
which would seem TO Justify The antcpa-
tions in which he INDUCES. If the inven-
ton shall turn out to be what the inventors
now promise themselves il Wil be, it is GER
tainly most wonderful discovery, and will
create a new era in the arts and in civili-
cation:
'AlEssRs. EDIToRs: | am authorized 70
announce the discovery and practical test
of the most important scientific invention
ever yet produced or brought to light since
the world has been inhabited by man-an
invention which must eventually, and al
most Immediately, produce an immense re-
voutioh in the commercial intercourse and /.
; business in general throughout the world;
and, although it will break down and ruin
many OF the most important branches Of
business and avenues of wealth, with hun
drcdS Of wealthy corporations and bus
ness establishments, vet it will build up
: IL r.
dreds of millions for the benefit Of man
kind, especially 10 the Amcrcan comnu-
nifty.
The first and main feature, and founda-
tion Of this invention, and which at once
opens a field for hundreds of other inven-
; tions, is the discovery BY Henry. NJ. Paine,
Esq, of a ready and almost expcnselcss
mode Of decomposng water and reducing
it TO the gaseous state. BY the simple
operation Of very small machine, with
out galvanc batteries, Or the consumption
of metals or acids, and only the application
, of less than one thrcc-hundrcdth (l-30W
, part of one horsepower, Mr.. Paine produ-
ces 300 cubic feet Of hydrogen gas, and
100 feet of oxygen gas per hour. This
: quantity Of these gases. tho actual cost Of
. which is less than one cent? will furnish
as much heat by combustion as 1000 feet
E of the ordinary coal gas, and sufficient to
> supply light equal TO three hundred Conn
mon lamps for ten hours; or TO warm an
: ordinary dwelling house twelve hours, in
:. cluding the requisite heat for the Kitchen:
/. or to supply the requisite heat Cor one
! horsepower of steam. This invention has
:, been tested by six months operation, APP
Z piled to the lighting of houses, and recent
:. " Tie applicability of these gases to the
:, warming of houses has also been tested
with perfectly satisfactory results. A steam
:. engine furnace and parlor stove, both
), adapted to the burning OF these gases, have
! been invented, and measures taken for Sc
curing patents therefor.
''Mr. Paine has one of his machines,
" new and elegant. noW in full operation and
! publicly exhibited, and may be expected
:, TO exhibit the same in this city within
/ twenty days. The only actual expense Of
warming houses by this apparatus is that
Of winding up a weight llike the winding
up of a clock once day; and the heat
produced may be as easily graduated and
: regulated as the fame Of a common gas
= burner. No smoke whatever is produced,
but very small quantity of steam, sufli-
:. cient to supply the requisite moisture TO
the atmosphere. In its application to the
:. production of steam power, it will reduce
) the expense thereof to the mere wear oil
machinery, and will Immediately produce
an immense demand for steam engines,
:. and induce the establishment Of thousands
!! of manufacturing mills, reduce the ex-
:, pensc of travelling, and increase the de-
: mand for agricultural produce, while it
ruins the coal and gas business, and such
: manufacturing establishments as depend
j on monopoly and high prices. This in
), vention moreover, removes completely the
only obstacles which have hitherto existed
: to aerial navigation-the difficulty of pro-
! curing hydrogen gas, and carrying a sup
of ply of fuel; and it may now be considered
= : a matter of tolerable certainty that men
: will be seen swiftly and safely soaring in
" various directions before the first of May
:. next. These facts, being Of immense i'm
: portance, should not be longer withheld;
! = and therefore would avail myself of your
i i widely circulating journal to present them
! 10 the public. Yours, respectfully.
r. PORTER.
WASHINGTON, December 22, 1916.