Weekly national intelligencer., 1850-08-10
ELECTRO-MAGNETIsM AS A MOTIVE POWER.
THE IMPORTANT QUESTION SETTLED.

Professor PAGE, in the Lectures which he is
now delivering before the Smithsonian Institution,
states that there is no longer any doubt of the ap-
plication of this power as substitute for steam.
He exhibited the most imposing experiments ever
Witnessed in this branch of science. An immense bar
ofiron, weighing one hundred and sixty pounds, was
made to spring up by magnetic action, and to move
rapidly up and down, dancing like feather IN the
AIR, without any visible support. The force ope-
rating upon this bar he stated to average three hl-
dred pounds through ten inches of its motion.
He said he could raise this bar one hundred feet
as readily as through ten inches, and he expected
no difficulty in doing the same with bar weighing
! one ton, hundred tons. He could make
piledriver or forge-hammer, with great simpli-
city, and could make an engine with stroke of
six, twelve, twenty, or any number of feet.
The most beautiful experiment we ever wit
messed was the loud sound and brilliant fash
from the galyanic spark, when produced near GER
tain point in his great magnet. Each snap was as
loud as pistol and when he produced the same
spark at little distance from This point, it made
no noise at all. This recent discovery he stated
to have practical bearing upon the construction
of an electromagnetic engine. Truly, great power
is here; and where is the limit to it
He then exhibited his engine, of between four
and FIVE horse power, operated by battery con-
tanned within space of three cubic feet 1t looked
very unlike magnetic machine. 1t was reci-
procating engine Of two feet stroke, and the whole
engine and battery weighed about one ton. When
the power was thrown on by the motion Of lever,
the engine started off magnifcenly, making one
hundred and fourteen strokes per minute though,
when it drove circular saw ten inches in dame
ter, saving up boards an inch and quarter thick
into lahs the engine made but about eighty strokes
per minute. There was great anxiety on the part
of the spectators to obtain specimens of these aths
to preserve as trophies of this great mechanical
triumph. The force operating upon his mag
netic cylinder throughout the whole motion of two
feet, was stated to be six hundred pounds when the
engine was moving very slowly, but he had not
been able to ascertain what the force was when
the engine was running at working speed, though
it was considerably less. The most important
and interesting point however, is the expense of
the power. Professor Pace stated that he had re-
duced the cost so far, that it was less than steam
under many and most conditions, though not so
low as the cheapest steam engines. With all the
imperfections of the engine, the consumption of
three pounds Of zinc per day would produce one
horse power. The larger his engines, CONTRARY to
what has been known before,) the greater the eco
nomy. Professor PAGE was himself surprised at
the result. There were yet practical difficulties to
be overcome; the battery had yet to be improved
and it remained yet to try the experiment on
grander scale, to make power Of one hundred
horse, or more.
Truly the age is fraught with wonders; and we
can now look forward with certainty to the time
when coal will be put to better uses than to burn,
scald, and destroy.
The. third and last lecture of DR.. PAGE will be
given this evening, at the Smithsonian Institution,
to commence at six clock.