Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1850-12-21
The Great Invention.


portant character of the invention, by which the
light is produced, and to some of the results which
may hereafter be expected from it. Yet we did moi
dare, under the influence of the conviction, then
comparatively suddenly brought upon our mind,
of the absolute certainty of the invention, to
express our views fully Of it its importance. The
production of light, more brilliant than has ever be-
fore been made from gas, and at a cost so nearly
nominal, would, of itself be cassed as no mean or
unimportant discovery But, consider this as
comparatively trihing incident of the invention,
mere bagatele, compared with the great results which
yet to be produced by it, through the wide range
Of science and art. We look upon it as a discovery,
whichis probably destined to have great an infu-
ence upon all material interests, any other that
has been made, not excepting that of the application
Of steam power to mechanical purposes, and to open
to us vast unexpored regions in the world of sci
ence.
This may seem extravagant, but will hardly be
deemed so by those who will give the subject can
did consideration. The power to develop electricity
to unlimited extent as readily as by the most
powerful galvanc batteries, without any consump-
ton of material, would be no trAing matter when
we consider the thousand uses that it could be
applied to, in science and the arts. But, when
we consider the facility with which water is
decomposed by it-that, by the use of positive
or negative electricity, hydrogen gas oxygen
gas may be produced at will-that, by the one,
water may be converted entirely into hydrogen, and
by the other entirely into oxygen; when consider
that, changes, similar these, may probably be pro-
duced in other liquids and perhaps solids; and con-
slider, too, the multifarious changes and combina-
tons thus to be produced, what world of scientific
research it opens to view The change of wa
ter into either oxygen or hydrogen gas at WILL leads
very naturally to the consideration, whether water
and the various liquids, and in all its forms, may
notbe merely different electrical conditions of the
same substance; which conditions may be ascertain
ed and Defined and produced at will, as readily as
the water is changed into oxygen or hydrogen gas.
We have not time or room to pursue this train
of thought. Since former article appeared, the
Editor of the Chronotype, Elizur Wright, ESQ.,, q
good practical chemist, and, for come time, Pro-
fessor of Chemistry and Natural Philosophy in a
Western Institution, has been to Worcester and ex-
amned Paine's apparatus He comedies entirely in
opinion with US, both as to the reality and impor-
lance of the invention. We give some extracts from
his article on the subject in yesterdays Chronotype
THE Hydro ELECTRIC LIGHT. According
to all the ancient myths, Prometheus who stole from
heaven the common fire for the benefit of mankind,
had to suffer severely. Be this as it may, ex-
periences analogous to his are scattered all along
down the track of time so far back as history en-
lghtens it. And if some audacous self-relidnt
Prometheus should steal from heaven a more ether.
al fire-multiplying-n cubing the power of mol
tas-would it be wonderful if the old experience
should be repeated?
We went to Worcester, yesterday, took ample
time and had unstinted opportunity to investigate
and now on the testimony of our own senses, aided
by what little chemical knowledge we once picked
up and have not quite forgotten, we pronounce
HENRY nj. PAINE that very Prometheus. What
we have seen enables us TO say not only that he has
extorted from nature the secret of the artificial pro-
duction of light at nominal cost, but that he has
got hold of the key which unlocks and enables him
to.command new force of nature which is soon tc
supercede most of the forces now employed-some-
thing which is destined TO work revolution both in
science and art
The Editor here admits that he had held different
opinions heretofore, based on partial information
PARTICULARLY On tue report vi IA certain sClentnlt
committee, and raps the committee pretty severely
the knuckles oI their report believing that they
must have understood and believed more than was
contained in the report, and proceeds:l
The operation as IT, clear and
clinchlng demons ration ever witnessed in
the range of chemical science There was rapid
and abundant evolution of gas from the water in the
Jar, with which nothing whatever communicated
save two fiat strips of copper and the small tube
which terminated in the jet or burner, without any
possible connection with any thing between the jar
of water and the burner, the spirits of turpen-
tine contained in another smaller glass jar. The
electric apparatus being put in motion, as soon as
the air over the water had been expelled and the
exit was closed, the pressure the water drove
the gas rapidly through the spirits Of turpentne, and
the jet beyond it being lighted, burned freely and
with high Illuminating power-not ashamed to be
seen in day light. A jet attached to the tube be.
tween the jar of water and of spirits of turpentlne
was opened and lighted, and we saw the unmistak-
able fame of hydrogen, scarcely visible by daylight.
This pure hydrogen was the gas evolved from the
water, and could not possibly have come from the
turpentire, for the current all The while flowing
from the water through the spirits of turpentine--
and besides, how could the spirits Of turpentne pos
slby give an Illuminating fame on one side and an
invisible flame on the other'
The writer then says, that, whatever may be
the agency exerted the water, the fact that
1t first converted into hydrogen, and then, having
passed through the turpentine into a gus Of very
luminous fame, is demonstrated to the senses
The light is there, and the fact cannot be rubbed out
Next as to the means by which il is done The
heiices and electrodes calculated the subject much to