Hillsdale Whig standard. (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1846-1851, 1850-01-15
From the Washington Union
An Importrnt Invention.

FROM Jne Warrington Cntou.
An Importrnt Invention.
The following COMMUNICATION was hahd.
ed to us by the author, Rufus Porior Esd.
who is well known to us as the editor Of
the Scientific American, and as a man
well versed in a knowledge of,he arts and
invention. lie isa man Of superior intel:
ligence and Of great honesty OF 6haf6cter,
and we do not hesitate to say, that any
fact stated upon his own knowledge may
be relied on implicitly. We do not know
whether ell the great results which he an.
t;cipales from The invention which be des.
crlbes can be realized; hut he stated SONS
remarkable facts, the results of his owti
experiments, which would seem to justify
the anticipations in which he INDUCES. lf
the invention turns out 10 be what the in
ventors promise themselves il will be, IL
is certainly most wonderful discovery,
and will create new era in the arts Hhd
in civilization:
Messrs Editors:-l am authorized to
announce the discovery and practical les.
Of the most important scientific invention
ever ye, produced or brought to light since
the world has been inhabited by maa.-ar
invention which must eventually, ahd al.
most Immediately, produce an immense
revolution in the commercial intercourse
and business in general throughout this
world; and, although it will break down
and ruin many ofthe tnostimportant bran.
cbes OF BUSINESS and avenues nf wealth,
with hundreds Of wealthy corporations and
business establishments, yet it will build
up thousands Of thousands Of others, and
contribute hundreds of millions 70 the ben.
eft Of mankind especially to the Amer.
can community.
The frs, and main feature and fodnda:
lion, and which at once opens field for
hundreds of other inventions, is the dis.
covery by Henry M. Paine ESQ.,, Of a
ready and almost expenseless mode Of de-
composing water and reducing it to the
gaseous state. BY the simple operation Of
a very small machine, without galvanic
batteries, or the consumption Of metals or
acids, and only THE application ofless than
one ,hre-hundredlh (l-300) part OF one
horse power, Mr.. Payne produced 200
cubic fee, of hydrogen gas, and one
hundred feet of oxygen gass per hour
This quantity of these gases 1.-THE actual
cost which is less than one cent) will furn
ish as much heat by combustion, as 200O
feet of ordinary coal gas, and sufficient to
supply light equal three hundred common
lamps for ten hours; TO warm an ordinary
dwelling house ten hours, including the
requisite heat for the kitchen; or to supply
the requisite heat for one horse power Of
steam. This invention has been tested by
six months operation, applied to the light
ing Of houses, aud recently the application
of these gases to the warming of houses
had been tested with perfectly satisfactory
aesults. A steam engine furnace and
parlor stove both adapted to the burn
ing of these gases, have been invented, and
measures taken for securing patents there
for
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
the winding up a weight like the winding
up OF clock) once day: and the heat
produced may be as easily graduated and
regulated as the flame Of common gas
burner. No smoke whatever is produc-
ed, bu, very small quantity Of steam,
sufficient to supply the requisite moisture
to the atmosphere. In its application 10
the production Of steam power, II will re-
duce the expense thereof 10 the mere wear
of machinery, and will Immediately pro.
duce on immense demand for steam en-
gines, and induce the establishment of
Of manufacturing mills, reduco
the expense Of travelling and increase the
demand for agricultural produce, while !,
ruins the coal and gass business, and snch
establishments as depend
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 The difficulty Of
carrying a supply Of fuel; and il may
now be considered matter Of tolerable
certainty that men will be seen swiftly and
safely soaring in various directions before
the fist OF May next. These facts being
of immense importance, should not be
and therefore would avail NY
self Of your widely-circulsiing Journal 10
present them to the public.
Yours, respectfully,
r PORTER.
Washington, Dec. %, 1sio.