The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1850-04-03

the citizens of this place to call and
examine for themselves.
In the spring Of 1S40, q light
house was erected on an emincncc, 4
near this city, and the experiment.
tried on large scale for several
months, at the lighthouse, besidess
of a store in the city, The re-
suits being entirely successful in both !
places, aud fully tjustifying the as
scrtions made in tho circular of an.
nounccment. And here l wish it to-
be understood, that this must not be
considered mere statement of mine.
but the history Of the fact is familiar
to all whose appreciation Of the dis
covcry was sufficient to prompt them
TO visit my tower or dwelling. The
experiments at the lighthouse con.
tinucd until September, when an
explosion occurred which cast mo-
.mcntary damp upon tue bright pros
poets of the discovery. This explo.
sion was not due, rs intimated by
HCarburctted Hydrogen to the ex-
.plosive nature of the gases, but to an
entirely different cause-one peculiar
to tho construction and action of the
instrument under consideration.
That state or action of electricity
known as Galvanism, produces decom-
position; while that known as intensi.
5ty. causes rcpulsion to take place at
the electrodes, and denagration of the
dccomposing cells is the consequent
result. twas to tho latter action
that the explosion referred to was
due; the gases being fred By the
melting electrode.
The realizing of the possibility Of
such an accident made it apparent
that some method should be devised,
other than that Of personal obsers-
sancc, to prevent such explosions in
future. The same agent that caused
|sshe danger must be made to remove
Eit. this was no easy task. for, in
saafeadens oil The natnFas US enl " in
lsa sges ainins
y -. ffss,iS sio ma Itssisfis
aencc. in wig tenor was that QUE
journal eeRsigaed me to contempt as
q llumbug, and another to coniinc-
ment rs a lunatic - II is -wcft, fhUwcv-
er, Eor tho ctktse of science, that
Ssg ~. yeii4ftcfs are generally stubborn be-
ings, firmly believing that they are
able to perform all they promise,
against all the snccrs or contempt that
NAV be brought to bear against them;
aua 50 in this ease, perhaps, the 'cap-
tlous, feeling saved the invention, for
the difficulty was overcome, and the
apparatus made to govern itself, by
the breaking Of its circuits when
surchargc is passing.
1t has required the labor of months
to accomplish this last mentioned part
of the invention, and although at the
period of writing this, the danger of
an explosion is entirely removed, yet
the loud reports made by the break
ing of the circuits, are deemed ad.
verse to tho successful introduction
ofthe invention to the public, but it
is confidently expected that even this
difficulty will be overcome in the
course of few days. Meantime the
apparatus and lis action is the daily
subject of inspection at my rooms in
the Exchange nothing being screen.
ed but the interior of the hclices and
electrodes. The whole process of the
decomposition can be seen, and if
necessary, felt of. The results of all
experiments up to this date are as
follows: The decent of weight, 67
lbs. distance of 8 feet, will generate
500 cubic feet Of the gasscs, at 10
other expense than The interest Of the
cost Of the apparatus, say $780,
You may usc the gasscs for light,
power, or purposes Of caloric. Ct
have as yet experimental only with
the tor,ncr,) and make your own
deductions.
| receive many letters from your
readers, asking what l claim as my
invention permit me here to reply,
THAI claim to have discovered
new principle in electricity, viz: pom
dcrablhty, materiality, and obedience
to the laws Of gravitation. l claim
to be the first to accumulate and com.
press the electric fluid; and claim to
have invented a machine or appara-
tus which enables me to use the clcc.
trio fluid for useful purposes in the
arts and sciences, at no other cost
than the interest of its price.
HENRY Nj. PAINE.
Worcester, March {, 1850.