New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1850-12-20
Pnine,s Gus Lighr.

We are aware that many readers, on seeing
this carlton will be ready to exclaim, All Mon
sieur Tonson come again p while others will sa
lutte it with that ever ready rctOrt which lgno'
rance opposes to whateverit does not comprehend
the magic word Humbug." Vet, we shall be
deferred by no consideration of this kind, from
laying before the public, facts and considerations
such as we deem that our duty as faithful Journal
lists, requires
On Tuesday afternoon, we called on Henry NJ
Paine at his shop, andhad the satisfaction OF max
ing q most thorough examination OF his machine
and apparatus for making hydrogen gas, and pre-
pairing it for Illuminating purposes Every portion
of it was exposed, even to the interior OF the he
lies and electrodes, and the pecudarties OF their
construction, in which the great invention consists,
were particularly pointed out. W. say great
invention, for it is great invention, and the
world win yet acknowledge it to be so, Or we are
very much mistaken.
Alter all that has been published concerning this
invention it is not necessary Tor US to go into any
detailed explanation OF It, suffice 1t to say, that
Capt, Paine claims to have made improvements,
by which he is enabled to decompose water by
| the use of the common magnet with mechanical
means, at a comparatively nominal expense with
the same facility and IaIndity that 1t is done 10y
the savanic batterys Rn heavy expense. The
machine by which ttAaslIdone has been for some
time exposed to the public, all but the heliccs and
electrodes, and hundreds have seen its operation,
| yet, for the most part, have been skeptIcal be-
cause, on the known principles OF electrical sci
| ence as combined with the known construction
| OF any electric machine, sqch result was sup
posed to be impossible. Here then, the matter
has stood fact on one side, opposed to theory on
the other. Yet it was said, that We were not
certain Of the fact it might be only apparent,
while there might be some deception practlced
| upon us. TO satisfy ourselves thoroughly on this
| point, we made the examination OF which we
| have spoken.
TIE apparatus was all reduced to it's simplest
FORMS and brought into such compass that every
| thing appertainng to it was under the eye at
single view The receivers were Of glass, so that
every thing could be seen. The pipes and con-
dnctors, which were Of the simplest construction,
were taken apart and examined, so as to detect
any deception, if any were practiced. We then
experimental with the machine, producing the
gas rapidly while it was passed by a pipe from
the receiver into small glass jar of spirits of tur
pentine, and thence by another pipe TO burner.
a small burner was also connected with the pipe
which led from the receiver to the Jar Of spirits
When the gas was let into this burner, (which
WIS simply small tube, with stOpcOck inserted
into the ppe,) it burned with fame so light and
faint to be imperceptlble to the sight yet would
instantly set tire to paper or other combustible
substances, while that which had passed through
the spirits burnt with a strong brilliant fame, Of
high Illuminating power That there might be no
doubt in this matter, rs to the identity of the gas
which IVES burning with that produced by the de.
composition of the water, We repeatedly cut off
the supply at the receiver, and the light would be
instantly extinguished. This, then, determines
the fact, Of the Illuminating power being commu-
ncated to the gas by its simple passage through
the spirits Bat this had already been satisfac
tOrily demonstrated to De true, by other impartial
scientific men, We may observe however that
in our opinion the readiness with which this pow
er IS acquired by passing through the spirits, de-
ponds much on the purity OF the gas,
In, atiou n the urC,uctInn oF from VFaiar
by the apparatus We have not doubt that it is
done precisely as is claimed for it, and at an ex
pense comparatively nominal. The whole was
examined under such circumstances as would pre-
ciude the supposition of fraud. But, when the
parts Of the machine in which the invention is
contained, the helices and electrodes were exam
med q sufficient cause lcaS found TO account for
tie effect DrodVced. The construction of these is
different from anything of the kind before known,
yet founded On well established princip pies and
The instant 1t is known, tho wonder is, that in
yent0n so simple in itself, so confornable TO sci
entfc principles, and so naturally proceeding from
q knowledge of those principles, and one so GER
tain to produce the desired results, should not have
suggested itself to some other person long ago.
In What this invention, or rather these Inventions
consist we are not Of course, at liberty 20 speak,
at pres sent; but as soon as they are properly
cured by pateng in this country and Europe, for
which the necessary steps are already taken, they
viii no longer remain g. secret. Now, as to the
practical utility Of this invention in its present
state Of advancement, We not SO well prepar-
ed to speak, as we feel that we are, as to It's re-
atty We do not speak thus because we have
any particular cause Of apprehension in this re-
spect but because we have not yet investigated
the subject in this respect sufficiently 70 enable
rs to speak with entire confidence The difficult
ties in its practical details may not yet have
been all overcome. But, tie tnreHtloH IS made,
aud they glR be overcome, as certainly as those
were which Fulton had TO contend against in
his first experiments. The question is already
settled in our mind that water Is the ma.
terial upon which men are hereafter to rely for
their light, and probably. at no very remote Pc
riod OF time, for their fae and motive power.
Worcester Spy. Dec. l4!a-