New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-01-07

| the Magneto-Electric Machine with the jar of wa
| ter These wires were connected IN the following
peculiar manner The end Of one wire was
screwed 20 the negatire pole OF the magnetic ma
chine and the other end, to the first OF the wires
CO ming up from the electrodes through the top OF
the bell glass. A second wire was screwed to the
DOSitiUe pole Of the magnetic machine, with the
other end terminating in the glass OF water above
mentioned. The third wire was screwed TO the
bell glass, or rather the second wire which passes
through it from the electrodes within, and terml'
mating in the same glass of water, although the
wires il the glass did not touch each other. have
spoken of these as UgeS-they were not wires
but merely thin strips of copper, having the ap-
pesrance OF being rolled out from wire.
Now for the operation Of the machinery. Mr..
Paine commenced turning the wheel In the Mag
netO Electric Machine, and we all looked to see
the gas arise from the electrodes in the jar Of wa
ter-but no gas appeared. Mr. Paine was sur
| prised-we were all surprised At length Mr..
Ames discovered that one of the wires, or copper
ribands, had been detached, or had not been
screwed to the wire at the top OF the bell glass.
| This being corrected Mr.. Paine again commenced
turning the machine, and instantly large bubbles
Of gas from the electrodes and Piled the jar
! in less than minute After taking out stop
per from the bell glass, and allowing several jars
full Of gas to escape in order to expel the COM
mon air, and prevent an explosion these were
stopped, and the gas forced on through the gas
pipe INTO the LUrpeuLlue, luIOUBn IuAS W VIC
Jet or burner. Between the jar OF water where
the gas was generated, aud the jar of turpentine,
jet issued FROM the pipe. This was lighted,
and proved to be hydrogen gas The flame, in
front OF window, so pale that 1t could not be
perceived. We could see it by placing a dark
body behind it. While this was burning, the gas
was forced along through the turpentine to the
other burner fame was applied TO this, and a
brilliant heht aoaS SkOwn
Here were two flames, burning at the same
time from the same gas-the first, before passing
through the turpentue, burning with pale, al
most imperceptble light-the second after pass
ing through the turpentine, burning with light
superior to any gss that | ever saw before.
When the Magnetic Machine was stopped, not
bubble of gas would appear in the jar, and the
lights went out This small machine generated
gas enough to supply dozen burners, any
one of which | should think sufficient to hght
room.
Now. it will naturally be asked, could not this
tremendous electrical power which decOmpOsed
the water be obtained from some other source
than the magnetic machine = This question oc-
Cured TO me before | saw the operation; and |
determined, if possible, to satisfy myself upon the
subject l therefore, with Mr.. Paine's full per-
mission, examined the table. | could easily see
that no wires pipes entered the glass jar OF tur-
pentne, or the glass jar Of water, except the two
connected with the magnetic machine. 1t was
therefore to the magnetic machine that my atten-
up, and lifted entirely away from the tabe-saw
that no wires, pipes or metallic substances what.
orhad any connection with 1t from the table. |
placed the machine again on the table aud TUNED
the crank, and produced the gas in the jar IN the
same manner and with the same success that Mr..
Mr. Ames and Mr. Merrick did the same and
we were all satisfed-peytectly satisfied that The
tcafer Wds decompoSed By the e{ect1tctY from the
nnapnetgc machine and no Schere else. To deny
a.. avid of n
senses. The gas was also produced faster by a
thousand-yes, ten thousand times-than we had
ever seen it before by similar apparatus We
had also the most positive evidence that the gas,
after passing through turpentine, furnished
brilliant light. The gas produced appeared to be
hydrogen--we judged by the smell aud the burn
ing-and yet, Mr.. Paine said, although he catled
ii hydrogen gas, ii differed from tie ordinary
hudyegen | asked Mr.. Paine why he interrupted
the DOSitiUC pole by the glass OF water why he cut
this wire in two and placed the ends in the lass
of water? He said that unless this was done,
both hydrogen and Oxygen would be generated In
the bell-glass but that by thls means he only OBJ
tanned the hydrogen. There appeared to be no
oxygen generated by the operation.
AS TO the amount OF turpentlne consumed by
passing the gas through it, it was impossible for
us to determine in the short time-an hour-w9
were engaged in generating and burning the gas
Mr. Paine stated that the gas c0r6ORtzed but
was cata1ized in passing through the turpentine,
! and there no loss TO the turpentine by the
process. Several gentlemen OF high standing In
Worcester, few days previous to our VISIT par
chased at q store a small quantity OF turpentlne,
measuring it accurately which they took to
Mr.. Paines establishment aud passed the gas,
Produced by three sets OF magnets, through II for
several hours, lighting the whole Of Mr., Paines
house. The turpentine was again measured at
the close, and found to have lost bat tea spoon
full--only as much as would be lost by evapora.
md hxyf inn frnn, npaU Va int q N
other. Acertfcate was published to that effect.
THE HELTcEs.-Mr Paine claims that by an
improved construction of the helices In the
Magnetic Electric Machine he has improved the
power of that instrument infinitely, say-teH
thousand (0ld-suficent to produce the wonderful
results above described. The peculiar construc-
ton of these helices were shown to us, and ex-
planned. Before describing them, should make
a remark respecting the ordinary heces OF
magneto-electric machine. 1t is well known that
the power OF magneto-electrlc machine, with
the ordinary heces, up to certain point, de:
ponds upon the amount Of surface Of insulated
conner Wfre IN the helices. tbs only upon the sur
face of this wire that the electricity can be
conducted.
Mr.. Paines helices differ from the above in this,
that the wire which forms the coil is mate h0t-
lotc, being formed by twisting or winding very
thin strips OF copper, forming u INTO tube This
wire or tube is then covered with India Rubber
or Gutta Percha to insulate it, and neH flled Uih
tcater This water within the wire, forming the
helices is so arranged as to be brought in contact
with the current Of electricity induced from the
magnetism the same manner as the wire that
surrounds it. Faraday has established the fact,
that very small quantity Of water is capable Of
containing vast amount Of electricity think he
says that single drop of water will contain as
much electricity as thunder cloud-suffcient to
burst of the gable end Of house. Justin proper
ton as the power Of the helices is increased to
induce or Feceire the electric current, So is It's
power increased to give il off.
Now look at Mr. Paine's arrangement. In the
first place, he has double surface of wire ex-
posed in the helces-sn outer and an inner sur
face. In the next place, he has half pint OF
holi l.tnr