New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-11-19

be prOQICeG Oy ClseOituE boiC ~ uthsc 'e't,'-''~
acid. IN a certain apparatus. THIS y cerainiy M
astonishing and highly interesting discovery out
the question 10 be determined Is, which oil the TWO
processes Is the least expeDsiyei
I" In order TO answer tots question, and 10 Juoge
correctly of the hopes entertained from this discov
cry, let me remind you Of what chemists depominate
equivalents These are certain un ,eracie values
Of effect which are r<oporloOate TO each o,ner ana
may therefore be expressed N numbers. Thus, IL
we require pounds OF oxygen 70 produce certain
effect and We wish to employ chlorine for the same
effect, we mus, employ 9sne, more no, s no nsn
weight Of carbon. lin the form Of coal) are equva-
lent to 80 pounds weight Of zinc The numbers rep
resentBg chemical equivalents express, IN the
most general sense, the relative values or amounts
of effect, and applicable TO every kind of effect
which bodies can produce.
"N zinc be combined in a certain manner with
another metal and submitted TO the action OF dilute
suIphurc acid II is dissolved in the form Of an
ide II is fact burned (oxidZedl at the expense oil
the oxygen contained NJ the conducting liquid.
consequence of this action Is the production OF an
electric current, which If conducted through wire,
renders It magnetic In thus eflec,ing the solution
of pound weight. for example, OF zinc, we OBTAIN
definite amount of force, adequate TO raise gwen
weight one inch and 20 keep 1t suspended and the
amount of weight 1t will be capable OF suspendng,
will be the greater the more rapidly the zinc IS os-
solved.
by alternately interrupiing and renewing the
contact of the zinc with the acid and by very sim
pie mechanical arrangements We can give TO the
iron an upward and downward or horizontal mo-
ton thus producing the conditions essential 10 the
motion Of any machinery.
"Out of nothing no kind of force can arise. We
know that, In this case, The moving force is pro-
duced by the oxidation OF the zinc and, setting
aside the name given TO the force IN THIS case, we
know that its effect can be produced In another
manner If We were to burn the zinc under the
boiler Of steam eagne, consequently IN the oxygen
OF the air instead OF IN the galvanic pile, we should
procure steam, and by II certain amount OF force
II We should assume (Which, however, is not prov
81 ! that the Cuautlty of force UNEQUAL these
Cases-that, tor instance, We had OBTAINED double
or triple the in the galvanc pile or that III
this mode of generating force less loss Is sustained,
we must still recollect, tina, zinc can be repre-
sented by equivalent weight OF carbon, las coal
According TO the experiments OF DespretZ, SIX
pounds weight OF zinc, In combining WITH oxygen,
develope no more heat than one pound OF coal
consequently, under equal conditions, we can pro
duce SIX times the amount of force with pound OF
coal as with pound Of zinc. 1t is therefore OBJ
vious that it would be more advantageous to en-
poy coal instead OF zinc, even II the latter pro-
duced four times as much force In a ealvanc pile,
as an equal weight of coal by its combustion under
a boiler. Indeed. it is highly probable that II we
were to burn, under the boiler Of steam engine,
the quantity OF coal required for smelling the zinc,
we should produce far more force than the whole oil
the obtained, could originate IN any form OF
apparatus whatever"
The preceding reasoning is the same that of ia
cobb when after having experimental on alarge scale
in Russia he gave up the search, convinced it was a
vain attempt. ne OpLllOuS VI suCu ich Wcf5h
heavily against the prospect Of finding cheap pow
er in electricity but they are not mathematical
demonstration. And since it is not proved, who can
say that the amount of force given by decomposition
in galvanic pile will not be hundred or thou
sand times greater than that given by combustion IN
furnace instead of three four times as the great
chemist admits 1t may be The electric machine oil
Prof Page now daily exhibited at the Society Ii
brary in this City. This gentleman has already
solved difficult problem, that of making an electric
engine give without the slightest inconvenience as
long a stroke as may be desired moreover, he as
sumes that the consumption Of his engine is, strictly
speaking less than that of steam engine ofthe same
size The question then is, whether ne has arrived
at the limit of perfecubihty This is not probable
and much is to be hoped after what he has already
DONE 1t isveIy desirable that this opportunity OF
advancing science should not be lost, and that sen
GUS and careful experiments should be made by CON-
petent men. Such an opportunity has not existed
before and it is duty not to let 1t pass unimproved
" d.