Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1866-01-26
A Great Scientific Discovery.

A Great Scientific Discovery.
The Rochester Democrat gives lengthy
description of new and wonderful inven-
ton by mechanical genius of that city,
by which, it is claimed, the weather may
be forecast with certainty for week or
ten days in advance. The name of the
instrument is the Telescope" or storm
viewer, and of its utility, if it will perform
what is claimed for it, there can be no
possible question. The art of forecasting
the weather has been a study with scientific
men and maritime nations for many years.
As early as 1854 the British Government
instituted special department connected
with the Board of Trade. the object of
which should be obtaining photographed
and meteorological observations at sea.
after the manner Of those instituted some
years before BY our own Government
under the direction of Lieutenant Maury.
This was to be the first and preparatory
step to system of tclegraphing. by which.
with the help of signals. vessels could be
warned of the approach of = storm. and
make necessary preparations against dam
ger. This was tiiSt stt1nptcd at Aberdeen.
in 1859. In 1861. the first cautionary or
stornl-v'affsipg signals We're given alon"
tho coast but so little faith had many of
ST the mariners in them. that they Were in
some parts disregardcd; but on the follow
ing day great storm enSued. which. on
the northeast coast, was very disastrous to
property and life. Since that time the
warnings have been continued. and lintir-
ing efforts made to perfect the system.
just at the time when these first expert
ments were being made in England. Mr..
Henry A. Clum. tailor of Rochester. was
perfecting the invention upon which he
had been at work for twenty-one Years. the
principle upon which his plan is developed
hcing atmospheric displacement. The
Democrat says:
1T is no longer a vague idea floating in
the inventors head. il is not an expert
ment. but a grand result. 1t has now been
in operation four Years. and is perfect
Nut tIit SllBItCel CIIol sIiNt iIplii titt
contraction or expansion. 1t operates
equally we'll in summers heat or in winter ;
cold: in close room or in the open air ::
in clouds of steam or where no perceptible
moisture obtains.
The plan for Use is TO have IlloScopcS
stationed AT different points over the whole
continent. with central office, with which
communication will be kept up by means
of the telegraph. and from which Informal
ton will be sent by the same means To
posts and signal stations on the approach
of a storm.
Mr. Clum predicted the storm which
proved So disastrous to the Burnside eNpe-
dition six days before it took place. and
marked out its track on the map.
The great storm of the LIST and I'd OF
January. 1864. was predicted here by this
instrument. eight days before it made its
appearance. and while yet beyond the
Rocky Mountains. This storm extended
from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico,
The storm which swept over Chicago
and produced such disastrous results on
the 9Th of July last was indicated here by
this instrument on the goth of June. There
has not been storm since the instrument
was set up but it has unerrInsly predicted
The inventor has now left for England
and Russia. where he intends to exhibit his
invention. and then build fine one for
the Paris Exhibition. where place has
been secured for it. OF the inventor the
paper says:
".tt thirteen Henry was bound to a
tailor. Il professional gambler and sot
from whom he ran away three times. lie
came with his parents to Wayne county in
| 1870. and settled in Peniield. in this county.
in 1911.
1T was in this wear on the tailor's board
that his first experiments in philosophy
from which this Instrument has arisen
were made.
| "I.aboriug at his trade and experiment.
ing on the great ideal before his mind. he
found his limited education insufficient for
the successful prosecution of the great
object in Nitw-the saving of life on the
ocean wave. lie went a few terms to the
Brockport Collegiate Institute, where he
pursued with ea@erness those studies which
would best subserve his great end. In
1919. when twenty-eight Years of age. he
was selected by Rob John Il Potter. on ac-
count of his proficiency in that branch OF
science. to introduce to the public their
plan of aerial navigation. He. green.
awkward countryman. gave his first lecture
on that subject in broadway Tabernacle,
New York. to an audience of 5000 per-
sons. on the evening of the 18th of Febru-
airy.
I'm lS5l-2 he constructed large tele-
scope. which is now in the possession of
o. VI. Benedict. of this city.
'''rhe ay:iils of this telescope. with what
he could earn by leeturing. teaching. and
| saving wood. We're all given To his darling
| project. Ease. comfort and the necessares
| of life. even, were sacrificed Oh the alter
| of science.
In 1854. twenty-one years from the
time Of its inception. the first instrument
was completed. and the first lecture on its
merits given in Coffnthian Hall. November
| llth of that year. Here the matter rested
until the close ct the war. when a joint
stock company was formed. which at once
| sent Mr.. Clum to secure the patent tn Eng
land. FRANCE. Russia. and Prussia. The
| drawings of the instrument were shown
| and explained to the scientific men. who
pronounced it wonderful success. and
| offered Mr.. Cum every facility Tor the
successful prosecution OF his object III
! Tho House of Representatives took