, 1868-11-20
The Uses Of EIea,r,c,,y.

OF MS operations, which require an intense
illumination, and has thus become, to some
extent, independent Of the SUI. Electro.
platers have tor long time used similar ma.
chimes for depOsiting their precious metals,
and sugar refinery has an electric machine
for generating ozone to bleach sugar. One
Of the principal uses to which such an apa.
ratus has been Ppphed is for light. house ilu-
mination. Another inventor proposes to
place a battery aud a coil in the hollow body
OF buoy, and to lead the current to one or
more vacuum tubes incIosed in a lantern on
the top, aud pro luce steady light at sea
that neither wind nor wave could greatly dis.
turb. A lamp for miners has been invented
on the same principle. A knapsack holds
the battery aud coil, and wires lead to
lamp composed of vacuum tube carried to
the hand. In Que of the Paris theaters
curious application OF the electric light was
recently attempted. The actors were decked
10 glitiering crowns, and a chaplet Of electric
sparks was made to encircle the wearers'
heads, the current being supplied from
concealed battery. One of the actors was,
however, made to experience the uneasiness
W uCdu Aual wears a crown,
for the current Of electricity passing through
the head of the performer, instead of through
thespangled ornament, produced for the time
seriously injurious effects. Lately the French
Emperor was shown gun which; it was pro>
posed, should be fred by electricity, by a
platinum wire passing through the cartridge
The pull of the trigger closed the circuit, the
wire became red hot and ignited the powder.
A new means of discovering and extract
ing bullets by electricity has lately obtained
some favor. A probe is inserted, made with
two points, and a battery and signal bell.
connected by wire. When these points
are metalcally connected, as when the probe
touches the bullet, current is formed, and
the bell announces the fact A still more
wonderful application of electricity has been
made to the development of plants, by draw
ing currents from the clouds and air. Ex-
periments in France have proved it possible
in this way to ripen fruits and to eectrify
seed and grain, so as grately to promote their
growth aud render the plants more vigorous.
The electric organ affords another curious
application. An English organ builder, in
Paris, is said to have introduced it, and to
have constructed several instruments on this
plan. Electricity instantly transmits its force,
without requiring the intervening comp,ica-
tiOn Of joints and levers, so that in future we
may have organs blown by steam and played
by electricity. One of these instruments has
been erected in the Crystal Palace, England.
la the manufacture and testing of iron
electricity has been proved to be highly use
full. Iron in its crude state has mary impu.
rites, such as carbon, sulphur and phospho>
rus. A powerful current directed through
the fluid metal, in the furnace, can be made
to expeI the foreign matter and purify the
iron This method has been tested at Shelf
field with remarkable results and seems to
foreshadow improvements in the manufacture
of iron second only to those effected by Bes-
semer in the making of STEEL In forging the
paddle shaft lately, of large steamship,
after several weeks labor had been bestowed
upon it cutting tool revealed an invisible
flaw. The loss involved amounted to several
thousand pounds sterling, considerable part
of which might have been saved by an ear.
lier discovery of the unsouudness Of the
metal. Electricity might have prevented
this loss, for it has been shown that if iron
be cracked or fawed internally there will be
breaks in the continuity of its magnetism
corresponding with the mechanical interrup-
ton In testing castings and forgings by
electricity, Mr.. Saxby, of the British Naval
Service, is able to detect flaw, and be has
put the method in practice at Chatham and
Sheerness with success which gives hopes
of removing one of the greatest difficulties
with engineers have had to cope. Doubtless
many of these applications Of electricity will
yet demond great labor. skill and progress
Of inventive genius to render them practically
and universally beneficial to mankind But
to be assured that eventually this will be
accomplished we need only look at our pres
ent telegraph system now covering the earth's
surface. Philadelphia Ledger.