Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1869-09-18
Electricitv.


by an attentive observance of its effects, he
avails himself of the power existing in an
unknown source, and produces marvellous
results. When the Grecian philosopher,
Thales, sat rubbing piece of amber, and
watching the attraction of small particles
of matter to its surface, he little knew of
the mighty power that was then whisper
ing to him its offer to serve mankind.
ANDY when Franklin, with the aid of a boys
plaything drew down the electric current
from the clouds, and caught spark upon
the knuckles of his hand, eyem he little
conjecturcd that the time was near when
the strange element, which sent its mes
scngcr to him along the string of kite,
would become one of mans most submis-
sive servants.
So many great results have sprung from
the careful observation of the simplest phe-
nomcna, that we should never pass over
inattcntivcly the most trifling thing that
offers itself to our examination. Nature.
in her revelations, never seeks to startlc
mankind. The formation of rock, and
the elaboration of truth, arc alike the
work of ages. 1t was by the simple black
cnins of silver by the suns rays which led
to the discovery of the chemical agency of
Hgh. 1t was the falling of an apple
which pointed Newton to the discovery of
the lars of .yraritatiom. 1t was the force
of steam, observed as it issued from be-
meath the i'd ola kettle, that led to the in
vcntion of the steam.cngine. And it is
said of jacquard, that he inrentcd tie loom
which SO materially aided the commerce of
nations, while watching the motion OF his
w!jrs fingers, as she piled her knitting.
AS great discoveries spring from such
small beginning, who among us may not
be the herald of some great truth-the
founder of some worldwide bcncfaction!
That the area of discovery has not per-
ceptibly narrowed its limits, is evident
from the fact that the greatest elements in
nature are still mysteries to man. And
though it may not be within the power of
a finite being to unravel the chain of Won
dcrs that cnfod the works Of an infinite
God--stiIl it is evident, from the progress
which discovery has made, and from the
good which discovery has done, that God
does invite and encourage the human mind
to contemplate the workings ofDivinc pow
cr, and to pursue its manifestations in every
direction.
The wonderful force of electricity aston
ishcs us all the more when we view it in
contrast with that equally wonderful Gle
mcnt, light. We have seen that light ira
wells with a velocity of l9l 900 miles in
second, but that it falls upon delicate
balance SO gently, that it produces no per-
ccptiblc effect AS far as we know the
nature ofelectricity, it is even more cthere-
al than light; yet, while the ether of light
falls harmlcssly and impcrceptibly-evcn
with the momentum ola flight of ninety
,fcc mWions efmHesthc ether Of electricity,
bursting from cloud only fire hundred
yar1s distant will split massive stones;
level tall towers with the dust, strike ma
jestic trees to the ground, and instantly
cxtinguish the life of man. WIZ does
tie one ether conc divcsted Of all mechani-
cal force while that which seems to be
eyen more ethereal than it, is capable of ex-
crtng the mighticst force over material
things? Does it not appear that these
paradoxcs of power to testify his Omnipo-
tcnce-to show to man that with Him all
things are possible; and that in the grand
cosmicism of the universe, every attribute
of Omnipotcnce has been fulfilled?
Let us now consider mans relation to
this Omnipotencc. lie sas that electric
ty smitcs the tall cdifice, and observes that
in doing so, it displays choice of a Ger.
tain substance through which it passes
harmlcssly, and that its violence is mani
tested only when its path is interrupted.
Man, taking advantage of this preference
of electricity for particular conductor,
stretches out an arm of that substance, and
points it upwards to the clouds: electric
ity accepts the invitation, and passes harm
lcssly to the earth. But this is not all:
man learns by observation, that electricity
resides in all matters that it may be col
lected or dispersed; that it travels along
a good conductor at the rate Of half anil
lion miles in second 0f time he con-
structs battery, kind of scientific for
tress, in which he encamps the great war
rior of nature; and then, laying down a
conducting wire, he liberates the mighty
force; but its fight must be on the path
which man has defined, and its journey
must cease at the terminus which man has
decreed, where, by simple contrivance of
his ingenuity (the movement Of a magnet
ic needle), the electric current it made to
deliver whatever message of Importance
he desires to convey. Thus, the element
which in an instant might deprive man Of
life. is subdued by him, and made the obe-
dient messenger of his will.
DIcE.-Websters Unabridged, illustra-
ted, is good book of reference, and
"handy to have about"-but is not in
falliblc. In describing Dice, the book re-
fers to the illustration. The illustration
shows the cubes, spotted, but on one Of