The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-01-23
LET TEERE BE LI.Br.

nents-Old-Foaytsm Of tho Lighthouse
Board-America Tar Behind Eur0pe--
Science In New York.
Steinway Hall was filed Last night In every part
by one OF the most intelligent ana appreciative
audiences ever assembled within this beautiful
temple OF science and art. The occasion WAS lee
ture by Professor Doremus ON the "Photomcter''
Tor light measurer) before the American Institute;
and 1t was generally known that the whole
subject OF eight" In all Its aspects, would be ex-
planned. The capacious platform literally covered
with all kinds OF chemical aud mechanical ap-
paratus Leden lars galvanc batteries, electric ma
chimes, gas tubes and burners candelabra; and In
front toward the audience, and extending the whole
width of the platform, were placed In double row,
plates OF salt. In introducing Professor Doremus
Judge DAILY remarked that he need not iucldate
the subject since, judging from the surround
ings the Professor was fully prepared to shed
a suficiency Of light upon II. The Professor on
coming forward was greeted with loud applause
ana began by quoting the Biblical account OF crea-
ton. an the beginning God created the heaven and
the EARTH" ana referred also to the command "Let
there be light" No pen can describe no tongue
utter the marvellous effects wrought upon the uni
verse by light, nor can, within the short space
OF time allotted to single lecture, the
nature OF light itself and the progressive
stages OF our knowledge OF II he detailed The IN
comprehensive rapldity Of the transmission Of light
was referred to- by which we are enabled in a mea-
sure TO determine the distance OF heavenly bodies.
And II we consider that the light which we see to-
day of the nearest fixed star has emanated from 1t
long before our race was known on this globe and
study the other relations OF the planetary system
which light enables us to inquire into, find man
lifted up TO heaven or heaven brought down TO man.
Who would have thought that small piece OF trans
parent glass In the telescope should have accom-
plished thisa Tho telescope for the immense hea
veny bodies In the distance. and microscope for the
bodies OF miniature size were referred to-;
the prism, by the fracture OF the rays Of
light. teaches US its phosphorescent and
its iuorescent parts. A short allusion was
made to the spectroscope disclosing systems Of
worlds and oceans of suns ia the nebul@. There IL
poetry in science a. well fact. But he would con-
fine himself to three prOpositions-how to produce
light, of what 1t is constituted and how to measure
II. And now began q series OF experiments such as
has seldom been witnessed in public hall and at
popular lecture. The explanations OF the many ex-
kept 5aDa wtS to
synopsis Of 1t in the short space OF newspaper
report. The Professor first lighted candle then
common gas flame from q BUnsen burner, and
showed how by shutting or the air, the carburetted
hydrogen, or common coal gas, Will burn and pro
iIghtgiving principle, which it absorbs from Che
atmosphere, was wanting. Experiments FOL.
chemical substances, II brought into connection with
certain acids, such hydr0chOride. The substances
used were anthony and phosphor in two different
nli lame In vessel, out Of which the air had been
completely removed by the antlea pneumatica lie
then burned fragments of zinc with pure, white
light producing nickel album, or the philosophers
wool. The experiments followed 10 rapid success
cylinder of lime known also a. calcium light; to the
Hare light produced by the use OF 0xyde OF iron from
which the great discovery Of Sir Humphrey Dayy
t,nft TIM tvn q N "a co
The Professor then limited at the possibility that light
may yet be sodfed and carried about IN the pocket
in the shape OF chemically metallic candle. The Pro-
lessor proceeded to coal and described the process
OF manufacturing gas by the aid or aiargc diagram
and 70 explain Il he put some powdered coal into
small tobacco pipe with long stem, ana heating
the pipe the gaa escaping at the moutnplece was III
AMI burned, giving thus miniature sample OF the
principle OF gas manufacture. The age OF coal beds
was described and the amount OF capital involved
The lecturer then entered into the manner OF pro-
ducng light by chemical means, by means OF tue
aysnc battery acids ann kaes sow anS
bichromate Of potash, which forms the battery, and
OF which there were 300 on the platform. Tae Light
ing to the different metals used in combustion
OF different tints. The great illuminating power
gwen by the union OF hydrogen and chlorine
gases, first shown by Professor Draper years
ago was next Illustrated. Tie magnesium light and
as being the combustion OF magnesium wire in the
flame OF hydrooxygen gas. The galvanic and cleo.
trio light was then exhibited, AMI burned IN jar OF
water and also In Jar without atmospheric air,
and a beautiful display OF many-coored electric
sparks on revolving wheel made. The plates OF
salt. having been saturated with water, were 1T,
the hall being darkened and prouuccd what the pro-
lessor called the monochromatc light during which
the faces OF the audience appeared as so many sal
low corpses, with cadavcrous expression. But the
most recent application OF science TO the pr0dnc-
ton OF light was compressed magnesa burning
under an asiiux OF oxygen. Professor Schwarz
weber. of Metz, In France, VINO IL now In
this city discovered the process OF obtain
cIally cheap by running superhcatcd steam over
mapganate OF soda. Th5 light was produced, and
its steady flame and intensity, in comparison with
which the gas names In the hall looked like so many
TALON dips evoked tremendous applause. The
saving OF from thirty TO orty per cent over common
gas has introduced IL In Paris. in the Hotel de VIE
aud the Palace OF the Tuileries. and II ~ being now
introduced I'm this city, late letter from Professor
Henry TO Professor Dorcnlus was reid III which tue
former defended the Lighthouse Board for still
using lard oil In Lighthouses, ana severely criticised
as from the chalk ciiIs OF England and from the en-
frances nj the mort of IIavre the oxygen IL umin-
ating the ocean, thus putting Europe ar In advance
OF America. How to measure tle intensity OF iignt
which was I'm inverse proportion TO the square or
distance from its centre tho apparatus invented by
Professor I,unsen was exhibited and explained.
In conclusion, the lecturer observed that lie let
hound to concrauata the society on the triumph Ii
had made this year IN the obta'n'nent OF course OF
have been. Ihc city Of New York was celebrated
for is mercantile success, but II was not renowned
for is great achievements IN science. Moroaa IN
months OF the year public lectures were delivered
embracing physics, chemistry and mechanics Applied
10 science, and IN the day tune lectures upon the
higher order OF science All these lectures were
free, tire expense being borne 10y the locality, while
tho salaries OF the professors were paid by the gov
ernmenr In QUE country what had been done for
scicncey In the CITY OF Philadelphia was TO
be socn magnificent building sci apart
for the purposes OF natural history. with
beautiful collection in every department The de-
partmcnt OF ornltnology was unrvaled IN the world
more magnificent building than that IN lhiladcl.
phia was recently erected In Boston. wholly devoted
10 the purposes Of science. They had Their iycenm
OF natural history as well as POLYTECHNIC iistitu-
ton. In New York endeavors were made to es.
tablish O lyceum; beautiful building was erected
on Broadway, but owing to patry mortgage IL
was subsequently surrendered. the collection was
then packed up and taken 20 the medical depart
mcnt OF Columbia College then 10 the medical de-
partmcnt on Fourteenth street. adjoining the
Academy OF Music. which was burned. The
remains OF the Lceum were now on view
before the audience. which he now exhibited,
narnciy the head % an old mammoth. AMI
inc crystai auarlz--ths was the science OF
New York. Applause and aughter.l In Rochester
was 10 be found in the university collection ex-
90 n uuuitor thirty thousand. Two hundred