The New York herald., 1870-11-27

The triumphs of science which Paris att
tanned in her years Of peace have become
strangely useful to her in her stress of war.
purpose as completely as the chassepot and the
mitrailleuse. The peaceful inventor of the
electric light and the erudite improver of the
balloon never in their hours of patient labor
and study over the scheme which had become
wrapped up in their lives anticipated that they
would become efficient engines of war-not de-
structve, per Sc, but suborning destruction.
Balloons have long been used for military pur-
poses. The republican armies of France used
them in 1904, but only to reconnoitre the
enemy-not as now, to carry mails and passen-
gers out of beleaguered city. Electric lights Of
such power and brilliancy as those used on
the French Notifications at Paris have
never been used in war before. The old
pine knot or the bonfire was the method in
use by the armies of the Union during the
Southern rebellion to expose suddenly some
suspected movement of the enemy at night.
When the transports and gunboats started to
run the batteries at Port Hudson and Vicks.
burg, Miss, the rebels on shore set fire to huts
and shanties on the bank to show their where-
abouts, and the result of the cannonading that
ensued can be testified to by number of war
correspondents still living. The trouble with
this kind of light, however, lay in the fact that
it exposed both sides. 1t disclosed to view
the parties who fired it, as well as the parties
for whose detection it was fired. The French
electric light remedies this. It casts light
like MONDAY sun out of dense bank OF
darkness. The fields in front of it are
rendered as visible as day, and the fields just
behind it are made darker than night. Our
citizens will remember the experiments of
French gentleman here few years ago with
the electromagnetic light, which he wished
to sell to the city, and with which he
cast q clear light all over lower New
York and far out in the upper bay. It
is the same kind of electric light which they
are now making use of on the Paris forti-
fcations to expose the movements Of the
enemy. At present, it is stated, the fire Is as
effective by night as by day, and the Prussians
are consequently delayed and harassed beyond
measure in the process of completing those
strong batteries from which they are to shell
the city. Thus the science that Paris fos-
tered and cherished repays its fond mother
with aid and succor in her greatest hour OF
need.
The effective aid general use Of these
electric lights about Paris bids fair to cut of
from the investing army that inestmable boon
of night which soldiers can appreciate better
than any one else Night is the curtain that
divides the acts of the great drama of battle.
1t is the sweet vouchsafer of rest to the
tired soldier. It is the time for the
cessation of strife, and as such is
writing for relaxation, for prayers and for
seep--all essential to the German tempera-
ment. 1t is also the time for many important
movements, especially in the progress of a
siege. The details which relieve one another
in the exposed trenches must reach their posts
under cover of darkness, for the danger iies IN
going to and from the trenches. Only soldiers
who have undergone the tedum OF siege ope-
rations or passed through The whrling mael-
strom of long days battle can fully appre-
ciate the Joy with which the coming of night is
hailed. ssWould that the night were come
and all were WE'LL" said honest Jack Falstaff
ON the battle field of Shrewsbury. But with
the aid of these electric lights that doughty
knights wish would have been of no avail.
Night mediates no ., er for truce; mid
night is turned into artificial day. and the