The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1875-07-22


imperiection of the original and rude
instrument of generation.
In conclusion, my assertion on the
communication referred to was that
| have never indorsed the integrity
of the keely motor, and my declara-
,ion is, do not now do it, and for
the manifest reason that | am wholly
ignorant of the manner in which the
vapor is generated, and in the con-
sideration of physical operation, l
could not, in the absence Of knowl-
edge of its elements, indorse the
declaration Of any one.
My position has been confined to
reporting that which | have seen.
| have said, however, aud / now
write, that Mr.. keely has submitted
to me cold vapor of an expansive
energy of fully 10000 pounds per
square inch; that in its character and
in the instruments of its generation
il is wholly novel, and that if he can
generate il with the facility, econ
omy, density, and continuity that he
declares, that he has arrived at a re-
suit hitherto unattained, and one that
is as valuable as it is novel; but un-
til am 10 the possession of the ele-
menis of generation of this vapor, !
cannot arrive at any satisfactory con-
clusions as to its merits.
am very respectfully yours,
CHARLES II. HAswElL.
CHAs. b. COLLIER, Esq, Phil'a.
Comments Of the Scientific American.
THE KEELY MOTOR DECEPTION.
We publish on another page CON-
munication from the counsellor of the
keely Motor Company, Mr. Collier,
and his colleagues, in reply to an ar
ticle on the above subject given in
our paper of June 26th. We devote
this space, first, because the parties
interested, feeling personally aggriev-
ed by our remarks, have requested,
as matter Of fair play, an opportu-
nifty for reply; and second, because
we have hopes that some of our read
ers may be led thereby to study out
the probable processes by which these
gentlemen have been precipitated in
to this delusion. Such studies may
result in useful suggestions or new
knowledge. 1t is not often that the
active participants in delusions like
this are willing to come forward and
chronicle themselves in the broad and
public manner that these persons have
done. The mental or psychological
phenomena will, we think, be found
interesting subjects for investigation.
An example somewhat similar 10
this keely motor business occurred
in London, in 1871, when DIR. VIM.
Crookes, the well known scientist,
published his astonishing account of
the spirit motor of Home, in which
the spring gage was made to move
by the simple pointing at it of the
operators finger. The truth OF this
performance was attested by DIR.
Crookes, who himself prepared the
apparatus, by DR.. VIM. Huggins, by
Edward VIM. Cox, distinguished
lawyer, and by numerous other wit
nesses Of undoubted reliability. DR.
Crookes and others were convinced
by this exhibition that a new force.
which he terIne. p<rah'" fa-"e, had
been discovered uat -. iiuggins,
while attesting that 'iie gage moved
Tin fact, the mnFcmt ~ WI, inrir TO
record itself on paper, declined TO
express All opinion as IT, how the
movement was produced An ac-
count of these performances, with an
engraving Of the arrangement of lev
ers and gage used, was publ shed in
the Scientific american, page 80.
Aug. 18th, 1871.
This motor of DIR. Crookes appears
to surpass the keely device in some
respects. The power is workable at
a low pressure, involves but little ex,
pense for apparatus, s,requires no blow
ing of air from the lungs, uses no by
drant pressure, and it's success does
not depend upon "cold vapor."
No one, we believe, has ever ques-
toned the honesty of DIR. Crookes, or
supposed for moment that he had,
personally, any hand in giving motion
to gage. The more reasonable sup
position is that somebody, in some
manner unobserved by those present,
applied the necessary force to the
instrument.
The human senses are but weak in
s'ruments at best, easily played upon
and deceived aud those who have
most highly prided themselves upon
the possession Of superior perceptions,
by which they were confident of their
ability to detect the unreal from the
real, have become lamen,able exam
Piles Of the ease with which the mind
of man can be entrapped and led as
tray by mere appearances.
In matters OF science and meehan-
les, especially in those branches per-
tanning to the correlation Of forces, it
is only by the application of the most
careful methods, coupled with the
searching tests of mathematics, that
reliable knowledge can be acquired
and delnsive conclusions avoided.
As in the present example of the
Keely motor, 40 in the case of the
Paine electro-mo,or in 1871; the ORR
ginator of the deception made the
most solemn assertions that the ma
chine which he then had in operation
derived its sole power from the four
small battery cups, which the witness
saw standing on shelf at the side Of
the apartment. The machine was
tested, with brakes. as to power, by
well known practical electricians of
this city, whose names are now before
us. who reported large gains of pow
er aud detected no fraud. Their ex-
periments were corroborated by manv
other intelligent witnesses. Special
exhibitions were given to capitalists,
who pronounced the show wonderful.
We expressed the opinion that the
whole thing was deception, warning
the public against investing means in
the motor shares. We reproduced the
well known mathematics of electric
action, we showed the exact amount
of force derivahle, under the most fa-
vorable circumstances, from the con-
r