The Red Cloud chief., 1875-12-23
New Discovery In Electricity.

New Discovery IN Electricity.
r. A. Edison, of Newark, New jersey,
an electrician and inventor, has just
made q discovery, alluded TO in. the
Tribune a short time ago, which, il Is ex-
pected, will throw new light n the ma
tur- Of electricity, and possibly mani
fest the existence of q hitherto unknown
natural force. On the night of Novem-
Der 22d, while Mr.. Edison and his assist
ant, Charles Bachelor, were experiment
ing in their laboratory, they made a dis
covery which is recorded as follows in
their journal:
sin experimenting with a vibrator
magnet, consisting Of a bar of Stubs
steel, fastened at one end ana made to
vibrste by means of a magnet, We
noticed a spark coming from the core of
the magnet. This we have often noticed
before in relays; in stock printers, when
there were iron filings between the arma-
ture and core, and often in the new
electric pen. We always supposed it
was inductjve electricity, but happened
to notice it when it seemed SO strong
that VI suspected that it might be some
thing more than induction. Acting on
the suppOsitioD, We found that by touch
ing any portion of the vibrator or magnet
with a piece of metal We got the spark.
We then connected a wire TO the end of
the vibrating rod, and got a spark by
touching a piece Of iron to it,"
The experimenters were led to try the
effect of different metals in drawing of
the spark, and Don found that cadmium
was the most effective for their purpose.
A bar of this metal was placed ACROSS
the magnetic coil of the electric Instru-
ment, and a long wire attached to it.
The electric circuit was thus drained of
its current, which passed through the
cadmium and the subsequent wire into
a gas-pipe, and so into the earth. Not
withstanding this interruption Of the
continuity of the circuit, it was found
that, when any metallic substance wa
brought into contact with the gas.Iipe,
or, with the intervening wire, a white
spark was evolved with unusual brill.
fancy. Then it occurred to Mr.. Edison
that possibly this spark might be the
manifestation Of SEINE unknown force
acting simultaneously with electricity.
Accordingly he applied to it the tests by
which the presence of electricity is de-
tected, and was surprised to find that the
testing instruments gave no indication
of the electric presence A delicate
.gold-lesf e~lectroscOpe was undisturbed
by the new manifestations, conclusively
proving either that electricity may a
ifest itself in entirely new phases, or
that under certain conditions it gives
birth to q new and distinct force.
Mr.. Edison has named the new princi-
pie "etheric force" This discovery was
put to test by various experiments, and
the following results obtained; That the
new force is non-polar, radiating in
straight lines like heat: that it is capa-
BILE of transmission to indefinite distan.
ces through an u~ninsulated wire that it
is not affected by the ordinary non-con-
ductors of electricity, as glass, &c and
that it is is retroactive, the spark being
obtainable when the wire is turned back
so as to touch itself. Mr.. Edison is of
the opinion that it can be made to mani.
fest itself otherwise than by the spark,
and that it may be derived from heat in.
dependently of electricity.
In order to put it to a severe test he
connected a wire from his laboratory
with the ordinary telegraph wire, and by
permission of the Telegraph Company
was enabled to make a circuit extending
from New York to New Brunswick, n.
j., both ends terminating in his labora-
tory. After passing through this great
extent of wire the electric current was
diverted, the cadmium wire attached,
and q series Of sparks evolved as readily
as though the circuit had only been q
yard long. The practical value of his
discovery consists In its manifestation OF
the possibility of sending messages over
cables or wires not insulated. Instead of
employing poles and glass insulstors it
seeEs ia be necessary only to make an
attachment to the railroad track or to q
wire laid in the earth, and the message
can be as readily transmitted as by the
present process. The expensive insul-
ated cables now used tor ocean tele-
gsaphy can be rivaled by cables of much
cheaper construction, and In ether ways
the present cumbrous apparatus neces-
sary for utilizing electricity may be
avoided.-N. 7. Tribune.
On the 9th of December, the Prczi
dent sent the following Iowa nomina.
<;ou. 18th okho~e ~o %ho Sa,.xo. C,.:.