Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1876-04-19

non weighs nearly three tons. wrap the
wire around it, II you listen carefully you
| viii hear burning sound, similar to that
made by an electrical machine. But that
has nothing 10 do with the matter. The
ends Of the wire are joined. This cannon
now weighs no more than soap-bubble.
You see ] move il about through the air
with my hand, with two fingers, with one.
Here is a strong oaken chair. | place the
cannon upon it, and when | withdraw the
wire, mark the result. The chair goes crash
ing to pieces on the floor, under the weight
of three tons Of iron"
This conclusive proof Of the grandest dis
covery ever yet made 10y man brought every
person present TO his feet. Mr.. Bonger
stood apart in triumph The young exhibi-
tor alone remained unmoved. "IIow Is IL
done ?" cried they all. How did you make
this wonderful discovery z" They now
looked upon him with the awe one feels in
the presence of superior being
He raised his hand aud requested silence
"The action Of this simple wire" said be.
is not confined 10 metallic substances. Its
effects on all objects is the same put it
round this wooden bench as you see, and
the bench weighs nothing around this
chair, and the result is the same Here is
the large iron shaft, aud these wheels. You
perceive that it affects all alike. Perhaps
you think il has no power over living sub
stances. You are mistaken. | will agree to
put this little wire round my waist, and step
from the dome of st. Pants. ! will show
you"
A ladder extended from the floor to the
lofty ceiling of the hall. The stranger
climbed TO its very summit adjusted his
belt, and sprang boldly off. lie slowly I'M
] ola tn g l,a hat
scarcely came into contact, and descended
| gradually and safely to the ground, to the
/ infinite relief Of the spectators who gazed
| hororstruck at the scene,
"Tlms you see, gentlemen said he again
ascending the stage what powers lie hidden
immature, until they are accidentally stumbled
upon. You all think that there is some
power contained in this wire. | must tell
you that the wire has but little TO do with
{ it, And yet, | will agree to 90 down to any
of your seaports, and put this wire or one
| like il round any of your old seyenty-four-
| gun ships we read Of, aud lift it into dry
dock, with a line no stronger than pack
thread, il the wind is not Blowing at the
/ time This wire. at which You all gaze so
curionsly, has no power in itself. 1t is only
the means of communicating a power; STILL
no man shall examine IL, except under GER
tam conditions aud this brings me to the
point intended 10 make by calling gentle
men of your high standing aud intelligence
here tonight. wish to sell my know ledge
to the English government"
And why 10 the government p cried the
Right Honorable b. L. aud the Honor
able Mr. S. in a breath.
Because no private individual is rich
enough TO buy it. once thought to dis
hat g
| United States, but | shall not enter into the
reasons why | abandoned that idea and
| came here. Besides, it becomes public prop
erty after ten years. | would not agree to
sell the right under any conditions for a
longer time The benefits of the discovery
are universal, and in justice belong to man
kind, and mankind shall have them
Said member of the cabinet; "Your
idea of selling such discovery TO the gov
ernment of Great Britain seems chimerical,
and, may add, it savors of seltishness TO
keep your knowledge from the world. But
may be permitted TO ask how much you
demand for your knowledge p
Here the young man rose to his feet in an
excited manner. You talk of selfshness,"
said he; 81 know what it is to labor and
to suffer, to be lost amid mountains, and
tormented with thirst upon deserts. | have
labored hundreds of feet under ground
with pick and shovel for my daily bread. |
got tired of it. | swore off. hold III my
possession what will make me Independent
for life, besides comforting inestimable bene-
fits upon my fellow-men, and intend to use
it so far. Selhshness indeed What did
Morse or Fulton make from their inventions,
except what was given them almost as a
charity, after they let their knowledge. 60
81 a. IL, NJ, oI 4,
hold my discovery alone, and | will part
with it only on my own terms You ask me
what demand for it. want five million
dollars"
Five million dollars is rather large
sum-" Professor r ventured TO remark,
"A large sum Have you taken into
consideration what this discovery is destined
to accomplish Why, | tell yon, il will
reyoutionize the world. Take the dock
yards Of Great Britain alone. What, think
YOU, will be the saving in year, when every
object, from the greatest to the smallest, can
be moved 10 any distance, without expense Z
How long will it take 20 build your largest
edifices, when your blocks of marble weigh
nothing Z O, gentlemen, when you have
considered this subject as | have done, you
will stand oyerpowered with the magnitude
of the results that are to follow. Think of
It's effects upon means of transportation.
When there is no weight 10 carry, may not
even the air be navigated 2"
d" Do you object to informing us how you
happened to discover this mighty and myS.
terious secret of nature ?"
"Mysterious Why, it is so simple that
any child can understand it. | stumbled
upon il. Since have discovered it, | won
der that it is not found out a thousand
~. 4. ll..t I.
aware that doubt whether | am really q
pioneer in this field There are books
written thousands Of years ago, which
read when a boy, that have led me to be
, ieve that this is one of the lost arts, though
it was known perhaps only To a favored few
t | feel sure--very snre-that the simple law
T 10y which the attraction of gravitation Is
} suspended was known in ancient Peru, Ara
I bia, and perhaps in Egypt also, and Went
G down into Oblivion with other lost arts, IL
! some general catastrophe. The same law
a rediscovered while working in silyer-mine
V one thousand feet under ground, and my
( knowledge am ready 10 communicate, un
1 der the conditions that have named"
z But should you die in the meantime
E would not your discovery be again lost an,
a the world be deprived OF its benefits ?"
a 40 not at all. ! have taken care of that
u Whether ! live or die, or whatever ma.
I happen to me, within ten years from tn
c present time the world will be fully informe'
g upon this subject"
= After some further consultation, a sclec
:, committee was appointed, to meet in thre
s days, to fully investigate the secret, an,
{ take some action upon the proposition of tn
4 stranger, who, after reminding all presen
I of their promise of secrecy, departed
I was never seen again.
a Several months ago, adistinguished gentle
c man, a resident of great American city, re
o ceived the following communication from
: prominent solicitor in London
" No -- ON BROAD STREET, l.oNnoN,
September -, 1873
G "----- Esq - DeGr Sir - 4 short time since
+ an Italian, who was the confidential clerk {
d one Of my much esteemed clients-Sgnor suzzin
of the house Of Suzzini, lsola Co., Of Londor
- Naples aud Irance-died suddenly, leaving !
u writing the statement which accompanies thi
! letter What tIanspired at 81, Georges Hall, /
Il November, 1866, concerning subject OF the mo'
absorbing interest 10 those present has been KEEP
. n profound secret, under n solemn pledge, but
u owing to the strange circumstances OF the cas-.
& and the almost certain death OF the remarkabl
n stranger supposed to be American, whose =,
4 appearance has been awaited with the most IN
a tense anxiety by those Informed on the subject
!, SignOr Suzzini has considered himself so fhr al
solved from his obligations as 10 convey Ia som