Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-06-05
to Steal Edison,s Honors

Attempt to Steal EdisOn's HonOrs.
1t seems that Mr.. Edison's invention for
measuring infniteSimal degrees of heat the
thermOpile, which he has been improving aud
Derfecting for some time past, has been recent
ly re-invented in England, and is announced
with a flourish of trumpets as a glAat achieve
ment of English science. Professor Hughes,
who also appropriated for the essential part
of his micrOphone principle discovered by
Edison, is the tardy inventor who brings the
thermopiie to light long after Mr. Edison dis
covered the principle on which it is construct
ed and sent an announcement of the fact, as
it Appeared in The STAR, To the chief of the
Postal Telegraph Department in London, af-
teTwards keeping him posted in respect to the
Succt SSiye improvements in the invention
But MI. Edison shall be heard for himself In
yesterdays New York Herald he says, ex-
planning the thermopile:
" 1t consists of carbon button placed be-
tween two metallic plates. A current of cleo
tricity is passed through one plate, then
through the carbon and through the other
plate. A piece of hard rubber or of gel ltine
is so SUPPORTED as to press against these plates.
The Whole is then placed in connection with a
galyanOmeter and an electric battery. Heat
causes the strip of hard rubber to expand and
pIess the plates closer together on the carbon,
allows Hole current to pass through and de-
fleets the needle OF the gavanOmeter. Cold
decreases the pressure. Moisture near the
strip Of gelatine can be measured in the same
way by increasing or decreasing the pressure
and aceUI dinghy DETECTING the needle. By
me ans of this apparatus or one combined
with sensitive electrical galyanOmeterS, it is
possible to measure the milliOnth part of
degree Fahrenheit. IDfnitesmal changes in
the moisture of the atmosphere can be ind-
Gated i'll the same way--changeS which are a
hundred thousand times less in quantity than
those that can be indicated b. the present
barometer. Ii will thus fOrettll a storm much
mole readily. The carbon button have in
this instrument is of lamp black burned from
4 discovered about two wears ago that car
bon of various forms, such as pumbagO,
graphite. saS retOrt carbon and lampblack,
when nodded in buttons, decreased the resist
ance to the passage of the electrical current by
pressure. This is part of the apparatus of the
carbon telephone and micrOphOne. The Wash.
lDgton Stdr on April 18th published this dis
cOIely, and sent twenty copies OF the paper
10 fOrtlgn countries, one of them To Mr.. W. III.
Preece, Chief OF the Postal Telegraph Depart
ment III London; l have cOrrespOnded with
Mr.. Preece and. kept him posted. Professor
d. L. Hughes, OF England, How claims to have
invented he telephone, micrOphOue and Their
mOrlle. AT that time Mr.. Pretce had in his
possession telephones exactly similar to that
which Mr.. Hughes sets forth as his. Mr..
Preece Was also present in this country where
l showed him the increase and decrease of
pressure by tie thermOpile. In June, 1871 an
account OF my discovery appeared in the
Journal d IeiegrGphy."
MI Edison is naturally annoyed at this bold
attempt TO appropriate his brain products,
and at the apparent breech of confidence on
the part of Mr.. Preece, and has sent the FOL-
lowing cable dispatches concerning The mat
ter TO London:
Preece, LOndOn:-I regard Hughes heat
measure and direct impact telephone as an
abuse of confidence. l Sent you and others
Ia2elS describing il, also ia letters about trOu-
bic with expansion telephones. If you do not
set 1t right shall, with details. EDISON.
Sir William Thomson, Acddeny OF
Sciences, administration telephone sent
PreeCe two months ago; also publications AMI
letters describing it as heat measure. Greai
abuse , CONFIDENCE his part in Hughes matter
Await publications with proofs. EDISON.
In respect to the mcrOphone, it is an
bounced that Mr.. Hughes has discovered that
certain bodies are sensitive to sound in the
same way that Selenium is sensitive to light:
and that this discovery, in conjunction with a
previous one by Sir William Thompson, to wit:
That the resistance offered by wires to electric
currents is affected by Strrins, has produced
the micrOphOne. Carbon is the body concern
ing which Mr.. Hughes has discovered this
popularity, and which he introduces into the
current In the STAR of April 18th, it is re-
marked Of MIR. EdisOn's carbon telephone:
THE peculiar point about Mr.. EdisOn's in
YenllCn Is little plate of carbon in the inStru
ment, Oh which its efficiency depends. Car
bon Is susceptible to a difference in conduct.
lVlty by change in pressure. Mr.. Edison has
succeeded In discovering kind so suitable
Tor his purpose that pressure of the most ex
IRENE Gelcacy, even the slightest breath NAV
be detected. He is the diScOverer of the prin-
clple on which his telephone operates, and not
SIMPLY an inventor"
In the same article from which this quota
ton is taken, describing the appearance of
Mr.. Edison with his monograph and tele-
phone before the National Academy of Sriau-
ces, may be found the brief announcement to
which Mr.. Edison refers. of his discovery of
the heat detecting properties of carbon, which
led to his invention of the thermopile
Have you made any recent improve
mentS or discovered any new app!ica ions of
your Instruments"
Edison.-'W Well, nothing recently, so far as
the photograph is eIned. Night before
last found out some additional points about
the carbon which use in my carbon telephone
Ii nay be used as heat meaSurer. 1t will
detect one iy1hOusandth of a degree Fab
renEeit. / don't know but what can make
an arrangemt nj by which the heat of the stars
will close the circuit at the proper time auto
matIcaIy and directly. lt is Il curious idea
l hat the heat of a star millions of miles away
should Close circuit OH this miserable little
earth isn't il? But | do not think that it is
impossible"
Controversies concerning the correct distri-
button of hOnOrs among claimants in the
school Of invention are VIGOROUSLY difficult of
determination, but Mr.. Edison is SO We'll forti
fed in his position as diScOyerer of the scien-
tific fact IN question and inventor of the in
strument by which it is applied to practical
use that he can easily hold his own, when the
facts are developed against all Corners, English
or otherwise.
After AndersOn's admissions, yesterday
that he testified falsely before the Senate COM