National Republican., 1878-05-14

which II might most efficiently be realized. On
account OF this exposition, aud his scientific repu.
tation he was called to the office OF secretary or
director Of the establishment Unfortunately, Con.
grcss had attempted to organize the Institution
WITHOUT VII, a due appreciation OF the terms Of The
VIII. This gave rise to difficulties aud eSpcndi.
lures on local objects, particularly to the COM
mencement OF a very expensive building, which
ni have much retarded the full realization q what
might have been produced by the plan originally
proposed by Professor Henry.
He has, howevcr,by constant perseverance In one
ton Of financial prosperity aud wide reputation
Indeed u Is scarcely too much to say that no insti
tuition Of scientific character, establ ished by the
DeheN Olence OF an individual hns done moreto
render the name Of It's founder generally and
favorably known throughout tho civilized world,
=, AZ the time Of the organization Of tho Light.
House board OF the United States, Professor Henry
was appointed by President Fillmore one Of Its
members, and at the time Of his death was chair.
man an o. tle COMMITTEES on experiments.
During the war he was appointed one Of com
mission, together with Professor Bacho and Ad
inlral Davis, to examine and report upon various
Inventions and such, in tho capacity OF chairman
cllltato the operations against the enemy and TO
IMPROVE the art of navigation. On the death OF
Professor Bachc, he was elected president OF the
National Academy Of Sciences established by an
act oil Congress In 1868 ~ advance science, nnd to
as might he connected with the operations of the
noyc In HcNa a mem Q. o various 0 cieti,s
III tiis Gcun:ry anu abroad, and nad several times
received the degree Of LII. d., the last time from
Cambridge Massachusetts
=, Professor Henry was married in May, 1870. to
Miss Alexander OF schenectady, the sister Of Pro
lessor Alexander, OF Princeton and from the ardent
devotion Of his wife, and the fraternal sympathy
OF her brother IN his pursuits, he had received as
slStance and support beyond that which usually
inlI to The lot OF men. The most peaceful, and to
himself the most profitable part Of his life was
tlaI spent In rrinceton, for which place, and the
college connected with H. he retained the waruest
attachment. lie left Princeton with The intention
81 returning 10 his prOicssOrship as soon as he
Sn9uid ,uid pa able 10 organize the Smithsonian lnsli
III .Na1. h..g
Vt leave without losing all the fruits Of his labors.
HIS CONTRIBUTIONS TO SCIENCE.
The following is brief enumeration OF his sc.en.
tihc Investigations and discoveries:
l. y sketch Of the topography Of the state Of New
& &lork embodyns the results of the survey before
?, In connection with Dr. Beck and the Hon
Slme n DE witt. the organization OF the metcoro
loEiCal system of the Sta OF New York.
=. The development tor the fr.t time, Of mag
netic power, sufficient To sustain tons in weight In
solt iron by comparatively feeble galvanic cur.
T. The first application cf e,ectromagnctisr as a
power to produce continued motion IN machine.
g. An exposition Of the method by which electro.
magnetism mlCS' be employed IN transmitting
power TO distance. and the demonstration OF the
practicnbility Of AN electromagnetic telegraph,
which, without these discoveries was impossible.
6. The discovery of the induction Cf an electrical
current In long wire upon itself or the mans Of
increasing the intensity Of current by tho use Of
spiral conductor.
:. The method Of indr,ln current Of quantity
from one Of intensity, and rice rCrSG.
;. The discovery urCurrunts Of induction Of DIFF
ierct ordcrS and Of the naturalization of tho Undue
tiOn by the intcrpoSitInn Of plates Of metal.
.. The discovery that the discharge Of lcydou
jar consists ufn series Df oscillations backward and
forward until equilibrium Is restored.
. ~. The induction OF Il current Of electricity from
lightning at II great distance Hul proof that the
discharge from thunder cloud also consists of
series OF oscillations
II: The uscllnt!mg condition Of Il lightning rod
while transmitting II discharge Of electricity from
T., ttn
with the earth, tn emit sparks Of sufficient intensity
Ia ignite cumhustibe substances.
u. investigation on molecular attraction. as ex.
hibited in iqud', aud in yielding aud rigid solids.
and All exposition Uf the thcuTy of soap bubbles.
These originated from his being called upon 10
investigate the causes OF the bursting of the grca,
gun on the United HtntCs steamer Princeton.
IL. Original experiments on and exposition Of
the principles Of acoustics, Us applied to churches
| and other public ulimgs.
II. Experiments on various instruments to be
| used Us fog signals.
Is. series of experiments on various iluriinat.
Ing materials for light house use. and the introduce
on Of larl oil for lighting the coasts of the United
| States. This and the preceding in his Office Of
chairman OF the committee On experiments of the
| Lighthouse BJ0rd.
II. Experiments JE heat. In which the radiation
| from clouds Hnd animals In distant fields was in.
dirated by the therno electrical apparatus applied
| to rejecting tec.cOpc.
| L. observations on the comparative temperature
Of the snspotS, aud also Of different portions of
| the suns disk. In these experiments he WAS as
sisted by Professor Alexander.
Is; Proof that the radiant heat from feebly
luminous fame Is also feeble and that the increase
Of radiant light, by the introduction Of solid sub.
| stance into the fame Of the compound blOwpipc
| Is Sagc"mpanicd with an equivalent radiation OF
| heat and also that The Increase of light and ra-
| dtnnt heat In a flame of hydrogen, BY the Intro
| ducii"n ufn solid substance, Is attended with a
dimImution In the heating power ofiho fame H.
| l9. The reflection Of heat from concave mirrors
Of aud application to the source of the heat
| derived from the NOON
| Observations
Alexander. on the red flames on tho border Of the
sun rs observed in the nnmular eclipse Of ISIS
| II. Experiments on the phUsphurOgcnlC ray Oi
| the sun, from which 1t Is shown that this Cmara-
| tlOn Is ppar!GGhlc and reIrangiblc according 10
the same laws which govern, light
-. ON the penetration of the more tusihlc metals
into those less readily melted, while in a solid
state.
| Besides these experimental additions to physical
science, Professor Henry was the author Of twenty.
five lSi6-1l reports giVingan exposition Of the an
| nual operations Of the Smithsonian Institution. lie
has also published series of essays on necorOlOgy
| In the Putent-uniCc Reports which, besides un Cx,
| position OF established principles contain many
new suggestions. and among others the origin G
the development Of electricity, rs exhibited In tn,
| thunderstorm, and M essay on the principal
source Of the power which does the work Of dc
yclopng the plant in the bud and the animal in
| the egg.
lie had also published theory Of elementary
education, In his address as president Of the Amer
ton the principle Of which IL that In the instruc
tiOn the order Of nature should be followed; thai
We should begin with tho concrete and end with
the abstract, the one gradually shading into the
other: also the Importance of early impressions
aud the tendency In old nge to relapse into tn,
vices of early youth. Youth is the father Of old
age rather than Of manhood
lie was successful as II teacher and never failed
to impRrt to his students portion Of his own en-
thuSiasm. His object was not merely to impArt
knowledge Of facts but mainly to give clear expo
Sitions OF principles; u teach the use Of gcnerai
Zat!Oms the method of arriving at laws by the pro
cess Of induction, and the inference from these o
facts by logical deduction.
81 WHITE VESTS various styles. EIsEMAS's
| Seventh and L.