The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-11-14
The Electric Iight.

The Electric Light.
The excitement among the gas companies
and the electricians caused by THE SuN's
publication OF the interview with Mr. EDI-
son, in which he declared that he had salts
factorily solved the problem of the indefinite
divisibiity OF the electric light, was very
great in New York; but 1t did not compare
with that stirred up III England. Even be-
fore that publication, gas stocks here had
begun TO fall, and II only gave them new
impetus downward. In London, however,
THE suns announcement OF Mr.. ED1soN's
discovery at once started panic In gas
stocks, which continued to decline In value
up to last accounts; and it has for several
weeks been n main subject OF discussion In
the journals, both lay and scientific.
Gas stocks in London as in New York,
have long been esteemed ms among the most
desirable OF Investments, and have held
their place at the top Of the market, for the
dividends on them have been high and sure.
Moreover, the process OF analgamation
which has been going on among the COM
pcting companies for the last five years, and
which lately promised TO result In leaving
only one great gas company for the whole
metropolis, has tended To strengthen the
London stocks. But now the sudden vision
of Mr.. EDisoN's electric light is frightening
holders of gas shares, who are In hurry to
get rid of an investment which they once so
highly priced.
There may not be sufficient reason for the
panic just yet, but IL indicates rs the fall in
our own gas stocks indicates, that there is
sl....
gas light will he largely or wholly super
seeded by electric light is now approaching.
whether Mr.. EDISON has found the key
or not" says one of the London scien
tinc papers, is actually Of little conso-
qucncc, for II he have not, somebody else
will before long. Meanwhile there is the
solid fact that large spaces will be
lighted on the new system, and that gas IL
Elimination for other than purely utilltarlan
purposes is n thing OF the past"
The electric light Is already, rs everybody
knows, in extensive use in Europe and this
country. 1t may be seen in tho Avenue
dc rOpera of Paris, for instance, the most
magniflcently lighted thoroughfarc in the
world. The Paris Hippodromc, capable Of
accommodating between G,OOO and 1000 Wis
itors, is 50 thoroughly Illuminated with it
that the smallest stones in the sand with
which the arena Is strcwcd may be seen az
in daylight by those in the boxes above.
Shops and factories all over France are also
using the electric light freely and success
fully. 1t has been for some time employed
in several places In London. and now it is to
be tried for the illumination OF the Thames
Embankment Experiments on large scale
have been made with it in some OF the pro-
vncial cities OF England. and many more
are to take place The Russian naval au-
thorities will use II for lighting two men-of-
war, and proposal for lighting Rome by
electricity has been made by n Paris firm
In New York, also, we are familiar with the
new light, and understand its advantages.
In fact, the success OF the electric light In
the illumination Of great spaces Is beyond
dispute NJ. JABLoCHKoFFs invention for
that purpose has settled the question. and
other inventors besides him and Mr.. EDISON
have devised apparatus which have accom-
plishcd the end. The only thing for which
we wait Is for Mr.. EDISON to practically
demonstrate, as he declares he will do at the
proper time, that he can furnish the light
at as low Il price as gus, or lower. and dis
tribute IL 10 the dwellings Of n city. Tho
process Of NJ. JAnLoCHKoFF is thoroughly
satisfactory, 80 far as illumination goes.
But it is too expensive for general use, and
he Is unable 10 widely distribute the light.
If Mr.. EDISON has conquered these Difficult
| tics, there Is full justification for the belief
| that we are about TO have electric Hight for
gas light. Moreover our London scientific
contemporary truly says that las MORSE,
WHEATsTONE, and others were working
simultaneously on parallel lines, 50 Is there
just now n general determination OF invent
i've genius toward solving the problem OF
| distributing electric illumination in such
wise as TO make IL n serious commercial
rival To gas and II would argue great dis
| trust in the science Of the age to insinuatc
that the problem will not be solved within n
reasonable time. All presumptive evidence
is in favor OF an ultimate solution Of the
difficulty, even II IL have not already been
solved by Mr.. EDISON"
Mr.. EDIsoNs specification for n patent
has now been lodged in London, and it is
not likely TO be long before everybody will
have chance to see Just what he has ac-
complished. Meantime other patents for
electric light are being taken out, 50 that
we shall be able to institute an interesting
comparison.
1t is worth adding that the composition OF
electric light IS almost identical with that
OF the suns light. This II proved by colors
appearing the same under either, while by
gas or oil lamp, bright blues cannot be dis
tinguishcd from greens. At first il strikes
the eyes with glare, so bright and pure is
it but after becoming accustomed to it, gas
light seems dull and dingy in comparison.
The South at the Next Session.