The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-01-03
The Progress OF the Electric Light.

/ ill' lNltNNibu Nl iu' fffliit llslil w Ef'll-
cral use still unsolvcd. At least Mr.. EDISON
has not yet publicly demonstrated the sue
ccss OF his experiments having that end in
view, and he does not promise to do so until
| some months have elapsed lie is however,
| just as confident rs ever that he Will ulti-
matcly give Us the light aud we hope his
confidence is we'll grounded.
The holders Of gas shares are in better
spirits, but some Of them are still in doubt
whether TO sell now Or wait for the reaction
which viii occur In case the electric light
fails 10 prove u serious competitor Of gas.
II h n striking proof Of the general impress
sion that the days OF gaslight are numbered,
that when Mr.. EDrsONs invention was made
known these shares declined in value all
over the world. This decline has of late
been checked. for oven when IL comes, If 1t
docs come, the introduction Of the electric
light into wide use will be gradual pro-
cess.
The gas companies too, have before them
the possibility Of selling in vast quantities
cheap gas unadaptcd for Illuminating pur-
poses but valuable ~ fuel. DR.. GEORGE
WYLD, writing in Il London scientific jour
nal says that although he Is convinced that
electricity, sooner or later. is destined 20
become the light Of the future his faith In
coal gas Is still SO strong that he has
doubled his stake in gas shares since tho
panic began. 81 have done So" he says,
because | can see that coal gas is destined
to become the cooking and heating power
of the future. With gas cooking ladies'
could without Inconvenience become expert
cooks. and thus solve one OF the greatest
. 4. 1.
The employment OF the electric light for
the illumination OF large spaces daily grows
more frequcntandit It's success is beyond ques-
ton. 1t has lately been tried at the N,,,w
billing Market IN London, and though
the JABLoCHKoFF candle system, which is
the ono used. is criticised as needing modih-
cation 10 suit the purposes OF that market,
the magnificent illumination Of Billingsgate
wharf by two globes, which flood the river
with light for long distance. suggests how
charming will be the effect when the Thames
cmbankmcnt Is thus lighted. During last
month the Holborn viaduct was one night
successfully lighted by the JABLoCHKoFF
systcm. The printing Office of the London
Times Is now using the electric light with
success which is described as complete
The system is that Of NJ RAPIEFF, who es-
Inmates its comparative cost even with the
low-priced gas Of London rs onc-thrd Tho
editor Of the London World. who visited the
Times printing office to observe It's effect,
says that from gaslght wo merged sud
denly into what seemed flood Of daylight,
which camo from six small lamps placed at
intervals round the room, in which compost
tors and others werc busy at work" The
L., Ia.
Philadelphia warehouse, and though the
experiments with 1t have not yet salts
fled expectations, the defects are ascrlbcd
merely to lmpcrfections in the preparation
Of the carbon used.
On the 2lst OF November, for the first time
In England, the electric light was suocess-
fully applied at sheffield To the purpose OF
aiding stcel-maklng operations. The OK
pertinent was made at the Dronfield Steel
Works, which have long laborcd under con
siderable disadvantages in the matter Of
lighting, during the short winter days the
operations in ono part Of the mines being
frequently interrupted by darkness, which
the oil lamps in use were unable TO dispel
The SIEMENS apparatus was used and &" the
illumination was all that could be desired,
n soft blue radiance being dffused over all
the bank, enabling the workmen TO carry ON
their operations with the utmost facility"
In this country three largo factories, the
Lancaster Cotton Mill, the Merrimac PRINT
Works and the Pawtuctct Thread VI M have
adopted the BRUSH lamp, and we shall prob
ably soon gee the electric light, n furnished
by one system or another, in extensive use
in our large manufacturing establishments.
The LIVER COL Town Council have agreed
that the necessary preliminary notices hc
given Of an application TO Parliament for
powers 10 authorize the Council 10 take the
necessary steps for lighting the public
streets and places with the electric light.
The VAN DER WEYDE electric lamp was
employed TO illuminate Regent street, Lon
don, on the occasion Of the Prince Of
WALEss birthday; and though at the West
End house after house had gas jets and
many huge ilambcaux Of gas in celebration
Of that event the electric light oycrpowcrcd
all. The new light WAS everything, while
gaslight was rs nothing. The people stood
gazing at the illuminatOr until obliged 10
move on by the force Of the crowd, proof
that there are no III effects ON the eyes"
These are only few of the many recent
experiments made here and in England
tion of large spaces, and their success has
uniformly been such as TO convince all the
observers of the great advantage Of the
new light. In the language Of the London
IRON. whoever shall be the first TO cstab
lish an exclusive right even for fourteen
years the term allowed to patcntoos by
our lawto the only practicable system of
suhdivlding the electric light, may be- safely
assumed to be IN possession OF property
the pccuniary value of which would throw
even Mr., BEssEMER's invention in the art Of
manufacturing steel into the shade indeed,
it is doubtful whether the annals Of patent
grants would furnish another example Of
discovery SO lucrative" No wonder, if this
Is So, that Mr. EDISON is spending so much
time and money in the perfcctng Of his in
vention, which proposes to do that very
thing and be that very thing.
A LudicrOus Blunder of the Bench and
Bar.
The bench and bar held Joint meeting 20