The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-12-22
PROCTOR ON EDISON.
The English Astronomers Admiration Of
the American Wizards Feat.
GIVING LIGHT TO THE WORLD:
A Dream OF the Alchemists Crys-
tallizing Into Reality.

"It never rains but it pours says the OLD adage
which the news of the last few days makes as APP
pcable to scientific discovery it has been to the
ordinary affairs of life. In the last two issues of the
HERALD were reported two inventions. one beyond
the sea. the other within the charmed circle Of
Menlo Park. which, if they carry out their PROMISE
will add to the miracles which the necromancy OF
scientific research has wrought in this cantury.
That the Wizard OF the Wire who gave the metal
tongue and made it carry whisper over leagues
OF space would wiring from the forces he seems to
control the secret OF the Makers first creation
believed by many. but that he would break the ST.
lence of months by the announcement Of q success
SO bewildering and complete entered into the calcu
lations Of no Almost coincident with the mar
vellous revelations of Edison from England
the ammo that the dream of sages has been
realized and that in the hands of Scotch chemist
the bubble which generations of alchemsts pursued
in vain has solidihed and resolved itself into
jewel of price II Mr.. Maclears reported
discovery in the St. Rollox's chemical works
Of the process Of diamond manufacture be
confirmed, secret transcending the transmitting
power for which hosts of philosophers toiled and
which scores OF char1aans claimed shall have been
brought to light. 1t will be noted not the least
curious of these discoveries that out of
bon-the com monest material in the worlds made
an object 30 highly esteemed the diamond and
an agent so highly priced light. To ask
the opinion Of Professor Proctor q scientific
authority concerning these discoveries a HERALD
reporter yesterday called at the Westminster Hotel
He found the Professor much interested In both.
and eager to communicate to his English friends
early tidings Of Edison 3 latest creation.
lit will astonish many, have no doubt. said he,
"although most people prepared for any miracle
capitalization of carbon has been discovered ut last
is equally Of qualification. If it be true the
| age has scored another triumph"
what do you think of the probability Of such
| discovery asked the reporter.
Oh. it is impossible to decide till We hear more
about it, According to the papers Professors Tyr
dali and Smyth as well as Mr. Maskelyne, have pro-
Certainly are able to determine. Of course there
have been receptions practised. Bond fde diamonds
could be submitted for examination as the fruit Of
the experimenters work. but IN this instance it is
improbable that any such unworthy device would
| AN ENTHUSIASTS DREAM
| 'This capitalization Of carbon has been long
| sought after, has it not?"
| Ever since the discovery Of what the diamond
| really is" Mr.. Proctor replied DOUBTLESS tho
manufacture of diamonds and precious stones was
| dreamt OF ages ago by just such enthusiasts as
philosophers stone the elixir Of lite but Of
of the diamond ascertained- Boyles revelations
| in the seventeenth century, with the experiments
| OF Gannal. de Latour and Maillard and the deduc-
| lions of Sir Humphrey Davy and Lavoisier
| most accurately detailed in the HERALD, and of
it is subsequently that the crystaiization of
| carbon has been sought after for the production
of diamonds"
..What has been the chief obstacle to overcome in
1.-THE inefncisncy OF any apparatus to produce the
requisite heat and exert sufficient pressure. said the
only. stumbling block. 1t is only exceedingly
high temperature that carbon can be crystazed, and
in no laboratory has the desired intensity Of heat
| been obtained"
"Could such temperature be reached that the
manufacture of diamonds would be eGected?''
sufficient pressure. With them nature forms the
diamond. and there is no reason why art could not
..That makes the new discovery quite possible.
does it not?"
..There can be only one opinion about its POSSIBLE
ity. What has been done in a small way is possible
| in a large Diamond dust has been produced by
artificial means why should not actual diamonds?
And talking Of Mr.. Macear's discovery" Mr.. Proc
| tor continued, puts me in mind that Edison has
been delving in the same direction. He claims to
have discovered the amount Of heat carbon will
bear and it is likely that his practice and expert
ments may conduct him to the same results as Mr..
| Maclear IL said to have reached.
| TALKING EDISON.
"What Is your opinion of Edison's new electric
/ lghtr' the reporter inquired.
| 'It is from the HERALD have learned all know
about it. said Professor Proctor. eff the light
to be-and havesgreat faith in the inventors rep
resentatons-I believe that lattering advance has
been made in the art OF illumination But of almost
| paramount. importance do consider some Of
| the discoveries which he made while in
| pursuit of his main object. You remember
most of his earlier attempts were comparative fail
| ures. and several Of the apparatus he constructed
were remanded to place among his so-called Cphil
some revelation that could be made Of avail. HIS
| successful substitution OF simple substances for
platinum is u very valuable accom- plishment and Of
equal importance is the discovery that platinum If
heated under certain conditions will be changed in
character and bear greater heat The knowledge of
this be turned to account. and the rule will per-
| haps be found to apply to the other metals"
| "Do you believe that the new invention will be
81 fancy" said the Professor. with a smile. "that
the inventor of the photograph is equal to almost
value OF his contributions to scientific discovery.
Lord Lindsey called my attention to some of his
with them. In fact. my faith in Edison
| subjected to ridicule twice. l
believe in plan for galvanizing the dead If that
Yankee inventor proposed such one. and would
credulously contemplate the possibility ofshaking HIS
deceased grandfather by the hand or biading his
| sires OF past generations time of day. From what
have read IN the HERALD feel hopeful of Edison's
| complete success. He would hardly have given
such ample particulars OF his discovery were he not
assured OF it, His long silence led many believe
that he had gwen up his project-tha his customary
| good fortune had abandoned him-but it now APP
pears that he was quietly working out his problem
with a patient industry that brought to light the
virtues OF all the material he handled and enabled
him to compass his end sooner and to purpose
| than he himself had dared to hope"
| spEAK FOR ITSELF.
..Of course, said tho Professor, 1.-The new inven-
ton will speak tor ITSELF and the public cannot long
| be in doubt about its actual value. For my part
| shall look forward with profound interest to the
New Years eve experiment. and hope to see it in
'You believe the light will be of great utility
| for the ordinary purposes of lfes'
| 1
| calculabe service. And hero may say that the
| consideration of cost should not enter into the
problem of the production OF light the CHIEF factor.
| Cheapness is certainly desirable to place the
new discovery within every ones roach. but
| / am satisfied that people have sufficient
appreciation OF the benefits of a clear. pure light,
without noxious vapors or tho danger of explosion
| to be willing to pay more for IL than the common
| and Inferior kind they used to- Happily the
mode Of illumination is said to have the
advantage of extreme chcapness too. II such be the
case, and remembers how great a boon to health
is the radiance of gas and lamp vapors, how much
the life and limb is rendered by the pre-
ventiop OF accidental reason why the nven-
ton should not become popular"
els the new light apt to be injurious to the sghtf
"That depends entirely upon its arrangement.
The electric light can OF course. be arranged to
be painful to the eyes, but it Just readily be
made far more pleasant than the yellow glare and
flicker OF gas. In fact, IL be made to resemble
sunlight US closely any artificial illumination"
could this Light be difluscd in large city like
Nav York nv az mi N