Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1879-10-03

AAhAAs AEO. ~ Illt
made a few preliminary remarks set
ting forth the honors that had been
conferred upon DIR. Cutting, in which
we, as county, should feel a Just
pride, and then introduced the lecturer
Of the evening who was received by
the audience in a very cordial manner,
his remarks being closely and atten-
lively followed. They were delivered in
a manner that was decidedly pleasant.
His utterance was sharp and incisive,
his manner was animated, in fact, he
spoke and moved as if he had some
thing to say and meant to say it. II
was a pleasure to listen to him and to
follow the chain of ideas which he
| elaborated.
THE LECTURE,
DR.. Cutting said that the phenome-
ma of electricity are manifest upon
so large a scale, that they are thrust
upon the attention of every person.
Thus lightning has always excited in
some individuals superstitious dread,
as being the exhibition of supernatural
power, entirely incomprehensible.
Every person probably feels more or
less dread of it during a heavy thunder
shower but many persons can control
themselves and say they are not afraid,
while Others have to give up to a ner-
vous prostration, and show their timi-
dity. This universal fear, (where there
is no superstition is doubtless due to
| the fact that so many of our senses are
affected at the same time. The flash is
| sometimes almost binding to our eyes,
the thunder deafening to our ears, so
powerful as to visibly shake the ground
on which we stand. These, coupled
with the remembrance of buildings de-
molished, trees shivered in an instant,
and persons killed by the touch, are
sufficient to disturb our nerves even if
we have power to brave it without
apparent emotion. But this electricity
| is all about us, and we can, when we
think but realize that it pervades the
air, the earth, the water; it even writes
our messages, and conveys the tones of
our voice hut these facts do not dis
arm it of its terrors, or make it less
dreaded when unbridled and beyond
control, save by the hand of the AL
mighty, or the laws fixed by His will.
Electricity other than as lightning
first became historic, by the discovery
that a certain substance known to the
ancients as "Elektrom," and to us as
amber, and cast up on the shores of
the Mediterranean sea, would attract
light substances such as paper or bits
of silk, after being rubbed with the
hand. 1t is from the name of this fos-
SLICED germ that we obtain our name
electricity. In 1880 sulphur was dis
covered to be electrical, and soon after
the sparks given off when a cat is
rubbed were observed. In 1852 Franklin
made his memorable but dangerous,
experiment with kite, thus demonstra-
ting the identity of the two. In 1901
Galvani discovered the effect of
electricity upon the muscles and nerves
of man and animals, and various eX-
periments followed. In 1900 it was
ascertained that chemical action would
produce it, and further that it would
give a continuous supply. Napoleon
Buonaparte offered a prize to any one
that would make an important dis
covery in connection with electricity,
and Sir Humphrey Davy carried off
the prize, and the regular chemical
battery as now used became fact in
science. Nothing more was added
until 1920 when it was discovered that
| the magnetic needle was affected by
an electric current. 1t was this dis
covery that enables us to converse
through the atlantic cable, or to ascer-
tain how far from shore a break in an
injured cable can be found ; as this is
| done by comparing the detection OF
| the magnetic needle. About this time
a shepherd named MagDes while feed
ing his focks on Mount Ida, observed
the iron crook at the end of his staff
| was attracted or held in contact with
some of the stones of the hillside.
These stones were native magnets, or
| magnetic iron orr. The ore of iron to
! be magnetic must contain exactly Y
1-2 per cent of iron, either more or less
| destroys its power. From Magnes
the discoverer, comes our word mag
net, and this magnetism is another
form of electricity. Some of these ma.
tive magnets were very powerful. Sir
Isaac Newton had a magnet weighing
three grains set in a ring which would
Lift $50 grains of iron. In 1925 it was
discovered that if II coil of insulated
copper wire was wound round a piece
of soft iron, and o current of electricity
passed through that wire, that the
iron was rendered magnetic just as
long as the current passes and no
longer. This was in reality the great
discovery that assumed shape in the
minds of Henry, and Morse, and gave
MS the electric telegraph. 1t wRs soon
found that steel treated in the same
way would retain its magnetism ma
king permanent magnet and it was
also found that vibration of iron or
steel in front of magnet when sur