Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1880-04-16
A New Marvel i'm Bethlehem.

A New Marvel in Bethlehem.
DIR. II. +. Licks, of Old South Bethle.
hem. after three years labor, claims
that he has perfected an instrument BY
which forms and colors can be sent nv
wire the same as words are sent. He
calls the instrument diaphote. The
word diapbote, from the Greek, din sig.
Eifyiug through, and photos signifying
light. had been selected as it's name,
implying that the light travelled through
or along a wire. He read paper on
his invention before scientific society
here.
The dlaphote consists of four essen
tial parts, the receiving mirror, the
transmitting wires. a common galvanic
battery aud the reproducing speculum.
DIR. Lcks gave a detailed account of
the many experiments undertaken to
determine the proper composition and
arrangement of the mirror and specu-
lum. For the former he had finally Sc
lected an amalgum of selenium and
iodide of silver, and for the latter a
compound Of selenium and chromium
The peculiar sensitiveness OF iodide of
silver and chromium to light has long
been known, and their practical use in
photographylsuggested their application
in the diaphote. 1t was found, how
ever, after many experiments that their
action must be- 80 modified that each
ray of light should influence the cleo
trio current proportionally to its posi-
tisn in the solar spectrum, and selen-
ium was ascertained to be- best adapted
| tn his rct II
was employed with only single wire,
but the images reproduced in the spec
rlum were iudistinct and confused, so
that it became necessary to make the
mirror of number of small pieces,
each about one third of square inch
In area, and having u small wire at
tached. In the dlaphote exhibited by
DIR. Licks to the club the mirror was
six inches by four, and had seventy-two
fine wires, which were gathered togeth-
er in oae about a foot back of the frame,
the whole then being finely wrapped
with an insulating covering, and on
reaching the spectrum each little wire
was connected to division similarly
placed as in the mirror. From COM
mon galvanic battery wires also ran to
each diaphote plate, and thus circuit
was formed which could be closed or
not at pleasure. The theoretical action
Of the instrument appears now to be the
following: The waves of light from an
/ object are conducted through an ordin.
AIRY camera, so that they fall on certain
of the divisions of the mirror when the
electric circuit is closed. The light
and accompanying heat produce mo-
mentary chemical changes in the ANAL
gam of the mirror, which modify the
electric current and cause similar
changes in the corresponding partitions
# the remote speculum, thus reproduc
ing a similar image, which by second
camera may be readily seen by the eye
or thrown upon a screen. DR.. Licks
explained how the proportions of selen-
ium in the mirror and speculum should
be scientifically adjusted to the size of
the divisions and the resistance of the
electric circuit, SO as to avoid any
blending of the portions of the repro
duced image. This he said had been
the problem which had caused him the
most difficulty, and which at one time
had seemed almost insurmountable.
At the close of the paper an illustra-
ton was given of the powers of the in
strument. The mirror OF the diaphote,
in charge of committee of three, was
taken to a room in the lower part of the
building and the connecting wires laid
through the halls and stairwsys to the
spectrum on the lecturers platform.
Before the mirror the committee held
in succession various objects, illuminat.
ing each by the light of burning
magnesium wire, since the rays from
gas are deficient in actinic power, and
simultaneously on the speculum ap-
peared the secondary images, which for
exhibition to the audience were thrown
on screen considerably magnified.
An apple, penknife and trade dollar
were the first objects shown; on the lat
ter the outlines of the Goddess of Lib
erty were recognized and the date 1878
was plainly legible. A watch was held
five minutes before the mirror, and the
audience could plainly SOC the motion
of the minute hand on the screen, but
the movement of the second hand was
not satisfactorily seen, although Prof.
Kannich, by looking into the camera,
thought it was there quite perceptible.
An ink bottle, flower, and part of q
theater hand-bill were also shown, and
when the head OF little kitten appeared
on the screen the club testified its sat
isfaction by the most hearty applause.
After the close of the experiments the
scientists extended their copgratula-
tions to DR.. Licks, and the President
made a few remarks on the probable
scientific and industrial applications OF
the diaphote in the future. With the
telephone and the diaphote it might yet
be possible for friends, separated by
the wide Atlantic, to hear and see each
other at the same time, to talk, as it
were, face to face. In connection with
the interlocking switch system, it might
be used to enable signal men of the
central Office to see hundreds of miles
of railroad track at once. thus lessening
the liability to accident. In connec-
ton with photo-lithography, it might
be so employed that the great English
dailies could be printed in New York q
few hours after their appearance in
London. We learn that DR.. Licks will
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