Smyrna times., 1880-01-07

The EDISON LAMP.-The new electric
lamp now on exhibition at Menlo Park this
week, is not unworthy OF the attention
which it is exciting. The principle on
which it is constructed is not new, for in
yentors have been striving to maintain a
slender pencil or filamsnt of carbon in
incandescence in q vacuum for more than
thirty years, but the lamp itself is as far
ahead of the efforts of the earlier inventors
as the modern railway car IS OF the ancient
lumber wagon. Mr.. Edison has improved
the Sprengal airpump, and the vacuum In
his little glass globes IS almost perfect
Only one millionth part Of the air remains.
lie is thus far in advance of competitors IN
regard to the important point OF an almost
perfect vacuum, on which the durability Of
! the ineandsscent carboR depends. He has
also been fortunate in adopting the plan of
sealing up his glass e globes with the blow
| pipe, while vet attached to the air-pump,
! thus making the exclusion of the outside
air complete. His paper carDons, too,
almost as slender as hairs, possess special
merits. They offer a high resistance to the
passage of the electric current, and their
ability to withstand a sudden shock Of cleo
trctv is greater than that OF carbons which
have no fibre. The light Of the lamps, while
pure and brilliant is moderate, being equal
to that of single gasjets, fact which
renders them suitable for uSs in dwellings.
Last, but not least, the lamps are small and
comely in appearance. These are all good
points
The first step in the utilization of the
electric light for dwellings is the construc
ton Of lamp. After a suitable lamp has
been obtained, the next points to be con.
sidered are how durable is the lamp likely
to be. and how costly will be its use
Unless the lamps are durable and cheaL
they will be little more than ingenious toys
On neither OF these points, however. car
much be said at present respecting Mr.
Edison lamps. They have not boon tostec
long enough. One fact, however shoule
not 10 overlooked. Among the 45 lamp,
now placed on exhibition at Menlo Parl
several are already burning a little dull
What does that mean? 1t is stated by W
+. Sawyer, another inventor in the same
4 | field, that if millionth part of the air re
j. mains in the sealed glass globe, the incan
e descent carbon must be consumed in time
e and OF course very delicate carbon lik
: the paper horseshoss Of Mr.. Edison mus
# burn away sooner than larger ones. If Nj
Sawyer is right, some of the forty-fiT
= Edison lamps ought to begin to grow du
): soon, and some Of them are actually du
u hll uNNJ' - TINS d 4dldl WEAK neSs IN III
r new lamp? Time is required before pos
g tive answer can DO be given, but the prob,
a bilties seem to be against the great dur,
bility of the horseshoe carbons. If tn
r lamps do not prove durable, then n
IS Edison has only partially succeeded.
"a AS to cost nothing definite can be sal
4. until after the whole 800 lights which NJ
10 Edison is making have been put into actui
70 operation in Menlo Park and Rahwa,
5. Until that is done all estimates must be
e. purely conjectura as to have no practct
Is value. A vast amount of the energy of I'll
at electric current is wasted by Distribute
over wide area, and the exact amount
u this loss and the cost Of the plant must
ID ascertainsd sxperimentally before any es
is mate of expenses will be useful. OF cours
ID if the Edison light should not be econom
~ cal, the gas companies will not have mut
ut to fear from it. Mr.. Edison himself
IS, working hard and is hopeful of ultima
a. and complete success. Meantime be h.
RS undoubtedly made a great stride in Il
bit solution of the complex problem Of electr
ly lighting, and is to be congratulated upc
90 his success.-N. Y. Tribune.