Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1880-03-05

THE LATEST MARVEL OF ELECTRIC SCIENCE.
DIR. II. E. Licks, of South Bethlehem,
Penn, who has been student of electrical
phenomena for several years, read paper
before a scientific society of that place a few
days ago, in which he announced the success
full issue Of a most remarkable series of ex-
periments. He calls his discovery the dia-
photo, and he claims that it will do for light
what the telephone does for sound-that is,
that it will not create light but that it will
cause its transmission and reproduction. The
theory of the two instruments is very similar
In the telephone, two diaphragms vibrate
alphabetically, and in the diaphote two pc
culiarly constructed mirrors are used, which
present similar images upon their surfaces,
though they may be separated by many miles.
The receiving mirror is composed of an ANAL
gam of solenium and iodide of silver, and
the reproducing mirror of compound of Sc
lenium and chromium. Iodide of silver and
chromium were used because of their peculiar
sensitiveness to light, property which is
well known scientifically, and which has long
been practically utilized in photography.
Selenium was added, because after many ex-
periments, it seemed best adapted to modify
the action of the mirrors that each ray of light
should influence the electric current proper
tionaly to its position in the solar spectrum.
mirror measured inches by 4, and each was
composed of 70 sections, each section being
connected by its own wire with a galvanic
battery and with the section correspondngly
situated in the other mirror. The ~ wires
can, of course, be bound into a single bun
die when properly insulated. When mirrors
of unbroken surfaces and a single wire are
used the the truth of the theory is said to be
demonstrated, but unsatisfactory, as the i'm
age is not so well defined as with sectional
mirrors Being thus constructed the dia-
photo is operated by conducting the waves of
light from an object through an ordinary
camera to the first mirror there they pro-
duce momentary chemical changes in the
amalgam, which modify the electric current,
and cause similar changes in the remote mir
roT, thus reproducing similar image,
which, by second camera, may be seen by
the eye or thrown upon a screen. Having
thus explained the instrument, an exhibition
of its powers was given by DIR. Licks. Mag
nssium wire was burned before one mirror in
a distant room, and q committee of the soci-
ETY. held various objects in the light thus pro-
duced. A trade dollar was first shown, and
the audience in the lecture-room could dis
tinguish even the date. The movement of
the hands of q watch, a flower, a kittens
head, and other miscellaneous objects were
also readily seen. Several independently
printed reports apparently establish the truth
of DIR. Licks's discovery beyond question
he himself is firmly convinced that future de-
velopments will more than make good what
is here stated. The only blemish in his dis
covery at present, seems to be tendency on
the part of the mirrors to become disintegrat-
ed by constant chemical changes, but that he
hopes to overcome. The imagination almost
fails before the possibilities of what the dia-
photo may yet accomplish 1t would at once
solve the problem of the division of the cleo
trio light, for many diaphotes would turn
light of thousand candle power into an in
definite number of small lights, situated in as
many places as desired. Ard as sunlight
could also be transmitted, New York may yet
see a light primarily introduced by the sun in
regions where sunlight never fails, and where
it is daylight when it is night here. In con-
nection with the telephone, it would be pos
sible to see and talk with persons at dis