Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-02-07
The Edison Li9ht-PrO and Con.


The critics of Mr.. EdSon's new electric light
have shown some ingenuity in their attacks
upon 1t. The only one Of these, however,
which Is incapable OF answer at this point is the
assertion that the apparatus cannot be made to
pay. 1t is claimed that the production OF a
light equalling 120 candles to horse power Is
not remunerative, as 1t involves the loss OF nine
teen twentieths OF the power In the production
of heat, etc. The other ectro-illuminattng ap-
paratuSeS do yield 200 candles, involving loss
Of One-half the power; but they are surpassed
by Mr.. Edison's in other important respects.
which more than compensateS this advantage
Especially they are incapable OF being adjusted,
as Is Mr. EdiSonS, to the amount or work TO be
DONE To keep single lamp at work. they
must be as active as though the whole multi
hoped that, by further study of the problem,
the proportion OF electricity converted into
light Will be greatly increased. Even as it is,
the ratio of the light produced to the force en-
ployed is four times more favorable in the case
of Edlson's lamp than in that of a aS-burner.
A second objection is that the exhaustion of
amount OF air which IS left is sufficient to con-
sumo the delicate carbon horseshoe, and to
make the lamp burn dim and go out Let us
cubic inches. The Weight Of the air in such a
globe is less than two and a-half grains, of which
one-hfth, or less than half grain, is oxygen.
millionth part or this. This he ascertains no
by loose estimate, but by mathema ical
measurement made during the process of ex-
haustton. Now oxygen combines with car5on
in the ratio OF about three to one. The one
milliOnth OF half grain of oxygen. Will there
fore consume one-sixth millionth part of grain
of the arc,-an entirely inappreclable quantity.
1t is true that, while some OF Mr.. Eds On lamps
have burnt for months with no dimtnution of
their brilliancy. the greater number have gone
out through the breakage OF the delicate horse
shoe of bake paper. But this Is owing to i'm
perfect adjustment creating reststance to the
flow of the electric current, and not to the con-
Stunning effect of the oxygen.
A third objection comes from London. 1t is
that the electric 1iohf tS chastity and unnlpaSant
and that unless some modification of the color
ing of the glass in the globe Is possible, no one
electric lights, but not OF Edson's They are
produced by. current passing between two
points of carbon; his by the incandescence of
continuous arc OF carbon. For reasons which
every student of the theory of light will appre-
ciate, the effect is very different. When the
Albert Hall in London was lighted by the Sic
mems electric lamp the English ladies, after one
experiment, refused to expose their beauty to a
light in which every complexion became hideous
1t was found necessary for this reason, to put
salt into the carbons, SO as to 1mpart a reddish
tinge to the light. But the effect Of the Edison
light is so similar to that Of gas, that unless
attention were called to it, person might sup.
pose the rooms of Mr. Edison's house to be
lighted by gas-light. The older electric lights
are open to other serious objections which do
not apply to the new one The rustling noise
made by the fluid in passing from point to point
was one of these. The liability of the lamp to
be affected by draughtS of air was another.
There will be some great collateral gains with
the Introduction of electric lighting into our
homes. The supply OF a cheap motive power
to run sewing-machineS and the like, will be
one OF these. HoWeS great invention has been
the ruin Of the health of thousands of women
through its employment OF the lower limbs in
working the machine A machine to furnish a
supply Of electromagnetic force at cheap
rate, and to register just the amount of that
force which has been used, will meet the diff
Guilty, as 1t has not been met by machines whose
cost the household had to pay in the first in
stance.
Another collateral advantage will be the al
most or quite complete dlSuSe OF matches. The
number of lives, especially children'S lives lost
through the abuse of the little c0nyenienceS.
and the number of CONGREGATIONS caused by
them, are so great as to make one wish that
mankind had never got beyond the flint and
steel apparatus OF our forefathers; and it is not
improbable that our fire insurance companies
will find it worth their while to offer special
rates to homes into which the electric light is
introduced, especially If it be accompanied b
an electric apparatus-there is very simple
and safe one-ror lighting fires.
Still another advantage will be the saving OF
book bindings in libraries. At present our valu-
able Russia morocco and calf bindings steadily
deterierate in value if kept in rooms where gas
is burned. This is one reason why some of our
most important public libraries are always
closed at shutdown, While in some private libra
rleS candles are used to the exclusion of gas
The electric light gives out no heat, and no
chemical substances. 1t is as cool in summer
as even Philadelphia or st. Louis would wish.