The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1880-05-14
A New s1arve, I'm Be4hlshern. j


DR.. Fl. E. F.icks, of Old South Bethis~
hem. after three years labor. claims fhas
he has perfected an fnstfuniene BY which
forms and coIors can BE sent by wire the
SAME as words are sent. He calls. the iis-
strument diaphote. The word diaphotes
from the Greek, dta signifying through
and photos signifying light, had been -
iectet1 as its name, implying that the light
travelled through or along wire. He read
a paper on his invention before scientific
society here.
The diaphote consists of four essential
parts, the receiving mirror, the transmit.
Ing wires, a common galvanlc battery and
the reproducing specuIun. DR.. Licks
gave detailed account OF the many exc
periments undertaken to determine
the proper composition and ar
rangement OF the mirror and speculums
For the former he had finally selected an
an1algam Of selenium and iodide OF silver.
and for the latter compound OF sS7snium
and chromium. The peculiar sensitiye-
ness of iodItle of silver and chromium to
light has long been known, and their pracs
teal use in photography suggested thetr
application 10 the diaphote. It was found.
however, after many experiments, tlIat
theit action must be 50 modified that each
ray of light should influence the electric
current proportionally to its position Ia
the solar spectrum, and selenium waS
ascertained to be the best adapted to tIis
purpose. At first small mirror was enz-
ployed with only single wire, but the
images reproduced were indistInct and
confused. so that It became necessary to
make the mirror of a number Of small
pieces, each about one-thirl Of q square
inch in area, and having a small wire at
tached In the diaphote exhibited by Dr.
Licks to the club the mirror was SIX inches
by four, and had sesenty-two fine wires.
which were gathered together In one about
a foot back of the frame, the whole then
being finely wrapped with an insulating
covering, and on reaching the spec1luEn )
| each little wire was connected to q diSfA
ion similarly placed as in the mirror.
From eomnoti gaivanic battery wires
| also ran to each diaphote plate, and thus 8
circuit was formed which cotiid be closed
or not at pleasure. The theoretical action
Of the instrument appears now to be the
| following The waves of light from al
object are conducted through an ordinary
| camera, go that they fell on certain Of the
divisions of the mirror when the electric
circuit is closed. The light and accom-
panying heat produce momcntary chemI-
cal changes i'll the amalgam Of the mirror
Which modify the electric current and
| partitions of the remote speculum. thus
| reproducing II similar image, which by
second camera may be readily seen By tho
eye or thrown upon a screen. DIR. Licks
explained how the proportions of seleniusn
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 thu
| portions OF the reproduced image. This
| ne said had been the problem which had
caused him tbs most difficulty, and which
at one time had seemed almost insurmount-
| able.
At the close of the paper an illustration
was given of the powers of the instrument.
The mirror OF the diaphotc, in charge Of
| committee of three. was taken to q room
in the lover part of the building and the
connecting wires were laid through the
halls and stalrways to the speculun, on the
lecturers platform. Before the mirror
the committee held in succession various
objects, Illuminating each By the light of .
burning magnesium wire, since the rays
of gas are deficient in actinic power. and
simultaneously on the speculum appeared
the secondary images. which for exhibition
to the audience were thrown on = screen
considerably maehihed. An apple, . pens
knife and a trade dollar were the first OBJ
jects shown on the latter the Outlines
of the Goddess of Liberty were recognfIsd
and the date 1873 was plainly legible. a
watch was held five minutes before th0
mirror, and the audience could plainly see
the motion OF the minute hand on tfl9
screen, but the movement OF the second
hand was not satisfactorily seen. although
Prof. Kanntch, by looking into the camera
thought it was there quite precepeible.
An ink bottle. flower, and a part OF d.
theatre hand-bill were also shown, and
when the head cf little kitten appeared
on the screen the club testified its satisfa6-
tion by the most hearty applause. Alter
the close of the experiments the scientists
extended their congratulations to DR..
Licks, and the President made few re.
marks OH the probable scientific and In
diustriaI applications OF the diapilofA fiji the
future. With the telephone and dlabhota
1t might yet be possible for friends, separas-
ted by the wide Atlantic. to hear and seG
each other at the same time. to talk, IS 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 or raflfoMgz
track at once. thus lessenIhg fine lfabtiitv
to accident. In connection with pfYofo
lithography, 1t might be so employed thaS
the great English dailies could be printeE
in New York few hours after their an-
pea,ance in LendoE. We learn that Dr.
Licks viii lecture next week on the aid.