The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1881-12-27

trician tothe English general postolIice, lie
tured before the Glasgow Scientific associ
ton of the Gage Of Electricity" The 70
lowing report OF the lecture is from one
the Glasgow papers:
Mr., PreeCe ut the outset described til
present age rs the age OF electricity, Just q
earlier ages had been described as theston
age, the iron age, the bronze age, Elet
tricity was the science Of sciences whic
had distinguished this AEGEAN age pecu
liar In this respect, that it had seen inver
ton almost rampant For ages invention
had been held in the lash by nature, an,
It was only ut the commencement OF III
nineteenth century that science had beeI
allowed to hold itsway and flood the worl,
with most marvellous Inventions Electric
ity had como to our aid in most wonder
full way, and the climax had been reached
on recent occasion in Paris. The exhibi
ton there open to the world, had brough
together all the various appliances OF cleo
trIcity. They saw rocks bored by IL
agency, land plowed, water sounded, ex
pIored and navigated, balloons traversin.
the atmosphere, the growth and imCtiGca'
ton OF plants assisted, ores smelted, i'm
pnrities removed from wheat and corn
lifts raised, machines run, pianos played
music which was played extempore copied
toys made to swim, speak and sing, top
made to spin and utter sounds, eggs
Matched and flies caught all by the agency
OF electricity, Prior to 1887 there was only
one practical application Of electricity, and
that was the lightning conductor. Within
the recollection OF nearly everybody all the
present applications OF electricity were
already legion, and II was impossible tC
anticipate its future. And yet, II they
asked him what electricity was, lie
could only scratch his head and say he
did not know II he were to turn
round and appeal to the greatest living
electrician, hG would shake his head In d
way only to be equaled by the manner in
which celebrated lawyer nodded. Mr..
Preece proceeded 10 illustrate the produc.
ton Of magnetism, heat, light and chemi-
cal decomposition by means Of electricity,
and then to explain the domestic, social
and the national purposes to which cleo.
tricity is applied. Illustrations were given
OF tho numerous uses to which electric
bells could be put In our dwellings. In
America, where there was great difficulty
in getting assistance from servants, bells
and communications were used in innum.
cradle ways, The developments OF the
telegraph and the telephone were next
touched upon. One OF the most valuable
applications Of electricity was in the pro-
lection OF life on the railway, and this had
been carried to great perfection on the
Scotch railways. The new power was Of
vast use also against fire. In America this
Use OF II was carried to n wonderful extent
He had told people what he had seen in
America, but he had not succeeded in find.
ing single person who believed him. lie
would explain to the audience, but they
would not believe him. In Chicago, at the
corner OF nearly every street, there were
hre-alarm boxes which sent u current to
tho central station indicating the locality
OF the fire. The same current released the
harness Of the horses, and every horse was
so beautifully trained that II ran into posi-.
ton. Tho same current whipped the
clothes of every fireman in bed, drew
trOp.dOor down through which the
man slid into his place on the en-
gne, dispatchlng the brigade in some
thing like six seconds. Turning to
tho commercial aspect OF electricity,
he gave some interesting particulars re-
garding the working OF the telegnphs. He
had seen in Paris collection OF the best
telcgraphic apparatus in tho world, lie
went there to SEQ II any wrinkles were
to be got from our continental friends
which would be useful in this country, but
he came bnCk without single wrinkle, aud
with the firm conviction that In tClCgraphiC
apparatus and enterprise We were ten years
ahead Of everybody else. WheatstOne's
automatic apparatus, which was the appa-
rNtus chiefly used in this country, he des.
Cribed us the most exquisite and beautiful
apparatus in the world. Some instruments
were shown, and the meeting was put in
connection with various places to illustrate
the workings Of the apparatus. The tele.
graphs had now been In the hands Of The
government for ten years. During that
time the number OF offices had increased
from 1000 to 5,43S. The number Of mes.
sAges sent In 1860 WIS six millions; last
year 1t was twenty-nine millions, while
the income had risen from $1,000 to
El,6l0000. The character Of the appa-
ratls and the character Of the staff had in
creased pretty much In tho same ratio. 1t
had often been said that the telegraphs being
q government monopoly, invention wlls
checked and progress retarded, but 1t was
not So The British system Of telegraphs
'was the first in the world, and was full Of
enterprise and invention. Speaking Of the
electric light, the lecturer expressed the
belief that 1t was the domestic light Of the
future. The day was not very distant when
we would have II in our houses. But II
would not be introduced at the expense Of
gus. We would utilize gas for It's proper
purpose-the production OF heat and en-
Grgy. What was yet wanting WIS an In
strtiment TO regulate the current OF electro
city and give light at night after machines
were stopped, and he regarded Faure's bat
terry as likely to supply the want Some
Fanre's batteries were shown in tlse which
had been charged by Sir William Thomson
the day before. The lecture was illustrated
all through with beautiful and interesting
experiments.
Sir William Thomson in moving a vote
OF thanks to Mr.. PreeCe, said that when the
electric transmission OF power and tho
lighting Of our streets and houses
by electricity was taken up no mo.
nopoly would be needed any moro than
In the case Of the postal telegraphs, II the
matter were taken up and managed with
Tho same ability. There was n great pros.
poet before Glasgow When the corpora.
lion was ready to undertake the general
providing Of electric light no monopoly
would be needed. Will their ability and
skill In management they might 90 for.
ward boldly without asking any monopoly
whatever. The application Of gus TO the
purposes now mentioned by the lecturer
was now almost reached, as was evi.
dent from the fact that contractors
were now undertaking TO supply electric
light Mt the rate paid for gas. Three
years ngo scientific men, who should have
seen sich q thing beforehand but did not
si,n,t, I,v nnttinhnra thnt pnH tignu TO drive