The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-07-18
TWash,ueton Pos:.J

uflcial wing over one OF the most remark
able discoveries Of the present century,
and one. II Is safe 10 say, which will not
onlv eject A revolution In the present
methods Of producing and applying heat,
hut seriously undermine the very structure
.uDou which the ut present received scien-
tific notion OF heat rests.
The properties OF the convex lens have
long been known, as likewise those OF the
conceive and other varieties OF the lens, and
have been applied successfully for thou
sands OF wears. But Il has been left for a
citizen Of the District Of Columbia 10 dis
cover that there exists, bottled up behind
Che placid and truthful countcnance OF an
ordinary looking-glass or mirror power
capable of burning up the "universe and
ali that in II 49, There Is no domestic
utensil, with but few exceptions, that dates
back 30 far, and about which people think
they know so much, as the looking-glass.
It tells everything It sees, aud was never
known TO keep q secret. and yet 1t turns
out that il has all the time been smiling
softly to itself over tho possession OF powers
capable OF rendering it one OF the
FOREMOST AGENTS OF HUMAN PROGRESS.
The discoyerer OF this idea which has
lust been patented is Mr.. William Calyer,
q mining expert and prospector, living
with his brother, DR.. Caiver, at No. 207 A
street northwest. DR.. Calver was born in
England, but came to this country when
very young. For number OF years he re-
sided 10 New York. He has been citizen
of the District for upwards Of ten years,
and has during that time been absent much
in Arizona looking after his mining pro-
perry. He has been looking for long
time for some method Of working mines
and reducing the ore by more cheap pro-
cess than that in vogue. BY happy
chance. equally as singular as that which
befell Newton, he stumbled on his disco
very. The whole invention simply consists
Of an arrangement whereby
THE RAYS OF THE Sun
are reflected from any number Of mirrors
upon common focus. Happening TO di-
rect the light from two ordinary looking
glasses upon the same surface, he noticed
that the resultant heat was about doubled.
lie proceeded with his experiments, and
succeeded in reducing wood TO ashes, and
metal to liquid state, by simply concen-
trating upon them the reflected light of the
sun from twenty small mirrors with fiat
surfaces. The principle is an nnexplain-
able one. Ii has never hitherto been sus-
pected that tapping one ray OF sunlight
upon another increased the heat. The
model patented by Mr.. Calver consists OF a
number Of small looking-glasses arranged
in rows upon frame so fixed that they can
be converged upon any one point.
A working model, Of which he has
number, was Yesterday exhibited to Post
reporter i'm the yard in the rear OF his resi-
dence. Forty innocent, understanding
ffteen-cent, gilt-framcd mirrors, each 81
inches by 81 inches, were arranged upon a
framed propped up like an artists easel,
and bearing q striking resemblance thereto. |
Facing the easel was the fragment Of
what was once barn.door, also propped
up, and partly covered with worn and
faded sheet OF zinc that bore unmistakable
evidences OF having been burned through
in several places.
II was but the work OF minute to
CONVERGE THE FORTY MIRRORS
upon a space 81 inches by 81 inches upon
the barn door, and then the revelations
began. As each mirror cast its quota of
sunlight upon the common store the
parallelogram OF light grew whittier and
more dazzling. until at last it looked like
patch OF electric light.
But little patience was required to await |
results. In less than, thirty seconds thin, |
curling puff Of smoke gave evidence OF the
progress OF the experiment. In a minute
the board was bursting out in flames. The
focus was then shifted upon the zinc. Ina
few moments it began to turn color; then
shrink as II II was anxious to get away
where Il was cooler, and then in less than
three minutes the entire surface covered
by the focus was literally melting drop by
drop. To melt zinc requires temperature
OF over 200 degrees Fahrenheit.
The most wonderful feature about the
whole thing Is
THE BRlLLIANCY OF THE LIGHT.
Each mirror adds not only heat, but
light. The forty mirrors produced a light
more brilliant than an ordinary elec .c
light. A hand, held so as TO intercept the
focus, becomes as white as driven snow.
A white handkerchief defies ordinary
sight, and conveys but an impression of
beautiful, impossible whiteness. 1t is as
hard to look at as the sun itself.
The possibilities Of Mr.. Calver's inven-
ton are borndless. Witha combined square
surface OF twenty feet OF mirrors, lead
melts quicker than thought, wood bursts
into flame and is gone into ashes, and
iron melts In less than twenty minutes.
Each mirror adds so much TO the heat and
light, and Mr.. Calyer has found by actual
experiment that q comparatively small col
lection OF mirrors, each one foot square,
will
MELT ALL KNOWN METALS
In very few moments. lie has produced
over 1900 degrees OF heat with his mir
r0rs. BY calculation it is shown that 900
mirrors, each n foot square, will melt iron
and steel with the rapidly almost of
Thought.
Tltere are processes, too, by which even
This enormous quantity of heat can be con-
SlenscdA> and made to perform incredible
feats, AcApncave mirror placed at the focus
of the large mirror will throw a pin-point
of heat back towards the mirrors, should
their numbers he increased by several
thousand capable 4f eating through solid
mass Of steel ten fe&t thick. like flash, and
as easily as a needlcN goes through a cheese.
The immense practical value OF the in
yention can be readily understood.
Mr.. Calver's forty fnirrors
Bou. WATER IN less THAN NO-TIME.
An egg placed in fhe water is done hard
quicker than by fire. Meat and vegetables
are cooked in ten or fifteen minutes. A
half hours sunshibe any time between 8
A. NJ. and 4 p. NJ. IN the summer will do
the cooking for an ordinary sized family
for week, II NECESSARY. BY the mirrors
engines can beFrun, wells dug, mines
worked, ore nle:ted and refined, every
kind OF cooking performed, and in short.
there Is no vsriety Of industry In which
they cannot piore than successfully COM
pete with nude power, steam, or electricity.
There arc many curious things in con-
nection with Mr.. Calver's discovery. More
heat CO be gotten from the mirrors in win
ter thu IN summer, strange ~ 1t may ar-
pear,for the earth Is then over 1900, 900
miles nearer the sun. Three thousand de