Morning journal and courier., 1883-04-09
Artificial ssNorthern Lights s
New Experiment in Electricity

 From the London Telegraph
 Since Franklin's famous experiment, by which he proved that flash of lightning is only long electric spark darting from the battery of the clouds, nothing has been done to test the nature of atmospheric electricity so praiseworthy or so interesting as the in- Vestigation by Professor Lemstroem. At a point in North Finland, just within the Arctic circle, the professor constructed net work of wire on two conical mountains which were respectively about 2, 600 feet and 3, 900 feet high. Hills of this shape were chosen because, as well known, electricity gathers most rapidly about sharp eminences. If mankind possessed an electro static sense and could perceive electricity as they can light, then we should see this now mysterious element everywhere diffused in the world, and from all the edges, corners and sharp points of rocks and hills and church spires. and even the tips of plants and trees we should ob serve unceasingly at work day and night cleo tric steamers keeping up the balance of na- ture The professor knew that to and from these hill-tops electricity was darting by ex- pertinent he determined to hasten the process and render it visible. Copper wire being an admirable conductor, he connected the sum- mits of the hills with the earth at their base by network of this material, and the result was that instantly an arch of the aurora was formed overhead, rising, it was estimated, to some 300 feet above the mountain top.
 Two characteristics were noteworthy in this result. In the first place, the current detected in the wires were what is known as positive. M. Plante some years ago showed how to produce something very like the au- rora in the laboratory without using an ex- hausted vessel but by merely causing the positive and the negative wires of his battery to approach gradually vessel charged with salt water-the sides of the jar being also moistened with the liquid. It was found that he could in this way produce arcs and wreaths, and sinuous lines of light strikingly like the Aurora Polaris; but, euriously enough only at the positive end. It is sig rewarded the Helsingford professor for his ingenious labors. A second feature was that the spectroscope showed the peculiar lines of the aurora. The spectrum of the aurora is greenish- yellow line, and if this was recog- nized as stated there could be little doubt as to the genuineness of the phenomenon. The display lasted only 8 short time, because doubtless the electric pressure or tension was soon equalized, and, besides, the ice gathered so rapidly on the wires as to ren- der them useless, and even to break them by it's own weight. So far as it went, however the experiment appears eminently success full.
 There is still much to be done in the inves- tigation of the atmospheric electricity. These mysterious fre-balls known among the Port ugese as "Corpos Santos," and among Eng fish sailors as "Composants,' are still unex- plained; and even the origin of the electric ity of a common thunder storm can scarcely be said to be fully accounted for. It is mo- ticeable thatProfessor Lemstroem confirms remark of Sir Edward Sabine, who spent so many years of his life in making, magnetic observations. While at anchor near Skye he noticed that the cloud-cap on one of the highest hills was permanently luminous at night and occasionally gave out flashes like those of the aurora" There can now be lit tie doubt that it was a veritable aurora, though strictly local. Commenting on this and some similar facts eighteen months ago, Professor Tait, of Edinburgh, said what was wanted to determine the truth as to electric ity of the air was large-scale experiments, and he recommended that some young phy- sicists, clad in suit of plate armor for their personal protection, should, in the spirit of ancient chivalry, take their stations on the Connemara hills where striking phenomena are often visible, and with the weapons of modern science, tap the ightnings of the clouds and the surcharged electricity of the earth. In the same way as M. Lemstroem caused an aurora, thunder-storms might be prevented. Reversing the method, captive balloon could carry into the clouds from a mountain summit the copper wire that would discharge the flash safely to the earth.