Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1884-07-25

medhtely before us. Az yet we KNOW
very little of the energy of nature--what
it is-its couvertibjlity, gravitation into
chemical affinity, magnetism, electricity
into light and heat, and all into motion.
1t is thirty eight years only since Joule
made the discovery that they are one and
the same. How great the progress |!
Yet we may confidently expect that dis
covery and invention will be quite as
marvellous in coming years.
Five years ago the telephone, now the
photophone, sending oral messages
along ray OF light, with clear and dis,
tinct enunciation The next application
OF the energy of nature for the promo
ton of our comfort, happiness and g, L.
oral well-boing promises to be the utili-
zation of the electric light. 1t is one Of
the marvels of science that Lowell,
Lawrence and Manchester may be light
cd by the water OF the Merrimac--by
gravitation--witn no consumption of
any material, no loss of energy! In the
future sewing machines will be worked
by turning u button Or pressing spring,
taking the power from the same mill
which is to furnish light, and We shall
use magnetic elevators. 1t is qui'e
probable that the introduction OF the
electric light will be followed by the use
of gas for heating and cooking.
! am not sanguine in any expectation
that there is to be any immediate dis
banding of great standing armies in Eu-
rope but rifcd cannon, repeating small
arms of long range, effective mile
away, the multiple gun have revolution
lied warfare. What is beyond We do
not foresee, bat on land as well as the
ocean we may confidently expect that
SCIENCE and invention will in time bring
about new order OF things, and men,
instead Of shouldering the musket dur
ing the best years of their life, rs in
France and Germany they are now COM
PEELED to do, will give their strength and
energy to the arts of peaceful life. The
poor man of to-day has vastly more than
it was possible for the poor man of 1890
to obtain. He may not be in possession
of any riches when he reaches the end
of life, but his burden through life is
not so weighty as it was half century
ago. We cannot foresee what discovery
may yet develop OF natures energy.il
other directions, but at the present, and
probably for many years, the human
race will use the forces imprisoned in
coal as the most available. The coal
area of the world is thus divided Eu-
rope aggregates about $500 square
miles, Great Britain 5,400, while North
America has an area exceeding 800, QUO
square miles That of England is less
than the area Of Massachusetts. 1t is
estimated that at the present rate OF
consumption there is coal enough in
England to last 1000 years. If with
5000 square miles of coal lands Great
Britain has such an extended lease OK
life, what shall We say OF this continent,
with between 300, 900 and 400, 90 square
miles of coal? We gauge the future by
what we know Of the past and present
Five thousand square miles OF potential
energy in the coal fields Of Great Brit
ain LOCO years her lease of life ! Three
hundred thousand square miles of po-
tcntial energy on this continent, and our
'xpc tition of life-who can tell us what
is? We are 10000, 900 to-day ten
;ears hence We shall number 70, 900 900,
nd at the close OF the century 90, 0G0,.
'Oo. Wlnt shah We be loo years hence {?
What 1000 years 20. G. Coffin.