Los Angeles daily herald., 1886-03-21

A few years ago series OF remark
able and extremely useful discoveries
and Inventions we're made in cleo
trical science These all occurred
about the same time. The principal
Of them eliminated in giving us the
electric light, the telephone and the
electrical railway, all Of which have
come into practical use and are oil
the greatest importance. These de-
velopmepts caused an increased IN
terest In the novel field of electricity
amongst scientific men, and gave rise
10 the most laborious and complete
Investigation possible of the delicate
and difficult subjects connected with
this intangible and strange substance
or property. But for some time past
no practical results had appeared to
flow from such labors. Now, how
ever, the scientific publications again
teosn with new and remarkable ex-
periments and accomplishments with
electricity. Some Of these are merely
demonstrative of scientific truths, ana
useful only in the way of theory, but
many Of them are Of the greatest
practical importance, and all are
wonderful. Among them may be
mentioned Edison's invention OF air
telegraphy, described by him in the
March number OF the North american
Rspiew, by which, as he claims, mes
sages may not only be sent from
moving railway trains to any point,
but kilograms may be transmitted
from one ship to another, at sea, or
from islands to the main land, with
out wires or any means of conductivity
other than the atmosphere. 1t is
evident that q vast domain OF possi-
bilities still remains unexplored and
unapplied in this direction. There is
no end TO the universe OF cleo
trical action. Electricity is every
where, and in some form or other,
Is in everything. What forces,
potentialities and uses may yet be
evolved from it, is past all present es-
timation. Nothing, in view OF the
telegraph, telephone and electric
light, Is too wonderful for belief in
relation to future revelations or ac-
complishments pertaining to 1t, 1t
seems, in some respects, almost to
partake of the unreal, and to be past
belief in all its relations. But in all
its varieties, when its own peculiar
territory is invaded, it is as real in its
effects as the ocean, or the winds, or
ssteam, although II may weigh moth
Ing, and can neither be felt, tasted,
heard or seen; (for as is well known,
the "electric light" is not absolutely
The electricity. nor is the thunder or
che ''lightning" the electricity; these
are only some of its efiects). In the
old Brahminic books of the parent
Sanscrit language, in the Upanishads
and the Vedas, much is told of an in
visible, intangible etheric world OF
magic powerand nature, surrounding,
{nterblending and commingling with
every atom of the visible world of
matter, and extending far beyond the
solar system, called "akasd." OF
this subtle, subjective world of Akdsd
the most strange and unthinkable ac-
counts are given, detying the belief
OF modern minds, and which have
Justly been relegated to the domain
Of myth and fable. But, strange to
relate, the researches and discoveries
Of modern science with reference
to electricity, as far as they
have extended, have verified
these ancient myths with as
&onishing closeness. Their de-
scription OF akasd exactly comedies
with what we know OF electricity,
and their account OF its powers and
uses agrees with what we understand
about it. The same may be said of
the interior occult "Fire" Of Robert
Fludd and the mystic sect of the
Rosicrucians, II such body was not
apocryphal. 1t is not at all impos-
eible that science in its researches
into this puzzling occult uni
rv6Dse Of heat, light, electricity and
magnetism, with all their subtle,
modifications, may yet accomplish
oven greater results Of practical and
theoretical Importance than any set
forth in the strange myths and
1eoends of our prehistoric Aryan
fathers at the foot of the Himalsyas.