The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-01-26
AN AMAZING EYE OF FIRE
THE WONDERFUL THINGS THE
ELECTRIC LIGHT HAS DONE.
Illuminating the Depths OF the Sea and
Revealing Creatures That Man Had
Never Semitic Magic That 1t May
Yet Perform

From me Neto ioTt sun.
When it was discovered that an artificial
! light that very closely resembles the nat
ural light of day could be procured from
electricity, and that it could be 50 easily
provided as to take, in a great measure, the
place Of gas for lighting purposes every
body was naturally astonishcd and thought
that the electricians were the greatest men
on earth, The new system was hardly old
enough to be an assured success before a lot
of wise men began considering the advisa-
bility of devoting this light to a greater
purpose than that Of merely lighting up the
humdrum affair of everyday life.
As an experiment, a small incandescent
! light was thrust beneath the water in
| fountain The effect was superb while it
| lasted, but the water managed to work its
way into the globe, and the light was ex-
tlnguished. This gave the electricians
| something To rack their brains for a means
| OF keeping the water away from the source
| OF light. coating of rubber was finally
placed over the joint where the glass globe
/ Joins the brass holder, and over this was
drawn a rubber bag that fitted tightly over
| the top Of the globe and around the pipe
| through which the wire passed. TINS
| promised to be successful, but a brief ex-
pertinent showed that the glass was not
strong enough to stand the pressure of
water, and, after being exposed to it for
short time, would collapse. A globe was
then made of plate glass that proved able to
! stand the strain.
For some time this was only used in
lighting up fountains by way of an orna-
ment. Then it occurred to Prof. Baird, of
| the United States Fish Commission, that if
| a light could be used under water it would
prove of great advantage to HIM in his
search for fish that never allowed them
selves TO be caught by any of the old-fash-
| Toned methods. He believed that there ex
| listed at a great depth in the ocean various
kinds of fish that had never been seen.
| Every boy who has lived near the water
| knows that favOrite method Of catching
cells Is TO lure them within spearing distance
by bright light placed in the bow of
boat. Light not only attracts eels, but
nearly everything else that lives in the
water, and the professor was sure that if
| light could be made to live at a great dis
lance in the water the reward would be
great.
The steamer Albatross of the commission
| was provided with an engine and dynamo.
| A liberal supply of heavy glass globes that
| would hold light equal to the lighting
power OF 100 candles was placed on board,
and, equipped with other necessary articles.
such as a lot of insulated wire, a large guam
| heavy weights to serve as sinkers, the
| steamer started out. The first attempt was
| unsuccessful, for at depth of | 900 fathOmS
| the pressure was so great upon the globe
that it broke. Another trial was speedily
made with heavier globes, and they were
found able TO stand the pressure OF any
depth to which they could be sunk But
the most wonderful part of this trial trip,
which took place something like three years
ago was related to Secretary Frank s.
| Hastings, of the Edison Electric Light
Company, by Prof. Baird.
At point near the Bahamas, according
to the professor, the light was d opped over
| board and sunk by means of heavy weights
| to nearly 900 fathoms below the surface
On the deck of the vessel stood the crew
with nets ready to drop them under the fish
that were lured from their homes in the
great depth. The light was allowed to re-
main in the water for some time, and then
it was slowly raised. 1t looked like the re-
Election of "a star in the water at first, and
its rays were seen, and in them we're visible
| the forms of dartng fish. The light on
lit up the water for twenty feet around, and
a weird assortment of fish that mad never
before been heard of was seen. When near
the surface the entrails of some of these fish
burst from their mouths. THE professor
ascribed this said Mr. Hastings, "to the
inward pressure. Nature mas made them
| so UnaU Ufey COulu i've Ill JDe great depths
in which they were found, and when this
pressure Of the deep water was removed
there was a counteracting force that killed
Them
The dead fish were just as useful for the
purpose for which the Professor wanted
them as live ones, and he gathered in a great
many rare and curious specimens without
much trouble. The light was also used to
good purpose for discovering the various
depths in which different kinds of fish
lived. The cost of fitting up steamer with
the necessary apparatus to produce electric
light is about 81, 800, but this first cost would
be counterbaanced by the cheapness of the
light it would produce. The cost of light,
roughly estimated, would not be within one
sixth as much as the cost of the usual
method of lighting.
The United States torpedo station at New
port is experimenting with electricity in
order to expose by its rays any obstruction
that might lie in the path of a vessel. The
experiments have reached that point where
it is certain that tho water can be readily
Illuminated for a space sufficiently great TO
show passage for a vessel The difficulty
is in regard to the propelling of this llgAt
at Il distance sufficiently far anead TO enable
a vessel to swerve from its course or come
to full stop before striking Il revealed OBJ
struction. The idea of these experiments is
TO show, in times of war. explosives that lie
beneath the water The thruStlng of n glass
globe through the water at the speed at which
a steamer generally moves san operat on re-
curing considerable thought for its sue.
cessful achievement. There is always much
difficulty in lighting up water that has a
rutlled surface, and for this reason many of
the experiments made have been less sue
cessful than was expected. The lighting up
of oyster beds, Mr.. Hastings thinks, could
be readily accomplished. because the water
in these places is not apt TO be very deep.
In tire West Indies and the Bahamas, where
valuable shells and sponRes lie deep in the
water, the searchers after these articles
have a box with Il glass bottom. The top
is open. In the box is placed a lamp,
and then the glass bottom is pressed
down in the water until it is slightly
below the surface. The water direc w
below the box is perfectly smooth
and it is possible to see through the water
for nearly ninety feet. Mr. Hastings thinks
that this same system could bc adopted
with the electric light which would throw
a stream OF light much stronger than could
be obtained by any other means. Early in
the present month boy was drowned nj
Wmchendon, Mass. Two days later his
body was discovered by means OF an cleo
trio light that was thrust under water bv
pole In the clearing and raising Of wrecks
the electric light, it is thought, will be of
great value.
at has been discovered said Mr.. Hast