Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-03-04
ELECTRIC FLASHES.
PROF. WlNsToNS LECTURE ON THE
MYSTERIOUS AGENT.
History and Progress of Electrical Dis
covery-NewtOn, Ben. Franklin,
Farrady, and Others.

hundred persons. among them many la
dies, faced the storm last night to hear
Professor Charles ii. Winston on Elec-
tricity. II was fine tribute to his popu-
larity as lecturer, rs well as an evidence
Of the interest felt by people generally in
the subject he had chosen TO discuss.
The Professor had made careful prepara-
ton, and by the aid of his fine lantern,
worked by Student John G.. Winston, he
engaged both the eyes and the ears of his
intelligent audience.
The platform was filed with apparatus
and, where the great dampness of the
atmosphere did not interfere, the expert
ments were clear and fascinating. One of
the charms of Professor Winston as O lee
turer is his naturalness.
EARLY ANNALS OF THE SCIENCE.
He said, after expressing his high appre-
citation OF the compliment paid him by the
large attendance that he was not there TO
deliver a sot address, but to speak infor-
mally and to try to help people, and if any
one wished to ask questions he must feel
free 20 do 50. This lecture was devoted
to the early annals of the science, and was
designed TO show how from small begin
nings electricity had come to be great
factor in human progress, engaging in prof.
table enterprises SIX hundred millions Of
dollars and thousands of operatives.
The Professor deftly wove into the mar
rative illustrations of the discoveries
made from time 10 time, thus fastening
the points of the discussion in the appre-
hension and memory of his eager listeners.
Beginning with the definition of the word,
he gave the names and frequently tho pho
tOgraphs OF all the great discoverers and
inventors who have brought down the
scientific discussions from the amberism
of the long ago to the recent marvellous
developments of modern days.
Attention was called TO the singular fact
that this power which is now sOimpOrtant O
force should have lain dormant, and even
when at first discovered should have been
made SO little of during all this time. IT
has now SO developed. however. that in
this country 5000, ,00J,000 are invested in
electrical-w and dappliances and 250,O0
persons get their living from 1t.
~TIoNEERs Il; ELECTRIC SCIENCE.
The real founder of the science. said the
speaker, was William Gilbert, the first
physician to Queen Elizabeth, who en-
bodied bis researches in a famous book
called "De Magnetic" Other men who
added to the knowledge Of the subject
were mentioned by the lecturer in rapid
review, and the particular contributions
of each explained. Otto Won Guerlcke, be
said, probably invented and used the first
electrical machine globe of sulphur
turned by q crank and rubbed with the
naked hands.
William Gray discovered that some sub
stances were conductors and some non
conductors, and first sent electrical effects
10 considerable distances.
Sir Isaac Newton found time from grayer
studies to experiment in the fascinating
science, and Is said to have been the first
to use machine made of glass. He exhi-
rgf laa.
puerile experiment of the "daLcing dolls"
The famous story of the discovery OF the
Leyden lar was narrated and eXempllhed.
Others were mentioned and the advances
in the science explained.
WHAT BENJAMIN FRANKLIN DID FOR IT.
Benjamin Franklin. of course, came in
for special mention. He, said the Fro
fessoT. was said TO have contributed the
knowledge of the action of points IN carry
ing off electricity; also TO have advanced
the theories on the subject, especially the
theory OfinductloD, as shcwn IN the Ley
den phial," rs It was then called.
THE STORY or THE KITE.
The story of the kite and the identified
tiOn Of electricity with lightning received
due notice. OF this interesting incident,
as well "a Of several others. vivid represen-
tatiOns were projected on the screen by
calcium light which Professor Winston
used to make his remarks more easily COM
pretended
Coulomb and his famous laws obtained
by his even more famous torsiOn balance
were also discussed.
Other workers in the same field especi-
ally Faraday, who discovered the true
nature of induction, were briefly alluded
to, and thus by successive stages the dis
cussion of the subject was brought up to
the present time.
MORE RLCENT RESULTS IN THE STUDY.
The Professor gave some account of the
most recent results as announced 10y Lodge
In his mOdernsviews of electricity, and by
William Crookes, renowned for his studies
in radiant matter"
The subiect of frictional electricity,
said the Professor, has not advanced much
and admits Of few practical illustrations
bat many beautiful experiments.
THE DIFFERENT KINDS or ELECTRICITY.
ELECTRICITY, SAID be. "a subject eX-
tromely mysterious aud apparently not
subject TO law, is rendered still more
strange TO many by the different kinds OF
power and the different means OF intro
ducing it. For instance, many man who
witnesses an experiment with q glass wheel
wants to know whether the telegraph and
telephone are worked in the same way,
and after he finds they are run by bat
are run by battery or glass wheel.
"a part of the idea of these lectures"
added Professor Winston, will be TO make
clear the broad, wide difference and get
the substantial identity Of these three
kinds Of electricity The kind treated Of
last night might be termed " Electricity at
PLAY" while the subjects to be discussed
hereafter will more properly be called
" Electricity ct Work"
Professor Winston also made mention Of
the recent and startling experiments of
Professor Hartz, OF karlsruhe, Germany
which are accepted as establishing close
relationship-if not a practical identity
between electricity and light, a view the
ontcoTne OF which Is likely 10 almost revo-
lutlonize many physical theories and to
lead to important practical results.
The Professor was closely followed IN
this historical review, which was rendered
easy for the audience by having the names
and the dates projected upon the screen.
The historical lrstalments were inter-
spersed with many striking experiments
iilnstrating the points made III the lecture.