The Brookhaven leader., 1891-01-01

IN THE ELECTRICAL WORLD.

America has 1000, 600 telephones;
tho world 200, OOO
Madrid now has an electrical system.
Tho English own it
Church lighting by electricity Is
aking headway in England.
Storage batteries have displaced
primary batteries in the Berlin offices.
Electric motors are being intro
duced on tho underground railway In
London.
1t is proposed to establish near
Dresden an electric station to fur
nish light and power to 16S small
towns.
In Germany iodoform is being made
by use OF the electric current An alco-
holic solution OF iodide of potassium
traversed by a current of carbonic acid
is subjected to the electric current, and
iodoform is produced in the shape Of
small yellow capsules.
The proprietor of the Chicago News
is considering the advisability OF in
stalling an electric motor plant with
which to drive his presses. The pro-
posed plant will have a capacity of 500
horse power, one-half of which will be a
duplicate plant to be held in reserve.
In observations with kites and bal
looms, Prof Leonard Weber has found
that the atmosphere is negatively cleo
trifed up to height of about 100 yards,
beyond which it is positively electrified
in a degree increasing very rapidly with
the distance from the earth. The mega
tive electrifcation of the lower strata
of the air is attributed to the presence
of germs and dust PARTICLES.
1t has been suggested, in view Of
the serious loss suffered by the electric
al com panies from time to time by the
hasty and clumsy cutting of their wires
by firemen, that it would be worth their
while to keep corps of men with wag-
ons equipped with appliances for cut
ting wires, who should go to fires and
watch and handle the wires in the in
terest of the companies. A still more
practical idea is for the companies to keep
man at each engine-house, who shall
60 with the engines to fires and direct
the wire cutting operations.
There are not many electric light
installations in Spain, but an important
central station has been erected in the
Gala de las Mozas, Seville. The mains
are all placed underground, and branches
are taken off at suitable intervals. The
cables consist of copper wires, insulated
by several layers of pure vulcanized
india rubber, the whole then being
placed in a leaden pipe. The glow
lamps vary from 1O-candlo power to 100
candle power, and the arc lamps from
5OO-candle power to 1,OOO-candle power.
"A new diving dress has been adopted
by the French navy. 1t contains but
three pieces-helmet, collarette and
body-the helmet being fitted to the
collarette by screw spring adjustment,
bv which the necessity for all loose
pieces in the way of nuts is obviated.
The helmet is fitted with an incandes-
cent lamp, inclined forward at an angle
which enables the diver to derive the
fullest advantage from it, and fitted with
protector and mirror. At present the
battery is carried in boat which re-
mains near the scene of operations, but
it is proposed to equip the diver with
water-tight knapsack, fitted with cells,
somewhat after the fashion adopted for
ballet girls when special light effects
are required on the stage. In conjunc-
tion with this form of divers dress,
respirator has been devised, fitted also
with an electric lamp for use in ascer-
tanning the seat Of fire in ships hold,
when as yet there is more smoke than
fire