The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1895-04-02

And yet, as intimated above, the
science and art of electricity are in
their infancy. Tesla, as was said, has
just opened glimpses OF a new world
of mystery in this direction. Before
his disclosures, there ha 4 already been
developed two great lines of invention
for accomplishing certain important
ends in the production and use of
electrical force. Inventors have long
been earnestly and hopefully at work
to solve the great problem of the direct
conversion of the great and universal
force of heat into its corresponding
equivalent of electrical force. AT
present that conversion Is accomp-
lished in q roundabout and costly
manner by the intervention of water
or steam power, which is employed to
drive q dynamo which generates the
electricity. There results immense loss
of force by the friction of the two sets
OF machinery used. In the water POWER
the original elevation of the water
to the height from which its fall lends
the force used, represents an enormous
consumption of solar head, which is
not wasteful only because the iDcalcu-
liable volumes of such heat are ever
flooding unused into space. Where
steam is used as the converting me-
dunn, not one-fourth OF the actual
heat power developed reaches the en-
gine, while half the engine power is
wasted on the circuitous road of the
dynamo and the electric motor.
Imperfect and impractical methods
are already known, by which direct
application of heat can be made to
need to be developed, so that the de-
sired force can be generated copiously
and With facility. Inventors are bus
lily at work to solve the problem. The
prospect is entirely hopeful. There
can hardly be doubt that in near
future, q way will be discovered and
gradually perfected by which the
combustion of coal will impart it's
heat directly to machinery which
will evolve a corresponding amount Of
electric force with comparatively
small waste, with far less loss, doubt
ess, than in the force obtained in the
most perfect quadruple expansion
steam engine.
It is also probable to a degree hardly
admitting OF doubt that this line OF i'm
Vention will accomplish the direct
generation OF electricity by the heat OF
the sun. Immeasurable floods OF sun
heat are forever pouring to waste all
over the globe. Every particle OF that
heat is equivalent TO a useful amount
OF electrical motive power. The prob
lem is to convert the one useless force
into the other useful one. The solu-
tion is probably not very com plIcated,
and will before many years be discOv-
cred. IT will almost revolutionize in
dustriaI forces and methods During
the coming half-century it is highly
probable that the limitless and uni
versal supply Of solar heat will have
come to be harnessed directly into
human service, as water power, wind
power and steam power have been in
the past.
A few of the revolutionary
results of such an invention
may be contemplated. For all in
dustrial purposes, power Will
become extremely cheap in all locali-
ties where the sun daily shines. The
use of unlimited power at nominal
rates will make it applicable in amul-
titude OF ways which its present cost
fOrbids. The cost OF manufactures
of ali kinds involving large expendi-
ture Of force will be vastly cheapened.
All mining and metallurgy will show
this great advantage. The reduction
OF metals from their ores will be ac-
complished mainly by electrical
action, while their ores VII! BE exca-
waited and lifted from the mines OS
electric force. ALI lighting and heat
ing will be accomplished by electric
ity, made cheaper than any other
possible means.
Among the uses of cheap power
may be estimated that Of reclaiming
vast tracts of upland, fertile but arid
soils, to cultivation by lifting low
lying waters to their levels An IL
lustration of this use may be found in
the project now entertained Of pump
ing to a height of 400 feet the copious
supplies of water now flowing to
waste at sea level around
Pearl Lochs. Given the cheap
solar electric power hoped for,
and those waters might profitably
be forced up 900 feet. so as to bring
under the highest cultivation every
one of the so, ,000acTes of smooth but arid
land between Eva and Waialua. In
all parts of the world such lands lie
adjacent to rivers aud lakes capable OF
them if only their water
could be lifted to the required heights.
Even hopelessly desolate regions
may be to some extent reclaimed by
such means, and thus the capacity OF
the globe for sustaining population be
greatly multiplied. Regions now in
tOlerable for heat to white races may
be made habitable by the coming
cheapness of refrigerating processes,
the inhabitants may be abun-
dainty supplied with artifcially cooled
to which 20 retire during
the excessive heats Of the day. The