The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1895-06-01
TIE FELqS BATTERY.
Further Talks With the Professor
About 1t.
He is Ready to Test It's Workings
With ANY Other Primary Bat
terry That Ia Made.

Those versed in the art to which great
discovery or invention belongs are the
first to discredit the inventor or dis
coverer's claim. Particularly is this true
if the inventor does not happen to rank
among the most celebrated in the world.
The possibility Of the invention may not
be doubted, nay. it may even be antici-
pated, yet when it is announced that the
discovery of the hidden secret has been
made and materialized into working
model, competent critics often PREJUDICE
and condemn without evidence. A case
in point is found in borrowed criticism
of the Felts invention as it appears in the
Pacific Electrician and credited to the
Mining and Scientific Press. 1t reads as
follows:
OF his electric primary battery in the Sacra-
mentO papers. The KEcoRD-UNIoN wants to
know, in a leading editorial devoted to Mr..
FeltS, why it is not possible that a California
man has discovered what ali electricians so
long have sought and mourned because they
found it not. The mantle OF Professor Emme
seems to have fallen on Feits.-Mlnlng ana
Scientific Press.
This is an unwarranted and ungenerous
thrust, since neither of the contempt
raries quoted know anything of the merits
of Professor Felts' invention.
AS has been before stated, the RECORD
UNION knows nothing Of this invention
technically; but does know that it has
been submitted to local electricians, who
have passed upon 1t favorably through
the columns of this paper. Also, the re-
suits of tests have been published in these
columns which, it is claimed, have demon
strated the superiority of the Felts bat
terry over any primary battery in use.
Professor Felts has expressed perfect
willingness to submit his battery to fur
Their tests. Upon being interviewed con-
corning the criticism of electricians, he
authorizes the statement that he will place
two Of his cells of battery on a test with
two from any primary battery or batteries
that may be selected, the cells to be
placed in q box, securely sealed and
placed il bank or other public place.
Each cell must be connected up to gall
vanometer and allowed to stand until all
parties concerned are agreed that the test
is at an end. He declares moreover that
he will use commercial zinc One-sixty-
fourth of an inch in thickness against
pure zinc in the opposition cells of any
desired thickness.
Professor Felts maintains that it is by
reason Of the preservation of the zinc
that his battery maintains a perfect con-
stancy of current and for long-continued
of his battery or the quantity of current
are in nowise dependent upon the de-
struction of the zinc. He would not be
understood. however, as ignoring the law
of mechanical equivalents. He under
stands perfectly that energy in one di-
rection cannot be exerted without the
expenditure of its equivalent in another.
If, in the generation of the electric cur
rent zinc is not wasted, something else
is, according to the Professor, but here is
the hint of the great commercial value Of
the invention: The element destroyed is
practically costless.
Being interviewed upon this point.
Professor Felts made the following re-
marks: 1.-The invention is not yet prop
erly covered by letters patent, hence 1
am not prepared just now to give to the
public the secret. l will say, however.
that if the secret should be stolen the
thief would soon find that he had forgot
ten to take the skill along with it neces-
sary to work it, and he would turn it
back into my hands in disgust. | have
worked faithfully on the discovery since
last August. and l have no doubt but /
will yet make further discoveries that
will add still greater value to the inven-
ton"