Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1897-04-23


Teaching Languages.
New York papers published recent,
q letter from Paris which opens will
the statement that "the use of com
pressed air in the mechanical Traction
of surface railroads and otherwise as
means of transportation has beer
practically known in France for tift.
years" After giving review of wha
has been accomplished the writer end
by saying: at is plain that the con
test in future motive power lies be
tween these two forces, air and cleo
tricity."
What the future may have in store
it is impossible to foresee, but that tn,
present is certainly an "electric age
goes without saying. The papers teen
with items about electricity in some
form or another. One has but to lool
over the college catalogues to realize
the excess in number of students tax.
ing the engineering course over those
of few years ago. This proves that
electricity is expected to hold even q
larger place in the future than in
the present. 1t was noted that the
Royal Institution of Great Britain
made electricity the subject of the
series of annual lectures given to
children. This no doubt was done
with the idea that the "children OF
to-day are the scientists of tomorrow
and that they cannot be too early in
structed in the knowledge of that
power which is destined to move the
universe.
1t is doubtful if any tales of witch
craft or magic had ever so great a
charm for the people at large as the
story of electricity's wonderful work
as related by the daily press. The
tales of the genii in the
" Arabian Nights" sank into insignif-
canoe in comparison with the story
told short time since of the mighty
Niagara being placed in harness.
Fancy 1000 horsepower leaving the
giant cataract voicing the popular
song, "Put Me Off At Buffalo" !"
Imagine street cars propelled by
Niagara, which was thought but a
short time since to be only "a thing
of beauty" When we read that the
city has given a franchise which COM
pels the company to furnish 10000
by June, 1897, and to be
prepared to furnish 10000 additional
horsepower every year for four sue
cessive years thereafter, we must adj
NIT that this does not look rs if Buff
falo expects that electricity will soon
be superseded by any other motive
power.
A plan is on foot, it is stated, for
supplying the gold fields of New Zea-
land with electric power, the generat-
ing force to be obtained from falls
situated 80 miles from the nearest and
160 from the fartherest point of the
gold-bearing area. The power would
be transmitted over "rugged and
trackless mountain regions on wires
strung from point to peak, spanning
ravines, festooned around crags and
carrying light and movement down
to the deepest mines" This seems q
herculean task, but it is spoken of as
being entirely feasible.
In nearly every trade and profes-
sion electricity plays part. The
physician now finds it indispensable
the oculist, since Edison made his
much discussed statement in regard to
the possibility Of the X-rays restoring
sight, has been experimenting with
more or less success. The dentist
finds it invaluable, for as motor it
has robbed teeth.filling of its former
terror. The work is done in one-quar-
ter the old time. The mallet is driven
at high rate of speed, and Is painless
compared with the old hand and foot
treadle process.
1t is claimed that the telephone has
not even yet done half the service that
it is capable of. Scientists have long
been discussing the feasibility of SUBJ
marine telephony. Many believe this
to be impossible because of the induc-
ton which causes confusion among
the electric waves that conduct and
make ineligible the sound waves pro-
ceeding from the speaker through the
transmitter. But most of us are will
ing to believe that call things are pos
sible" to the modern electricity.
Speaking of telephones brings to
mind the new Office which has re.
Gently been inaugurated at Windsor
Castle in connection with the house.
hold of the Queen. 1t is that of court
telephonist. 1t is q very responsible
Office, as may be imagined when it is
stated that the Queen does not herself
speak over the telephone nor place heI
ear to the receiver. All that is lett to
the newly appointed court telephonist
who thus becomes a very important
parsonage. The young man is to be
congratulated.