The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-10-31
WIZARDS OF THE NILE.
HAS TIL SECRET OF THE MIDS
BEEN ms, OTERED7


The wisdom or the Egyptians or 7'oco Years
Ago and Remarkable N cchnnicni rr"cesNr"
They Understood said 20 H"Ns hcc" lie
Illuminated by u New workers. niscoVrrs.
Mankind has been so enriched by the discov.
cries OF science that surprise is no longer cNciteu
by the most startling discoveries or INVENTION ~
is admitted without question that In the usual
order OF things there is hardly anything IN n"t'
ural force impossible to such wizards OF tho
laboratory as Thomas A. Edison. Lord Kelvin,
and othcro. who have harn.sscl the forces OF
nature to the car OF human convenience
and comfort. The discoveries in electricity
have wrought as great n revolution III modern
industrialism MS the discoveries in steam power,
and the chances are that we have only scraped
the surface OF the hidden forces OF nature oy
which human effort will be minimiZed ana pro-
duction increased in volume beyond the dreams
of mankind, besides being so reduced in cost as
to be within the reach of all.
But all the scientific knowledge which we have
acquired within the present century has not en-
ahlcd us to solve the mystery that surrounds tho
building Of the Pyramids and the monuments
and the buried cities Of Egypt. We stand In tho
presence of these stupcndous ruins and confess
that their builders possessed n secret In chem
istry and in mechanics Of which we are ignorant,
and which in all probability pcrishodi the do
struCtion OF the libraries OF Egypt. We can
account for the loss in no other way. Tho
knowledge, which was applied through u long
series of years, must have been accessible to tho
students OF Egypt, and whe.o would 1t TO de-
nestled .yo,nt in the libraries of tho country.
which ware f,d IN tn, Hanna hv c,nnueripp in.
vadcrs,
Tur SIN rcnorter has spent nnnv hours
with Dr Ferdinand Scepcr NJ Park avenue.
who has been n lifelong student Of Egypt.
olcgy. and has devoted tho last twenty-five
wears Il, cyneriments Tim, would clcnr IN
~ ,,,.., -. ah.t,- ..I -.
lIc higs'er! III chemistry anu mochah'
les which surrounds the pyramids and other
mastcrful engineering achievements Of the
""""S 49, -. 49, 800
WIZARDS ot the Mic. br. 9cegcr Is Tue inventor
of many instruments in general use in
Tho modicoI rrorossinn md sor m,ry r,,rs
-,
was inc eui'or vi -"'"'cts ''""S,c8' "
journal which once enjoyed considerable
rcnutation. hut of lote venrs he has dcvotcJ
y - "a, ,tu,a . - anas,ta.u,
and mechanics. in the hope that he might dis.
cover th. lost secret of the Evyrti,ns. the secret
which enabled them to rear structures that
puzzle the best engineers who have studied
'heil' "ho 10 MAKE WON anu stone ahu horouS
substances impervlons 10 IRE water and atmos'
-, -, aat,o , 49,, H.
were when designed thousands ana thou'
SANDS Of years ago, The study has been I"
49,, ha hes Jia,oronas .ha ,os, eoauo ~ tho
'""t nc III "'s'o,efeu INV 'oe' se'iet vi 'ho
principle on which it was based. His discovery
is really OF a twofold character. and involves
~, l",.",nh ~ H..;..,a
the generation OF e!ec'Tlc''! oS methooS ehtireiy
different from those now generally employed.
and the discovery OF a fluid inherent in the
o,.c, rir;+y nc ho rc,er,,es If rho Two cmn,ovod
e!ectrloi'! us NC scner''es IT. 'hc WV chip'oseu
| together producing many ana marvellous re-
suits.
ny III. SeeGer 5 process NE 9uN reporter mas
seen brick tougher than the ordinary brick or
ashes only' SAND only. sand and ashes. or a com.
b.natiOn OF sand, ashes. sawGust. paper, vcge-
bTricSS 20 made being Impcrvioms to IRE or water
and cauabic of being used for building or pay.
| ing purposes, and possessing sanitary proper
tics nor nOsscssed nv tho brick and Stone And
pavement now in general use. By the same
process are made frepoof wall paper. thing,
cornicing. ami the like. A common piece OK
cloth of any character subjected TO the solution
becomes iniprcgnahlc 10 ire or water or zorro.
submitting Mooi to the PROC IS. making bridges.
houses, cars. and the like ircproof.
But among the most remarkable results Sc
tricity in nortabIe form. SO that il can ba used
when needed FOR illumination, heating and loco.
motive pronulsion. Electricity can be generated
from the refuse OF the house ina SO stored as to
be available when needed for heating or illumi.
now for the most part not only a dead
loss in itself but a heavy charge upon
the taNpnyeFs IN Inc disposition made de
OF electricity, and in the making o; brick. paw
ins stone, ami The like. at u cost so much less
than nov prevails as to mark a revolution. All
this should no, SEEM improbable when the sue
cess OF Sir William Thompson. now Lord Kelvin,
in turning 20 profit the common refuse Of tho
streets ot London. is remembered. although the
process discovered by Dr. Seegcr differs essen,
TALLY from that of Lord Kelvin.
The resisting power of DR.. Sccger's compost
ton was Illustrated forcihly by firing n pistol
bullet, at short range. AT n piece OF cardboard
made OF sawdus, and ashes by the electrical
process and imprcSH4tcd with the solution
The !nacntation made by the bullet was almost
. lIa,.y f". - sn,lsnt ,,l ,,r-.
this principle would tie effective against the
proJcc,ilcs of sidcarms in protecting infantry
troops in actual warfare has not been demon
I stratcd. but, Judged by the test THE Sun re
porter saw, it ought to rcvolutioniZe warfare.
III" knowledge OF chemistry ana mechanics
rolscsscd by The ancient Egyptians. as disclose,
in the mpSsivc works, still t.ndIng or in ruins
all over their country, ia IA profound mystery tt
all the modern engineers VINO have examine
t en-. The On <!nccring required to place sucl
huge stones, they reason. il il ever existed, is {
LOST art. Rut did such engineering ~knowlcdg,
exist among the Egyptians! Are the stones
they used stones in the modern sense, and wert
they lifted into place ns modern engineers woul,
70 about the work These are I'M crest ing Cucs
tinps which rn IN thn rnnt uf tho ont irn suhiert