Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-12-26
ELECTRICAL WONDER
Az APPARATUS THAT UPsETs MANY
IRONCLAD THEORIES.
MEASURES The LIGHTNING'S FORCE
BY DiscbarGinG n Flash Four Feet
Long Professor TrOvbridge Has
solved Pulling PrOblem-His
spark Pierces n Vacuum.

Correspondence OF the Dispatch)
CAMBRIDGE. MASS, December "a
This year has been a great one for the
earring aside of the veil that hides from
scientists the cause of various natural
phenomena, and II looks as If the last
month were 10 witness the greatest stride
Of all. Science has tracked the lightning
10 its lair, and forced it to work for the
comfort Of King Man instead of terrify-
ing and occasionally killing him. But
science has never been able to gauge the
tremendous force behind the lightning
that sends IL to earth in so short space
Of time as TO make the lightning fash "a
favorite smile with those who wish TO
Illustrate a happening of a fraction OF
seconds duration. 1t has been made pos
slble 10 accomplish this by means OF an
apparatus that has been especially con-
structed by Professor Trowbridge, OF the
Lawrence School of Science. at Harvard
College. and which is unquest!onably the
greatest electrical machine in the world.
Il was constructed by Professor Trow-
bridge especially for the study OF cleo
trlcal discharges In the air. and is the
result OF an extended study OF the sub
feet by the scientific designer By means
OF this apparatus many problems In re-
lstlon TO eiectromotive force that have
hitherto remained unsolved will be in
vesugated.
II has been known that the lightning
coming from the clouds to the earth nash
ed through a mile Of atmosphere on us
course. and travelled at marvellous
rate OF speed. But it has never been
known how great the force must be that
produces discharges Of electrical mud one
mile in length in an infinitesimal space
OF time. With the assistance OF MS
wonderful new machine, Professor IroW-
bridge has solved the problem.
His apparatus is a lightning generator
on larger scale than any that has
heretofore been constructed. BY It's cleo
trical discharges OF great Dody ana
strength can be produced and mace 10
fash out for a distance OF four feet, ana
even more. Having made II possiole 70
produce a fash of lightning four feet In
length. Professor Trowbridge found 1t an
sasv matter 10 ascertain the force
necessary 70 bring about this result, ana
from that basis 10 make a calculation
az the force required TO send the electric
Huid from its lurking place IN the c-0uus
20 It's burrow in the earth.
Professor Trowbridge's electric spark
four feet long was produced by means
OF an electrCmotive force OF one Hiiiiioii
two hundred thousand volts, and II was
shown that the length Of the spark varies
directly with the force which Is necessary
70 produce il. Having proven this CON
clusyely. Professor Trowbridge made the
calculation that for the discharge OF
fash Of lightning one mile long, at ieas'
one thousand million volts Wouid De ie
quired. showing the immense force ina,
nature has stored away In her aeradl
workshop
Another valuable scientific discovery
made by the aid Of Professor Tro"-
BRIGGS machine upsets a theory that mas
long been undisputed regarding what con-
stitutes a vacuum. When glass tubes
from which all air had been carefully ek-
cluded have heretofore been placed III
The pathway Of a spark discharged from
one Of the electrical machines USED ioI
this purpose, II has invariably peeh .ne
case that the spark avoided the vacuum,
and has preferred 20 pass around the
glass, rather than through II. SpaFAs
Of even eight inches in length have SHOWN
this disposition 10 avoid a vacuum. bul
the powerful discharge from the machine
With which Professor Trowbridge Is eA
perimentiug shows no such shyness' anu
the vacuum seems TO have no power 10
resist them. The discharge from the
Trowbridge apparatus through such So
Ndlleq vacuum tuDeo were Oh q ~"IN'o
X-ray nature. and the skeleton OF tne
hand could be plainly seen by their ara.
These results are destined TO change the
scientific conception Of what constitutes
vacuum and provide an entirely ne" new
field ior research. that will keep scientIie
brains busy for long time 20 come ana
will shed much new light on the mystic
fles Of nature.
Curious experiments have been mace
by Professor Trowbridge with photo.
graphic phenomena. Taking set OK
Photographic plates. he placed them
carefully shielded from the light by pate
FOLDERS, al some distance from the wires
~ his apparatus that carried the power
fdi discharges. Turning the current on
these plates, Professor Trowbridge Sc
cured photographs, which, when develop
Cd. showed various curious electrical eff
fec's. which are invisible to the eyes:
These Photographic experiments opened
up stili another line OF investigation 10
Professor Trowbridge. and showed MN
that by the careful study OF such power
full discharges turned on Photographic
plates II would be possible TO bring 70