The San Francisco call., 1897-03-14

produce light, which science (?) declares
is not matter? / PROFOUND these few
conundrums in all seriousness for some
OF my scientific friends to reply to.
In the show-wlndows OF numerous jew
elers' shops in this city m ay be seen what
appears 10 be a curious toy-a tiny wind
mill inclosei within glass globe. Its
vanes are attached to four arms, and are
upon the other, and they revolve with
changing rate of speed which increases
or dlminishes accordingly as the light
falling upon them brightens or dims. It
is called the radiometer. and is the device
of well-known scientist named Crookes.
1t is proven that the light causes the
vanes to move. But how? There is but
one satisfactory solution to the problem,
and that is the assumption that light is
matter. To move the vanes the light
must strike them with sufficient force,
and it is utterly impossible for the human
mind to conceive understandingly of force
disassociated from matter. Now, l know
that some anxious demonstrator will ex
plain: "But how about electricity? That
exerts force, as in the case of the magnet,
and electricity is not matter" Is my i'm
pulslve friend certain that electricity is
not matter? Let him prove his claim.
Accepting the assumption that light is
the product of certain form of matter
exhibiting as force contracting with an.
other form of matter that all space is
filed with matter, then it is a simple
question of proper research to determine,
not what is that certain force but in what
proportion and mode must that force be
applied to other matter to produce light !?
The most advanced conclusions of the
really scientific mind take expression in
asserting that vibration is the reagent
which renders appreciable every phe-
nomenon. In other words, the '.force" is
vibration, and that when matter attains
the proper degree OF vibration then
light" is manifested. We know that the
light suitable for general Illumination is
complex affair, the blended assent blaee
of innumerable rays, few of which we
recognize as the red, the yellow and the
blue, coupled with other rays of chemical
and thermal character; either ray being
insufficient for perfect white light. but
when incorporated as whole filing the
want.
Were it possible to take, say, three crys.
tai globes and exhaust from them ths
atmosphere until degree OF attenuation
had bee1 obtained commensurate with
that OF lnterstelIar space, and then give to
each globe the proper degree of vibration,
1t would be usually apparent that one
globe would glow with red light. an
other with yellow and the third with a
blue. Ii to the colored luminosities thus
obtained were to be added the proper pro-
portions of thermal and chemical equiva-
Tents. there would be no visible color, but
instead perfect white tight. That such
hght-producing machine will be devised
in the future is within the bounds of
probability. Like all new things it seems
difficult. But there is very promising
physical fact connected with the desired
affair. The space atmosphere in small
compartment vibrates more rapidly than
that in large compartment when both
compartments are agitated by the same
force. So, by using single globe divided
into compartments of proportionally
proper sizes the necessary rate of vibra-
tions may be obtained for each compart-
ment by the application of a single rate OF
power.
Human progress never rests; nor can
1t. Rest means death. The age of the
tallow dip was succeeded by the age Of the
whale-oil lamp. to be in turn cast into
shadow by the bright flame Of petroleum,