The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1897-01-01

paratus, led him to practice in winds blow
Ing at times over ten meters per second.
Iheseexperiments,' 'hesaid, have given
the most interesting results that have ar
rived at since began" With wind We
iocity Of or seven meters per second, the
sailing surface of eighteen square meters
carried him against the wind u q nearly
horizontal direction from the top the hill
Without even having TO run at the start. as
Is generally necessary. In stronger wind
he allowed himself to be simply lifted by the
wind from the hilltop and sail slowly against
it.
While Lilienthal was working in the di-
rection OF the development of athletic skill,
Prof. Langley, the distinguished head Of the
Smithsonian Institution, has been devoting
much time and thought to the construction
OF q lightmotor machine, and ITS application
to propelIers for aerial flight. Preliminary
experiments were conducted on the Poto-
mac, below Washington, where machine
drive n by steam was raised by the revolution
OF its propeller blades and driven through
the air for half a mile, after which the
supply Of water being exhausted, owing to
tie absence OF a condensi apparatus, the
machine came to the ground. A second
Illgnt was equally SUCCESSFUL
During the early part of September Mr.
octave Chanute and Mr.. A. NJ. Herring con-
Quoted elaborate experiments in aerial 10
comotiOn with a machine of their own in
yention at Dune Park, Northern Indiana.
A large number of flights were made with
out a bruIse OF break. ~
In the Electric Field.
over $500 900 900 is the total capital in
vested in the electric lighting field in the
United states. The number of plants, pub
lie and private, is over 10000. The NUM-
Der Of motors in use is estimated ut about
500 900, and their Value at about $780,
O0O, 900. The electrical apparatus used in
mining is estimated at 500, 900, 900, and
tile value Of the electric elevator industry
will probably not fall short of SIS. OO0, 900
The most important OF all the electrical
Industries, however, is that OF electric
railways. In this field the investment is
very great, and in the United States is
represented by capitalization OF over
800 900, 900. Tie number of trolley
cars IN use now is over 25 900, and these
run on over IL 200 miles OF track. The
electric railways represent more than 80
per cent of all the street and suburban
raj Iroads Of the country.
The aggregate OF all the capital invested
in electric lighting, electric railways and
electric powerls about 81 800 900 600, and
this does not include the value Of estab-
lislIments that manufacture the machinery
and apparatus. As many OF these are among
the largest industrial enterprises in the
world, and as nearly all are concerns Of
"A fC hot
their combined capital will run up into
large figures.
There has also been a constant strug-
gle to improve the quality and increase
the efficiency Of the incandescent electric
amp In spite of all efforts, however over
30 per cent OF the energy expended has
hitherto appeared as heat and not light.
Now, however, we seem to be on the
-erge or a practical solution OF the prob
EN- OF obtaining cold light or light
n which the waste of energy in the form
Of heat is reduced TO a minimum. The
earliest exhibited attempt Of this kind
was the etheTic light Of D. MacF arlane
Moore, OF Newark, n. J MIR, NJ core EN-
Iloys as source OF light the vacuum
ube, in which, as is generally known,
he light is produced by the passage Of
he electric discharge through the rare
led gas of the tube. In such light there
S no combustion and only very little heat.
TINS form Of lighting has been attempted
before, especially by Tesla, but the re-
ults for practical purposes have not been
The light has not been OBJ |
aimed in sufficient quantity, and the ap
,aratus necessary for producing it has !
,een expensive and somewhat complicated, |
nd the current employed difficult 70 in |
ulate. Mr. Moore has succeeded in great |
y simplifying the apparatus and in OBJ
aiming an unusual volumeof light from the
ubes, while the current employed is IN
Ter comparatively low potential.
Another contribution to the same prob
I'm is the fluorescent bulb of Mr.. Edison,
n outcome of his study of the X-tubes.
he commercial possibilities of these in
entions. however, are not yet known.
Astronomical Events.
The astronomical event of the yearwasex -
ected to be the total eclipse Of the sun on
AUGUST 9. Vast preparations were made.
he path of the eclipse, for the most part,
vas rather fnconveniently situated. The be-
inning of the eclipse, however, should have
cen visible from Northern Norway and
INLAND, and In the afternoon the shadow OF
he moon passed over YeZo, the northern
,land of Japan.
The central portions of its track lay across
iberia, IN regions accessible only with diffi-
uity. where, however. several stations We're !
coupled by Russian astronomers. There
'ere numerous observers. mostly amateurs,
Northern Europe. but the principal eXpe-
rf, ttF-st Nx-a I
merican.
There were also numerous observers in
inland, with several Americans among
lcm. The special aim of the astronomers
-as to secure information about the corona,
$ structure, the variations, il any, during
lie two and a half hours while the shadow
as travelling from Norway TO Japan. and
le pecularItles of its spectrum.
The recent Identification OF terrestrial
elium had greatly intensified the interestin
re thus far mysterious element provision
ly called ''coToniuin'D which produces the
ost conspicuous and characteristic line in
lie coroual spectrum, and hitherto mas been
'und nOwhereelse, unless, possibly, inoneor
vo of the su-called new stars" Ii was
IrnestIy hoped that we might on this oc-
sion get some light upon the subject.
But alas! from all along the line OF OBJ
rivers the same report of foiIcd intent ions
as received. Observations OF the eclipse
ere made impossible by clouds. At Yadso
ld in the neighborhood the sun wds en-
-ely obscured during totality, and no OBJ
rvations of scientific importance were
stained. The party of Russian astronO
ers who stationed themselves az the vii
ge of OrloffskOe, on the Amoor, We're
Iually unsuccessful in making observa-
ms. The eclipse was visible as partial
lpSe at Toxic, but at keShi in the island